Amazing fine dining experience! * * * EXPERIENCE * * * It was a rainy night, we uber'd there and the entrance barely had any light on and it was a bit hard to find. Once we walked in, they helped us take care of our coats and brought to our seat immediately. All the servers we encountered were extremely nice, they were funny too and had a lot of interesting conversations. Each dish they brought over they explained in details what the ingredients were, why they were serving in such ways etc. We also got wine pairing, our sommelier was very knowledgeable and patient, especially since we had very little knowledge about Portuguese wine he was patient to explain details to us. Not to mention there wasn't one wine that I didn't find fascinating. Wine lovers heaven. We chose the "Portugalidade" menu. * * * FOOD * * * Tomato Soup with Cheese: A- Super refreshing, this combination was surprisingly tasty, the cheese neutralized the tartness from the tomato, yet you still feel the tomato freshness back of your tongue. Mussel Flan: A Hard to describe the taste, it was wonderful - I could taste tomato and cucumber, and there was real mussel inside. Very refreshing again. Croquette: A- The crab meat used was very fresh, not very salty which I enjoyed. Ham with Melon: A The ham was soft, not too salty as some Spanish prosciutto/ham tastes, with the wafer biscuit, wonderful combination. The presentation was beautiful. Pigeon Meat: B+ A bit gamey, not my favorite but big contrast with the dishes before. Dessert Cracker: A This was served with chocolate moose wrapping foie gras, the sweetness blends with the gaminess of foie gras, perfect pairing with Port wine to bring out the berries flavor. Squid: A Stuffed with potato and nuts, the squid meat was super soft, so tasty, for a person who loves fishy food this was perfect. Sting Ray: A It was served with some herbs, tasted a bit like sea bass, the herbs helped bring out the fishy taste, and I enjoyed the soup even more - herby fishy such a nice blend. Lobster Risotto: B It's a bit spicy with creaminess, big piece of lobster, one thing I wasn't impressed was that some of the rice was a bit hard, a bit undercooked or was it the style? Cabbage with Beets and Beans sauce: A Can't believe such a simple dish had so much complexity! The beans was the star, super crunchy on outside and smush-y inside, cabbage was super fresh. Pork: A+ This piece of pork upper leg meat was combined with chips, clams and french fries, we were told to eat in one bite and I was speechless - it absorbed all the soup underneath with so much pork taste, chips and fries were crunchy and overall there was so much complexity. "Keep it as a surprise": A+ I'm not going to reveal what's used in this dish, you just have to go try, our servers kept it secret what we were about to eat and it instantly reminded me of something unique.... just try it, just do. Pineapple Guava Sorbet with Raspberry and cream: A Perfect way to end the night after the super complex dish above, cleaned my palate right after, super refreshing. Oh man I love this place, it truly showed the beauty of Portuguese ingredients, wonderful wines and Portuguese people hospitality. read more

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We were so excited to try this Michelin star restaurant and it was by far one of the best dining experiences we've ever had. To start the restaurant itself is so intimate and unique being set in an old Portuguese house gave it a really amazing vibe. The staff were so friendly and took us on an culinary journey explaining each course in detail and attending to any needs we may have. We decided to have the chefs tasting which came with two firsts two entrees and dessert along with a wine paring done by such a knowledgeable sommelier. Before we even got into our actual chefs tasting we were given two dishes off the menu to start a cold vegetable soup and two eggs that were divine. We then began our tasting which words can't even do justice to the flavors and joy that were packed into each bite. We started with a unique stewed codfish in beans. The fish was so tender and the beans brought a different and delicious element to the dish. Next we had the amberjack fish in a savory hot broth that just melted in your mouth with the fish being served to finish cooking when combined with the broth making each bite on levels. Third we had the turbot with coriander in a bivalve sauce that was so fresh and such a wonderful combination of sea food flavors. Our final dish was the bisaro pork which was just so rich and succulent and such a great treat as it is native to the land. We were then given a tasty little pallet cleanser before our dessert. We had the raspberry rose lychee that was a mixture of delicious fruity flavors to cap off the meal along with one bonus dessert a blueberry pastry marshmallow and chocolate that added one last treat to the night. I can't say enough about the experience they provided us for the night and would highly recommend that you make reservation and enjoy the culinary experience that o paparico has to offer! read more

