Portugal, PortoAugust 1, 2017, by Maartje

25 x Porto: the best of Porto, Portugal (food & drinks)

Portugal, Porto, August 1, 2017, by Maartje

25 x Porto: the best of Porto, Portugal (food & drinks)

Oh oh Portugal, you are so fantastic, how beautiful you are with all your blue and white tiling where anyone can see and how good you are for the inner person. Lisbon stole our hearts before (more about that soon), and now we came, we saw, and, er... We (?) also conquered Porto. Where it says 'conquered', it should mean 'we ate our way through'. Stop time.

25 x Porto, the best of Porto, Portugal in food & drink, for you to take advantage of. And be sure to read to the end because it explains how you can book the best trip in Europe - to Porto, then by train to Lisbon and back to the Netherlands - with Travelbird:

Cellar 32
ha, the one that you really (REALLY) shouldn't miss, when in Porto. The dark (very dark!) restaurant in the (touristy but cozy) main street of Porto is not necessarily very noticeable, but if you see a busy terrace at the end of the street, towards the sea, then you are in the right place. Fill your table with small Portuguese dishes (don't miss the cod croquettes, just like the octopus with sweet potato, caramelized onion and grilled tomato and the salmon with tartar sauce, among others) and the day will be good. R. das Flores 32, cantina32.com

Cigar 4050
Puro 32 is from the same owners as Cantina 4050. Just as dark, just as precisely and beautifully decorated, just as tasty and just as friendly, just slightly different and somewhere different. The menu is small but nice and the black pasta with shrimp is rightly the pride of the place - so tasty. Although the small pizzas and fresh burrata are also there. The terrace in front of the door on the square beckons, that's not surprising, but if it's full, don't walk away: there is a super nice (although covered) terrace at the back of the shop! With a group? Downstairs, where you go for the toilet, there is a beautiful room. Largo Sao Domingos 84, puro4050.com

Codfish
No no no, this is not that touristy shop Slash museum where the colorful cans are displayed (highly recommended to go, it is this one: Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau, R. Campo dos Mártires da Pátria 108, pasteisdebacalhau.com), no, this is a small business on the water that you have to look carefully for. Behind it 1872 River House hotel (highly recommended! More about this soon in the upcoming Porto hotel list), recognizable by the walkway, where you will find the business. With a bit of luck, not much later you will be sitting at one of the terrace tables with a classic Portodish: a mash-up of potato, onion and cod. Sounds like poor man food, and that's what it originally was, but delicious! If you're a little more daring, go for the sweet potato and squid tentacle stew. Muro dos Bacalhoeiros 154, bacalhauporto.pt

Esquina do avesso
For really good food and a tasteful address at all levels, you often have to go around the block, and that is certainly not only the case in the Netherlands. If you have time for that block, reserve a table in advance at Esquina do ave's, a picture of a restaurant on the water in the Matosinhos district (or is it Leça da Palmeira here yet?), southwest of Porto's city center. Here, small portions for sharing are knitted, almost perfectly and the combinations are surprising, to say the least. Foie gras with popcorn for example (which we don't eat! On principle... But still, it's there), and 'beet's datatoto', which is like risotto made from potato. R. Santa Catarina 102, Esquina do avesso

Cafe do Cais
There is also a great place to find on the water, the most tourist-busy part of downtown Porto. For the price, yes, not the very best level, no, but you can sit on one of the benches by the water if you want to chill out for a while. Cas da Estiva 91, Cafe do Cais

Bô-457
On the one hand, Portugal is known for its delicious fish dishes, but don't ignore its meat culture! Steak restaurant Bo 457 can be found in the Matosinhos district, outside the center of Porto, which you might not visit as a passing tourist, which is a shame (a number of restaurants in this list can be found here, and to be honest, they are the better ones). The canteen-style restaurant was filled with old materials, vintage furniture and a motorcycle was installed on the wall (something different from a racing bike) - so rough in look, just like the food: the restaurant is especially known for its great steak. Rua de Dr. Eduardo Torres 457, bo457

Presunçao e Agua Benta
Around the corner from a fantastic place to stay, Caso do Conto, in a neighborhood where you really have nothing else to do (but the center of Porto is small! You can walk everything in fifteen minutes), is located on a pleasant square (unfortunately on a busy main road), on the corner, a more than nice restaurant. Highly recommended if you stay in the aforementioned hotel! Just don't eat too much - the chocolate cake for dessert is too delicious to miss. Largo do Priorado 8, presuncaoeaguabenta.pt

