TL;DR: Small, precise, and quietly special. Feels like the…read moreversion of Porto you hope to find. The kind of place you settle into for hours or bring a date. If this is your taste, it's close to ideal. Drinks: Really solid classics. Precise, focused, no unnecessary flair. This is a bar that knows exactly what it's doing. Food: Charcuterie-driven and simple. Pairs well with the drinks without trying to compete. Vibe: Familiar and foreign at the same time. Tucked on a winding street just off the main flow, it feels hidden in plain sight. Small, intimate, a little artsy, with just two people running the whole room. What could be better: Not much. If anything, its size and pace won't work for groups or anyone looking for energy.

Orpheu offers one of the more memorable outdoor dining setups in Porto. The tables are arranged in…read morea very narrow pedestrian alley, wedged between buildings where foot traffic moves past you on both sides. It's tight and lively, but that's part of the charm -- the constant flow of people creates a bustling, energetic atmosphere that makes for excellent people-watching. We ordered the codfish bao, goat cheese with honey, and octopus. The codfish bao was a creative dish that worked surprisingly well. The soft bao bun contrasted nicely with the flaky bacalhau, giving the classic Portuguese ingredient a modern spin. The goat cheese with honey was simple but well balanced -- creamy and slightly tangy cheese paired with just the right amount of sweetness. The octopus was the highlight of the meal. Tender, well seasoned, and cooked exactly how octopus should be, with great flavour and texture. To drink, we had a dry white port, which paired nicely with the seafood and felt like the perfect Porto choice. Service was attentive and relaxed, with friendly banter that added to the casual atmosphere. Overall, Orpheu is less about space or quiet dining and more about soaking in the energy of Porto while enjoying well-executed food and drinks. If you like lively outdoor dining and a bit of urban theatre with your meal, it's a great place to stop.

Underwhelmed by this trendy dining spot…read more Mito has much hype as a Michelin recommended restaurant in downtown Porto. This is a contemporary casual-gourmet bistro. We arrived for our reservation around 7:30pm to find the restaurant relatively empty but it quickly became packed over the course of the hour closer to local dinner time. The interior decor is quite plain but dark and modern. Service spoke fluent English. We tried several of their popular dishes for a small dinner including bola, shrimp omelette & dessert. The menu is creative and accessible with small portions. Bola de Berlim (€4) was a bite-sized appetizer with a cream & pata negra ham filling in a pillowy doughnut bun. The sweet savory contrast was satisfying. Shrimp Omelette (€16) was a delicate egg omelette topped with salted Algarve pink shrimps drizzled with shrimp oil for extra umami kick. The app and main's flavour profiles were on point but we still had plenty of stomach space for another meal after visiting this venue. Before heading out, we also tried their dessert of French Toast (€7) paired with candied quince and sheep ricotta mousse. The bread half-slice was a bit disappointing but the dessert combination was similar to ice cream with apple pie. Skip it or hit it? While the flavour profile is on point at Mito you'll find better value throughout town.

Food was very delicious, but portions were very small for the large dishes. Expect to pay a lot,…read morebut it will knock your socks off! Make sure things on the menu sound good to you before you go. Some of the most expensive water we had on our trip lol. Service was prompt and kind.

Great location right along the Douro river front. My wife had cod balls(a fishy hush puppy) with…read moreFlor de Douro & I had Creme Brûlée with a Mimosa. Our drinks and food were very good. Service was good. It's a very busy spot with great views.

This is THE spot for sunset views of Vila Nova de Gaia, Dom Luis Bridge and the Monastery. You get…read morea front row view at the outside tables, and there's a seated section for dinner and a first-come first-served section for drinks and snacks. I got lucky with snagging a snack table as a couple was leaving, and it was just as it was getting dark so I got great photos. There are limited food options with mainly bar food. I got Alheira croquettes and rustic fries, both very good and generous portions. I went with the Altano white wine, which is dry and crisp. The service was slow, mostly because there was only one person servicing all the tables in that section. If you're not in a hurry and don't mind a relaxing pace, then it's a good spot to stop on the way back from crossing the bridge. It's uber touristy though, so be prepared for crowds. Prices were reasonable at least.

We loved the food, ambiance and service…read more The waiter was friendly and helpful with suggestions. We started off with the cassava fries. Amazing, and so was the dipping sauce. Then we had the grilled vegetables. We shared the curry prawns, which was delicious. We saved room for dessert. So many choices. We had the mango, tapioca pudding. It was so good I wanted to order another. I would definitely come back here when in Porto.

