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TERRA NOVA RESTAURANTE ATMOSPHERE
Recommended Reviews - Terra Nova Restaurante
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Amazing location! Porto is known for its Codfish and it was freaking good here! Also, the best mushroom risotto I have ever had. They were so accommodating since we had a baby and toddler with us. They made them a kids meal with veggie spaghetti and it was SO tasty me and my husband were both so impressed! My 4 year old LOVED my mushroom risotto. The meal was great and the view was beautiful!
A smaller spot along the river, what a hidden gem. A larger group of us (10 people total) came for dinner - make a reservation if you have a bigger group since there is limited space! This was the best risotto I had during my entire trip to Portugal. I know how dramatic that sounds, but the cheesiness and richness of the risotto and the juicy prawns made all the difference. The restaurant itself is so cute and charming - a window upstairs to look out for beautiful river views. Would recommend this spot for everyone visiting Porto!
This place was recommended on a blog, but after visiting it I'm thinking this blogger was paid to say it. The restaurant is in a very touristy area. Fortunately for being a large group we didn't have to wait too long for a table and I did like the decor and ambiance of the place. Service was just ok, not very attentive or friendly, but not rude. I was excited to try the octopus with black ink risotto, but it was very chewy and still slimy, not well prepared at all. The wine we got was very good, but the food was sub par.
Wow, this was a great choice for our last night in Porto recommended by our hotel! We had originally planned to go to another spot but they were fully booked - our hotel helped us make resos for this spot. We ordered the oysters, black risotto w/octopus, and sirloin beef w/truffle potatoes & veg. The black risotto was delicious and the octopus was cooked to perfection. One of our best dishes here and quite unique. The sirloin beef was OK - I would stick to seafood at this restaurant I think. The veggies were a bit too salty and the mashed potatoes could be creamier. Overall a great spot for octopus! Service was a bit slow especially as it got busier around 7:30-8pm. Seems as though there is more seating outside than inside. Great view of the river.
We had walked by Terra Nova earlier and noticed they had a display of oyster shells. Later we decided to go back to have lunch since we were craving something seafood related and assumed terra Nova would have some seafood options. It was raining and the interior tables were full, so we sat outside and hoped it wouldn't rain harder. They have about three tables on the first floor (inside) and a few more upstairs, where the bathroom also is. Outside there are probably about 5 tables . It was cold and the waitress brought one of the other customers a blanket. Nice touch. The service was great. They apologized for the rain and helped wipe down everything that was getting wet. We had plate changed and wine bucket changes. I thought it was almost unnecessary, but it was good service. The waiters were friendly and apologetic when the food was taking awhile. We were a little less impressed with the food. It was interesting stuff... soft shell crab pasta, oysters with yuzu and pear, pizza with soft egg, squid bolognese gnocchi. But I don't know if I would be back for the food. The oysters were good but about $3 each. The squid gnocchi had a good sauce, but I wasn't too impressed with the gnocchi. The pizzas were decent, nothing too exceptional. The crab pasta was maybe the best, but I thought the homemade pasta was kinda weird... too thin maybe? It didn't really taste like pasta. Nothing tasted bad. Maybe it just wasn't what I was expecting.
So the wait time without a reservation is incredibly long, however, I'd say it was worth the wait on a busy Friday night. I had a bottle of wine, a basket of bread, the raw oysters (a half order), and the bolognese gnocchi. The service is a bit all over the map (which was my overall experience in Portugal) and they would confirm an order, go inside, come back out and decline, then come back again (this happened twice). However, the servers were very kind and friendly to me, a tourist! I'd probably give three stars if it weren't for the ambiance and the service. The food wasn't really something I'd write home about, but it looked gorgeous, it wasn't outrageously priced, and I didn't leave hungry. I did leave a lil drunk though!
My family and I ate here and it was so delicious. The service was great and we were sat in ear shot of musicians. The environment was really lovely and upbeat, but not too much so that we couldn't hear well. The mushroom risotto and the cod linguini were absolutely amazing. The fries with garlic mayo was too. Definitely worth coming!
