Where To Eat In Porto - The Best Restaurants In Porto

Last Updated on 8th November 2023

This post about where to eat in Porto contains affiliate links.

Any long time readers of I’m Just A Girl will know just how utterly obsessed I am with food.

Whether I’m dining at my favourite restaurants in York, trying somewhere new or venturing to far off lands and eating nothing but £1 meals every day (true story), there are very few things in life that bring me as much joy as food (aside from my family, friends, Matt etc…).

So, when we were planning our last-minute trip to Porto a couple of weeks ago, I couldn’t wait to jump right into the food scene and try all the local delicacies. I’m definitely one of those people who thoroughly researches the menu before going out to eat and so it only seemed right to do the same before we headed to Porto.

I didn’t have a full list of places to eat in Porto before we went, but after spending a week there, we ate at a lot of restaurants, cafes and bars and I’m SO excited to share my ultimate Porto food guide with you guys today!

If you’re looking for the best restaurants in Porto, I’ve got you covered with this huge list of where to eat and drink in Porto!

Enjoy!

Best places to eat and drink in Porto

Breakfast/brunch – where to eat in Porto

I used to be someone who needed to have food in the morning before I did anything productive otherwise I literally just wouldn’t function.

However, as I’ve gotten older, I’m much better at managing my hanger on a morning now and I usually try and hold off eating until after 10.30am (no particular reason why really, I just find this works best for me).

Therefore, when we were in Porto, we found a good few places to eat that offered both breakfast and brunch so we got the best of both worlds.

Check out some of my favourite breakfast/brunch spots in Porto!

Fábrica da Nata – where to eat in Porto

Fábrica da Nata specialise in one of Portugal’s most beloved and popular sweet treats; the delectable Pastel de Nata, or the “cream custard tart”.

They’re an egg-based dessert that are sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar and you’ll likely find them in most cafes around the country; the Portuguese seem to really love them!

I have to admit; I can imagine that they’re not to everyone’s taste, but I’d still recommend trying one while you’re in Porto, especially from Fábrica de Nata.

In terms of the actual food that we ate at Fábrica da Nata, Matt went for the croissant meal (€3.90) with coffee which also came with a custard tart. The ham and cheese croissant was yummy, as was the Pastel de Nata and it was a pretty bargain meal.

I opted for a simple ham and cheese panini (€2.60) which was also really good.

Find it: Rua de Santa Catarina 331 335, 4000-451 Porto.

Lazy Breakfast Club

The Lazy Breakfast Club is one of the most highly rated breakfast places to eat in Porto and as soon as I saw the extensive menu and read some of the raving reviews, I knew that I wanted to eat there.

I was feeling particularly hungry on this day so I went for the full English breakfast (€10) which came with a coffee. Not the most adventurous choice, granted, but I’m so glad I chose it.

Everything was absolutely scrummy and even though I tend to have a love/hate relationship with mushrooms, these ones from Lazy Breakfast Club, combined with the garlicky toast and beans were heavenly!

Matt had the scrambled egg, cheese and bacon bagel and while he said that it was pretty good, we both agreed that my choice was better! We actually swapped drinks because I’m not the biggest fan of coffee even though my dish came with it, so I got a hot chocolate instead (€2.50).

I’d highly recommend Lazy Breakfast Club as a place to eat in Porto; they offer an all-day breakfast, so if you’re like me and prefer to eat a little later, you can take full advantage of this!

Find it: R. Das Oliveiras 110, 4050-449 Porto.

Zenith – best breakfast restaurants in Porto

Zenith is cited as a “brunch and cocktails bar” but unfortunately we only had brunch here, so I can’t actually comment on what the drinks are like.

However, the food we had (mine in particular), was pretty impressive.

I ordered the Zenith toast (€9.50) which is a very hearty helping of chunky toast, chicken breast, bacon, cheese, fried egg and a special Francesinha sauce (you’ll find out much more about Francesinhas below).

This dish was absolutely enormous and I really struggled to polish it all off myself (thankfully I always have Matt on hand to help me out!), but it was still so tasty. The sauce worked so well with the other ingredients and while it was perhaps a tad too saucy for my liking, if you’ve already tried a Francesinha in Portugal, you’re sure to like this!

