Due to the pandemic (and these late summers that last until Christmas…), we are always on the lookout for restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating to enjoy that last bit of sunshine without the risk of catching Covid.
Well, look no further! Here is a list of the best restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating. I wanted this article to be extra useful for you, so I’ve split the restaurants up into 4 groups: Brunch, Restaurants in the city centre, Restaurants by the beach / sea, and restaurants that serve fish.
I hope you find it useful! 🙂
Restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating: Brunch
Garden Porto Café
Rua de Fernandes Tomás, 985 | Porto
I’m not the biggest fan of restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating right by side of the road, but I can forgive Garden Café for this as its food is deeeelicious. In addition to the typical pancakes / bowls / toasties / salads, “Garden” also serves… WAFFLES AND CREPES. It is quite irresistible.
They also have many so-called “street food” options like burgers, tacos and poke bowls.
Garden Porto café is located right next to the City Hall, making it a great choice for brunch in downtown Porto.
How to get there: Trindade metro station is 2 minutes away on foot.
Breathe
Estrada da Circunvalação, 15687 | Porto
I discovered Breathe relatively recently while on one of my runs in Parque da Cidade, one of the best gardens in Porto. Right next to circunvalação (a highway that circles the city) is Breathe Sport Fitness, a fancy gym with a fabulous view over the park.
The menu features some reasonable priced options such as pancakes, delectable bowls, salads, toasties, tapiocas and more egg dishes than my brain can handle at 10 in the morning!
How to get there: catch the bus 205 to the D. Afonso Henriques stop, which is right opposite the restaurant
Eleven Lab Concept
Rua do Ouro, 418 | Porto
Eleven Lab Concept is one of those restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating with something for everyone. On the one hand it has a classic brunch menu, on the other it has more serious options for those who think pancakes just can’t compete with the likes of burgers, hummus, patatas bravas and tortillas. They also do fish (the tuna Tataki is delicious) and vegan dishes. So, if you are taking that hard-to-please friend to brunch, Eleven Lab Concept is the way to go.
And if that wasn’t enough to charm you then the location – right on the river Douro and the Porto tram line – will.
How to get there: if you wish to make a grand entrance catch the nº1 tram and get off at Bicalho. Otherwise just take the 500 bus and get off at the Arrábida bridge stop.
7g Roaster
Rua de França, 26 | Vila Nova de Gaia
Judging by the amount of time I spend in 7g Roaster they should offer me a free brunch once in a while 😀 It is a fabulous place not only for serving a great brunch, but also because they have some of the best coffees in the city, and all fairly priced and not at all touristy (in spite of being full of tourists).
The menu in 7g Roasters, while not extensive, is delicious: their pancakes with apple and caramel are to die for! You can, however, go for a savoury bowl (chicken, falafel or salmon) or even a well whipped up smoothie.
Though they do have brunch menus at a reasonable price (between 14€ and 16€), I don’t think they are particularly worth going for.
On the other hand, one simply cannot go to 7g Roaster without having one of their specialty coffees. You can enjoy them as you would a conventional coffee or as a filtered one extracted using your favourite method (Chemex, V60, etc). A word of advice: if you really love coffee simply ask for the “Batch Brew”, which is a kind of “daily special coffee”, as it works out much cheaper than any of the other options.
The only problem with 7g Roaster is finding a parking spot – you either have to walk there or spend a small fortune in one of the parking lots of the Cais de Gaia complex.
How to get there: the 901 and 906 buses both have several stops in the area.
Sea or riverside restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating
Praia da Luz
Rua Coronel Raúl Peres | Porto
If you asked me if the food was amazing at Praia da Luz restaurant (named after one of the best beaches in Porto), I would answer “no”. If you ask me if it is one of the best restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating, then my answer would be “absolutely”.
The view is like no other, the terrace is spacious and tastefully decorated and the service is good (albeit not particularly courteous). They serve a bit of everything from tapas, steaks / meats / fish, vegetarian options and even a kids menu.
My only complaint is the music, which tends to always be too loud (at least for my sensitive eardrums).
How to get there: catch the 500 bus and get off at the Praia da Luz stop.
Lapa Lapa
Praia do Molhe, Avenida do Brasil | Porto
Lapa Lapa is a restaurant in Porto with outdoor seating and a spectacular view, right on the beach in the Foz area of the city.