LOOK AT THE GOOGLE REVIEWS BEFORE COMING. We did not and we regret it. We came into a full house and the front desk lady was nice to squeeze us in. Like everyone else we were intrigued by the crab with pasta and we ordered that with 3 oysters and the cod linguine. The dishes took a while but they were not as advertised. The proportions were small, came out COLD, and there was NO CRAB like the pictures. When we asked if we ordered correctly the waitress said yes there's crab in the pasta. We ate it and it was pretty bland. Oysters were small, only had lime on the side. Cod linguine was pretty good but again - came to our table COLD and was not very enjoyable. Still puzzled with our crab pasta, we asked a different waiter and he then said "today we have no crab" which was NOT explained when we ordered our dishes. On our way out we were pretty disappointed and when we passed the front desk lady on the way out about the crab dish she then said they had none available today and what we received was crab paste with shrimp as a substitute. This was NEVER explained and we were charged the original price of their unavailable dish. When we asked why this wasn't explained to us she insisted that she had explained and it was impossible that we were uninformed. I totally understand that things happen, supply is not guaranteed, and on a busy day dishes may come out late and cold. But when things like this happen the customers expect an apologetic attitude and not a defensive one. This was hard to believe because our stay at Portugal and Porto has been nothing short of excellence everywhere we went. Left disappointed.
We checked out the menu from the outside patio and decided to give it a try since a lot of other restaurants had capped their patrons and this place had raving reviews. After a while's wait, we got seated inside by the window facing out and were informed we can order only the snacks section (no entrees boo). We ordered the duck ham, egg yolk pine nut salad, flamed prawns and cod fish cakes with a side of green wine. We were also given bread slices to dip into the oily sauce of the flamed prawns. The food tasted amazing! It was definitely a pro chef's work and happy we got to enjoy the presentation as well as the flavorful quality that reflected it. The service was excellent too on top of that like family that checks up on you and makes sure you're good. Only thing I'm docking a star is not being able to order the risotto or linguine but other than it was wonderful :D
A foodie friend of mine recommended this spot - it was a recommendation from HIS foodie friend. We had just been in Portugal for a couple of days and hadn't really had any amazing culinary experiences yet. This restaurant was about a 15 minute walk from our hotel, by the water. In the evenings that walk by the water is pretty busy - we lucked out and there was one empty table for 2 people at this restaurant. We were seated immediately. Our waiter was very warm and friendly. We ordered two dishes - the squid ink risotto which had octopus and the Bacalhau pasta with tomatoes in a kind of saucey broth and some flambeed prawns. The prawns came first and the sauce on it was subtle, very nice. We shared a bottle of dry white wine that was lovely and light - it went down a little too easily. When the mains came, I tried the squid ink pasta first - it was beautiful and buttery. I wouldn't normally order octopus, but that's what the dish came with and it was the top recommend from our friend's friend. The octopus was cooked decently, but I've definitely had it more tender. And then I tried the bacalhau pasta.... The pasta was made in house, the broth that it came with along with the richness of the tomatoes and the saltiness of the bacalhau was just heavenly. I'm going to be thinking about that dish for a long time - it was unique and just absolutely unforgettable and delicious. During our dinner they had to turn quite a few groups away because they were too busy. Definitely worth coming to for that pasta dish! read more
9 months ago
I would come here every day if I lived here for the owner alone. She is a true gem of a human. She welcomed everyone with open arms and makes each person feel at home. We didn't have a reservation so we were seated downstairs. You don't have a view of the river, and only about 3-4 tables can fit in the downstairs space, but it was a great little spot. The food was delectable. I had the codfish homemade pasta. Wow! You could taste how fresh the pasta was. And the plate is a work of art, truly. We had a green wine that paired perfectly with our meal. All 4 of us loved our meal. My brother also ordered the codfish pasta, my dad and SIL ordered the codfish with cornbread breading and they loved that dish as well. For dessert, we had a pumpkin and cheese dish which actually worked really well together. It was like a pumpkin puree with pieces of cheese. Very unique, but very tasty. We would undoubtedly come back here. It's right along the river so you have a perfect little stroll afterwards. read more
