15 of the best restaurants in Porto to visit
Porto is fast becoming a must-do city break, thanks in no small part to the many great restaurants in Porto that continue to draw crowds from around the world. Portugal’s second city might be known first and foremost for its port wine, but there’s an emerging foodie scene to rival even Lisbon’s restaurants as the city develops and welcomes more visitors each year with the opening of the dazzling Time Out market in May raising it to even greater heights.
So, what should you eat when you’re in Porto? Non-vegetarian visitors will almost certainly want to try the francesinha – a sandwich filled with a mixture of meats including ham, steak and pork, topped with a fried egg, melted cheese and finished with francesinha molho (a special spicy tomato gravy) – which is best saved for a ravenous moment. However, there’s more to Porto than sandwich shops and port wine tastings. This year the city got another two-star Michelin restaurant, Antiquum, bringing the grand total to 10. But whether Michelin-starred menus or relaxed, wine-focused dining, these are the best Porto restaurants we’d recommend to anyone visiting the city (in no particular order).
1. Cozinha das Flores
Best Porto restaurant for: authentic flavours
Nuno Mendes – of Lisboeta in London – has opened his first restaurant in northern Portugal, inspired by flavours in the region. Portuguese dishes can vary hugely in different regions. Although Mendes is from Lisbon, his mother’s roots in the north of the country inspired him to bring the traditions of the north to the ever-popular city of Porto.
The result is one of the most talked-about restaurants in Porto for some time. Dishes are a combination of traditional techniques and new tastes. The turnip pastel de nata, topped with a generous dollop of caviar, is not to be missed; a rare flavour is an unusual thing to find now, but this manages to be like nothing you’ve tried – a combination of creamy, salty and buttery goodness that you’ll remember for a long time. The milk dessert – so-named because it consists of different textures of milk inspired by Mendes’ childhood on his grandparents’ dairy farm – is another special choice that will stay with you. Other dishes include giant squid noodles with white beans and cod tripe stew, shrimp and steamed egg cake with Balchão ham and grilled pork with cabbage and sausages.
The restaurant’s location in Porto means it’s perfectly placed to offer a selection of wonderful wines from the Douro, Vinho Verde and Dão wine regions, with an excellent sommelier on-hand ready to share their knowledge for the perfect pairings. If cocktails are more your thing, Flôr is a 12-seat bar that is placed alongside the restaurant and offers complex and creative cocktails to start (or end) your evening beautifully. But now it is serving a pestiscos (Portuguese tapas), in the evenings, it is worth a separate visit. Try the typical chickpea salad with confit hake and do start with a clichéd, a cocktail which marries the traditional Portuguese ingredients of coriander and dried cod. You could even book into the equally wonderful hotel, The Largo, to which the restaurant and bar belong.
Price range: £££
Where? São Bento
Address: Largo São Domingos 62, 4050-545 Porto
Website: cozinhadasflores.com
Should I book? Yes
2. Euskalduna Studio
Best Porto restaurant for: chic eats
Cookbooks line the dimly lit shelves of this small neighbourhood restaurant, and give a hint of what to expect; an inventive tasting menu inspired by world cooking techniques. Boasting a justified Michelin star, Euskalduna is not about linen tablecloths and fresh flowers, it is an edgy, innovative, inspiring space, best experienced at the marble-topped central counter where the talented chefs can explain the dishes to you. One of the most exciting restaurants in the city. Its sister restaurant, Semea by Euskalduna, is also a great place for a simple but tasty lunch.
Price range: ££££
Where? Bolhão
Address: R. de Santo Ildefonso 404, 4000-466 Porto
Website: euskaldunastudio.pt
Should I book? Yes
3. Época Porto
Best Porto restaurant for: brunch
Porto's reputation as the arty city in Portugal means that there are plenty of creative cafés and restaurants serving all-day food – and nowhere does brunch better than the always-bustling Época. Here, clichéd brunch dishes are swapped for creamy Turkish eggs and rabanadas – a Portuguese-style French toast you’ll need at least two of. The crowd is a mixture of locals of all ages and tourists lucky enough to have stumbled upon the café. Go hungry – you'll want to try almost everything on the menu.
Price range: £
Where? Miragaia
Address: Rua do Rosário 22, 4050-522 Porto
Website: @epocaporto on Instagram
Should I book? No, but you may need to wait for a table
4. Gruta
Best Porto restaurant for: seafood
You want two things in Porto: good wine, and seafood. Gruta, a cosy, joyful restaurant in the centre of town that just earned the Bib Gourmand status does both impeccably, but the latter is particularly worthy of merit thanks to the all-female chef team headed up by Carolina Giandalia. Order the goose barnacles, razor clams and mussels with a vinaigrette of tomato water and coriander oil and sea rice to taste how seafood shines in Portuguese cuisine, and be sure to ask for advice on wine pairings; the right one takes your meal to the next level. Finish up with the apple tart served with tawny port ice cream and dark chocolate mousse with olive oil ganache. You might need to roll home, but it'll be worth it.
