AperiBar and Portale, Two Italian Stops With Different Dinner Rhythms
Start with pizza and a drink at AperiBar, then make Portale the pasta stop. The pairing moves from a hotel restaurant near Times Square to seasonal Italian cooking on West 18th Street.
🗺️ Two rooms, one evening
🍕 Start with a lighter order
Start at AperiBar inside LUMA Hotel Times Square for pizza and a drink before heading downtown. The Italian inspired menu also includes spaghetti al limon, bistecca and arancini. For this pairing, treat the first stop as an opening course rather than a full dinner. Choose a smaller order if you plan to eat again at Portale. The hotel setting suits the earlier part of the evening, while the menu gives you several ways to begin without committing to two complete meals.
🍝 Save the pasta course
Continue to Portale on West 18th Street for seasonal Italian dishes and house baked focaccia. The menu includes lobster mafaldine, black truffle lumache and burrata, giving this second room a different starting point from pizza. Make pasta the focus of the second stop, then decide whether you still want olive oil cake. Dinner begins at 5 PM every day. Plan the first order around that opening time, and check the current menu before deciding which dish will anchor the evening.
🚶 Connect the dinner windows
Use AperiBar as the earlier stop and Portale as the dinner anchor, rather than ordering two full meals. The route links West 41st Street with West 18th Street, so check a live walking or transit route before leaving the first room. Portale starts dinner at 5 PM daily, while AperiBar opens earlier. The shared window is an evening comparison at your own pace. Allow time between stops, and confirm current hours and table availability before setting out.