Matt had been talking about trying Shakshuka (€9.50) for months now, so when he saw it on the menu at Zenith, he was incredibly excited to try it.

Unfortunately, it didn’t completely overwhelm him, although he actually had no frame of reference of Shakshuka, so we’re not sure if it just wasn’t to his taste, or if the dish itself was pretty bang average.

Nevertheless, we both still enjoyed our meals and if you like dishes such as fancy pancakes (they do tonnes of these!), salad bowls and hearty portions, you’re sure to enjoy Zenith.

Zenith also has branches of their restaurant in Lisbon, Madrid and Barcelona too, so it’s worth checking them out if you’re ever in those cities as well.

Find it: Praça de Carlos Alberto 86, 4050-158 Porto.

Dinner – where to eat in Porto

best restaurants in Porto best places to eat in Porto

I am SO unbelievably excited to share this section of my food guide to Porto with you guys as we ate some of the most incredible food while we were there.

As much as I love breakfast and brunch, going out for dinner is always such a fun and special experience for me and our dining ventures in Porto were no different.

Here are my top recommendations for the best restaurants for dinner in Porto!

Tascö – the best places to eat in Porto

Tasco Porto restaurant best places to eat in Porto

This is actually my second attempt at writing about Tascö in this blog post, as the first time I wrote about it, it exceeded 1000 words, so I decided to give its own entire blog post so that I could dedicate all my love to it.

Not only is it my favourite place to eat in Porto and my absolute number one recommendation for the best food in Porto, but it’s also one of the best places I’ve ever eaten.

You can read more about my full review of Tascö in my dedicated blog post, so I’ll try and keep this section relatively brief.

I ordered the veal with mashed potato and fried carrot chips (€18) and it’s hands down one of the best meals I’ve ever had. The veal was absolutely exquisite; so soft and tender, it practically melted in my mouth. The real winner of the meal, however, was the carrot chips which have truly revolutionised the way I eat carrots now!

I really can’t recommend this dish enough if you’re at Tascö!

Matt had the Rojöes (€12) which is a traditional Portuguese dish consisting of pork stewed in wine, garlic and olive oil. I think it was also topped with pea sprouts and potentially truffles which I wasn’t the biggest fan of.

However, I can’t rave about the pork enough and the pork crackling that it’s served with is truly wondrous. We also ordered the batata frita (€3) which are sticky, crispy fries and these were also incredible.

The staff at Tascö are also the friendliest, most accommodating staff I’ve ever experienced and if I can only recommend one place to eat in Porto from this list, it has to be Tascö!

Find it: Rua do almada 151A, 4050-037 Porto.

Pregar – top restaurants in Porto

Pregar was the first place we had dinner at when we were in Porto and it’s a place that I’d highly recommend if you’re a fan of yummy steak sandwiches.

The humble steak sandwich is one of my favourite varieties and I’m delighted to say that Pregar’s offerings lived up to my expectations.

I had the rump onion steak sandwich (€7.30) which included melted cheese and red onions and the flavours were absolutely wonderful. A slight criticism I had was that the steak was a tad fatty and chewy, but the flavours made up for this and it was still divine.

Matt just had the traditional steak sandwich (€8.30) which contained ham and cheese and even though he really enjoyed it, he said mine was better! We also ordered a side of fries each (€1) which were definitely needed as the sandwiches aren’t the most substantial.

Find it: Largo São Domingos 96, 4050-265 Porto.

Aquele Tasco – best restaurants in Porto

Aquele Tasco Porto best places to eat in Porto

Nope, this isn’t Tascö 2.0 I’m afraid, it’s an entirely different restaurant on its own accord and one that I rate incredibly highly in Porto.

Aquele Tasco is an awesome little tapas restaurant with only a handful of tables which makes the dining experience really relaxed and intimate and the service very focused.

Tapas is one of my very favourite kinds of meals, so when we came across Aquele Tasco on TripAdvisor, we added it to our list of places to eat in Porto and I’m so glad we did.

