I’ve already written about the best family restaurants in Porto, the best restaurants for a low budget, the best restaurants for groups and the best vegetarian restaurants. Uff, that’s a lot.
But it was missing an overall list of the best restaurants in Porto. So here it is! I got some help with this article but it’s based on personal experience and many hours eating. Meanwhile, if you would like to just have an overall experience of Portuguese food I recommend you to do a food tour in Porto. It is a fun, cheap and delicious experience!
So, what are the best restaurants in Porto after all?
Making a list of the best restaurants in Porto is a daunting experience as it is a very personal choice. Therefore, I invited 6 amazing bloggers from Porto to write this post with me. They are:
- the amazing Canadian photographer Gail from Gail at Large, who knows Porto as the palm of her hands;
- the inspiring Paula from Viver o Porto, who shows Porto on a healthier, yoga-focused perspective;
- the exquisite Bruno and Maria from the food blog Amass. Cook;
- the passionate Adriana and Liliana from the lifestyle blog Sisterhood of Foodies.
We hope you like this collaborative post! 🙂
Brasão Cervejaria Coliseu
by Portoalities
I included Brasão Coliseu on this list of the best restaurants in Porto as it is a great value for money option, specially if you want to try the typical dish called Francesinha. But what I particularly love about Brasão are its amazing starters ranging from truffle & mushroom rissóis, codfish cakes, cheese boards and other delicacies. It is truly to die for!
To go along with the food you can order a craft beer, some French Cider or a Portuguese wine.
Brasão Coliseu does not have lunch menus, but you can eat for around 20€/person, which I find reasonably affordable given its reputation and location.
Besides the amazing food, Brasão Coliseu has an attentive service and a very trendy decoration. It has two large dining rooms which make this restaurant a good option for large groups in Porto.
How to get there: The subway station Bolhão and Campo 24 de Agosto are 10 minutes walking distance.
Cafeína
by Viver O Porto
Whenever I am asked to choose the best restaurants in Porto there is one that immediately comes to mind: Cafeína.
This 20 years old restaurant is a trendy place with an attentive service. You should book ahead and – take my word for it – ask for a table by the window.
There is an executive lunch menu (€16/€18). Dinner is à la carte, and the price is around €35/person. The cuisine is based on typical Portuguese dishes and some of French or Italian influence. And, naturally, there is a superb wine list to go along.
You shouldn’t miss the starters, such as chèvre cheese in puff pastry. In the main dishes, codfish cooked with bread crumbs is quite famous, but there are many other temptations.
As I am a vegetarian, I usually delight myself with a tagliattelli al pesto with grilled vegetables 🙂
How to get there: take the bus 200 or the 500.
Euskalduna Studio
by Amass. Cook.
Euskalduna Studio is undeniably one of the best restaurants in Porto. There are only 16 places in this intimate restaurant with a Japanese-styled decor, so be sure to book ahead.
The tasting menu is the main attraction, consisting of ~10 dishes for 70€/person. The menu may also be expertly paired with either wines, beers or teas, chosen to complement each dish by the sommelier. There is also a daily special which varies according to ingredient availability.
The dishes in the menu vary but may include the wonderful Algarve prawn with curry slush, the dashi soup with caramelized egg yolk or the fried John Dory with fish roe açorda.
While you’re there, you’re lost in space and time, only to leave vanquished of all angsts and feeling like dinner may be therapy after all.
How to get there: a 5 minutes walking distance from the Campo 24 de Agosto subway station.
Oficina
by Portoalities
I very rarely accept dinner invitations, as I feel pressured to write good reviews about the places (and my policy is to only write my honest opinion about everything that is going on in Porto). But I must confess that I was very glad when I was invited to visit Oficina; after all, it has a renowned Chef, Marco Gomes, and a wine list that was carefully designed by the director of the Institute of Green Wines.
My expectations were highly exceeded at Oficina. The starter – veal bone marrow – and the main dish – black swordfish with banana puree – highlighted the chef’s competence and culinary imagination. The wine, as expected, was superbly harmonised with the food, which ended with a perfect red berries tribute.
The prices are a bit high for Portuguese standards, but Oficina has a very reasonable executive menu for 25€ (which includes starter, main dish, dessert, wine and coffee). And, trust me, you won’t regret the money spent at Oficina.
How to get there: the subway station Lapa is 10 minutes walking distance.
Puro 4050
by Viver O Porto
As soon as I visited Puro 4050 it immediately entered my list of the best restaurants in Porto.
It has a rather unique concept, where the main star is the mozzarella cheese. There are many mozzarella varieties (from bocconcini to smoked mozzarella), served with various options such as grilled vegetables, typical Italian sausages, risottos or pastas.
There is no fried food on the menu of this vegetarian-friendly restaurant.