Amazing location! Porto is known for its Codfish and it was freaking good here! Also, the best mushroom risotto I have ever had. They were so accommodating since we had a baby and toddler with us. They made them a kids meal with veggie spaghetti and it was SO tasty me and my husband were both so impressed! My 4 year old LOVED my mushroom risotto. The meal was great and the view was beautiful! read more
2 years ago
A smaller spot along the river, what a hidden gem. A larger group of us (10 people total) came for dinner - make a reservation if you have a bigger group since there is limited space! This was the best risotto I had during my entire trip to Portugal. I know how dramatic that sounds, but the cheesiness and richness of the risotto and the juicy prawns made all the difference. The restaurant itself is so cute and charming - a window upstairs to look out for beautiful river views. Would recommend this spot for everyone visiting Porto! read more
2 months ago
This place was recommended on a blog, but after visiting it I'm thinking this blogger was paid to say it. The restaurant is in a very touristy area. Fortunately for being a large group we didn't have to wait too long for a table and I did like the decor and ambiance of the place. Service was just ok, not very attentive or friendly, but not rude. I was excited to try the octopus with black ink risotto, but it was very chewy and still slimy, not well prepared at all. The wine we got was very good, but the food was sub par. read more
8 months ago
Owner is a lovely lady and makes the experience. I only had oysters so can't speak to the rest of the menu but the dishes I saw coming out around me looked great! read more
Wow, this was a great choice for our last night in Porto recommended by our hotel! We had originally planned to go to another spot but they were fully booked - our hotel helped us make resos for this spot. We ordered the oysters, black risotto w/octopus, and sirloin beef w/truffle potatoes & veg. The black risotto was delicious and the octopus was cooked to perfection. One of our best dishes here and quite unique. The sirloin beef was OK - I would stick to seafood at this restaurant I think. The veggies were a bit too salty and the mashed potatoes could be creamier. Overall a great spot for octopus! Service was a bit slow especially as it got busier around 7:30-8pm. Seems as though there is more seating outside than inside. Great view of the river. read more
Service was slow but the prawns were perfect. The fries were soggy and the garlic mayo was a bit too strong. The bread was excellent being crunchy on the outside. The butter with it was nice. Olives were not bad. Decor was amazing inside and upstairs. read more
4 years ago
We had walked by Terra Nova earlier and noticed they had a display of oyster shells. Later we decided to go back to have lunch since we were craving something seafood related and assumed terra Nova would have some seafood options. It was raining and the interior tables were full, so we sat outside and hoped it wouldn't rain harder. They have about three tables on the first floor (inside) and a few more upstairs, where the bathroom also is. Outside there are probably about 5 tables . It was cold and the waitress brought one of the other customers a blanket. Nice touch. The service was great. They apologized for the rain and helped wipe down everything that was getting wet. We had plate changed and wine bucket changes. I thought it was almost unnecessary, but it was good service. The waiters were friendly and apologetic when the food was taking awhile. We were a little less impressed with the food. It was interesting stuff... soft shell crab pasta, oysters with yuzu and pear, pizza with soft egg, squid bolognese gnocchi. But I don't know if I would be back for the food. The oysters were good but about $3 each. The squid gnocchi had a good sauce, but I wasn't too impressed with the gnocchi. The pizzas were decent, nothing too exceptional. The crab pasta was maybe the best, but I thought the homemade pasta was kinda weird... too thin maybe? It didn't really taste like pasta. Nothing tasted bad. Maybe it just wasn't what I was expecting. read more
So the wait time without a reservation is incredibly long, however, I'd say it was worth the wait on a busy Friday night. I had a bottle of wine, a basket of bread, the raw oysters (a half order), and the bolognese gnocchi. The service is a bit all over the map (which was my overall experience in Portugal) and they would confirm an order, go inside, come back out and decline, then come back again (this happened twice). However, the servers were very kind and friendly to me, a tourist! I'd probably give three stars if it weren't for the ambiance and the service. The food wasn't really something I'd write home about, but it looked gorgeous, it wasn't outrageously priced, and I didn't leave hungry. I did leave a lil drunk though! read more
