Bar Noto Will Open Inside Studio Noto in Northwest Portland

Last month a Bridgetown Bites tipster told me about Bar Noto, opening in Northwest Portland at the same address as Studio Noto. I figured they had to be related. So I reached out to Gloria Noto, founder of Studio Noto and owner of Bar Noto with her wife Azsa West, over email—here is what I learned.

Bar Noto: What Is It?

Bar Noto is “a minimal aperitivo bar inside Studio NOTO”—hence, the shared address. They will serve wine, NA wine, and snacks.

“We’ve built a life around making beautiful things, bringing people together, and finding any excuse to host people,” wrote Gloria. “Whether that’s through design, retail, creative spaces, or gathering friends around a table, creating experiences has always been our favorite thing to do. Bar Noto just felt like the next chapter.”

Gloria also knew from the start that their retail shop, Studio Noto, could include a nice little bar. “Every time I stood by the front windows during my initial viewing, I kept picturing someone sitting there with a spritz, watching people walk by,” she remarked. “I had fantasized about doing something like this for years … and the moment felt like it finally arrived. It felt too good not to do it.”

Bar Noto: What’s in a Name?

I imagine you can guess the connection between Bar Noto and Gloria’s last name (Noto). “Studio Noto is our shop, Bar Noto is our bar,” she explained. “It says exactly what it is. Clean, classic, no overthinking.”

She likes the simplicity of it, and the name connection is memorable.

The Bar Noto Vibe

They are looking to offer a low key easygoing kind of vibe—the kind of place you’d like to return to over and over—at Bar Noto.

“The whole idea comes from ‘aperitivo,’ one of my favorite rituals,” explained Gloria. “It’s that window between the day and the evening where you meet a friend, have a glass of wine, share a little snack, slow down for a minute, then head off to dinner or wherever the evening takes you.”

She emphasized that it’s not the kind of place where you spend your whole evening—it’s a place to stop, take a break, and enjoy a bit of a pause in the day. Maybe it’s where you go after work or before dinner, or when you have an hour to spare.

They were also inspired by similar places they encountered during their travels. “The place you stumble into once, then somehow end up going back three more times before you leave town,” Gloria said.

Interestingly, in her email she mentioned playing chess as a way to enjoy one’s time at Bar Noto, and I could imagine playing a game of backgammon there, too. You could even begin you time with a little retail therapy.

“So, come by for a new shirt, stay for a spritz,” she said. “Meet a friend over a glass of wine. Sit by the window and people watch. It’s meant to feel relaxed, beautiful, and just a little bit like you’re on vacation, even if you’re only here for forty-five minutes.”

She added, “I think we’re celebrating something that’s become a little underrated: simply hanging out. Not every outing needs to become an event.”

Hospitality

Gloria says that hospitality has always been a big part of her life. “Creating spaces where people feel comfortable has always been at the heart of what I do,” she said. “Along with Bar Noto, my wife Azsa and I also have Casa Mio in Puglia, Italy, where hosting people and creating memorable experiences has become something we genuinely love.”

Over the years, she has created and nurtured community through hosting dinners, producing events, pop-ups, as well as the many gatherings at Studio Noto. She loves it all—from the preparation of setting the table and making a playlist, to pouring wine for her guests after they’ve arrived, to being a connector. Introducing people to each other seems to truly be a joy for her. Some of the pairings have resulted in good friendships.

“We also throw some pretty epic house parties … if I do say so!” she exclaimed

Bar Noto’s Design

I figured with Gloria’s experience with and love of design that she would have been the one who designed Bar Noto, and that was an accurate assessment. “Creative direction is my background, so designing the space was one of the most fun parts of the process,” she explained.

She continued, “I wanted it to feel clean but warm, modern but lived in. It was also important to have some amazing art by local artists for sale on the walls. I want the space to feel inspiring, yet low key. Somewhere that feels just as right if you’re stopping in wearing vintage jeans and a t-shirt, or as if you were dressing up before a dinner party.”

Drinking and Eating at Bar Noto

The menu will be, as they say, “small but curated.” In Gloria’s words, “We’re keeping everything intentionally edited.”

“You’ll always find a thoughtfully chosen red, white, orange, and sparkling wine, with most of our wines coming from incredible local wineries, alongside a few Italian favorites,” she explained. “We’ll also be serving classic spritzes, aperitifs, non-alcoholic wine, and NA spritzes that feel just as special as everything else on the menu.”

As for the food, she describes it as “intentionally simple.” They are not trying to be “the next big food destination,” but the food will be tasty, and just enough to pair with what you’re drinking at the time. You’ll find chips, crackers and various cheeses, olives, tinned fish, and what she calls a Charcuterie Chips plate.

That Charcuterie Chips plate is her favorite thing on the menu, too. “It’s salty, crunchy, savory, a little sour, and somehow checks every box,” she said. “It’s one of those snacks that disappears before you realize you’ve eaten the whole thing.”

They plan to open Thursday, July 9, and are throwing an opening night party from 5pm to 8pm that day. Normally, hours will be Wednesday through Sunday, 11am to 7pm. You can shop there throughout the day, then ease into aperitivo in the afternoon and evening. And because they are a retail shop, minors are welcome during the day with an adult.

“Come in to pick up a new shirt (most of our clothing is unisex, men’s and women’s) and end up staying for a glass of wine,” she said.

Some Final Thoughts

“We’re not trying to be the busiest place in town,” Gloria said. “We’d much rather become part of your weekly routine. Beautiful things, good conversation, simple drinks, easy snacks, and no pressure to stay longer than you want to. Or shorter.”

She continued, “I hope Bar Noto becomes the kind of place where you stop in on your way home, always run into someone you know, or end up meeting someone new—and an hour that isn’t spent looking at your phone. That’s the feeling we’re hoping to create.”

All the best to Gloria, Azsa, and their team as they get ready to open Bar Noto later this week!

Bar Noto [opening July 9, 2026]
1932 NW Lovejoy Street, Portland
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