There are so many amazing tapas dishes to choose from, we had a hard time narrowing it down and in the end, we ended up with 8 dishes to share between us.

First up, we have the classic bread with olives and olive oil (€2.50). While neither of us really like olives, we were both huge fans of the bread. It was thick and crispy on the outside and light and airy on the inside.

Next up came the cod fritters (€1.30) which are a common delicacy in Portugal. To say that I very rarely enjoy seafood, these were surprisingly very yummy and I’m really glad we ordered them and tried them out.

We also ordered Bifana (€3.50) which was another new dish for us to try; it’s thinly sliced pork in a rich, paprika stock/broth which was served with more bread. I don’t think this was particularly one of my favourite things that we ate at Aquele Tasco, but I’m still happy I tried it anyway.

Next, we had the Alheira (€4) which is a type of Portuguese sausage that can be made from several different types of meat. The particular dish from Aquele was also wrapped in bacon and served on a skewer with peppers, onions and chorizo. I was pretty impressed with this one and it reminded me somewhat of fancy pigs in blankets!

Yet another new dish for us was the Coxinha, AKA Brazilian chicken croquettes (€1.50) which were also really yummy. I think Matt preferred these more than I did, but I still thought they were delicious and I’d recommend you guys to try them for yourselves.

Even though it’s not fancy or very “out there”, one of my favourite things we ate at Aquele Tasco was the simple ‘fried chicken Tasco style’ (€3.50). This simple dish packed a punch when it came to flavour and texture, especially when paired with the sweet chilli sauce that it was served with.

Last but not least, we also had the fire roasted chorizo which looked and tasted amazing. I’ve only really started to properly love chorizo in the last couple of years and this particular dish was very well received by both of us.

In addition to all that food, I also had a glass of the house white wine (€1.50) and Matt had a Super Bock beer (€1.50).

Our meal at Aquele Tasco was so enjoyable and thoroughly delicious and I definitely think it’s one of the best restaurants in Porto.

Find it: Rua de Fernandes Tomás 478, 4000-211 Porto.

Da Mattia

Pizza definitely isn’t very typically Portuguese, but on our last evening in Porto (after 3 bottles of €1.39 wine), we were both desperately craving some good, hearty pizzas and after a bit of research, we came across Da Mattia Pizzeria Italiana which was one of the highest rated places to eat in Porto.

As we were a little inebriated after sampling the local “finest” wines, we decided to stay in our Airbnb and not head out for dinner, so we ordered from Da Mattia instead.

While the delivery took a little longer than expected (going on nearly an hour and a half), once the pizza actually arrived, all was forgotten.

I was in the mood for a simple and classic pizza, so I ordered a Margherita (€8.50) which I don’t often do, but I was so impressed with this pizza from Da Mattia. It was the perfect combination of cheese and tomato and the dough was so thick and dense; it was perfect for me. I would highly recommend it.

Matt had the carbonara pizza (€9.50) which was also very good, but I still think my classic pizza was superior!

Find it: R. do Monte Alegre 113, 4250-301 Porto.

Callejero – where to eat in Porto

I often find that I have quite an up-and-down relationship with Mexican food; I love all things tacos, fajitas, quesadillas etc, but I really don’t like anything with beans or excess salsa in.

So, when we discovered Callejero in Porto, I was both excited and slightly apprehensive to see what it was like.

Thankfully, I have nothing but raving reviews to say about the food at Callejero’s and I was mightily impressed with just how moreish the tacos were. It’s definitely one of the best places to eat in Porto!

I had the Cochinita Classic tacos (€7.75) which consisted of 3 pibil style pork shoulder white corn tacos, served with cured onion. These were remarkably juicy and succulent and the combination of flavours of the pork and onions were delightful.

Matt had the Bistec tacos (€8.75) which contained 3 tacos stuffed with grilled steak, Mexican salsa and grilled green onion. Both our tacos were also served with a handful of tortilla chips.

While it didn’t look like the portions were particularly huge at first, I was pretty full after eating all three of my tacos. If you have a slightly heartier appetite however, I’d recommend ordering a starter such as the guacamole (which our waitress highly recommended) in order to fill you up a little bit more.

