Arrivederci, Porta Bella! Letters
Readers recall romantic experiences at UW–Madison’s favorite Italian restaurant.
Our Fall 2026 issue mourned the closing of Porta Bella, the beloved campus-area Italian restaurant. Readers responded with their own memories of first dates, marriage proposals, and extravagant meals in Porta Bella’s romantic booths.
We got engaged at Porta Bella! As my (now husband) made his way around the booth to get down on one knee, I famously asked him, “What are you doing?” As I could not think of why he was walking around the booth. The ambiance was perfect.
—Jamie White MS’09
I was on campus (1969–73) when Porta Bella was likely at its peak as a local attraction. Memories? A bunch of ’em.
At one point, the chief bartender was a guy named Terrence. He had a pronounced English accent (maybe genuine) and an irritating habit. If you sat at the bar with a date, he refused to acknowledge her and spoke only to you. My girlfriend (later wife) finally refused to let us order from him.
Lowenbrau beer (the real German stuff) was served in large clay mugs. I think they finally had to change to glassware because too many of the mugs were walking out the door.
During one of the campus riots, we took refuge from the disorder inside Porta Bella. What we failed to note was the kitchen intake fans pulling the outside tear gas into the public area. You don’t really appreciate its effect until you experience it inside.
—David McGuire ’65, ’73
I worked at Porta Bella from 1982 to 1987. I lived across the street on Hawthorne Court above the Cardinal Beauty Salon and didn’t have a phone (too expensive). If they found themselves short-staffed, Mike McCormick, the original owner’s son, would run across the street and ring my doorbell. Still have good friends from my Porta Bella days over 40 years ago — great memories!
—Lorraine Downes ’86
When we visited Madison last spring, it was with great sadness that we found our favorite campus restaurant had closed. My wife, Dee (’78) and I (’78) spent many memorable evenings there over the years. We shall never forget the great food, Porta Salads, and dark wooden private booths that created the warm ambiance that we irreverently described as “early bordello.” My first evening in Madison in 1972 as an industrial engineering student included dinner there. I reflected on that moment just last weekend while in town for the game and saw the construction on Frances Street — probably soon to be another glass and steel monolith like so many others. While much of the old charm of State Street and surrounding areas has yielded to progress, we still have some great Mad City memories. RIP Porta Bella — you sure had style!
It was an excellent article.
—William Bozeman ’78
Thank you for honoring a favorite UW and Madison institution! A couple memories to share: to impress (hopefully) my new fiancée Joanne, I took her to Porta Bella to celebrate her 21st birthday. We had a wonderful meal. Before the check, something else arrived instead — Portal Bella’s signature colorful multilayer after-dinner drink, ON THE HOUSE! I’m not sure if Joanne or I was more impressed. Mission accomplished.
Jumping way forward to a couple years ago, Joanne and I took our grandson Eli (a two-year Grandparents University alum!) to lunch at Porta Bella. This was a bit of UW nostalgia we wanted to share with him. While he enjoyed his lunch, he had one complaint — it was way too dark. So much for romantic nostalgia. Oh well, at least they still had the multilayered after-dinner drink on the menu!
—Stephen Greger
It was the fall of 1972, our first “formal date” after meeting briefly for coffee in the Rathskeller several evenings before. We had dinner at Porta Bella; I was a 25-year-old medical intern, she a 23-year-old graduate student in the German department. We talked and talked and talked, our disparate backgrounds notwithstanding. Several months later we moved in together, and this Christmas season we will be celebrating our 53rd anniversary.
Yes, our vivid memories of that first dinner together in cozy, romantic Porta Bella are an integral part of who we are today. Thank you for helping to make all that possible.
—Alan and Martha Marks
My dismay at reading of the closing of Porta Bella gave way to a wave of nostalgia, and then delight at the invitation to share a favorite memory of the restaurant.
My connection to Porta Bella goes back to Paisan’s in that 1960s-style shopping mall across from Humanities. I arrived in Madison in 1977 to begin the PhD program in History. My dissertation director was Professor Theodore Hamerow. At least once a semester (in addition to the weekly seminar, of course) we would meet over lunch at Paisan’s, where he would unfailingly order a Garibaldi sandwich and a beer. These regular meetings continued after I graduated and took a faculty position at UW-Parkside. We now met at Porta Bell. Professor Hamerow had by then retired, but his choice of the Garibaldi sandwich and beer remained unchanged, as did our easy flow of conversation.
Professor Hamerow, one of the grand old men of the profession, passed away in 2013. I am now retired from UW–Parkside, but the memories of those lunches, and of Porta Bella, even as it too passes into history, remain ever young.
—Laura Gellott MA’82
Porta Bella birthday drink: free. It came in a test-tube-shaped glass with shots of different color liquors making stripes like a rainbow.
And, what was that egg/cheese crumble on top of a porta salad?
—Ellyn McKenzie ’70, who liked both sweet and hot peppers on her Garibaldi
I was grieved to read of the closing of Porta Bella, one of my favorite retreats for a fine Italian meal. Now I am bereft of the last of the “Three P’s” from my Madison days: Paisan’s (closed 2022), Porta Bella, and Paul’s Bookstore (closed earlier this year). These three sustained my tummy and brain while I wrote my dissertation, and now I feel impoverished. But I shall keep the happy memories of my departed friends!
—Byron Nelson PhD’85
I had my first drink at Porta Bella on September 9, 1975. I just turned 18. I was a freshman, and my boyfriend took me there for an ice cream drink. It was delicious. Such a special celebration. I’ve always hoped to take my husband there when I’d one day show him Madison. I’m sorry for the missed opportunity.
—Marcia Tatz Wollner ’79
Our three children attended UW. One of our traditions was to go out to eat at Porta Bella after a football game. The quiet atmosphere even on gameday was a nice reprieve from the crowds on State Street. The booth-like atmosphere allowed for easy conversation and no outside distractions. The combination of excellent Italian food and relaxing atmosphere made for one of our favorite family memories in Madison.
—Robert Mead
My wife and I met on campus. One of our favorite places for a date was Porta Bella. On the first day of summer in 1988 we got engaged at Porta Bella in the fountain room! We had many celebrations there, including our daughter’s grad parties from high school and college. We celebrated our 35th wedding anniversary at Porta Bella!
We were so lucky to eat at Porta Bella in February, to have one last meal there with our good friends. Thank you for the article and pictures!
—Patrick Jost
We lived in The Frances, the brown brick building on the corner of University and Frances next door to Grimm’s Book Bindery and Cecil’s Sandals, which was next door to Porta Bella in 1971. My husband was a law student at UW then. Walking into that garden and having dinner there was nothing less than magical, with great ambiance and wonderful food.
Great article and good memories.
—Jodeen Hosmanek ’87
As a UW graduate school student, Porta Bella was for special occasions! A favorite boyfriend (chemical Engineering, UW) took me there to celebrate my graduation. I’ll never forget how special that night was. Thank you for the beautiful article.
—Cheryl Stallworth MBA ’81 (Craig Gay was my date, RIP)
The asparagus that came with one of the dinners. I will miss them forever. I’m now 73, and my first trip there was at 17.
—Peg Hanson
Published in the Winter 2026 issue
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