Lisbon is cool and all but Porto is absolute magic. Even with the overtourism, I completely fell for this city. The architecture is beautiful and the cathedral one of my favorites. It is a unique city that feels both youthful and historic. But the showstopper was the food and restaurants of Porto, Portugal. The restaurants in Porto have some of my favorite food of my entire time in Portugal. I Porto is a must a visit while in Portugal for the history, architecture and, of course, the food. So keep scrolling to find 10 of the best restaurants in Porto, Portugal for 2024.
At Pragmatic Travelers, we only recommend what we have eaten and experienced. So you know these recommendations are based on experience, not a round-up of internet research.
This post might have affiliate links. If you make a purchase or booking, we may earn a small commission, at no additional cost to you. As always, I only recommend what I have experienced, so you know these recommendations are based on honesty rather than a round-up of internet research.
Porto Travel Tips and Tricks
- Safety: Porto is very safe just watch out for pickpockets.
- It was so easy and convenient to grab an Uber/Bolt from the airport. It was about 40 minutes (with some traffic) and cost us under $16.00. (Insane, right!?) Save yourself the hassle.
- If that is too much, the metro is also incredibly easy. Take Metro Line E which terminates at the city center (Trindade).
- Make sure to have cash (Euros) on you. Some of the smaller restaurants and stores don’t accept cards. ATMs are everywhere and easy to locate.
- Branch out from the restaurants on the waterfront. I know it is beautiful but oftentimes the food is just mediocre and expensive.
- Porto is hilly but very walkable. I didn’t find it necessary to take public transportation.
- If you need to get to Porto Campanha Train Station, just take the 4-minute train ride from Sao Bento. An Uber or Taxi would take about 12 minutes longer.
- Speaking of trains, make sure to check on the train strikes. Certain lines will be impacted. CP is your best resource for the train alerts. If you are planning on taking the high-speed train to Lisbon, buy the tickets on the app it is so easy to use. The app is just called CP.
- And if you can afford it, the first-class train to Lisbon was really enjoyable. I highly recommend spending the money on it.
- Make sure to buy your ticket to Livraria Lello in advance to avoid the massive queue. Or skip it. I am not a fan of crowds and it was always busy and just didn’t look fun.
- Porto has a lot of tourists. So go early to attractions to avoid crowds and explore different areas to get away from the masses.
- I went in mid-April and it was busy. Manageable but busy. If you have travel flexibility, I would visit during April/May or Sept./Oct. Fewer crowds and the heat won’t be brutal like from June-August.
Best Hotels in Porto
Casa Dos Loios By Shiadu
Casa Dos Loios By Shiadu: This was a fantastic hotel. It is on the lively pedestrian street of Rua Flores and just steps away from the major attractions like Sao Bento. The room was large and comfortable. The building is older and a fun maze to wander through. The breakfast was incredible on their adorable small patio. There was a huge range of food from meats/cheeses to fresh cakes to bread. They also served made-to-order eggs (poached, scrambled, soft-boiled, etc.). Service was friendly and engaging. The price was so affordable for being in the center of the city. The only negative to this hotel is in the morning it was a bit loud from people working on the street. Not a huge deal just bring some earbuds. I would 100% stay here again and highly recommend it to anyone.
Torel Palace Porto
Torel Palace Porto: I didn’t stay at Torel Palace. My sister stayed a few weeks before I got to Porto. Here is what she said about the hotel, “Very cool vibe with a good location and great service. The rooms were clean and comfy. The only negative was they seemed to value form over function. There wasn’t enough closet space or enough room on the bathroom shelf. I would still recommend this hotel, though.”
Not a fan of either hotel? Check out different hotels in Porto, Portugal.
Porto Map of Restaurants and Attractions
Use this map to help make your Porto research easier!
Best Restaurants in Porto for 2024
Taxca
Taxca is one of the best restaurants in Porto. I had a full-on foodie revelation in Taxca and it was caused by their Bfinas. It is thinly sliced pork sitting in a spicy broth in a hearty roll. It is bloody amazing. We liked their version of the bfina so much we ate there twice. It was quiet both times we went in. The codfish cakes were also great. I highly, highly recommend it for a delicious and affordable meal.
The Royal Cocktail Club
This is it. This is your cocktail place in Porto. The Royal Cocktail Bar is one of the best cocktail bars in Porto! The bar itself is beautiful and an absolute joy to sit in. Then the cocktails. They are innovative, fresh, and delicious! I am obsessed with the Holy Grail. OBSESSED! This is the perfect place for a pre-dinner cocktail. It wasn’t too busy so we didn’t have a problem getting a seat. Another place we visited multiple times while in Porto.
Gruta
Gruta is a smaller charming restaurant with some incredible food. The mushroom ravioli and knifefish were incredible. Damn, I did love those raviolis. The wine selection was also excellent. Service was wonderful and led by an all-female kitchen staff. I highly recommend this restaurant. It was a highlight of my time in Porto. Make sure to book your reservation in advance!
O Robalo
Technically this is in Matosinhos. Which you must go to for the best and freshest seafood in Porto. The restaurants are known for serving up freshly caught seafood in a simple but delicious way. It was a quick 20-minute ride to Matosinhos with Bolt (that was less than $10.00).
Then we found it. One of my favorite restaurants in all of Portugal: is O Robalo. It felt local which is hard to find in the major tourist areas. The seafood is on display in the window and grilled on charcoal right in front of you. It was homey and authentic. The squid and fish were so fresh and so deliciously prepared. I loved my meal here. It was fantastic. I cannot recommend this place enough. Please get your seafood in Matosinhos and visit O Robalo.
Saudade
This is a lovely spot for a cocktail break on a small side street. It was great perching on a hill and enjoying charming Porto. The mojitos and caipirinhas were great! Service was also excellent.
Bacchus vini
This is a small wine bar right on Cais da Ribeira in the shadow of Ponte Luis (the gorgeous bridge). Let me tell you this is the perfect spot to have a glass of wine or Porto Spritz. The view is amazing and the people watching, chef’s kiss, perfect! This was a great place to rest, slow down, and enjoy a great wine selection.
You can check out the view from the wine bar at the top of this page.
Fabrica Coffee Roasters
As I mentioned in the Lisbon post, this is the best coffee I had in Portugal. Their coffee is naturally sweet so they don’t offer syrups-which I love! It was just a great cup of coffee. I highly recommend having this be your daily coffee stop. It is just down the road from the Sao Bento train station.
Going to Lisbon as well? Check out our favorite Lisbon Restaurants and our favorite things to do there.
SO Coffee Roasters
Excellent coffee spot in Porto. Attractive cafe, delicious coffee, and wonderful service. They have a table in the loft area that looks perfect for working. Highly recommend!
Manteigaria
This is also located in Lisbon and were by far my favorite pastel de nata. If you come to Portugal and don’t eat your weight in Pastel de Natas, did you even visit the country?? I am yearning for some of these now; as I write this. A beautiful small custard dessert or snack, that is perfect. This was by far the best in Porto. The perfect midday snack.
Terreiro
I usually avoid restaurants that have a gorgeous view unless I know they serve great food. They are usually tourist traps; paying for the view, not the food. We stumbled upon Terreiro exhausted (after a very early flight), and hungry and they had space so I caved. I am happy we did. I was pleasantly surprised with this restaurant. The food was great, in particular, the garlic shrimp! It does have a beautiful view and great service. Not a bad spot for lunch with a view.
Your thoughts….
This is a list of the best restaurants in Porto, Portugal. (My personal favorites!) What do you think is the best place to eat in Porto? What are you excited for? Please share in the comments. I would love to hear your thoughts.