Overall though, I loved our food at Callejero and would certainly recommend it to you guys.

Find it: R. Das Oliveiras 118, Porto.

Pasta, Amore e Fantasia

When we were exploring the Vila Nova de Gaia side of the River Douro, we ventured into Mercado Beira-Rio which is home to numerous food stalls and eateries.

I was instantly intrigued by the Pasta, Amore e Fantasia stall as I’m such a sucker for Italian food and when I saw the vast range of pasta dishes they offered, I knew we had to try one.

However, we weren’t extremely hungry when we were there (I just knew I had to try some pasta!), so we decided to order just one dish between us. With so many choices, it was hard to pick just one thing but we settled for the spaghetti carbonara (€10) which I’ve become very fond of over the last year or so.

This dish was everything you’d want out of a carbonara; it was thick and creamy and very cheesy with a special twist – it contained pig’s cheek. The pig’s cheek added wonderful flavours to the dish and I thought it was a wonderful take on the classic Italian dish!

Find it: Mercado Beira Rio, Largo Sampaio Bruno 7, 4400-290 Vila Nova de Gaia.

Petisqueira Voltaria

Petisqueira Voltaria is another one of the best restaurants in Porto and it’s ranked #31 out of 1,030+ best places to eat in Porto on TripAdvisor, and after spending half an hour reading the reviews (no word of a lie – I really need to get a life haha!), we were both sold on the fact that we needed to give it a whirl.

Almost all of the reviews I read said that because it was such a small establishment and the fact that it’s so insanely popular, means that you can often be waiting a long time for a table. Our first attempt at eating at Voltaria cemented this fact for us.

However, our second attempt was much more successful as we went just before 4 pm and there were very few people there. There are only 4 tables inside and a handful outside so it really is quite an exclusive place to eat in Porto, so we were very glad we managed to nab a table.

We also knew exactly what we were ordering; the very popular and very traditional Portuguese ‘Francesinha’ (€9.50).

This dish was recommended to us many times by friends and family, particularly the friends we have who are actually from Porto, so we were so excited to try it!

Francesinha is an unbelievably hearty and intense dish consisting of thick bread and it usually contains at least one kind of meat such as ham, steak, sausage or beef.

Voltaria’s version provides you with the most insane sandwich you’ve ever seen; a heavy-set bread concoction with steak and sausage filling smothered in layers of cheese and coated in a thick and spicy tomato and beer sauce.

It’s certainly not for everyone and I’d advise you to go in with an open mind; it’s sure to confuse your tastebuds, but Matt and I were actually big fans of the Francesinha! If you can, I’d recommend you try it at least once while you’re in Porto, even if it’s just one to share between the two of you as the portions are enormous!

I did actually order my own dish at Voltaria as well though which was the Preguinho no Prato – mini steak, fried egg, cheese, ham and crisps (€6.50). This meal was definitely much lighter than the Francesinha but still pretty good.

If you’re heading to Voltaria, you’ve got to try the Francesinha, even if it’s just for the experience alone!

Find it: R. Afonso Martins Alho 109, Porto.

Drinks – where to eat in Porto

Before we went to Porto, I was (and probably still am tbh) very much a “Tesco’s own brand £4.50 white wine” kind of gal, but since our trip there, I discovered a whole new love for wine, especially after our wine tasting experience.

Therefore, after my recent foray into the world of wine, we discovered a fair few of the best bars in Porto for a tipple or two.

Grupo Desportivo Infante D. Henrique

First up we have Grupo Desportivo Infante D. Henrique which is quite possibly the longest name of any drink place I’ve ever been to 😂

Nevertheless, this place is situated right at the side of the River Douro and is a wonderful place to drink in Porto.

I actually have a funny story about our experience at Grupo Desportivo Infante D. Henrique which involves a wasp stinging my arse, but I’ll save you the trauma of hearing about it and just say that the drinks here are lovely and the view is even better!

