Portofino Restaurant

You'll find this family-run Italian tucked just off the main Hanley drag on Marsh Street, where the smell of garlic and fresh basil hits you the moment you walk through the door. The dining room feels like stepping into someone's front room – burgundy banquettes, black and white photos of the old country, and that particular brand of Italian warmth that makes you linger over your wine. The menu reads like a love letter to proper Italian cooking, with handmade pasta that actually tastes handmade and pizza bases that have the right amount of char. Their lasagne is the sort that ruins you for supermarket versions forever, while the seafood risotto comes loaded with enough prawns and mussels to justify the £16 price tag. It's the sort of place where regulars get greeted by name and first-time diners leave planning their return visit.