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Really 10 out of 5 stars. The outside entrance looked like a house not a restaurant. Greeted and seated at our reservation time. We had a four top and were seated in a small stone walled library section which made us feel like we were the only people there. Offered water and cocktails form one of six people caring for us. Two choices for the menu either a selection of multiple Portuguese favorites or a regional Portuguese focus. We all chose the focused menu The chef is an evil genius. I am NOT going to tell you about each amazing course or its presentation because that would ruin the many surprises. apps-soups-entres-deserts-wine-coffee-ports, WOW!!! It starts with the menu......ooops, I almost told you!! We are fairly well versed wine people but the wine list was amazing and overwhelming with Portuguese regional choices. The sommelier helped walked me through the Portuguese choices based on our food choices and general wine preferences. Thank you for being helpful, congenial and not pompous. We love Duro valley wines. Wine pairing are available but we were very happy with our assisted wine selections. The kindness, attention to detail and subtle service of ALL the staff was unbelievable.. Very Very Very Highly Recomended ***** We are blessed to have had many fine dining experiences around the world. This is my new number one experience based on food and service**** Slainte!!!! read more

Ok let me walk you through the experience at the Paparico restaurant. Arrived at the restaurant around 7:35 for reservations at 7:30. Waited in the bar area with refreshments until about 7:55-8:00 for our table. Very comfortable waiting area. Was seated and introduced to the food selection within a few minutes of being seated. The dining area is really nice and clean. The first of my 7 course meal started to arrive around 8:15 and continued until about 11:20-11:25 when the final bill was received. Yeah, that's no typo..... a little north of 3 hours worth of fine dining experience. . So let me break this down "Iron Chef" style. Scale of 1-5. 5 being fabulous. 1. Atmosphere: 5 2.Presentation of food: 5 3. Service: 5 4. Downtime between food: 1 5. Taste of food: 2 Overall it's ok! Again the service was hands down some of the best service I have ever experienced. However, much to be desired on the taste department. read more

One of my favorite restaurants in Portugal. It's set about a 10-minute drive north of old town; I would not recommend walking, but take a cheap cab instead. Restaurant is set in the middle of a neighborhood on the main road. They have set meals ranging from €65, €80, €100. Service, food, decor, were all AMAZING! You start off in the waiting area with anise flavored water and you don't have to worry about getting charged for each of the items if you're getting the prefix meal. The whole meal was an experience and each dish were texturized and flavored perfectly! Even the desserts were amazing; my favorite was the 'Chicken Egg'. I don't want to go over each of the dishes since it's seasonal, but check this place ASAP and give them a MICHELIN star! It's definitely up there. Take a look at the photos that I've uploaded and you'll start drooling very soon.... read more

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Our experience at O Paparico was excellent. We were running late and called, which ended being a great decision, as Bridget was warm and accommodating. We did the sharing menu with two white Portuguese wines. The amuse were lovely and varied, ranging from a small bacalao paddle, to a veal liver pâté, to a tapenade with warm, crusty housemade bread. The starters were oysters treated with a nice herbal sauce and were excellent. The mains were red mullet and bacalao, which were quite good. Desserts and a cheese course to finish. The highlight, though, was the staff. All were warm and welcoming, from the somm to the wait staff, and Bridget taking care all night. Highly recommend. read more

This is a wonderful restaurant for a special fancy dinner with great food and wine. The space is warm and inviting, service was always attentive and diligent, and the food was beautiful and flavorful. My only issue is that the menu is limited to the point that you just eat what they serve you. read more

