Chef Paolo Laboa brings Ligurian technique to Portland's waterfront — precise, soulful Italian cooking that earns serious business over a bottle of Barolo.
Paolo Laboa was born in Genova, a port city in Liguria where the food is defined by the sea, the mountains behind it, and centuries of trading with the Mediterranean world. He moved to Portland, Maine because it reminded him of home — the harbour, the working waterfront, the short, obsessive growing season, the proximity of good farms and better fish. Solo Italiano, which opened on Commercial Street and has been building a devoted following ever since, is what happens when a chef of genuine technical ability decides to cook exactly where he is, with exactly what is around him.
Handmade pasta is the beating heart of the menu — linguine al pesto made the Genovese way, with basil from the garden and olive oil from the source; trofie with seafood from Browne Trading just down the street. The crudo reads like a love letter to Maine's fishermen. On the secondi, Laboa does things with local proteins — wild rabbit, game from Valley View Farm, wagyu aged in the Niigata snow — that demonstrate a chef operating at full confidence. An all-Italian wine list, curated without compromise, makes ordering a pleasure rather than a task.
The room itself is intimate without being claustrophobic, warm without performing warmth. Tables are properly spaced. Service is informed and unhurried. Laboa, who won the Pesto World Championship in 2008 and was recognised in 2025 with Due Forchette from Gambero Rosso International, runs a kitchen that treats every plate as a personal statement. Nothing here is approximate.
Solo Italiano rewards people who pay attention. It is not the loudest restaurant in Portland, not the most talked-about by visitors, not the easiest to get a table at if you wait too long. But for those who know what they are looking for — cooking that is technically flawless and emotionally honest — it sits at the very top of the city's table.
The closing dinner is not about the food. It is about what the food says. Bringing a client to Solo Italiano says: I have discernment. I chose a chef who won the Pesto World Championship. I know that the best restaurant for this conversation is not the most expensive one, but the most considered one. The intimate room facilitates conversation without effort. The all-Italian wine list gives you something to discuss. And the cooking — Ligurian, precise, with the best Maine ingredients — provides a shared experience that creates the kind of goodwill that no conference room ever could. Chef Paolo Laboa received Due Forchette from Gambero Rosso in 2025. Your client will know what that means.
Address
100 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101
Neighbourhood
Old Port Waterfront
Price Per Person
$70–$110 with wine
Cuisine
Northern Italian
Dress Code
Smart casual
Reservations
OpenTable, 1–2 weeks ahead recommended
Hours
Tue–Sun 4:30–9:30pm, closed Monday
Phone
(207) 780-0227
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