This was the perfect restaurant to start our Portland trip off with. We were seated at a lovely table in the corner. We had a reservation. The ambiance is very moody and sexy. Perfect for a date night! Our server, Hannah, was great. She suggested an excellent bottle of wine that complimented all of our dishes. Customer service was a solid 10/5! This is a place to definitely add to your Portland dining list! To start, all of the dishes were wonderful portions and could easily be shared between two people. Which I absolutely love because I enjoy trying as many things as I possibly can! Arancini: This was a great starter. Absolutely delicious. I have yet to meet an arancini that I don't love. 5/5. Caesar Salad: A perfect dish that is light and necessary before getting into a heavy entree. The salad was crisp, delicious, very fresh, and a must order. 5/5. Scallop Risotto: This was a large position that had scallops in every bite! It wasn't too heavy, was not too salty, and you could taste the freshness in the ingredients. Dessert is not pictured, but it is worth ordering! The entire dessert menu was excellent! read more

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I don't typically write a lot of reviews but when I do, it is about an experience that was either really impressive or hugely disappointing. So here goes... My daughter had been wanting to go to Via Vecchia for a while but couldn't afford it on a college student's income. So we went during my visit. My hopes were high as we walked in--a beautiful glass enclosure at the entrance that was draped with ceiling to floor ivy; an intimate but lively atmosphere; and an offering of creative cocktails...my enthusiasm quickly vanished when our appetizers arrived. We ordered the focaccia, grilled octopus, and Caesar salad. The focaccia was soggy and flavorless. Even the olive oil that accompanied the bread was flavorless. The grilled octopus was another disappointment--there were more cloves of garlic than pieces of octopus. And what little octopus was there, a third of it was charred to black. Thankfully, the Caesar salad was fresh and fairly tasty. Ironically the focaccia croutons were the highlight of the salad. Then the entrees arrived--chicken Marsala and a spicy shrimp pasta in cream sauce (can't remember the name of the dish). My daughter liked the second dish enjoying the slight kick of whatever pepper/spice was used in the recipe. For me, it was just okay. The biggest disappointment however was the chicken Marsala--the gnocchi was overcooked, the entire dish itself was too salty, and the chicken--overcooked in some parts and fairly tender in others--tasted like it came out of a can. Quite honestly, I don't know what all the hype is about. This restaurant is mediocre at best. Perhaps the cocktails numb everyone's tastebuds to the overly salty but otherwise bland dishes. It was not worth the money and I would never go again. If this is the best that Portland has to offer by way of fine Italian dining, I'd say it's time Portland redefined the meaning of "fine". read more

I almost canceled our reservation for Via Vecchia due to the underwhelming reviews here, but I am glad I didn't since I really enjoyed my dinner here. The restaurant is very romantic - dark lighting, chandeliers, ornate china, candles, on a cobblestone street. Our reservation was at their large wrap-around bar in the front. The bar seats weren't the most comfortable - they have no backs and they are drilled in place; if ever returning, I'd book a table. I didn't realize they had a whole back room which has two levels of additional tables and lounge seating as well. Even though the bartenders were very busy preparing intricate cocktails, we still received wonderful service. Our bar seats gave us a view of the kitchen windows, so we were able to see all the dishes coming out which was helpful in informing our decisions. We had the whipped ricotta and arancini to start. The ricotta was a large portion and came with tall breadstick crackers - it was really good, same with the riceballs. For my main, I got the radiatori pasta. I enjoyed it and brought some back as leftovers. Lastly, we shared the blueberry tiramisu for dessert. By the time the meal ended, we were sickly full since everything was so good and we wanted to clear our plates. I would definitely recommend this restaurant for a date night or large groups. read more

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Did a takeout order where Caesar salad was standard, chicken with gnocchi was exceptional and the pasta with meatballs/sauce just as good! Focaccia...exceptional! Pasta is perfectly el dente and the meatballs...wow!!! read more

