Forget lining up for brunch; these days, we’re lining up for pasta. On any given day, you’ll find some of Portland’s best-dressed congregating outside of Fantino, the not-so-new but still very buzzy no-reservations Italian spot that opened in February 2025 on an otherwise fairly quiet stretch of SE Division.
Fantino isn’t a traditional Italian restaurant, nor is it a red sauce joint. Its style falls somewhere in the middle, and even a few Spanish tapas have worked their way into the list of starters. And no, Fantino isn’t a family name, a town in Italy, or the name of a dish. It means jockey in Italian, a theme chosen because owner Garrett McAleese happened to have a bunch of horse-related decor and photos, which now sit in the restaurant.
Part of what makes Fantino so different is that it wasn’t born out of a rigid vision. At first, McAleese pictured Fantino as a bar with tapas, a burger, and a couple pastas on the menu. But during soft opening, the pastas proved so popular that McAleese quickly swapped out the flattop for more burners, six of them firing pastas all night.
It’s no wonder that pasta became the star of Fantino’s menu. Chef Will Christian, who used to work at John Gorham’s restaurants as well as Sesame Collective, adds small, smart twists that take the seemingly simple dishes to an eminently craveworthy level. Shells slathered in vodka sauce are an absolute must, baked with a bit of breadcrumb on top for extra crunch. Next time, I want my own plate. The bolognese, served atop wide, eggy, wonderfully al dente housemade pappardelle, hits all the familiar meaty notes, except with local lamb and lots of thyme for a more rustic touch. The linguine vongole, piled high with shell-on clams, features thick housemade noodles that stand up well to the buttery, garlicky sauce. The first few bites of the bucatini al limone are absolute heaven, a marriage of lemon zest and cream reminiscent of a savory lemon ice cream—but it’s the heaviest of the pastas, so plan to share.
The whole branzino will make your table the envy of the restaurant, at least for a moment. Though Fantino is a pretty casual place, the fish is deboned right at your table, an old-school fancy restaurant touch that I haven’t seen in years. (McAleese says he was inspired by the service at seafood restaurants he visited in Southern Italy.) The fish is perfectly flaky and moist, thanks to its stuffing of lemon and herbs, and the skin stays crispy despite being drenched in brown butter and topped with onion-caper tapenade.
I’d be content eating just fish and pasta, but you can also fill out your meal with starters like fluffy focaccia with a heap of herb butter, or a big ball of burrata with rotating accompaniments like crispy prosciutto and mustard seeds. The Fantino salad is essentially a lightly spicy Caesar, its dressing tinged light orange; I only wish it had extra anchovy because I’m a fiend for fish. I prefer a meatball with a distinct crust, which Fantino’s lacked, so personally, I’d skip them.
My favorite cocktail from bar manager Aaron Sweeney was the Donatella, a citrusy spritz made with grapefruit and green peppercorn that reminded me of an extra-punchy Italian lemon soda. The menu leans heavily on mezcals for an Italian(ish) restaurant, but that’s another case where not being boxed in pays off. Try the Hot to Trot, which combines mezcal with roasted corn, chiles, and dry sherry. The list of wines by the glass is short but well thought-out, and the bottle list contains a whopping 100-plus options. McAleese is a sommelier, and the list contains not just options from Italy and Oregon, but also wines from Spain, France, Austria, and Georgia.
Speaking of that line I mentioned earlier: I waited about an hour on a weekday for a two-top, but on weekends, the wait might stretch to two hours. Put your phone number down and consider grabbing a drink at Double Barrel or Reel M Inn until you get a text saying your table is ready. Or round up five other people so you can make a large party reservation. Either way, one does not simply go to dinner at Fantino. It’s an occasion, best capped off with a simple dessert of butterscotch budino, an affogato, and a shot of limoncello.
Fantino, 2314 SE Division, Wed-Thur 5-9 pm, Fri-Sat 5-10 pm, fantinopdx.com, @fantinopdx