I had a glass of white wine (€2.50) and Matt had a large Super Bock (€4.50) and my wine was definitely welcomed after my run-in with the wasp!

Find it: Cais da Estiva 153, 4050-080 Porto.

Guindalense FC

Another awesome place to drink in Porto and quite possibly one of my very favourite places in the city is Guindalense FC. Despite its name suggesting that it’s the local football club, Guindalense is actually just a bar, albeit with a slightly sporty vibe.

It’s right on top of the city, with views out to the Luís I Bridge, river and beyond and it’s an awesome place to set up camp at sunset, especially when there’s a football match on and there’s a great atmosphere.

Drinks here are relatively reasonably priced as well, especially when you consider the awesome views you can appreciate while enjoying your drinks. I had some kind of red fruity wine spritzer thing (€3.50) that I can’t remember the name of but I know that it was really scrumptious and Matt had a Super Bock (€3.50).

If you get the chance, head to Guindalense FC for a beverage or two and enjoy the sunset.

I’ve screenshotted where the bar actually is because the address on Google Maps isn’t accurate at all; follow the yellow cross on my map above and you’ll find it!

Desserts/Snacks – where to eat in Porto

I’m not typically a very desserty or sweet-tooth person, but I do occasionally get a good craving for something sweet and sickly and I’ve included a few of my top recommendations of the best places to get dessert and snacks in Porto below.

La Copa

La Copa was recommended to us by our friend Miguel and his wife who are actually from Porto, so it seemed only right to trust the expert opinion of a local when it came to dessert and I’m so glad that we did!

Gelataria La Copa specialises in all things dessert, particularly ice cream, and we had a wonderful time indulging in their sugary treats.

Matt had two scoops of ice cream; Oreo and strawberry (€4) which was served in a huge glass dish and accompanied by a wafer. He was a huge fan of the ice cream and while these flavours wouldn’t typically go together, he said they were very good!

I, on the other hand, was in a very sweet mood and after walking inside La Copa, my appetite was instantly piqued by the smell of hot waffles which is exactly what I went for.

My waffle was topped with a scoop of Oreo ice cream, whipped cream, and a wafer and then smothered in hot chocolate sauce (€5.90). It was certainly a ridiculously lavish and indulgent choice, but one that I’m very happy I made because it was heavenly. We also hadn’t eaten lunch by this stage and I think my “dessert for lunch” idea went down very well!

Find it: Av. de Rodrigues de Freitas 366, 4000-419 Porto.

Casa da Zazá Empadaria

In terms of snacks in Porto, we unexpectedly came across Casa da Zazá Empadaria as we were exploring the area around Bolhão Market.

They have a full cafe and extensive menu, but the Brazilian empadinhas are what caught our eye as we walked passed the window.

The yummy little pie things are so scrumptious and they served tonnes of different pies with all sorts of fillings. We went for the chicken and bacon one (€1.50) and it was so delicious; if we didn’t already have dinner plans, I reckon I could have eaten about 5 of these!

Find it: Rua de Fernandes Tomás 646, 4000-217 Porto.

Spirito

We found Spirito Cupcakes & Coffee when we were in dire need of a mid-afternoon pick-me-up and the warm welcome of this adorable coffee shop was very much appreciated.

They serve lots of little cupcakes, sweet treats and gelato and also tonnes of varieties of hot and cold beverages.

We had a caramel macchiato (€3) which always reminds me of when I worked at Starbucks and also a red berry cooler (€2.50) as well.

Spirito is literally just around the corner from Livraria Lello, so it’s a good place to grab a drink and something sweet to eat in order to gear yourself up for the inevitably long queues outside the highly coveted bookstore.

Find it: Praça de Gomes Teixeira 36, 4050-161 Porto.

I hope you’ve found plenty of inspiration for awesome places to eat and drink in Porto; we enjoyed every single place on this list and I’m sure you guys will too!

Related posts:

Pin for later – where to eat in Porto

Is Porto somewhere you’d like to visit one day? Which of these places to eat in Porto sounds the best to you? Let me know in the comments or on Instagram at @imjustagirl_16.

Where To Eat In Porto – The Best Restaurants In Porto