My wife and I agree this was one of our best dining experiences ever, anywhere! This place is not afraid to use butter and salt in all the best ways. We enjoyed the whipped ricotta, which came with crunchy breadsticks for dipping; the Lolla Rossa salad, which was large and one of the freshest I've ever had; the short rib, which was melt-in-your-mouth tender; and the agnolotti, which was the perfect crossover between a pasta dish and corn chowder. We finished the evening with the s'mores cake and an affogato, featuring the boldest espresso I've ever had. Jennifer took great care of us, as we were there to celebrate our wedding anniversary, which was truly made special by our dining experience here. The restaurant is beautiful and quite spacious beyond the bar area where we were seated. read more

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Very good. I got the arancini and focaccia. Arancini was delightful. Place looks deceivingly small but actually lots of room in back. I sat at bar and Brian was great. He was attentive and an amazing bartender. Will definitely go back read more

Great food and vibes. We started with the mussels which had a tasty sauce. I got the Campanelle, which had a light red sauce and shrimp. I enjoyed the pasta and it was a good size portion. Everyone else enjoyed their meals as well. If you are looking for a change up from all of the seafood, this was a great option. read more

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My best friend and I went to this restaurant while we were in town (we're from Miami), and we tried the Agnolotti. We absolutely loved it! So much so that we ended up going two days in a row just to have it again. In fact, I actually haven't stopped talking about it since! The appetizer and dessert were also delicious but my entree was the star of the show. Thank you again for such a wonderful dining experience! Wish I lived closer so I could visit more often! PS. To the chef, any chance you'd be willing to share the recipe? Let me know who to email. I'm serious. read more

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This dinner was FANTASTIC. I had seen so many recommendations from TikTok and our experience met every one of our expectations. We walked in on a Wednesday and scored a spot outside. Our waitress, Hannah was absolutely incredible - quick, friendly and gave great advice. The entire staff was very helpful and cleared our plates, and brought our food and drinks quickly. The food was stellar- and don't think you can really go wrong with anything on the menu. Would 100% recommend this to anyone visiting Portland. read more

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After our original Friday night plans fell through we decided to try our luck at Via Vecchia. We showed up around 7:15 on Friday night and got lucky with 2 seats at the counter. Our waiter was charismatic and took great care of us throughout the meal. Food was delish and my husband really liked their Sicilian Negroni. We ordered the lumache and radiatori pastas for dinner which was maybe our only misstep because while they were both really good, they were similar enough that I wish we had ordered a meat dish instead. Would love to go back to try the short rib, pork Milanese and basically everything else on the menu. read more

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I have no idea how this is just a 4 star?!. Beautiful restaurant, bar and the food and service are outstanding! We loved the small plates selections and the chef delivered excellent food that is simple yet creative italian. The way it should be. Go! You will love it. Get away from fried seafood! read more

Via Vecchia - Bar of restaurant - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

Italian food is rarely ever the cuisine I find myself craving particularly at the price point of $36 a plate. That being said, if you had money burning a hole in your pocket and a desire for carbs you could do a lot worse than here. I've always been a bit doubtful about the hype here but the scallop risotto just about made me a believer. Solid Negroni too (which would be a necessity in any self respecting Italian restaurant). read more

Via Vecchia - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Loved this restaurant, I don't like pasta, but nothing disappoint except for the BITTER drinks listed under bitter. I had a sweet drink and it was amazing then decided to change it to a different once and that's when it just ruined my whole dinner. Other than that the pasta was fresh, they accommodate my dietary restrictions. I was happy. read more

Via Vecchia - Pasta - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

EXCELLENT pastas & dishes, and perfect for a night out! Reservations are highly recommended - we came on a Friday night during the off-season and had about a 25 min wait still. Via Vecchia was definitely worth the wait, and this was one of the most surprising restaurants during our trip. We ordered the brussel sprouts, grilled octopus, campanelle, and radiatori. The brussel sprouts was the one dish that I was most hesitant about, seeing that it was paired with a blueberry agrodolce. Not a typical combination, but this ended up being a favorite. The sweetness & tartness of the sauce worked SO well with the sprouts - it's an excellent dish. The octopus had the perfect char, and all of the flavor pairings were really cohesive. I had never heard of either of the pastas, but I loved the textures of both. The campanelle with nduja cream was delicious, but did get to be a little heavy about halfway through. Radiatori with bolognese was a classic but well executed dish. Service is attentive without being overbearing. Prices are super reasonable. read more

