In 2022, after countless recommendations, I found myself taking a short trip to Porto in northern Portugal. I had to experience the local food & drink scene, so I decided to tour and taste some of the best restaurants in Porto.
I certainly stumbled upon a few absolute gems that you absolutely need to know about. Here are six restaurants we dined at in Porto that are must visits.
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1. Il Fornaio 178
It’s often so rare to find a restaurant which has an uncompromising standard for quality, and attention to detail at affordable prices. The owner of Il Fornaio 178 is Anthony Oliveira, who initially trained for 3 years inside his home perfecting the recipes and ingredients before launching his restaurant. Located out on the outskirts of Porto City centre, it’s a short Uber ride to this outer borough but take my word for it – it’s so worth it.
Although, it wasn’t Portuguese cuisine, this was my favourite restaurant across our week long tour of the Porto restaurant scene. Why?
The owner, Anthony, is one of these characters who takes enormous pride in everything from ingredient selection, experience, service and of course, flavour.
What’s most interesting about Il Fornaio, is it’s unassuming decor. Set in a modern building, the atmosphere was hustling with locals. But the food and service quality surpassed our expectations completely.
All of the dishes were truly sublime, and words can’t really describe the wide range of flavours that emerged from the premium ingredients that were used.
One of the standout dishes was definitely the fresh burrata. Quite the show, as the waiter placed the burrata on the table, and then proceeded to inject it with an Italian balsamic vinegar directly in front of us. Everything you’d want from a burrata at room temperature: creamy, buttery, and packed full of flavour.
They also serve incredible pizzas, including a burrata and nduja pizza which knocked my socks off. They import world-class ingredients straight from Italy, which made experiencing the menu that bit more enjoyable.
There you have it. Il Fornaio 178 get’s our seal of approval as one of the best restaurants in Porto. You can thank us later.
Rua François Guichard, 178, 4100-012 Porto
www.ilfornaio178.pt
2. O Paparico – Amazing Michelin Star Restaurant in Porto.
I couldn’t go to Portugal and not enjoy authentic Portuguese food! And I’m so glad that I chose to experience the finest local cuisine at the famous O Paparico. The restaurant brilliantly combines gastronomy and traditional Portuguese comfort food, this is (rightly so) one of the most famous Michelin star rated restaurants in Porto.
Created by Chef Rui Martins and his team. They create bold and innovative dishes which take inspiration from every corner of the country. Their menu changes month-to-month to honour the freshest seasonal produce.
Every single dish that we tried looked almost too good to eat… almost! Exactly what you’d expect from a top class restaurant with Michelin stars, perfect execution of flavour coupled with expert food presentation. Every single dish that we tried looked almost too good to eat… almost!
Sommelier Rui Costa carefully selects wine to accompany every single dish. We enjoyed an inadvertent wine tasing experience as we sampled the menu and enjoying a diverse range of dishes from meat to freshly caught local fish.
We were very lucky to get a table on this occasion, but booking in advance is definitely recommend as this experience is one that you can’t afford to miss when exploring the best restaraurants in Porto.
2343 Costa Cabral Street 4200 Porto
www.opaparico.com
3. O Travessa
Travessa de Cadouços, 12, 4150-161 Porto
Located in the beautiful area of Foz Velha in Porto, the moment you walk inside O Travessa it’s all about the atmosphere. Buzzing with locals, enjoying wine and spritz in a gorgeous terrace setting, the restaurant really transports you into a neighbourhood gem.
We didn’t think the food quality was quite as high as the other places we’d visited however, their wine list was very enjoyable. The restaurant offers decent food, a buzzing environment and all round great venue to drink and dine out one evening. Situated close to the coast, it makes for a perfect place to visit after a day out at the beach.
They serve up traditional Portuguese dishes, as well as contemporary European food. The sandwiches were perfect light bites, which were obviously accompanied with some delicious red wine from Quinta do Cume, a Portuguese vineyard.
The real food highlight at O Trevessa were their desserts. They were all mouth wateringly good! If you head to O Travessa, you’re going to have trouble choosing between their sericaia (a Portuguese egg pudding), lemon semifreddo or cadence of chocolates. I know that I did!
Travessa, De Cadouços, 12 4150-386 Foz Do Douro.
www.otravessa.pt
4. Taberna Londrina
Estrada da Circunvalação 7964, 4200-537 Porto
I discovered one of my favourite new dishes when I went to Taberna Londrina. Francesinha is a Portuguese delicacy that mixes together some of my favourite things. Certainly one of the best restaurants Porto has to offer.
- Layered meats⠀
- Lots of cheese⠀
- Spiced tomato ⠀
- Beer sauce ⠀
- Two slices of bread
This meaty madness is everything I didn’t know I needed. Rich, delicious and comforting, I would happily eat this dish every day of the week! (And I think it would be the perfect hangover cure too.)
Whilst at this restaurant I also feasted on their alheira puff pastry, which is an intensely flavoured garlic sausage wrapped in pastry and drizzled with a mustard and honey sauce. They also have a great selection of forty beers from all corners of the world or for those who want to venture into an amazing explosion of flavors between their cuisine and distilleries around the world.
If you’re ever looking for the best restaurants in Porto, then this is definitely worth a visit for local cuisine.
Rua de Ceuta, 72, Baixa, Porto
www.tabernalondrina.com
5. Terra Nova – Best Restaurants Porto with a view.
Terra Nova is another of Porto’s best restaurants to drink and dine at. This particular restaurant focuses on Portuguese seafood, in particular cod and oysters. It was great to try their local selection of fresh fish whilst looking out onto the gorgeous view of the riverfront.
We secured the top spot inside the restaurant on the upper floor, which offered us a telescopic view of Porto’s Douro River estuary as we tucked into their delightful menu,
To start, I had their oyster tasting option, which included one unadorned oyster, one oyster with mango and curry, and a final oyster with almond and lime. All three were incredibly fresh – I can definitely believe that these were living in the ocean just the day before!
Then for the main course I tried their shrimp and clam pasta which was also fabulous! Naturally, I also had to accompany the seafood with a glass of crisp white wine – always a winner, in my book.
Cais da Ribeira 34, 4050-509 Porto
www.terranovarestaurante.pt
6. Casa Vasco – Beachside Neighbourhood Restaurant in Porto.
After a long day on the beach (hard life), I felt a bit peckish and decided to go for a wander. I stumbled across Casa Vasco which is situated on the corner of a street, just a 3 minute walk from the Porto coastline.
I went straight in for some warm bread and olive oil to start followed by a beautifully presented dish: The ceviche “Peixeirada pura, “one and only” – white fish ceviche and “leche de tigre. Moderately priced at 14 euros for the latest catch of the day with all tantalising flavours you’d expect from a fresh ceviche dish.
Highly recommended and on our list of the best restaurants in Porto fo a reason.
Rua do Padrão 152, 4150-719 Porto, Portugal
www.casavasco.pt
If you head over to Porto anytime soon and try any of these restaurants, please let me know! I would love to hear how you enjoyed them.
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