There is no lunch menu, but there are options such as the mozzarella tasting (19€).
A full meal with dessert (you must try the Port wine tiramisu) costs around 25 / 30€.
How to get there: the subway and train station São Bento is 10 minutes walking distance.
Shiko, Tasca Japonesa
by Sisterhood of Foodies
Shiko was the first Japanese tavern to open in the city by the hands of the chef Ruy Leão, an expert in Japanese gastronomy. Here, the flavours are amazing, which is why Shiko, in our opinion, deserves the recognition as one of the best restaurants in Porto.
The menu focus on Japanese snacks such as okonomiyaki (typical Japanese pancakes stuffed with seafood and bacon, onion, ginger, nori seaweed, egg yolk and Japanese mayonnaise); marinated mackerel and the famous salmon tataki.
This restaurant has 20 seats, so make sure to book your table. The average price is 30€ / person, but lunch menus are available ranging from €10 to €21.
How to get there: both the Guindais’ funicular and the famous São Bento station are 10 minutes walking distance.
Terminal 4450
by Amass. Cook.
Terminal 4450 is surely one of the best restaurants in Porto and is located out of the tourist route, inside the maritime port of Leixões.
Those who go to Terminal 4450, go for the meat: the beef ribeye makes the restaurant’s fame.
This great piece of meat weighs around 1 kg, is seasoned to perfection and accompanied by a choice of 3 worthy side dishes, such as onion rings, grilled portobello mushrooms, and esparregado. For 38€, the fest is enough for 3 people, or even 4, if shy with meat.
The menu extends to other cuts such as the T-bone, tenderloin, or Black Angus, and it has a kid’s menu.
A lunch menu consisting of couvert, soup, main, drink and coffee is available for 10€. The list of beverages gathers a selection of Douro classics, craft beers and colourful sangrias.
How to get there: it is a 15 minutes walk from the Mercado de Matosinhos subway station.
Paparico
by Portoalities
I am not even sure where to start when talking about Paparico, one of the most praised restaurants in the city. It beautifully combines the roughness of traditional Portuguese houses with a sober, English bar styled décor.
The service is very friendly, attentive and accommodating to any food allergies or intolerances that you might have. If you are a wine lover, you will be pleased to know that Paparico has one of the best sommeliers in the city.
The food is elegantly presented but is a faithful representation of traditional Portuguese flavours.
Paparico is definitely one of the best restaurants in Porto, but it is not for every pocket: a 7 courses’ meal costs 70€ and a 10 courses’ meal costs 120€. But it will be definitely one of the highlights of your trip in Portugal.
If you want to make your night extra special, watch a traditional Fado show at Casa da Guitarra before going for dinner.
How to get there: Given the neighbourhood, I would definitely take an Uber there.
Tapabento
by Portoalities
If you’re in Porto for some time now and are getting tired of Portuguese food, no one will judge you for wanting to try something a bit more indulgent. That is the reason why I included Tapabento on this list of the best restaurants in Porto: there you can find both Portuguese food but delicious tapas as well, and some international dishes.
Some of my favourite dishes include wild prawn risotto, wild tuna tataki and ceviche. The Black Angus spare ribs are also a very popular choice when I go there with my friends.
Although the wine list does not have the brilliance of other restaurants on this list of the best restaurants in Porto, but it has some good examples of the different wine regions.
How to get there: São Bento train station is just across the street.
A Escola
by Portoalities
There is something absolutely charming about this restaurant.
First of all, it is located at a building formerly belonging to the Soares dos Reis’ School of Arts and you can see its clear influence inside the restaurant, since its walls are decorated with the paintings of artists from that school.
But more importantly than that, this is a school – restaurant where the prestigious team of Chef Hugo Dias coordinates students and fellow students of the School of Tourism of Porto.
Therefore, you can expect to dive into a gastronomic adventure of the latest trends of the Portuguese cuisine.
Give it a go with its wine list as it is a good representation of the Portuguese wine regions.
How to get there: 24 Agosto subway station is 5 minutes walking distant.
MUU Steakhouse
by Portoalities
First thing you should know about MUU is that it is extreeeeeemely expensive for Portuguese standards. However, I do feel that it is a fair price to pay for some high quality meat cuts such as Black Angus Sirloin [54€), Rib Eye Premium (60€) and Tomahawk (68€). Except for the Black Angus, that comes from Australia, all the other meat is nationally produced.
While you wait for your meat you should enjoy one of the starters, namely my favourite one called “Invasão Campestre” – wild mushrooms, pumpkin, almond and other delicious ingredients.
Most naturally, a wine list at such a steakhouse has not only fabulous Portuguese wines but also several whiskeys and gins.
How to get there: Aliados subway station is 5 minutes walking distant.
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