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love love loved coming here! we ordered the focaccia and vodka pasta - both were delicious but what really stole the show was the blueberry tiramisu just delicious. drinks were okay, nothing too special. service was wonderful, our waitress was attentive and helpful throughout the dinner experience. we sat outside which was perfect since the weather was warm, they had a nice shaded area in case it rains. read more

Via Vecchia - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

I left a separate review on google but felt so strongly after our experience and reading the other reviews online i felt compelled to make certain my experience was made known. We have been to Via Vecchia several times when visiting our daughter and her fiancé in Portland. during a recent visit our daughter made a reservation for dinner on a Monday evening. The occasion was intended to celebrate their engagement and my wife and daughter were dress shopping. We arrived about 10 minutes early for our reservation and my daughter checked in for us. The hostess was very rude and short with her. She told our daughter that they were running on time for reservations and they would let us know when they were ready for us. Our daughter told us the status and I asked her where we should wait. She said the response was that we were to wait outside. After a few minutes of standing on the sidewalk i went in and inquired if there was a place that we could have a drink while we waited for our seats. The hostess was very rude and told me that there was no room and we would have to wait outside. No apologies for the wait or inconvenience. After waiting until after our reservation time passed I went back in to let the hostess know that we were not planning to wait on the street and requested to speak to the manager the hostess was again rude and insisted on explaining that there was no room in the restaurant for people that were waiting for seats i said that i understood but she did not need to be rude and could have explained the situation and offered some alternative. In the past we were able to wait in the back bar while we waited for our table. It was a nice experience and we would have enjoyed a similar opportunity. I asked to talk with the manager and at that point they offered us four seats at the bar. There was no apology or explanation. The arrogance was beyond unfortunate. After reading the owners responses to negative reviews and constructive feedback I understand the attitude of the staff. Our daughter's wedding will be in Portland and unfortunately no body from our family and friends of 200 plus will be dining at via vecchia based on our experience. read more

Hostess was unbelievably rude, appalling. Do not support this restaurant. Just look at how the owner replies to negative google reviews. Immature and Unprofessional read more

This place is a great restaurant for date night. The restaurant is decorated with a mix of industrial and rich colors. Service was outstanding, and our waiter attentive and knowledgeable. We had Campanella pasta, the halibut, arancini, and the drinks were Remember the Maine and the Birdy. Every bite and drink was excellent. The pasta was a limited spicy but backed with flavor. The haddock was served with a lemon pesto that made it so fresh and light. The arancini were creamy with the perfect bite of cheese. Would definitely return for another meal. read more

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Got some food for take away. Had the meatballs, Caesar salad and focaccia for a starter. I ordered the pork milaneseand the chicken marsala. Ooh I add some butter pasta as well. Everything was amazing, expect for the chicken marsala, wh8ch I did not get. Leasons learned, check your order before your leave. read more

Desperately needed a dessert with blueberries and had a surprisingly hard time finding something! Thankfully Via Vecchia had a blueberry tiramisu that was delicious! Plus the window was great for people watching. Cool location! read more

Very busy, noisy, crowded restaurant. Really beautiful decor. Food was okay (the Lolla Rossa Salad was delicious) and the cocktails were fine. We drove here from Brooklyn to celebrate my wife's birthday. My issue is that although I made reservations six weeks ago, we were not seated at a table. Or at the large, spacious U shaped bar in front. We were escorted down a hallway and seated at the back bar, which was very cramped, on high metal bar chairs, which we found uncomfortable. The guy next to me had his phone propped up on a water glass and his laptop open on the bar. So silly. My wife and I found the three hour drive to Portland earlier that day easier to sit through than the 75 minutes spent at that bar... read more