After having drinks and appetizers on the water and striking out at another riverfront restaurant,…read morewe decided to check out Mescla. Situated on the side of a hilly street, this beautiful, modernly decorated restaurant had its doors open all across and had a great vibe. We were informed they didn't have any open tables, but we were free to sit at the bar and wait for one while we enjoyed a drink, so we did. No less than 10 minutes later, a table opened up. The menu is divided into appetizers, small plates, and entrees. I chose two appetizers as my meal (spicy pulled pork and yuca fries with aioli mayo). My companion got the Picanha (sliced beef), which had super interesting flavors: thinned-out refried beans, a puree that had bananas in it (we're unsure what else it was mixed with), and roasted veggies. My pulled pork was super moist and flavorful and came with these corn bread-style cakes. I could do without the corn bread cakes but the pulled pork was exquisite and not spicy despite it saying so on the menu. The staff was fantastic and customer service is their jam. Everyone who walked in was greeted and told of the dining options. Rarely did we see someone walk away. Everyone opted to have a drink at the bar while they waited for a table. Highly recommend Mescla!

I loved the location of this restaurant. It sits right outside the Dom Luis I Bridge. It was such…read morea lovely day watching all the boats passed by on the water, and seeing people from all walks of life outside enjoying the sites. It's a perfect place to take a break, get a bite to eat and just take it all in.

Best spot for a drink by the river! A must do! Service was…read morea little slow but the drinks were cold and the coffee hot. We also had the strawberry ice cream that was excellent.

Number 1- make a reservation- we didn't. I waited an hour behind a potted plant for a table whilst…read moremy non-smoking husband paced outside with a team of chain smokers to be seated. The place is charming and European and fun and lively. The Francesinha was rather delicious. We marveled how the bread stayed firm in spite of the cheese and sauce. I had to try it so the two delicious bites were just that. The volume of meat on the sandwich is alrming so I went vegetarian. The zucchini tartare with vegetable croquettes was one of my favorite meals in Portugal. I raved about it for two days. I still think about it. Expertly executed and truly a culinary wizardry meal.

Came here to try the famous Francesinha…read more Brasão Aliados in downtown Porto is part of the Brasão chain of lively restaurants recognized for their well-regarded Francesinha sandwich. Anthony Bourdain referred to this dish as the heart attack on a plate as it features steak, sausage & ham sandwiched within two bread slices underneath layers melted cheese that are then finished with a tomato-beer sauce. For good measure, we had egg on top the traditional way. Service was relatively inattentive but we were here for the food anyways. The restaurant has a refined modern pub vibe, and was busy with tourists & locals when we visited. The server conversed in fluent English and the food arrived quickly despite the crowd. Surprisingly, we found the Francesinha to be quite salty especially with the much hyped beer-drenched sauce that overpowered other flavours. Our server had urged us to order the half-size, but the regular size was fine and only 2 EUR more (€13.30). There was also a couvert basket which we kindly declined. There was a longer lineup by the time we finished. Skip it or hit it? Hit it to try the classic Porto eat, be prepared for a rich but salty meal.

I am waiting to write this because it was so so. For Porto it's great. It's very touristy and the…read morefood was ok. This reminds me of fast food chains but just a bit more. Nothing stood out and because I'm writing this several months late, I can't remember if anything was good. It wasn't bad, but honestly at this point I can't remember. I think people came here more to drink. I'd have to go back to get a better assessment of this place. It's been so long, I have very little memory of it other than what I started to write and that didn't look promising.

Excellent all around! Food was phenomenal, fresh, tasty and the accommodated my allergies. The…read moreatmosphere was fun and adventurous. The table next to us had the best looking drinks served in fun and appetizing ways. My tea was served in the best teapot. The salmon and veggies was delicious, perfectly cooked and seasoned. My dining partner had the pork meatballs and he was very happy. We shared the chicken satay, it was perfect! Overall highly recommend this gem in Porto. EVERYONE was speaking English, so that was helpful. Diogo our server was friendly, attentive, and helpful. We will be back again for sure! Eat here!

As hotel bars go, it is ok, it has a rather, cool chic feel to it. A decent view greats the eye,…read moreand the bartenders are nice, and they will even through down some peanuts without much ptompting.. Yeah!! For free snacks!!

Zenith Lounge it's a nice sophisticated place located on the last floor in the hotel building…read more During the day it's a place to chill (swimming pool with beautiful view). During the evening and night it's a super cool place where you can try to learn kizomba, drink good alcohol, have fun with friends. The only small thing is - there's not too much space (you need to hurry to get sit places if you need them). I recommend for 1st date - because of modern design, romantic view and good (mostly) portuguese music BUT not fado.