2 years ago
My family and I ate here and it was so delicious. The service was great and we were sat in ear shot of musicians. The environment was really lovely and upbeat, but not too much so that we couldn't hear well. The mushroom risotto and the cod linguini were absolutely amazing. The fries with garlic mayo was too. Definitely worth coming! read more
4 years ago
LOOK AT THE GOOGLE REVIEWS BEFORE COMING. We did not and we regret it. We came into a full house and the front desk lady was nice to squeeze us in. Like everyone else we were intrigued by the crab with pasta and we ordered that with 3 oysters and the cod linguine. The dishes took a while but they were not as advertised. The proportions were small, came out COLD, and there was NO CRAB like the pictures. When we asked if we ordered correctly the waitress said yes there's crab in the pasta. We ate it and it was pretty bland. Oysters were small, only had lime on the side. Cod linguine was pretty good but again - came to our table COLD and was not very enjoyable. Still puzzled with our crab pasta, we asked a different waiter and he then said "today we have no crab" which was NOT explained when we ordered our dishes. On our way out we were pretty disappointed and when we passed the front desk lady on the way out about the crab dish she then said they had none available today and what we received was crab paste with shrimp as a substitute. This was NEVER explained and we were charged the original price of their unavailable dish. When we asked why this wasn't explained to us she insisted that she had explained and it was impossible that we were uninformed. I totally understand that things happen, supply is not guaranteed, and on a busy day dishes may come out late and cold. But when things like this happen the customers expect an apologetic attitude and not a defensive one. This was hard to believe because our stay at Portugal and Porto has been nothing short of excellence everywhere we went. Left disappointed. read more
3 years ago
Great spot to enjoy in Porto. Food was great, view was wonderful and service on point. Not pictured is the olive oil and olives, but they were amazing. Had a glass of rose and that was crisp and light, perfect for an afternoon. read more
We checked out the menu from the outside patio and decided to give it a try since a lot of other restaurants had capped their patrons and this place had raving reviews. After a while's wait, we got seated inside by the window facing out and were informed we can order only the snacks section (no entrees boo). We ordered the duck ham, egg yolk pine nut salad, flamed prawns and cod fish cakes with a side of green wine. We were also given bread slices to dip into the oily sauce of the flamed prawns. The food tasted amazing! It was definitely a pro chef's work and happy we got to enjoy the presentation as well as the flavorful quality that reflected it. The service was excellent too on top of that like family that checks up on you and makes sure you're good. Only thing I'm docking a star is not being able to order the risotto or linguine but other than it was wonderful :D read more
The best part of this restaurant is being at the perfect location of the port, great opportunity to take pictures with the bridge or the river. Also good to just sit and enjoy the environment around you (lots of street performers). It does get a bit busy given the popular area. Now to the food. We started off with oysters with yuzu and pear, which came in a very nice presentation. Tasty as it sounds! Prawn tiane, with avocado and grapefruit was more of a curious dish for us to try and it may have been the best of what we chose. Everything paired well with each other. For main we chose bacalhau corado (shared because we wanted to preserve our stomach for our ongoing portugal food journey). The soup was on the saltier side. The cod was good, as was the gnocchi. If the soup was a tad milder, it would have made this place a 5-star. We ended off with the tiramisu, which was anything but traditional. It was more of a "naked tiramisu". More on the sweeter end. I'm glad we tried it (again for its uniqueness), but definitely more of an one time thing. Great for couples, taking in the surrounding environment, or just chilling at the port. read more
3 years ago
Everything about this place is perfection! From the food, to the service, to the location and ambience. I'm still craving the passion fruit sangria and the bolinhos de bacalhau. So romantic , the view make sure to sit outside . The staff is sensational so friendly and full of fun tricks. This is a must place. The food is traditional Portuguese with some options for tourists. read more
