This was by far the best meal we had in all of Portugal! It's very difficult to get an appointment…read moreat this super hip, cool restaurant but we were persistent and got a table for 10 pm the following day. So glad we were patient, didn't eat anything after 3 pm and made our reservation. Everything we ordered here, from starters to main course to dessert was extraordinary! Oh that banana butter...! A must have with their delicious, freshly baked bread. Jalapeño chili peppers, mushroom rice, squid. Everything exceeded expectations! We will go to Porto again just to have a meal at Cantina 32!

A really cute, upscale vibe to this cantina. Really wanted to like this spot but disappointed in…read morethe service and food. Maybe our waitress was just having a bad day but didn't smile at all until the end when we left a tip... The portobello mushroom dish was delicious...flavorful and lots of texture. The octopus presentation was great, only the flavor was lacking. It was cooked well but just not seasoned. The carmelized pickled onion was a good accompaniment and spiced up the dish.

Eating with the locals in Portugal - northern edition (1 of 2)…read more It was later in the evening and I was laying my head down in Porto instead of Vila Nova de Gaia, which is atypical for me. I asked where to get some fairly priced and good grub that locals would definitely like. I was given this name - Capa Negra II - and, since they know they can be nasal and enunciate differently from the other Iberians, this young lady wrote it down for me. Capa Negra II was nearby and on the busy street that buses use to go from the Casa da Musica Metro over the Ponte Arrabida to the south shore. I had thus been by it numerous times. I took note that they offered many things, but are best known for their Francesinha. Even though Francesinha approximates "little Frenchie" in Portuguese, it is said to have been born in the Porto area. It is a sandwich inside which there are pressed layers of different pork and cured meats and it is covered in a complex sauce including cheese, tomato sauce, beer, port wine, spices, and then some. It is usually topped with an egg. They are very nice to look at, albeit almost decadent. I have a short history with the Francesinha. Years ago, I notice a place that looked like Capa Negra II and on that very same row of eateries that was hopping in the evenings and I went in there to get a Francesinha. (I don't know why that similar place is no longer open.) The sandwich was just like I have described above except that there were peppercorns in the meat that, in my opinion, were nasty and I had to open it up to work around them. It was thus the only time I had eaten a Francesinha. The waiter was mild mannered and I told him I only needed to verify one thing. I always try to put together some words in the local lingo because I want to ... and because I want to be far from being an "ugly American." I was adamant about there being no peppercorns in my Francesinha. I said something like, "Tem issas coisas pequenas negras e picante dentro a carne? ... nao quiero ... nao gosto." He quickly understood my issue and indicated there would not be any. Now, here, I was an idiot an asked for "batatas cocidas!" I should have just accepted the traditional fries that accompany the sandwich given how many times I've had Big Boy and Big Mac combos. I washed it all down with a soft drink. I was happy that I gave the Francesinha another chance. Mind you, you cannot do this often. It was robust, tasty, and, since you might eat only that, it will be filling without completely bogging you down. I liked the waiter and his politeness. The price was fair. The restaurant was modern, simple, comfortable, and airy, even though it was in the evening. Finally, there was a queue because it was full and you had to give the host your name. They stuck to it and got me seated quickly. I really appreciated the fairness and even handedness of all this and it's usually this way in Portugal, especially in its north. Their Francesinha is good and they have many other choices. It's not fine dining. I would almost describe Capa Negra II as a glassier modern tavern. There is another "branch" in the center and there may be more tourists at that one. I do like this newer part of the city, you will be eating with locals, and I recommend this restaurant.