Via Vecchia - Lolla Rossa Salad - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

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We were able to able to walk in without a reservation and was seated in the front window. The atmosphere was so beautiful and fun to people watch. Definitely artsy/moody/dark vibe. They had indoor and outdoor seating, tables, bar, and booths. Stellar service from the staff, our waitress was attentive and gracious. The food came out fast and the drinks looked really fun. However, wasn't the biggest fan of the drinks or the food - not saying it was bad! What we ordered was the focaccia bread (star of the show), peach bruschetta, and the chicken. Overall, if I was to come back I might try a pasta. Thanks for having us! read more

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I wanted to love this spot but it felt overpriced and overhyped. Don't get me wrong it was excellent, but Portland is filled with fantastic restaurants and this is just one of them. It wasn't a standout for me despite some very high notes. It was pricey, so I had high expectations. The hot and dirty martini was the best anyone in our group had ever had. The ambiance was super cool, I love the decor although it was a little dark, hard to read menus. Staff is super professional and knowledgeable. Best Caesar salad I've ever had. Food menu was a bit limited. Bolognese pasta was very lacking in meat, it was a like a sauce with a suggestion of bolognese. The chicken and gnocchi dish came with about 4 gnocchi. Really enjoyed it but don't know that I'd come back. read more

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Service was fantastic and food was even better. From cocktails to apps to entrees and dessert, every morsel was delicious. Highly recommend and will definitely be returning! read more

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Via Vecchia is a wonderfully charming Italian restaurant located in Portland. Nestled at the corner of Dana Street, it is in the perfect location. There's a section near the restaurant where you can sit in chairs and relax after shopping. After eating several lobster rolls, my friend and I were excited to try an Italian restaurant. Via Vecchia offers small plates. This was allowed us to try several plates from the menu. On a Saturday evening, Via Vecchia was packed. We were glad to have a reservation, which was honored on time. The inside of the restaurant is beautiful and matches the greenery on the outside. There's several bars within Via Vecchia, which add to the fun and vibrant scene. I truly felt like I was inside an Italian villa. My friend and I shared the meatballs, aranchini, and the Campanelle pasta which included shrimp and vegetables. All plates had a nice spice to them. We also shared a salad. Between two people, this was more than enough. Our cocktails were divine. I loved the presentation of my aperol spritz. We needed our meal with espresso. Thank you Via Vecchia for making a great first impression! read more

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Delish!!! Last night here in Maine and honestly this is the best Italian food we have had in a long time. I told my boyfriend now when we want Italian we will have to fly to Maine... We had no reservations and called prior to going. The girl said to just come by and they will see what they can do to accommodate and when we arrived we were seated at the bar in the back of the restaurant. Gorgeous interior and watching our bartender make drinks was seriously a treat- she was cranking out one gorgeous drink after the next! We started with the focaccia, whipped ricotta and the meatballs. Yum! I don't think I need to say much for these dishes other than get them all and smear that bread in the sauce and top it with the ricotta- they are just meant to all be eaten together- trust me. The bucatini... melt in your mouth sweet manilla clams and the pasta was perfectly al dente and that sauce- I could bath in it- ugh sooo good. The agnolotti... honestly I wish I could've tasted it but I was so engrossed in my dish that I couldn't tell you and well my BF is handicapped in describing food but he said it was delicious so I will go with that! We finished with the ricotta cheesecake. Gorgeous presentation just like the restaurant- not too sweet, so delicate and if we were home we likely would've licked the plate clean but we aren't animals so we refrained. Don't skip on dessert- trust me just take the plunge! We will back- thank you Portland and Via Vecchia for giving us the delicious ending to our trip xoxoxo read more

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The food was amazing we had the Bucatini and Pork Milanese and both were fantastic! The cocktails were some of the best we have had around town. The service was great and the place is beautiful inside. read more

