Madison Originals Magazine Madison Originals Magazine May 2014 | Page 18

dining

side-lit mural of Italian cities Verona
and Mantova, complete with stone
bridges, an expansive river, and historic
architecture. The room is anchored by a
dark wooden bar with full selection of
Italian wines, and faces an expanse of
vaulted ceilings and chandeliers.

A perennial “Best of Madison” winner
for romantic dining, Porta Bella has
been serving homemade Italian dinners,
pizzas, steaks, and seafood for more than
45 years in its cozy downtown restaurant
on Frances Street. Known for its outdoor
scenic courtyard and indoor intimate
booths, these days the venerable eatery
is establishing a new reputation as a
modern banquet facility and conference
center.
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Porta Bella’s new Mantova Room, named
for Madison’s sister city in Italy, opened
in December 2012, and continues to
come into its own as one of the city’s
premier meeting spaces. The arched
room, lined on one side with flat screens
and lush red drapes, comfortably holds
200 guests, and can be split into two
areas, separated by a series of seven
soundproof 400-pound sliding doors.
The opposite wall features an impressive

The banquet room started as a semiretirement project for owner Ed
Shinnick, who helped establish Porta
Bella in 1968, but has become a full-time
job as weddings, corporate meetings,
and parties filled the space the past year.
“I love it, so I guess I can’t retire,” Ed says
with his trademark grin. “I’ve got some
great managers running the day-to-day
operation, so that gives me time to do
projects like this.”
The Mantova room is available
seven days a week from 8:00 a.m. to
midnight, and offers Italian continental
breakfasts, luncheons, and dinners.
The facility boasts unique audio and