Don’t be fooled by the sophisticated décor and fancy location. The service is extremely welcoming – a rarity in these fashionable spots.
The food was also a pleasant surprise: from an extensive list of tapas, bowls and seafood mains, we picked prawns in a bean stew, which was fantastic. We didn’t order starts, but were served fresh bread, butter and a delicious carrot spread. Quite original.
If you go during lunch time you can choose between one of the executive menus which range from 15€ to 18€.
How to get there: catch the 500 bus and get off at Molhe stop.
RIB Beef & Wine
Praca Ribeira, 1 | Porto
As you know only too well (I don’t exactly hide it) I don’t looooove eating in the Ribeira neighborhood, one of the most touristy areas of Porto. That being said, if you are looking for a good restaurant in Porto with outdoor seating, you can go to RIB Beef & Wine, which specializes in meat (the name doesn’t lie). Located in the Praça da Ribeira and right next to the Douro River, this restaurant is part of the Pestana Vintage Porto Hotel, one of the most luxurious in the city.
The house specials are the steaks, which can go for anything from 18€ (boneless back ribs) to 60€ (Tomahawk ribeye steak). The sides are extra and there are many options. The main dish arrives without any dressing, as there are plenty of sauces at your disposal, from the classic aioli and barbecue to the more daring mascarpone and gorgonzola sauce.
Wash your meal down with a cocktail or bottle of wine and the price shoots up to 45€ per head, dessert not included. That’s the price of dining in the Ribeira!
How to get there: the 403, 900, 901 and 906 buses stop close by the restaurant, in the Ribeira stop. You can also drive there and park in the Praça do Infante D. Henrique underground car park, but it costs an arm and a leg!
Taberna do Cais das Pedras
Rua Monchique, 56 / 58 | Porto
I’ve spent some great evenings in Taberna do Cais das Pedras listening to amateur singers and musicians putting on impromptu renditions of Fado. To accompany the show, you have some delicious no-frills, very affordable Portuguese tapas. Also, the ordering process is quite original: each table is given a piece of paper on which you write the amount of each tapa you would like.
The terrace is tiny and has a charming view over the Douro River, so I suggest you show up early!
How to get there: catch the number 1 tram and get off at Monchique stop.
Restaurants with outdoor seating in downtown Porto
Almeja
Rua de Fernandes Tomás, 819 | Porto
Almeja is an elegant and unassuming restaurant perfect for a business lunch or a romantic dinner.
The menu changes on a monthly basis depending on what is in season – a big plus in my book.
It is an expensive restaurant: the mains can go for anything between 16,50 and 24€, and the desserts go for around 7€. However, there are two ways you can get your money’s worth in Almeja, one of the best restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating:
– The first is to choose the lunch set menu, which includes entrées, main dish, water and a coffee for 9,90€. If you wish to add a dessert and a glass of wine to your meal, the price goes up to 15€.
– The second option is to order the “10 momentos” menu, which sets you back 60€.
Either way, you will be thoroughly satisfied with either option.
How to get there: Bolhão subway station is 2 minutes away on foot.
Santa Francesinha
Praça dos Poveiros, 72 | Porto
Santa Francesinha is one of the best Porto restaurants with outdoor seating for those who seek a tasty francesinha or a nice juicy steak. But, in all honesty, I only go there for their rissoles: big, crispy on the inside and with a super tasty, tender filling. They will have you scrambling for seconds! They are also one of the very few restaurants in Porto with a vegan Francesinha (which has my seal of approval!).
The service is swift and friendly, something which I have come to appreciate more and more with each visit.
How to get there: Campo 24 de Agosto subway station is 5 minutes away on foot.
Cantinho dos Bragança
Praça dos Poveiros, 49 / 51 | Porto
Cantinho dos Bragança is right in the heart of Porto night life, at Praça dos Poveiros. It is one of the restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating ideal for starting out your evening, as it specializes in cocktails, which hits the spot on a Friday night after a week of putting up with your boss. The Mexican sangria, though pricey, is a standout.
Aside from the cocktails, in Cantinho dos Bragança they also serve a mix of Portuguese and Spanish tapas such as roasted chorizo, calamares, stuffed mushrooms, etc.