At a recent Yelp event several people shared that Via Vecchia was their favorite Portland restaurant. With so many restaurants to choose from, this piqued my curiosity. We went on the Friday night of Portland's Beatles weekend and were happily surprised to get a table without a reservation. We went early, around 5 pm and were promptly seated at a lovely table near one of the front windows, with a view of Central Provisions. They have maintained the beautiful brick and large glass windows expected of and Old Port restaurant and have enhanced the space with unique accent pieces, including a beautiful antique chandelier that just above our table. The restaurant was tastefully decorated for Christmas with garland and large red baubles. Our waiter was a true pro--he made us feel welcome and was well versed with the menu. He asked about any allergies or dietary restrictions and quickly pointed out all of the vegetarian items as well as items that could be made vegetarian. The service was attentive without being intrusive. I had the lumache, and my friend had the squash risotto--both were fantastic. We also both had a seasonal cocktail, they were attractively presented and delicious. Via Vecchia is on the expensive side of Portland restaurants but is definitely worth the treat. Thank you for a great meal--I look forward to returning. Although things worked out without a reservation this time, I'll be sure to make one next time. read more

Decided to come here for my moms birthday. I had made reservations about 2-3 weeks out for an outdoor table. After reading many reviews and watching many tik toks about people raving about this place, I definitely wanted to check this place out while visiting Portland. In my opinion, this place is definitely overhyped and overpriced. We started with the focaccia bread. It was good, but nothing amazing. My mom and I each got a vodka pasta dish, I wish they had more options for protein like chicken, salmon, or shrimp, but the only option was 3oz of lobster for $32 or the meatballs on the appetizer menu. Again, pasta was okay, but nothing to make tik toks raving about this place. I might be a little spoiled having grew up in Chicago so I know good Italian. Overall, very underwhelmed with this place and having spent $200 I would have expected to have some protein with my meal. Don't believe all the influencers pushing this place out. read more

Gorgeous spot for a birthday dinner! We were seated by the window in the front that we had been walking past for the entirety of our trip. Romantic and classy ambiance with a modernity that is reminiscent of the history & old world Italy. Loved the menu and drinks. My mussels were the best I've had and creatively presented in a way that you can't find just anywhere. read more

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This place is so so beautiful inside and out. The pasta primavera was my absolute favorite - colorful and fresh. They also have beautiful cocktails that they are very accommodating in making non alcoholic if you're also sober. This is like THE special occasion place in Portland though so be sure you have a reservation beforehand. read more

I had a great experience here! Snagged the last available bar seat, quick note, the seats are planted, looked so silly trying to move my bar stool every time I wanted to move around. Not my favorite design style, everyone has a different way they get comfortable in a seat. Anyways, they had a really awesome mocktail menu, which was awesome. The bartender was so sweet and patient with me as the couple next to me, also sweet, were talking my ear off and every time I tried to place my drink order they would start talking again. So thank you to this bartender who was really kind about the wait! Anyways, I got a drink called Padre Pio, which had hibiscus, chili, ginger and lime, it was fantastic and they served it in an adorable coupe glass despite it being alcohol free, loved that. Their menu sounded amazing, pasta dishes, seafood options, meats, it was hard to choose and I just wanted something small because I was trying to check out as many restaurants as I could during my one night in Portland. I went with the Lolla Rossa Salad and holy moly I could not believe my eyes when it was served. It was a literal mountain of salad, mountainous, no exaggeration I was like, "Is this for me?" The salad was beyond incredible, one of the most perfect salads I have ever had and yet it was so simple. The lettuce was so fresh, tons of sesame seeds for an insane texture, garlic croutons, honey, some pecorino Romano, just fabulous. The restaurant is really cool, dark, moody lighting, huge bar, cool funky bathrooms. I just thought this place was awesome. Except the bar stools. read more

