NAVASOTA, Texas (KBTX) – A new wine bar has opened in downtown Navasota, offering wine, beer, full cocktail service, appetizers and live music on weekends.
Portofino, located in downtown Navasota, is connected to Damiano’s Cucina Italiana by a shared garden space, allowing guests to move between the two venues.
What’s on the menu
The menu features Italian-inspired small bites, including a charcuterie board with prosciutto, salami, fruit, ciabatta toast and burrata. Additional offerings include steak tartare and tuna tartare. Manager Laurie Tayce said all ingredients are sourced fresh.
“Everything is from Italy,” Tayce said. “All of our products are fresh. We buy only the freshest Italian ingredients we can find.”
Tayce said the recipes were developed by Portofino owner Blake Zeitman, who has traveled extensively throughout Italy.
“These are a lot of recipes that he’s found,” she said. “They’re all from his palate.”
Tayce said the charcuterie board is among the top sellers.
“Everybody loves to snack,” she said. “We have fresh almonds, figs, all kinds of fresh fruit that people can come in and eat.”
Hours and atmosphere
Portofino is open Fridays from 3 p.m. to midnight and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to midnight. The bar features a deck, large-screen TV and live music on weekends.
Tayce said the goal is to give residents and visitors from surrounding areas a reason to spend several hours downtown.
“We wanted a destination place for people in Navasota and surrounding areas to come out and spend three or four hours with us,” she said. “We have the garden in between so people can hop from one place to the other and visit with friends.”
Tayce added that Portofino is part of a broader effort to make downtown Navasota a dining and entertainment destination.
“There are a lot of great restaurants down here and we want to bring people in,” she said.
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