4 years ago
Such a cute restaurant on the Ribiera!! We had such an excellent meal- we had the oysters with yuzu and pear, the squid bolognese, and the pasta Nero with crab. So yummy! For desert we had the Rhubarb merengue- so unique and delicious!! Mimi took excellent care of us- she really was the best part of the meal!!! read more
2 years ago
We were looking for a late lunch and had no idea where to go. This had good reviews, but not many so I wasn't sure. The best risotto I've ever had. Will highly recommend. read more
7 years ago
We were recommended to go here, we walked up and my daughter asked if they had a Childrens menu, the lady said no, but we have have great food that you will love. She wasn't kidding. This place is magical. The food, exceptional, fresh and delicious. We tried a few things we'd never had before, like the sardines on cornbread (not like cornbread back home, more like a toast) and this duck, egg yolk and veggie salad. These were good, but the mains were off the charts. The flamed prawns, delicious. But it was the the prawn risotto and the duck breast that were mind blowing. My younger daughter grubbed the risotto, which was one of the best I've ever tasted, creamy and full of prawn flavor. The duck however, was something out of this world. My older daughter, who has exceptional taste, went head over heals. And so did I. The duck itself was great. The wild mushrooms and broccoli that accompanied it we're out of this world, and the mashed potatoes, I can say I've never had a mashed potato like this. Sooooo buttery. The service and ambiance were spectacular, and just so friendly. Highly recommended!!! Sorry there are only a few pictures, because my phone was dying and the lady took my phone and charged it, like I said, incredible service!! read more
3 years ago
Good food with decent price for the area. Outdoor tables have an awesome view. Staffs were frie read more
7 years ago
First evening in Porto - everything we ordered was outstanding! Oysters, legumes, fried potatoes with homemade mayonnaise & octopus. Mushroom risotto and Cod over linguini (found out chef learned how to make pasta from 1 * Michelin restaurant) - soo delicious. Milkcream with raspberry & banana, chocolate & caramel with a glass of 10 yr port. Beautiful ambiance by the river and very nice and welcoming service. Thank you for a wonderful dining experience! Walked back to Porto River aparthotel (highly recommend as well!) which is a minute away. read more
Delicious meal. Cod linguine was amazing, buttery and garlicky. Pasta was made fresh in house, and the cut of it was really nice. View was nice on the quais. Wine was delicious. I wish I had more room for dessert, would've been good to have dessert here. read more
7 years ago
There are plenty of restaurants along this strip and I don't know what made me want to eat there, maybe it was the narrowness of the restaurant, the blue and white beach feel too it, but I am sooooo grateful we did. Hubby ordered the cod linguini and I the mushroom risotto. My meal was definitely the best of two winning dishes. I could have eaten the buttery risotto even without the perfectly cooked mushrooms. There is also seating upstairs if the outside tables are full. Make sure to take a seat and have a meal. It was fabulous!! read more
4 years ago
Fine atmosphere but food is average. My partner really enjoyed his meal and I didn't eat mine. I wouldn't go back, personally. read more
7 years ago
I honestly chose this place because of one person's review where they said the chef learned how to make pasta from a 1* Michelin restaurant. I am sooooo glad I listened! This small restaurant, squeezed in between several other restaurants that sit on the water, had a relaxed ambience, friendly waiters and both indoor and outdoor seating. The pasta tasted freshly homemade, soft and delicious! It was served with beautifully sautéed pieces of cod. It was the perfect portion at a reasonable price. Of course, the meal was accentuated by a delicious bottle of vino tinto and as happily full as we were, because of another person's review that said they loved the dessert, we got a raspberry crème and it was a perfect, light finish to an excellent meal. read more
5 years ago
Had amazing dinner here! We sat inside at a comfy table and had the codfish linguine and black pasta with crab. Both were absolutely delicious. Great ambiance and host. Thank you for making our last night in Porto special. read more
