Guidebook for Porto
Food Scene
Hands down the best Japanese restaurant in town. Confirmed by my Japanese friends living and visiting the city. After lunch you can stroll on the city's seafront and enjoy the sun and the beach.
41 locals recommend
Ichiban Restaurante Japonês
454 Av. do BrasilHands down the best Japanese restaurant in town. Confirmed by my Japanese friends living and visiting the city. After lunch you can stroll on the city's seafront and enjoy the sun and the beach.
Charming space and relaxed vibe. Traditional food with an African twist. Run by friends and usually packed, so a reservation is in order.
69 locals recommend
Miss'Opo
100 Rua dos CaldeireirosCharming space and relaxed vibe. Traditional food with an African twist. Run by friends and usually packed, so a reservation is in order.
Portuguese inspired tapas restaurant with a cosmopolitan vibe, owned and managed by a well travelled patron. Great seafood and a delicious peanut mousse, among other signature dishes. Usually packed. Also nice to an afternoon cocktail followed by a light meal.
142 locals recommend
Tapabento S.Bento
221 R. da MadeiraPortuguese inspired tapas restaurant with a cosmopolitan vibe, owned and managed by a well travelled patron. Great seafood and a delicious peanut mousse, among other signature dishes. Usually packed. Also nice to an afternoon cocktail followed by a light meal.
The quintessential Portuguese restaurant. Small, packed and full of authenticity. Fried fish, such as the Marmotas or the Fanecas are delicious. You can also try the traditional Cabidela or the iconic Tripas or Rojões.
162 locals recommend
O Buraco
95 R. do BolhãoThe quintessential Portuguese restaurant. Small, packed and full of authenticity. Fried fish, such as the Marmotas or the Fanecas are delicious. You can also try the traditional Cabidela or the iconic Tripas or Rojões.
A cozy restaurant with authentic portuguese food. It serves pretty solid renditions of the portuguese classics such as octopus, cozido and pataniscas, along some rarities such as the costelas rice. You only know what this means being a local or a national. :)
54 locals recommend
Solar Moinho de Vento
81 R. de Sá de NoronhaA cozy restaurant with authentic portuguese food. It serves pretty solid renditions of the portuguese classics such as octopus, cozido and pataniscas, along some rarities such as the costelas rice. You only know what this means being a local or a national. :)
A classic for meat eaters at Praça dos Poveiros. Roasted pork sandwiches with Portuguese Mountain cheese. Great for a quick meal and to sit outside in good weather. Usually packed.
451 locals recommend
Casa Guedes
130 Praça dos PoveirosA classic for meat eaters at Praça dos Poveiros. Roasted pork sandwiches with Portuguese Mountain cheese. Great for a quick meal and to sit outside in good weather. Usually packed.
Nice and classic downtown pastry shop with outside sitting. Indulge in their miniatures and a fresh orange juice. For meat eaters, their meat cakes “empadas de vitela” are a delicacy.
195 locals recommend
Padaria Ribeiro
21 Praça Guilherme Gomes FernandesNice and classic downtown pastry shop with outside sitting. Indulge in their miniatures and a fresh orange juice. For meat eaters, their meat cakes “empadas de vitela” are a delicacy.
Bakery and pastry shop established in the XIX century and used mainly by the customers shopping on Mercado do Bolhão.
83 locals recommend
Bakery and Pastry Shop "Bolhão"
339 R. FormosaBakery and pastry shop established in the XIX century and used mainly by the customers shopping on Mercado do Bolhão.
Close to Casa da Música and the Boavista roundabout, lays this little healthy vegetarian restaurant and caffe, embedded in a bio/naturo-shop. The soup, sandwiches and salads are delicious, and so are their desserts.
Berry Nice Café
Close to Casa da Música and the Boavista roundabout, lays this little healthy vegetarian restaurant and caffe, embedded in a bio/naturo-shop. The soup, sandwiches and salads are delicious, and so are their desserts.
Best pizza in town. The location is breathtaking and the view amazing. The truffles pizza is great and also look for their starters or season specials written on the chalk-board. If you can get a table outside.
96 locals recommend
Casa d'Oro
797 R. do OuroBest pizza in town. The location is breathtaking and the view amazing. The truffles pizza is great and also look for their starters or season specials written on the chalk-board. If you can get a table outside.
Cozy place with a few tables outside in one of my favorite squares. Good sandwiches and tapas. Great place to get some work done and super-friendly staff.
