“Porto Cucina Harbor Kitchen & Bar was created as a place to highlight the amazing place we love and not only provide delicious food and a delightful, intimate ambiance but also jobs for our community. We see Porto Cucina as our opportunity to give back to a community who’s given us so much!”
In January 2019, Kym Sorensen and John Gorst purchased Spiro’s restaurant in Gig Harbor, and this past summer—July to be exact—they rebranded it as Porto Cucina Harbor Kitchen & Bar. The duo was inspired to get into the restaurant business from their desire to provide locally sourced food to the community, as well as jobs and an inviting place to bring friends and family.
Located at 3108 Harborview Drive, the warm and inviting atmosphere treats guests to delicious house-made Italian cuisine, which utilizes Pacific Northwest sourced ingredients. The restaurant offers a full bar serving up some of the best cocktails around, and there is a private dining room available to reserve for that special occasion.
Locally owned and operated, Porto Cucina Harbor Kitchen & Bar is already making a name for itself, with its fresh and creative menu executed by their chef, Jack Thomas, who brings more than two decades of experience to the table.
“Chef Jack is working diligently to create a menu that highlights the bounty of the Pacific Northwest and that can accommodate those with dietary restrictions,” says Shawnee Scott, front of house manager at Porto Cucina. “In addition, all of our sauces, dressings, breads and soups are made in-house!”
To accompany the food, their inventive and delicious cocktails, executed by their excellent bartending staff, are sure to delight all.
Porto Cucina’s lead bartender, Marty Liquigan, started out in the restaurant industry as many young people do—as a busser. “One night the bartender got really busy, and he asked me to help him wash the dirty glasses, as we didn’t have a dishwasher,” recalls Marty. “He told me he’d train me to learn how to tend bar.” And he did.
In 1996, at 22 years old, Marty would begin his career in bartending at Spiro’s. When ownership changed hands earlier this year, and Spiro’s reinvented itself as Porto Cucina, Marty was asked to stay—and he was happy to do so. He has enjoyed his career bartending, as it has allowed him the opportunity to meet a variety of customers from all walks of life, with many of the regulars becoming friends. When it comes to Marty’s specialty, he says he can—and is happy to—create anything a guest requests. And he loves doing it!
When it comes to what Marty enjoys most about being a part of the Porto Cucina family, he says, “Our regular customers and my co-workers, and of course I love working for John and Kym!”
When it comes to what Kym and John find most rewarding when it comes to their endeavor, it is supporting local vendors and artisans while also seeing generations of families who used to come to Spiro’s now enjoying Porto Cucina. They also attribute the success they’ve seen “to the community and our dedicated employees who strive to make Porto a warm and inviting place for all,” says Shawnee.
Kym and John believe in the importance of giving back to the community which has shown its strong support of Porto Cucina, participating when and where they can. They enjoy hosting nonprofit organizations for events and meetings, as well as providing donations for local fundraisers.
Kym, John, Shawnee, Jack and Marty, along with the rest of the Porto Cucina team, invite you to dine with them Tuesday through Thursday, 4 to 9pm; Friday and Saturday, 11am to 2pm and again 4 to 10pm; and Sunday 11am to 2pm and from 4 to 9pm. Or take a seat at the bar Tuesday through Thursday, 2 to 9pm; Friday and Saturday, 11am to 10pm; and Sunday 11am to 9pm.
Porto Cucina Harbor Kitchen & Bar 3108 Harborview Drive Gig Harbor, Washington 98335 253.851.9200 PortoCucina.com