Bar Noto is set to open on mid-July at 1932 NW Lovejoy Street, in Portland’s Alphabet District, owner Gloria Noto confirmed to What Now Portland. The concept is all about an aperitivo bar serving a tight selection of natural wine, non-alcoholic wine, and beer, paired with light bites like chips, olives, and cheese. Hours will wrap up at 7pm, positioning Bar Noto squarely as a pre-dinner destination rather than a late-night spot.
“It’s very, very lightweight,” Noto said. “Kind of a place to have a drink before you go have dinner, sort of thing.”
The aperitivo concept is deeply rooted in Italian culture, is a ritual of slowing down before the evening meal, sipping something light, and grazing on small bites with friends. It’s a format that has found a great audience in cities like New York and San Francisco, but remains relatively rare in Portland, making Bar Noto a special addition to the local bar scene.
The address puts Bar Noto in one of Northwest Portland’s most walkable and charming pockets, right in the heart of the Alphabet District, a neighborhood known for its independent restaurants, boutiques, and a distinctly unhurried, European-leaning pace of life that makes it a natural home for a concept like this one.
A liquor license application filed with the Portland Police Bureau’s Liquor License Division lists the business as Bar Noto. Further details on the full concept are expected in the future.