18 locals recommend
BUuh!
164 Praça da RepúblicaCozy place with a few tables outside in one of my favorite squares. Good sandwiches and tapas. Great place to get some work done and super-friendly staff.
Shopping
Out To Lunch store at Galerias Lumiére is run by my friend Yoske Nishiumi, a Japanese that moved from Berlin less than two years ago. Great selection of sneakers, magazines, bags and other objects. A good place to find some vintage Japanese kimonos or just strike a conversation.
29 locals recommend
Galerias Lumiere
157 R. de José FalcãoOut To Lunch store at Galerias Lumiére is run by my friend Yoske Nishiumi, a Japanese that moved from Berlin less than two years ago. Great selection of sneakers, magazines, bags and other objects. A good place to find some vintage Japanese kimonos or just strike a conversation.
Away from the most obvious locations lays the best record store in town. Matéria Prima has been going on for more than 25 years. A great selection of records, books and magazines for all over the world curated by Paulo Vinhas, owner and founder, and cared by the most attentive staff. A city icon and a gem.
Materia Prima Material Audiovisual Divulgação E Promoção De Eventos Culturais Lda.
232 Rua de Miguel BombardaAway from the most obvious locations lays the best record store in town. Matéria Prima has been going on for more than 25 years. A great selection of records, books and magazines for all over the world curated by Paulo Vinhas, owner and founder, and cared by the most attentive staff. A city icon and a gem.
A shop that sells retro-vintage Portuguese products. It’s perfect to get authentic and original Portuguese gifts. The shop itself, by its architecture and located on the downtown Clérigos neighborhood a few steps away from the Lello bookshop, deserves a visit.
103 locals recommend
A Vida Portuguesa
36 R. da Galeria de ParisA shop that sells retro-vintage Portuguese products. It’s perfect to get authentic and original Portuguese gifts. The shop itself, by its architecture and located on the downtown Clérigos neighborhood a few steps away from the Lello bookshop, deserves a visit.
Arts & Culture
It's worth to check in advance the concert program in the iconic Casa da Música, a Rem Koolhaas building that is an obligatory stop for architecture enthusiasts. They specialize in classic and jazz, but regularly also host pop, world and experimental genres.
605 locals recommend
Casa da Musica
604-610 Av. da BoavistaIt's worth to check in advance the concert program in the iconic Casa da Música, a Rem Koolhaas building that is an obligatory stop for architecture enthusiasts. They specialize in classic and jazz, but regularly also host pop, world and experimental genres.
The City's Museum of Contemporary Art. Also worth to visit its beautiful gardens and the original 1930s Serralves villa. It's free every first Sunday morning of the month.
897 locals recommend
Museu de Arte Contemporânea (Fundação de Serralves)
210 R. Dom João de CastroThe City's Museum of Contemporary Art. Also worth to visit its beautiful gardens and the original 1930s Serralves villa. It's free every first Sunday morning of the month.
Nice gardens with a wonderful view towards the river, and a beautiful building right in the city center. The city hall Art-gallery and library are also located in its gardens.
33 locals recommend
Palacio de Cristal
Nice gardens with a wonderful view towards the river, and a beautiful building right in the city center. The city hall Art-gallery and library are also located in its gardens.
Apparently one of the most visited monuments in the north of Portugal. It’s quite impressive, particularly its moorish revival Arab room. A must see.
401 locals recommend
Palácio da Bolsa
Apparently one of the most visited monuments in the north of Portugal. It’s quite impressive, particularly its moorish revival Arab room. A must see.
Drinks & Nightlife
Great place for an aperitivo outside at the end of the day. Wine by the glass, a small selection of draft beers, and some light foods to go along them. Pretty busy before dinner and after. Quite sunny mid-afternoon.
288 locals recommend
Taberna Aduela
36 R. Das OliveirasGreat place for an aperitivo outside at the end of the day. Wine by the glass, a small selection of draft beers, and some light foods to go along them. Pretty busy before dinner and after. Quite sunny mid-afternoon.
Same style as Aduela. One of the first ones on the premisses. Good for an aperitivo or to meet some friends for a couple of drinks after dinner.
333 locals recommend
Candelabro
3 Rua da ConceiçãoSame style as Aduela. One of the first ones on the premisses. Good for an aperitivo or to meet some friends for a couple of drinks after dinner.
Also one of the originals. It has a restaurant and a little backyard to sit outside.