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One of the best restaurants I've ever been to! Food is fantastic, but what sets this restaurant apart from other top notch places is the service. Highly recommend attending if in Porto! read more

This restaurant is hidden in the middle of nowhere but deserves to be discovered by everyone who visits Porto. I can't exactly remember how many dishes actually came by but I do remember every one of them being the best. There are other expensive restaurants in Porto but this is definitely worth a visit. Food is prepared impeccably, service is flawless, and the restaurant really puts effort to make it an experience for you. We ended up staying 4 hours to enjoy the entire course. I definitely recommend it! read more

So this place got a million rave reviews but also many bad ones. While in the minority I must agree with the negative reviews. This was no Michelin star restaurant unless michelin's standards are lower in Porto than the rest of the world. While the service was wonderful and the restaurant was charming and cozy looking, there was nothing else about this place that says Michelin to me. From their "gaspacho" which was a red ice cube they pour hot water over and once melted tastes like the liquid you drain from a can of crushed tomatoes; to their trio of un-memorable spreads with tooth breaking crackers (as a side note the bread and goat milk butter was good); to their week old tasting oysters (which is what probably had my on the toilet all night) to their over salted undercooked risotto which was crunchier than a rice cracker and their cold unseasoned lobster; to finally their dessert which was just a white chocolate shell (of extremely low quality) filled with some sort of foam that tasted like sugared phlegm sitting on a bed of egg yolk noodles? (I have no idea what they were but tasted like hay and sugar) sitting in a glass chicken on a wooden board of hay; to finally their chocolates (which are probably store bought) that come in this annoying tacky music box that wouldn't stop the whole night as every table got one. I can say this meal goes down as one of my worst minus a few small positives here and there. This place was not worth the $$. The food was so bad and tacky I'm surprised they didn't serve us baked Alaska in a flower pot. Do not waste you're time with this place. There are probably better places in the city. ********************************************************************************************************************* To respond to Sofia F, I am shocked at the unprofessionalism of this restaurant. I just saw their response to this review and so I apologize that I had such a bad meal at your restaurant. Clearly your knowledge and expertise about my experience is far superior to my own. I guess the customer is not always right and it must absolutely be MY fault that my meal was so terrible. Perhaps I went into your kitchen with bad ingredients made the bad food myself and complained about my bad meal. It can't possibly be that you guys just did a poor job and were not worth the Michelin star for that moment because you know you are God, perfect, and omnipotent and incapable of mistakes. Forgive me if I am mistaken, but last time I checked I was the one that went to YOUR restaurant and paid to eat the food YOU prepared. That is not my fault that I had a bad experience. It is YOURS. Again I stated I was in the minority in terms of overall reviews that I had a poor experience. But it was MY experience do not belittle it, it makes you look foolish and unprofessional. It is not my fault that you guys prepared for me a terrible meal. It is YOUR fault. So please take your arrogance and choke on it. You are an unprofessional establishment and be sure that I will be avoiding your restaurant if I ever return to Porto. And perhaps I have so many negative reviews on my page because the ONLY places that I write reviews about are the negative experiences in order to warn others. I have been to many wonderful restaurants and have had wonderful meals. Several in Portugal as well. Unfortunately YOURS was NOT one of them. Accept it and move on, but please keep your c*nty response to yourself. Where were you trained in customer service? The zoo? Go choke on your egg noodles and glass chicken dessert as that chalkboard scratching music box plays in the background. read more

Great experience. Way past anything else in Portugal. A pleasure from the moment we walked in. The owner and chef was attentive and very knowledgeable about local food and wine. For example, the fish dish had items selected from different ocean habitats in order to complement each other. The wine pairings were excellent. The staff was very helpful and everyone spoke excellent English. A special treat we won't forget. read more