October 12, 2023. Thursday. Dinner…read more Our first night in Porto and we decided to visit this joint. It was directly across from our hotel and seemed to be packed with locals. We waited about 10 minutes to be seated and every table looked to be full. Even the dining counters were full. This place reminded me of an American diner. Every waiter bustled to and fro and I think all of them were guys. Our waiter recommended a red wine blend (17 euros) called Quinta Crasto which turned out to be exceptionally delicious. The only problem was that the wine did NOT pair well with the heavy food. I ate a caldo verde (5 euros) a hearty, thick Portuguese soup with kale, chorizo, and potatoes. The soup tasted good, though I wished they included more chorizo. My wife ordered with the traditional Francesinha with egg and fries (14 euros). It looked like most people in the restaurant were ordering this. Her dish had lots of fries and was piled high. They are very generous with the food here and she left a few fries on her plate. I couldn't help her because I barely finished my bacalhau braga (23 euros). My dish came with fried cod buried in brown gravy, carrots and cauliflower, and lots of potato chips on the side. Basically a Portuguese take on fish and chips. The cod tasted light and amazing but the very filling, heavy food and wine didn't go well. I think a light, carbonated drink would go well with this food. Service was fast, food piled high and very generous, and the other diners were very comforting to see. Prices were low, so we visited here once more before leaving Porto.

Food was tasty but not as adventurous as the vibe suggests. Accommodating of vegan diets. Lovely…read moreservice!

Cruel is a standout on a street (Rua da Picaria) packed with stylish, good restaurants. The menu is…read morefascinating as it is arranged according to levels of daring. The restaurant itself is both modern and comfortingly traditional, with an elegant candle-light and shadow ambience -- romantic. The food is excellent and I'd recommend the house favorite mushroom risotto ("Risoto de cogumelos em alucinação"), enough to feed two and topped with dancing bonito flakes, although anyone visiting Portugal should also try anything with black pork ("porco preto").

We had the Octopus and the duck. No regrets. Both were tasty, fresh and a big serving. The duck had…read morea red wine sauce the octopus had an Asian sauce. Both dishes were served with a big plate of veggies (cauliflower, broccoli, and carrots). Plus they each had a small salad topped with pine nuts and a vinaigrette on the same plate. The duck barely inched out the octopus as our favorite but it was close. My husband had a port wine old fashioned while I enjoyed a gin basil smash. Service was very attentive. We made a reservation, but didn't need it as it was surprisingly not crowded. No room for dessert because portions were large. Bill came to 74 euro, not expensive for what we ordered. We ate every bite- even our veggies. Bonus was the river view.

From the owner: “The KEspot” is a grill bar/restaurant with a beautiful view on city!read more

What a perfect experience for my first night in Porto. This is food theater! I had the pleasure of…read moresitting at the bar right next to where the chef prepared each dish. His masterful craftsmanship and artful care with each ingredient was an inspiration to witness. Everyone in the kitchen participated in a delightful choreography that kept the service running seemingly without effort. My server was a doll, and helped me choose the most complimentary wines for the dishes I ordered, as I opted not to go for the tasting menu or pre-determined wine pairings. However, seeing the dishes that came out for those that did order the tasting menu, I was both endlessly jealous as well as relieved that I wasn't faced with eating that much food. (Be sure to come here very hungry.) I settled on the sourdough bread with smoked butter, potato terrine with béchamel, and the wild croaker with kale and noisette. I enjoyed the bread and potato terrine the most (what can I say, I'm Irish). The wines were also delightful. I didn't love the croaker, as it was a bit tough and meatier vs. flaky and buttery, which is the texture I tend to prefer; but it was the first time I'd had that type of fish, and it might just be personal preference. I wish I'd ordered something different but the service and atmosphere made up for my disappointment with the main dish. I was too full to order dessert, but what I saw coming out for other patrons looked divine. I instead enjoyed a Porto suggested by the server, and it was seriously the best dessert wine I've ever had. It's a gorgeous restaurant, with each detail being carefully considered. I felt a bit guilty taking any photos since it was almost like a secret speakeasy -- romantic mood lighting and tables privately tucked away in the back of the building past the kitchen. Compared to prices in the U.S. or UK, this place was very reasonable for the elevated quality. I would come again to do the tasting,