116 locals recommend
Café Vitória
156 R. de José FalcãoAlso one of the originals. It has a restaurant and a little backyard to sit outside.
More like an open door bar with djs and the occasional live music concert. One of the first ones to open in the area and still one of the best. A regular spot for art students and musicians. At its full power between 2-4 AM.
141 locals recommend
Cafe Au Lait
44 R. da Galeria de ParisMore like an open door bar with djs and the occasional live music concert. One of the first ones to open in the area and still one of the best. A regular spot for art students and musicians. At its full power between 2-4 AM.
One of the originals to open downtown way before there was scene going on. It has a bar, a restaurant, and small club. It also has a couple of art-galleries and hosts regular artists residences and art-related events. Located on the top of a car garage that is also one of downtown's modernist iconic buildings.
395 locals recommend
Maus Hábitos
178 R. de Passos ManuelOne of the originals to open downtown way before there was scene going on. It has a bar, a restaurant, and small club. It also has a couple of art-galleries and hosts regular artists residences and art-related events. Located on the top of a car garage that is also one of downtown's modernist iconic buildings.
A small club, bar, cinema and music venue located in the iconic city coliseum. It's also one of the classic choices in the downtown nightlife with regular parties and live music. Open till 4AM, sometimes extending till 6ish.
94 locals recommend
Passos Manuel
178 R. de Passos ManuelA small club, bar, cinema and music venue located in the iconic city coliseum. It's also one of the classic choices in the downtown nightlife with regular parties and live music. Open till 4AM, sometimes extending till 6ish.
One of the first venues to establish the downtown night-life and regular stop for international djs moving through Portugal. Best from 2am onwards when all the regular bars start to close its doors.
514 locals recommend
Plan B Club - Port
30 R. de Cândido dos ReisOne of the first venues to establish the downtown night-life and regular stop for international djs moving through Portugal. Best from 2am onwards when all the regular bars start to close its doors.
Club focused on dancing, and presenting national and international djs. It’s basically a tunnel with banging sound and not much else. Check out its program at resident advisor website.
57 locals recommend
Gare Clube
Club focused on dancing, and presenting national and international djs. It’s basically a tunnel with banging sound and not much else. Check out its program at resident advisor website.
Currently the best club in town. Check their weekly lineups @perolanegraporto on instagram
7 locals recommend
Pérola Negra Club
284 Rua de Gonçalo CristóvãoCurrently the best club in town. Check their weekly lineups @perolanegraporto on instagram
Parks & Nature
City park. It extends to the seafront. Perfect place for chilling or a picnic.
1306 locals recommend
Parque da Cidade do Porto
Estrada Interior da CircunvalaçãoCity park. It extends to the seafront. Perfect place for chilling or a picnic.
Charming platform garden located downtown and with wonderful views towards the river. Great to enjoy the sunset while having a drink.
229 locals recommend
Parque das Virtudes
53-3 Passeio das VirtudesCharming platform garden located downtown and with wonderful views towards the river. Great to enjoy the sunset while having a drink.
Probably the best kept secret garden in town. It belongs to the city-hall water department and the entrance is free. The secluded garden is used to keep a collection of stone water-fountains that were removed from the city squares. You can get there via Heroismo metro station.
7 locals recommend
Jardins de Nova Sintra
Probably the best kept secret garden in town. It belongs to the city-hall water department and the entrance is free. The secluded garden is used to keep a collection of stone water-fountains that were removed from the city squares. You can get there via Heroismo metro station.
A house museum with a lovely garden and scenic view to the river. It’s great to visit when going to Palacio de Cristal as it’s just by its west side. The combo also includes the gardens of casa Tait.
80 locals recommend
Museu Romântico da Quinta da Macieirinha
220 R. de Entre-QuintasA house museum with a lovely garden and scenic view to the river. It’s great to visit when going to Palacio de Cristal as it’s just by its west side. The combo also includes the gardens of casa Tait.
Getting Around
This is the city downtown main Metro station where the main lines cross. Another reason to mention this station is that they provide a left luggage lockers service (http://www.citylockers.pt/PT/porto-trindade/).
296 locals recommend
Trindade station
This is the city downtown main Metro station where the main lines cross. Another reason to mention this station is that they provide a left luggage lockers service (http://www.citylockers.pt/PT/porto-trindade/).
Essentials
Supermercado chen
103 Praça da RepúblicaAsian supermarket.