The service is wonderful here. Everyone is genuinely nice and attentive. This space _could_ be more pretentious but instead feels homely, like being in my living room of my NYC Brownstone apartment. The food is delicious. The Caesar salad was absolutely full of Parmesan cheese but not overpowering. And the focaccia! I wish I had a skillet to put a side of eggs and sausage next to it. It was so mouthwatering soft with the perfect texture. However, I ordered the Filet and I asked the waitress if I should get the filet medium or medium well. I wanted a little pink but no blood. My heart told me to go with medium, the waitress, who was lovely, said go medium well. Big mistake. And I blame myself. The steak was well done. My friend said, oh no. With that cut of steak, you never go medium well. It was a tough piece of steak. No surprise there. It reminded me of a time when my friend said, "oh i thought you said you like steak. Clearly, you hate it." The pasta was great but not for me. This restaurant is a whole mood. It's worth the visit. I didn't drink but I bet the drinks are done well here. read more

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I had a weird headache when I came in and this was slightly fancier than I expected but I still had a great experience. Bartender Patrick was so nice even though I was kind of lol. Had two aperol spritzes (just caught the end of happy hour!), burrata and blood orange sorbetto all of which were excellent. The space is also gorgeous--it earns its premium price tag imo. read more

Via Vecchia - burrata salad - tomatoes yum - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Sat at the bar which is always the best seat in the house. Here, they seat you at the bar so the seats can all be filled appropriately. I had an asshat FaceTiming his family loudly which was obnoxious and thankfully everyone else thought so too as they asked him to end the call or go outside. I had a Caesar salad and pasta with vodka sauce ! Both were on point Good 10/10 Service 15/10 - thanks for removing this asshat read more

AMAZING dinner and stellar service! We had a fantastic time here and really enjoyed our meal. The focaccia and whipped ricotta was fresh and very flavorful. The campanelle pasta was outstanding and the portion was much larger than I expected. I'm sad this place is far from home for me but I would certainly recommend others give it a shot. read more

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We were really looking forward to trying this Italian restaurant. While we're not experts, we've eaten at many Italian restaurants over the years, casual, fine dining, and even in Italy, and we were excited to visit after seeing so many glowing reviews on social media. The good: the restaurant itself is beautiful, very spacious, and has a wonderful atmosphere. Service was attentive and kind. The drinks were delicious, the Caesar salad was excellent, and the cacio e pepe was quite good as well. Where we struggled was with one of our pasta dishes. While we understand and enjoy al dente pasta, what we received went beyond that, it was almost raw, with a crunchy texture that stuck to the teeth. We let our server know, and he quickly had it remade, which we appreciated. However, when it returned, it was still undercooked, even though we were told it was made "extra cooked." Interestingly, another pasta dish at our table (with the same shells) came out cooked perfectly, so it was a bit confusing why this one couldn't be quite right. In the end, it was just okay. Overall, we loved the atmosphere, service, and a few standout items, but the pasta left us disappointed. We truly wanted to love this place, but for us, the food just didn't live up to the hype. read more

Excellent service, delicious food. My entree was Lumache pasta with a vodka sauce, crispy cipollini onions, chili oil with whipped ricotta. Pasta was a perfect el dente and sauce was rich and flavorful. Highly recommend. The Burrata was fabulous , hits all notes, salty sweet savory . Focaccia very tasty. Outdoor seating was cozy. Heat lamps made dinner very comfortable. read more

Via Vecchia - Burrata and focaccia - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Very busy and noisy. Cocktails and Caesar salad were excellent, the high point of the evening, it was downhill from there. Two of us had the Campanella with shrimp entree, the shrimp are tiny, almost invisible, about 1/4" and favorless (see photo) . Was surprised an upscale restaurant would serve shrimp that undersized without at least describing it as such on the menu. This is not what guests expect when ordering a dish with shrimp featured as the first ingredient. read more

Via Vecchia - Shrimp is smaller that a nickel! - Italian Near Me - Portland, Maine

Food here was fantastic. Great wine selection. Even the bread was a hit. Definitely recommend. read more

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