La Porto Italiano - Billingham

Used to go to La Porto quite a lot but moved away from Billingham a couple of years back. It 's always been a good 'go to ' place for a nice Italian meal. Having gone tonight I 've absolutely no idea what 's happened or how it 's gone so downhill. I had bruschetta to start which was fine, it 's bruschetta. My other half had some stuffed mushroom with cheese and tomato, it was literally a raw mushroom with half a tomato inside it and half a teaspoon of cheese. Not the best starter but we persevered because as I say, I 've been dozens of times and normally it 's lovely! I ordered a pizza, the dough was burnt to a crisp on the bottom and was pretty awful. Somehow the dough itself was pretty uncooked though, I 've no idea how they managed that. Then the grease, my god, I 've never seen so much grease on top of a pizza before, it was literally dripping off (presumably from the cheap pepperoni). My other half ordered a calzone, the dough on the ends and around the edges was so raw you could roll it, they 'd put raw spinach inside the calzone which obviously just dumped all of its water inside. Again this was somehow burnt on the top and bottom. Having seen how the owner treats feedback with his replies to such comments I can 't see us ever going back which is a shame, it used to be a lovely little Italian in the town centre. I 'm not sure if it 's been bought by someone else or if the current management have fell out of love with it. But when we were the only customers in the place I think that said enough to me. Steer clear you 'll get a far better pizza at the Wetherspoons a few more steps in the town.

Food was terrible, I got a calzone and it was very undercooked. The ends were raw and doughy. They top was burnt though and the spinach and mushrooms weren’t cooked so it was very wet inside. The building was freezing cold inside as well. Always had decent food from here but won’t be going back. Seems to have gone down hill with food when looked at recent reviews.

10 of us went before a show and one of my friends weren’t happy with the food cause it was burnt but the chef said it was fine and refused to replace it, so if u go here and your not happy they don’t care. The one in Norton is nothing like this the chef is **** and gives out dry burnt food

Lovely early dinner prior to a show at the Forum. Delightful servers, delicious food (of which we ate too much but have no regrets) and extremely good value for money (as we ordered before 6pm). Already planning our next visit

Excellent food and service as always. La Porto is a gem in the town centre. Always our first choice for a meal out.