That Solo Italiano—one of the best restaurants in Portland—now serves lunch is real cause for celebration given the city’s slim pickings of serious lunch spots. Apart from the slew of inventive dining options along Washington Avenue or Middle Street, lunchtime is otherwise standard fare where the dreaded wrap is about as good as it gets. I often go to Becky’s for lunch for its cozy menu of comfort food.
Solo opened for lunch last week, and on its first day the place was packed with noontime diners. The room itself is beautiful and bright in the daytime—service is in the bar room and tables along the wall. The rest of this large restaurant is closed for daytime.
There’s a slicing station in the middle of the room where salame, bresaola, fish crudo and prosciutto are cut for the beautiful plates of simple salads and sliced meats.
Top, clockwise: focaccia with pickled vegetables; salame plate, squash soup with Parmesan