I was very excited to try this place after reading all the glowing reviews. I made a reservation for my husband and I and when we arrived, we were seated outside. The staff is very welcoming and the view is just beautiful. The restaurant next door had live music which we benefitted from and really enjoyed. For starters we had the oysters with cheese and pesto. It is a very light layer so you taste more of the oyster. My husband enjoyed these. They tasted very fresh. I was most excited about ordering the cod spaghetti several reviewers rave about. While the cod on top was quite good (and again, fresh), it did not come together well with the pasta. The pasta itself tasted as though it had literally been scooped from the [unsalted] boiling water without being properly drained and then immediately plated. It had no flavor, not even salt. Tomatoes were placed above that and I mixed those in to try to infuse some flavor. But I was honestly disappointed. How do you ruin pasta like this? Overall, the dish was not something I could recommend. I ate it all, so I will not say it wasn't edible. I guess it just wasn't my luck with it. My husband ordered the bacalhau a bras (cod, fried potatoes, olives and egg). The first bite was ok, but it looked like mush. He couldn't handle eating the rest and ate as much as he could (we are pretty against wasting food to begin with). This was a disappointment as well. He also ordered 1 of the bolinhos de bacalhau (cod fish cakes). This was delicious, but they are very small, so maybe order a couple. Our drinks were great! He ordered the Super Block beer and I a Duoro white wine. Not a great experience with the food for us here but the location and waitstaff were lovely. read more
8 years ago
4 years ago
Went for a casual stroll for a dining experience with a friend for sunset down the Ribeira and stumbled upon this quaint little (by little I mean as small and narrow as the streets). First off, ask for a table or take it yourself otherwise you're not going to get sat. I'm pretty adamantly gluten-free so I when I yell you my meal was great, I mean it. And it was CELERY PASTA like what lol that's new yo me but now I'm undoubtedly going to try to mimic the recipe in my kitchen. The celery pasta was well cooked, I didn't even notice it was celery, and it helped that it was covered in some scrumptious grated cheese and pesto. It left me feeling satisfied and full, no need even for dessert. And the next morning my stomach still remembered the wholesome flavors from the night before. The burrata itself had a filling in it that my friend loved, and it was a typical salad nothing fancy but helped cut the saltiness from the pastas. My friend's linguini looked amazing and I tried the bacalao on it which tasted fresh from the sea-- as I'd hoped. We were also very satisfied choosing the reservation verde, their 6€ house wine and left a few euros as tip for the overall magnificent experience with the food and setting. Would come back for an occasion, as the prices are definitely more expensive than the norm for the area, though expected considering the place is a tourist trap. read more
4 years ago
7 years ago
I had dinner at Terra Nova and was highly satisfied with their selection of dishes and sparkling wines. I also enjoyed eating by the water and having a great view of the bridge and people. The service was nice and I recommend you stop by. (FYI, they don't take American Express) read more
8 years ago
I would recommend this restaurant to friends and family. We visited porto for about a day and were glad to find this restaurant, the best tasting dishes we had so far in portugal (even better than restaurants we tried in lisbon). Only downfall is the wait time.. we were hungry since we had to wait till 7pm (they only serve snacks before 7pm) for the dinner menu, then we had to wait a long time for the food too. We had oysters, mushroom risotto, salmon pasta and duck dish. Everything tastes good, if we had another night to spend there we would probably go back there again for dinner. The location was also nice it was facing the water and has the view of the bridge, the also have blankets available to use if it you are cold. We were a group of 5 and it was a thumbs up from all of us. read more
7 years ago
7 years ago
This was my best meal in Portugal! I was leery of eating in the Ribeira area due to all the tourist restaurants but needed to eat lunch in my last day. Boy and I glad I picked this place! Everything I ate and drank was wonderful. From the rose, bread and all. I started with oysters and had the mushroom risotto. It was out of this world! The service was excellent-like 5 star dining. I wanted to tell all the people walking by-pick this place! I am going to dream of the homemade butter and risotto! read more
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More info about Terra Nova Restaurante
Cais da Ribeira, 34
4050-509 Porto
Portugal
Directions
926 770 837
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