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We started our evening in downtown Porto on the Festa de Sao Jorge unable to get a taxi to O Paparico to celebrate our 25th anniversary. We didn't think we would get there but due to a kind concierge at our hotel and one subway and taxi ride later, we arrived at the unassuming restaurant late for our reservation. No worries though, they were expecting us and welcomed us in to the beautiful and warm restaurant. This is a restaurant that doesn't just serve food they provide an experience and what an experience it was! Lots of small plate "tastes" each one more beautiful and delicious than the next. I'm not sure if it was because of our celebration or if everyone in the restaurant was enjoying all the surprises we had but it seemed like that is their way. The piece de resistance was the presentation of a bouquet of flowers upon leaving and a bag of chocolates for later. It would be a mistake to miss this restaurant if you are in Porto, we thoroughly enjoyed our meal and will definitely go back if we find ourselves in Porto again. read more

The service is what puts this restaurant over the top - fun, friendly, not stuffy, and amazingly good. It's also a lovely charming atmosphere. The food was good and interesting, definitely no complaints, but it was not as memorable or special as other fancy tasting menu places I've enjoyed at this price point. Wine pairing was really really good though. It made for a very nice date night in Porto but was a bit over-hyped as the "best" in the country. Expensive. read more

Food here was pretty good and service was spectacular. Why not give them more stars then, right? Well, when we arrived at the restaurant we sat, had a cocktail and was brought to our table. Upon reaching the table there were three dishes of apps placed there, perhaps it was my misunderstanding of Portuguese customs, but in the states if a restaurant gives you something, they don't charge you for it. Every last item was on our bill, mind you we never asked for any of it! In fact half of it was only eaten to be polite. They then brought us a palette cleanser prior to our dessert, pretty sure they charged us for that as well. I wouldn't say to avoid this place by any means, it is good, just be aware the "hospitality" comes with a price. read more

Ok so here we go. I made reservations with the restaurant probably two weeks prior to the actual date. We arrived at the place with a warming welcome and were seated to wait for our table. Our reservation was at 730. We sat árvore table around 745pm. I would say service was a 10, no complaints at all, every single server was kind professional and accommodating. The ambiance was great as well as my husband and I like the quaint type of places to go. They had three different menus to be chosen. So the actual dinner experience started around 8pm , we were done with desert around 1130pm. Now , I am sorry to say but food wise I am given a 7 , yes a 7 !!!! We have been to a tasting dinner before and it was incredible, our food was amazing, presentation and timing between each course was perfect. I also was disappointed with the Chef from Paparico not bringing something special for my husband birthday as I had specially said he liked vanilla / chocolate kinda deserts. The wait between the courses was too long. We got to a point that we were getting tired and wanted to go back to the hotel, maybe if the food had been great we wouldn't have mind the wait but it was not the case. The presentation of each course I will give a 10 , but unfortunately the taste was not there. We won't be going back. read more

Wonderful surprises with your meal that are worth the trip alone. Food was a delight for your senses and the wine selections were fantastic. Service was absolutely outstanding. read more

i've have traveled to many countries and my boyfriend has traveled far more than i have and we have eaten at tons of places.. the meal and the service at o paparico were incredible! we actually came back here for a second dinner the following evening. the food was so delicate and thoughtfully prepared. our server gave us numerous complimentary pairings with our meals. it was such a great experience. i could rave for ever about this place! read more

O Paparico Restaurante - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

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A Must do while in Oporto! Straight, pure and top quality typical Portuguese cuisine.

Thank you for the best meal we've experienced, outside of private homes, on our many visits to Portugal. Each course was a reminder of meals we've enjoyed in the past. Rui recommended a wine that all six of our party found to be a strong representative of the offering from Alentejo. Above all, there was none of the pretentiousness displayed during our meal as was the case the previous evening in a Michelin starred establishment that strived to emulate Michelin standards of silliness. read more

Just superb restaurant from the start to the end. We are Brazilian living in New York and visiting Portugal for the first time. Sergio, the owner, gave us a very warm welcome, the sommelier and the staff were very attentive but the "piece of resistance" was the food, very regional but at same time so international and delicate. Unforgettable dining experience, paparico is highly recommended. read more