Price range: ££
Where? Santo Ildefonso
Address: R. de Santa Catarina 447, 4000-452 Porto
Website: grutaporto.com
Should I book? Yes
5. Tia Tia
Best Porto restaurant for: natural wines
There’s no shortage of restaurants offering Portuguese food in Porto, but Tia Tia does things a little differently, with a creative twist on dishes you can find all across the country. Dinner service is only available on Friday and Saturday evenings. Despite a heavily vegetarian-skewed menu, the restaurant isn’t strictly veggie but instead relies on finding the freshest local and seasonal ingredients to cater to its ever-changing menu. Expect moreish combinations, such as naan bread with local honey and passionfruit, red cabbage, pumpkin and cottage cheese salad and turnip with green asparagus and shoyuzuke yolk.
It’s the wines that shine here, though. Tiago Feio and Cátia Roldão, who own the spot, wanted to make the restaurant a spot to showcase the very best natural wines that Portugal has to offer (and it’s certainly hard to choose a favourite). Housed in a cool, open space that almost feels like your stylish friend’s front room, Tia Tia is an ideal spot for a relaxed evening that’s focused on tasting great wines and dishes.
Price range: ££
Where? Baixa
Address: Rua do Almada 501, 4050-039 Porto
Website: @tiatia.porto on Instagram
Should I book? Yes
Francisco de Almeida Dias6. Restaurante Dona Maria
Best Porto restaurant for: a cosy atmosphere
If you gravitate towards restaurants that feel homely rather than minimal, you’ll love Dona Maria. Located in The Lodge hotel in Gaia, it’s yet another place with a stunning view of Porto’s many layers. We think it’s extra beautiful when the sun goes down, thanks to the giant vine leaves that light up the ceiling and inviting wine cellar.
The menu here is Portuguese, and you can expect dishes such as black pork tenderloin stuffed with farinheira (pork sausage made of flour and spices) and green apple puff pastry with spinach or Bacalhau à Zé do Pipo (salt cod fish baked and gratined with mayonnaise), making this a great restaurant to sample the country’s flavours.
Price range: £££
Where? Vila Nova de Gaia
Address: Rua Serpa Pinto, 60 4400-307 V. N. Gaia – Porto
Website: thelodgehotel.pt
Should I book? Yes
Luis Ferraz7. Casario
Best Porto restaurant for: incredible views
One thing about Porto: there’s a great view wherever you look. It’s impossible not to be charmed by this rugged, colourful city. Nowhere will you feel more in love with the place than down by the river, where you can stroll along to the Dom Luís I bridge or gaze across the water to Gaia. Down on the street, the tourists can be a little overpowering – but if you manage to bag one of the tables overlooking the river at Casario, you’ll miss all the hustle and bustle, leaving you to enjoy the blissful sunset over dinner.
Found in the Gran Cruz House, now a hotel in a 16th-century building formerly used as a trade house for coffee, Casario undoubtedly has some of the best tables among Porto's restaurants. The restaurant is sleek but holds on to its Portuguese traditions; expect a huge range of local wines, and port made just across the river. Food is classic – octopus and watercress on sweet potato mash to start, followed by pork belly with cabbage and garlic sauce – but we’d highly recommend the tasting menu, chosen by the chef. It’s also worth noting that service really stands out here; staff go the extra mile to ensure you have a wonderful meal, and the result is a truly memorable meal.
Price range: ££
Where? Ribeira Square
Address: R. de Cima do Muro 61, 4050-200 Porto
Website: grancruzhouse.pt
Should I book? Yes
8. Cafe Santiago
Best Porto restaurant for: Francesinha sandwiches
You absolutely can’t leave Porto without trying this classic Portuguese sandwich, and we think this is the best one in the city. We recommend the classic, which will keep you full until way past dinner time, but vegetarians have other classic Portuguese options on the menu such as Bacalhau à Brás (cod fried with onions and thin potatoes) or simply a plate of fries served with the incredible Francesinha sauce.
It’s certainly not Michelin dining, but there’s something wonderfully homey about the dish – so much so, you might even be tempted to return during your trip. Go hungry and expect to queue, especially if you’re visiting on a weekend.
Price range: £
Where? Central Porto
Address: R. de Passos Manuel 226, 4000-382 Porto
Website: cafesantiago.pt
Should I book? No, but you’ll probably have to wait for a table
9. Chez Maurice
Best Porto restaurant for: beachside dining
Most first-time visitors to Porto probably won’t factor in a visit to the beach, but if you have time, you should. Portugal’s sandy beaches are notoriously beautiful, and easy to reach from the city centre. On top of the sand (literally, the restaurant’s platform is metres from the waves) is Chez Maurice – a favourite of locals thanks to its stunning sundowner location. Food is simple, with classic tapas dishes leading the way, but it’s the mojitos that people regularly return to, making this a great choice for fun, easy dinners.