Given its location, I recommend this restaurant to those who enjoy crowded, lively environments (it’s not for introverted souls such as mine who go insane in noisy places after just a few minutes!).
How to get there: Campo 24 de Agosto subway station is 5 minutes away on foot.
Letraria
Rua da Alegria, 101 | Porto
I have previously written about Letraria in my article about the best craft beer pubs in Porto. However, in addition to the vast collection of their own beers, they also have a delicious tapas menu (I particularly like the cheeseboard and rustic fries), as well as some fast food dishes (such as burgers, sandwiches and francesinhas). And just to top it all off, a chocolate mousse paired with a stout beer really hits the spot.
A word of advice from a seasoned regular customer: try to get there as early as possible because Letraria tends to fill up in na instant!
How to get there: Bolhão subway station is 5 minutes away on foot.
17.56
Rua de Serpa Pinto, 44B | Vila Nova de Gaia
A word before coming here: before I try to convince you to come to 17.56 I must warn you that it is, probably, one of the most expensive restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating. Even if you order carefully, you can never spend less than 30€ / person, so if you are on a tight budget I would recommend skipping to the next spot on the list.
That being said, it is money well spent if ever there was such a thing! 17.56 is a sophisticated restaurant with a unique concept: in the same restaurant you will find specialties from all over town, like sushi from Romando (the best sushi restaurant ever!) and focaccias from Reitoria. There is still a never-ending list of fish, seafood, meat and tapas dishes to choose from. They also have cheeses from their own fromagerie, which is pretty irresistible for a cheese lover like me!
As for the drinks, you can choose from between the wines of Real Companhia Velha (the owners of the establishment), their friends and partners.
How to get there: the 901 and 906 buses stop in various locations nearby.
Restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating which serve fish
Golden Catch
Rua Do Choupelo, 39 | Vila Nova de Gaia
A word before coming here: if you go to the Golden Catch, one of the restaurants features in the World of Wine (WOW) complex, be prepared to pay for the food and the location in equal amounts. This is understandable: with its enormous terrace and fabulous view over the Ribeira neighborhood and the Luíz I bridge, Golden Catch really is one of the best restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating.
The menu focuses exclusively on fish and seafood, with starters that can go from 10€ to 15€. Each dish is named after its main ingredient (codfish, anglerfish, salmon, etc) and features a description of the sides below. The prices vary from 14€ to 22€. You can go instead for a curious selection of potato confections, such as Vitelotte potatoes or the purple sweet potato purée.
It is an expensive place and there are even those who say it is a bit “over the top”, but I enjoyed my experience there!
How to get there: your best bet is to drive there and to ask one of the restaurant staff to validate your parking ticket.
Armazém do Peixe
Rua 27 de Fevereiro, 311 | Vila Nova de Gaia
I wasn’t sure if I was going to include Armazém do Peixe, a restaurant in Afurada (a fishing village 10 minutes away from Porto) in this list. It’s just that the service is invariably sooooo slow (if you take kids with you, do so at your own risk. I personally would go nuts), and the prices are a bit inflated in my opinion.
Other than that, I have no complaints. The food is good (but the wine list struggles to keep up) the terrace is – it must be said – divine. And so, to conclude (and aside from what was brought up previously), it is one of the best restaurants in Porto with outdoor seating (district).
After lunch, take my advice and head towards Porto taking the walkways on the riverside. It’s a nice walk and it helps with the digestion.
How to get there: it’s best to take the car as you have a free parking lot at your disposal.
Salta o Muro
Rua Heróis de França, 386 | Matosinhos
Salta o Muro, one of the many fish and seafood restaurants in Matosinhos, is one of those secrets I really feel like keeping to myself (but, as I am in a giving mood, I am sharing it with you).
It is one of those long-gone places where you sit on old plastic chairs and the menu is handwritten – but don’t even waste your time with that, walk over to the fish counter and take your pick – it will then be masterfully grilled out in the street. Whenever they’re available I order the fried European pilchards (petingas fritas) or the grilled largehead tail (peixe-espada) with green sauce, and, if I’m feeling in the mood for something special, an anglerfish stew (arroz de tamboril) is just the thing you need.
This is the life. And the rest, as they say, is history.
How to get there: Brito Capelo metro station is 5 minutes away on foot.
Save this article for later:
