Porto tips
- What are the interesting shopping streets in Porto.
- Which traditional restaurants should you not miss.
- Where can you listen to Fado music.
- What are the cool neighborhoods.
Sometimes it can be difficult to decide where to go, eat and drink when you’re only a few days in Porto. There is probably more to choose from than you would expect. To help you, you’ll find here a incomplete list of cafes, restaurants and other places that we recommend.
Main shopping streets:
*Rua Cedofeita, street in the student district near Porto Univertsity.
*Rua Santa Catarina.
*Rua da Flores (druk).
Rooftop bar:
*Graça Rooftop Bar.
*AURU Rooftop Bar.
*PortoBello: lounge and Portuguese restaurant.
*Mirajazz.
Churrasco (grill):
*Brasa dos Leões; (best grilled chicken in Porto?)
*Pedro dos Frangos; (and otherwise it’s this one)
Traditional:
*Adega São Nicolau; (loved by locals, in a hidden alley in Ribeira)
*Solar Moinho de Vento; (delicious fish soup and more, in a charming red house)
*Papa Vinhos; at the river.
*Guarany; classic café-restaurant Avenida dos Aliados, city’s main square.
*Tasquinha D’Ouro; (fresh fish grilled outside on the charcoal)
*Picota; (good terrace for people watching).
*Adega do Carregal.
Petiscos: Portuguese tapas
*Linha22; (good to taste port wine with a cheese board, near the Clerigos tower).
*TapaBento; (near the station).
*Rua; (tapas and music, in a lively street). This restaurant is very cozy. It is located in a street with many other bars and a busy nightlife. The neighbourhood is called Cedofeita, the one close to the University.
Snacks:
*Gazela (famous for their hot dogs).
* Sol e Sombra (great Bifana – pork steak – sandwich).
*Santiago (the famous francesinha sandwich).
*Brasão (also great francesinha).
*Casa Guedes.
*Xau Laura (Rua Miguel Bombarda).
Coffee shops:
*C’alma; (old school).
*Cafe Majestic (on Rua Santa Catarina, beautiful but very popular).
*Epoca; (very good lunch and delicious coffee).
*Mesa 325 ( in the neighborhood of Bonfim).
Fado places:
*Casa da Guitarra; music with a glass of Port wine.
*O Fado, restaurant & live music.
*Mal Cozinhado
*Additional tip: Capela Incomum. A small chapel with delicious wines, tapas and Portuguese fado every other week on Thursday.
Vegetarian:
*Manna (yoga, good coffee and a spacious courtyard).
*Do Norte, by Hungry Biker (brunch).
*Noshi (a place opposite the narrowest house of Porto with only healthy options).
*Nicolau (brunch cafe full of plants and tourists).
*Casa da Horta in Ribeira (alternative, underground atmosphere lively).
*Duas De Letra (on a cozy alternative square near our shop, veggie-minded and very cheap).
*Kind Kitchen; vegan in Rua de Ceuta.
*Óbio Organic Café; small and cozy.
*Suribachi; one of the oldest vegetarian restaurants in Porto; not a hip place, but tasty food.
Park:
Palácio de Cristal: this is one of the best places to watch the sunset. From there you’ll have views of the river, but also of the Arrábida bridge and the sea. It has a beautiful botanical garden with free-roaming animals such as chickens and peacocks.
Neighborhoods:
Cedofeita is a more alternative quarter of the city. In Rua Miguel Bombarda you’ll find art galleries, while Rua da Picaria is full with nice restaurants such as Thai, Asian Boa Boa or the traditional Taxca. Around the corner is a lively street (Travessa de Cedofeita) including Rua, the tapas bar with live music. Selina is nearby: you can also drink cocktails or have some food in this hostel. There are often DJs, yoga classes or art markets. Restaurant Flow, close by, has delicious pastas and risottos.
Another alternative area is around Poveiros, near Santa Catarina. Here you can drink cheap sangria between the street art and students of the Faculty of Fine Arts. Nice hangouts are for example Duas de Letra, Casa Guedes and a little further on, The Happy Nest. But look around yourself, who knows, maybe you’ll discover something new like Rua de Santo Ildefonso, a fun street full with quirky hangouts and shops.
Bars:
*Capela Incomum (good wine and tapas in a romantic chapel).
*Armazem de Cerveja (craft beers).
*The WineBox (atmospheric, next to the tunnel in Ribeira).
*Cachacaria Bar (Brazilian spirits and artistic evenings, at Rua Miguel Bombarda).
*FERRO BAR (if they feel like it, the garage will open and an underground bar will appear next to the stairs behind the Sao Bento station).
*Maus Hábitos (cultural center with good concerts).
Outside Porto:
São Pedro de Afurada (after the Arrábida bridge on the riverside of Vila Nova de Gaia), is a fisherman’s village at the mouth of the river with a recommended restaurant called Vapor.
You can take the train to the Douro Valley at São Bento. In the morning there is a direct line to Pocinho. The first part of the ride is a bit boring, but after that you have one of the most beautiful train rides in Europe! Best to get off in Pinhão. From there you can take a boat trip on the most impressive part of the river. The cruise boats depart from the docks. Furthermore, Pinhão is known as a starting point to visit the quintas with their vineyards.
Also outside Porto, in case you really like hiking, you can spend a day in the Peneda-Geres National Park. It is located in the north, almost at the border with Spain. Here you have waterfalls, lakes and a large forest.