Price range: £
Where? Vila Nova de Gaia
Address: R. Mar 251, 4410-332 Arcozelo
Should I book? No
Luis Ferraz10. Blind
Best Porto restaurant for: a tasting menu experience
Those who love to be surprised and experiment with new flavours will adore Blind. In the stunning Torel Palace Hotel, the restaurant pays tribute to one of Portuguese writer José Saramago’s most famous books, Essay on Blindness. The menu from chef Vitor Matos offers ‘moments’, each one explained by your waiter as it's served rather than via a menu.
Expect everything to feel and taste surprisingly wonderful. You’ll eat one dish with a pair of headphones on, for example. The icing on the cake of the experience is the setting; an almost private room makes it feel as though you’ve hired the whole restaurant for yourself. It's a wonderfully unique option for a special occasion.
Price range: £££
Where? Batalha Square
Address: Rua de Entreparedes 40, 4000-197 Porto
Website: blind.pt
Should I book? Yes
WWW.NUMO.PT11. The Yeatman Gastronomic Restaurant
Best Porto restaurant for: fine dining
Setting the bar among the increasing number of Michelin-starred restaurants in Porto, The Yeatman Hotel's flagship has two, plus some of the best views of Porto. The menu here is led by chef Ricardo Costa, and his tasting menu focuses heavily on Portuguese cuisine made modern; expect plenty of fish dishes, fresh local vegetables and moreish sauces to add the finishing touch. The wine pairing is a wonderful way to discover some of the region’s best wines with the help of a sommelier who can share their tasting tips.
Price range: ££££
Where? Vila Nova de Gaia
Address: Rua do Choupelo, 4400-088 Vila Nova de Gaia
Website: the-yeatman-hotel.com
Should I book? Yes
Nelson Garrido12. Casa de Chá da Boa Nova
Best restaurant in Porto for: fine dining in a historic setting
Set in a historic monument a short drive out of town, this extraordinary restaurant combines the brilliance of acclaimed architect Álvaro Siza Vieira with the talents of Chef Rui Paula. Perched on the cliff’s edge above the beach of Boa Nova, Siza Vieira has managed to incorporate the rocks in the redesign of the restaurant. The menu, By Seas Never Before Sailed, inspired by the great 16th-century Portuguese poet, Luis de Camões, lays bare the culinary soul of Portugal on a plate. From lobster to cuttlefish, John Dory to amberjack, here you can see the best of a kitchen inspired by its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean.
Price range ££££
Where? Leça da Palmeira
Address Avenida da Liberdade 1681, 4450-718 Leça da Palmeira
Website casadechadaboanova.pt
Do I need to book? Yes
WWW.NUMO.PT13. Mira Mira by Ricardo Costa
Best Porto restaurant for: eating in a museum
Whilst Chef Ricardo Costa sets the bar for Michelin-starred fine dining at The Yeatman Hotel, this restaurant, inside the World of Wine, Porto’s must-see museum, is his more casual take on much-loved Portuguese ingredients. It is accompanied by wonderful views across the Douro River to the city’s colourful jumble of medieval houses. Opt for the tasting menu, where one of the highlights is spider crab cannelloni with fermented cucumber and crustaceans. This is followed by cod and bean stew with prawns and a tasty drizzle of chorizo oil.
Price range £££
Where? Vila Nova de Gaia
Address Rua do Choupelo 39, Vila Nova de Gaia
Website? wow.pt
Should I book? Yes
14. Antiquum
Best restaurant in Porto for: alfresco dining
Beautifully set in an old Manor House, once used in the Port business, this restaurant spills out into a leafy garden with views over the Douro River and received its second Michelin star this year. Chef Vitor Matos serves just two tasting menus here, one of the sensory moments (the highlight of which is the Imperial Anjou pigeon, with chanterelles, turnips and truffles) and the other, organic, which is vegetarian and includes a delicious take on Sao Jorge cheese from the Azores, with baby broccoli and fermented walnuts.
Price range ££££
Where? Central Porto
Address Rua de Entre-Quintas 220, 4050-240 Porto
Website antiqvvm.pt
Do I need to book? Yes15. Enoteca 17.56
Best Porto restaurant for: wine tasting
If part of your trip to Porto includes wine tasting (as it should), you’ll likely be paying a visit to Real Companhia Velha in Gaia, the home of the oldest wine company in Portugal. While you’re there, we highly recommend a visit to the restaurant, Enoteca; with a menu focused on classic, delicious dishes, there’s something for everyone. Must-have dishes include steak tartare, octopus à lagareiro and aged meats, and there are hundreds of wine options to choose from as you order. A great option for a day of indulgence.
Price range ££££
Where? Cais de Gaia
Address R. de Serpa Pinto 44B, 4400-307 Vila Nova de Gaia
Website enoteca1756.pt
Should I book? Yes