Banking on it: Set inside a former bank, Porto offers terrific design dividends — tosay nothing of the food and wine
In its previous life, Michelin-starred Porto was a mild-mannered neighborhood bank. Functional, sure. Visually exciting? Not so much. These days it’s a much different story at this West Town love letter to the Atlantic coast of Portugal and Spain showcasing wild-caught imported seafood, gourmet tinned seafood and exclusive wines from this delicious corner of the world.
Concepted and designed by Maison Bonhomme, Porto’s interior reflects the restaurant’s concept to create a heightened intimacy between guests, food, wine and the stories that connect them. Woven harmoniously throughout every surface are artistic elements drawn from Europe’s visual arts legacy and physical elements that romanticize the sea and the little villages dotting the coastlines of Galicia and Portugal.
Porto’s centerpiece is a 80-foot-long oblong Chef’s Island built with repurposed wood from fishing vessels and slabs of brushed granite. Above are custom-designed blackened-steel and wood shelves whose scale and size evoke the frame of a fishing vessel’s hull. From this intimate perch, guests are able to interact with Porto’s culinary and beverage teams while watching the dining scene unfold in front of them.
Flanking either side of the entrance are two cozy nooks, each appointed with plush velvet armchairs and oversize tables perfect for small gatherings. On one side, a monumental Murano crystal chandelier designed by Maison Bonhomme in collaboration with the Venetian masters hangs underneath a 20-foot-high skylight.
Custom-designed wall coverings created by Maison Bonhomme and acclaimed local artist Erik DeBat envelop the room with evocative prints recalling the beauty of Portugal’s graphic design and lithographic printing of the 19th century. Their era’s cultural resonance also extends to all table service items, which have been sourced from Sargadelos, a 200-year-old maker of fine ceramics from Galicia.
Intense attention to detail, precision and symmetry as well as a passion for reinventing vintage pieces and giving historical pieces new life, signatures of Maison Bonhomme, appear throughout Porto. Fourteen early-20th century American composition light fixtures adorned with an acanthus leaf pattern and their original chain and canopy that once hung in the lobby of the historic Continental Bank on LaSalle Street offer a nod to the building’s former inhabitant, a bank.
Porto’s Atrium channels the feeling of a weekend dinner at a fabulous country home; the crackling sound of wood burning in a nearby wheel grill fills the room and stirs the senses. Calacatta marble and antique brass tables paired with plush velvet armchairs are the perfect seats for couples while an antique 20th century French truck panel table provides seating for larger groups. On warmer days, the atrium’s sliding windows allow the space to become indoor-outdoor. Pro tip: For a front-row seat to all the fiery culinary action, ask to be seated at the Atrium’s chef’s counter.