Walking into Elemento leaves no doubt about the method of cooking; the smokey smell permeates the…read moreair. I was dining solo and seated at the counter. As noted by others, the counter area is on the warmer side so dress accordingly! You can order a la carte or have the chef's 8 moments menu with optional Portuguese wine pairing. I opted to forgo wine for the night and appreciated that they offered mocktails! I tried the elderflower mocktail and gin & tonic mocktail. Both were really great mocktail options, although the elderflower was a little overly sweet. I came in specifically for the chef's tasting and it did not disappoint. From the fire toasted bread to the banoffee inspired dessert, everything was phenomenal. It is difficult to pick a favorite but the black pork rump was especially tasty . Also any place that has a pre-dessert dessert is right up my alley! The pre-dessert included a cauliflower ice cream that I was initially skeptical of but one bite had me sold. Service was friendly, timely, and unobtrusive. Highly recommend making this a stop on your trip to Porto!

Fun, but a little overpriced. No surprise on the price, as this inside the food market on the Main…read moreStreet in Vila Nova de Gaia in the area where all the tourists go to sample porto. Loved the food.

From the owner: Codfish cake with traditional rice of red beans and tomate sauce…read more Pork cheek in red wine.

Beautiful tapas place that we tried on our first night in Porto, no reservation needed. Staff are…read morevery friendly and explained each item of the tapas menu to us in English. We ordered a bottle of the house red for 10 euros and 10 or so tapas plates to share, the bill came to only 40 euros! Our favorites were the caldo verde, alheira duque, rissol marisco and the chouriça assado. Strongly recommend if you're looking to taste a variety of Portuguese specialities in one place!

Excellent service, great food, we had pleasant experience in the center of city Porto ! 5 stars.read more

Wow. Great presentation, service, wine, and food. I had the grilled octopus. While Portugal…read moredoesn't partake in seasoning, the ingredients sing and the cook was perfect. The prosciutto board and bread were quite delicious.

The food is amazing! They different kind of daily menu everyday and I love their rice.read more

Emmanuel is my king. Great service, wonderful atmosphere & food. The bathrooms here are worth the…read moretrip alone. Duck & short ribs were to die for. Long live handsome Emmanuel. Wine is reasonably priced.

Large open restaurant, dark modern touches, a DJ playing fun American Pop/R&B: This asian inspired…read morerestaurant served an assortment of small bites, main courses (fish, porto ribs, etc), and desserts. The mushroom dumplings, salad, and panna cotta were really special and should not be missed (make sure you get the bread to soak up the mushroom broth under the dumplings). This feels like a place for grabbing a drink (nice cocktail menu) and a couple snacks in a funky atmosphere.

I found this place on Google Maps when we were looking for a dinner spot. It was packed and we made…read moreit just on time because there were 2 seats open at the bar! We ordered a few tapas to share: croquets de alheira and croquets de codfish. Both were so good! We loved it. The star of the show though was the pork neck tacos! They were so delicious! So much flavor and perfect. I got the lemonade and it was just okay. Nothing special. Overall, would 100% recommend this place! Make a reservation if you can but if you can't, would still try to stop by!

Pretty good! The restaurant is located inside the Sao Bento train station to the left as you walk…read morein from the tiled entrance. Definitely recommend making a reservation, I found it impressive that the hostess's reservation system was essentially a notebook and pen in this digital age. We did not see much of our waiter, since the restaurant was extremely busy and filled up with diners. Standouts: 1. Razor clams - I'll always get these if I see it on the menu. Cooked in this incredible garlic sauce. 2. Fish and seafood cataplana - delicious, tomato-forward seafood stew; I liked the version that we had the night before more which came with rice and was more filling. But this was basically a never-ending bowl of fish, clams, mussels, and shrimp. Add to that the fact that the restaurant like most in Porto did not have A/C and I emerged feeling like I had been sitting in a sauna. Skipped dessert; I had my eye on the Weeel! froyo truck parked outside. One more nit - the metal chairs are not comfortable at all for sitting a long time in.