Porto is synonymous with port, which has been shipped from its cellars to the world since the early 17th century. The fortified wine is sweet and rich, and is best sipped as an aperitif or digestif with dessert. So, how does one fill the void in between? Fortunately, Porto is brimming with elevated cafés, epicurean wine bars, and innovative fine dining restaurants that will keep you busy from noon to night. And while Porto has recently implemented a ban on alcohol sales at retailers between the hours of 9 p.m. and 8 a.m., its licensed restaurants, cafés, and bars can continue to pour their fine wine selections.
One of the most exciting new openings in Porto is the 1638 Restaurant & Wine Bar, which is helmed by three-Michelin-Star chef Nacho Manzano and is purposefully cultivating an air of mystery around its 11-course Sensory Menu. Another is Kaigi, the Japanese-Portuguese restaurant from the respected chef Vasco Coelho Santos and his Euskalduna hospitality group. Meanwhile, chef Vitor Matos has not one but two Michelin Star restaurants in the city now, Blind and Antiqvvm.
When traveling with tastebuds, the unique location of each eatery should also be considered. From a historic tea house set on the rocks of the Costa Verde (Casa de Chá da Boa Nova) to a cool inner-city neighborhood spot (Tia Tia), a deconsecrated and decorated church (Capela Incomum) to sweeping views on either side of the Douro River (1638, Casario, and The Yeatman), there’s no shortage of scenery either.
While all of the dining destinations below have their own unique take on traditional cuisine and new techniques, a theme throughout the menus is “Portugality,” celebrating the unique cultural identity of Portugal and its diaspora from the past to present. The time to book a restaurant in Porto is now. Below, our selection of the best restaurants in Porto, Portugal, in no particular order.