The bird
Small, superette and right next to the beach - that is The Bird, perfect for lunch, brunch or a late breakfast. Girly, yes, and oh so delicious. Think scones, tea, toasted sandwiches and more. R. da Agra 143, The bird

Pateo das Flores
Once again in the busy shopping street where you will also find Cantina, restaurant and wine bar Páteo das Flores opened not so long ago. From outside, the ordinary chairs with purple plastic upholstery almost made us decide not to go inside, but inside, at the back of the store, where the greenery emerged, everything turned out fine. Although - to be fair - the patio just doesn't measure up to its street companions Cantina 32 and Puro 4050. But for those who have plenty of days: Patéo it is! R. das Flores 135, Pateo das Flores

S.O.S
A small pipe shop with great ceviche deeds. The name of the very nice, friendly business comes from Salmon, Oysters and Seafood. And that is what is on the menu. John Traditional Portuguese dishes at its 2017 st. And not just ceviche, no, there is also tartare on the menu, both raw and smoked fish, oysters and mussels, salmon and more. And a great selection of wines, of course. The vintage cool-cute (yes, that's possible, just look at SOS) is simple and therefore homely and cozy. Recommended? Yes. Largo Sao Domingos 33, S.O.S

La Boheme entre Amis
Ha! There's the boho cocktail bar in the city center you've been looking for. Galeria de Paris 40, laboheme.com.pt

Barts-Boekje-Casa Da Guripa

Casa Da Guripa
Car at hand? No? Well, then you rent one ;-). This remote beach bar is truly worth it! At the end of the afternoon, sit down for sardines from the 'front garden' and watch the sun set into the sea over the typical fishing boats that float in the water right in front of the terrace. Holiday. TV. de Angeiras 18, 4455 Lavra, Portugal, Casa Da Guripa

A despensa
Admittedly, we only peeked in on this one - a person can only eat so much in a day, but the reviews don't lie: 'Best dining experience after one week in Portugal. Stunning food. Unparalleled service, you can feel the love invested in this place' and 'The careful preparation of the dishes immerses you in the delicious flavors of their ingredients brought from Italy, Portugal and Spain.This distinct place in the center of Porto is in continuous search for perfection, produces its own high-quality products and offers a small wine list selected to not disappoint anyone. Well. R. Conde de Vizela 141, grupodespensa.com

Barts-Boekje-boa's postage

Baos
In the shopping street of Porto, not in the touristy part but the street where the locals shop, there is a spot where the locals satisfy their bao cravings. Because anyone who lives in Portugal does not always feel like having bacalau, of which note. You can eat the tastiest, no-fish-but-Taiwanese sticky burgers here, in this sleek little shop, and the nicest locals (for the best tips!) can also be found here. Rua de Cedofeita 263, baos.pt

Restaurant Book
This former bookstore was transformed into a restaurant in a kind of retro look. Admittedly, it is not the most popular restaurant in town, but we had a fantastic meal there. The restaurant is located in the Infante de Sagres hotel (a tasteful hotel in the old chic category in a central location) but has its own entrance in the cozy, dark street (picture perfect).R. de Avis 10, Restaurant Book

Rosa et al Townhouse
Secretly our favorite place to spend the night and, as mentioned, that list is still to come. But Rosa et al Townhouse can still be included in this list because the business provides a delicious brunch on weekend days. You sit inside, which is a relief on nice days, but something to take into account if you expect sun and waving leaves. Rua do Rosario 233, 4050 am - 524 pm rosaetal.pt

Vinum aka Graham's Port Lodge
Restaurant Vinum at Grahams is the latest addition to the impressive portfolio of Graham's, Portugal's most prestigious port brand. It is located on the harbor, which makes a table on the terrace even more attractive on summer days. But when the weather is bad, it is no less beautiful inside, with a view of the old wine barrels. Rua do Agro 141, 4400-281 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal, vinumatgrahams.com / grahams-port.com

Casa Diogo - Biscoitaria & Mercearia fina
Next to The Bird the most cute address of Porto, there is no other option. The colorful shop looks like an old school grocery store, and it is, except you can also go there for breakfast or lunch/brunch. And you must do that! Casa Diogo serves a delicious selection of regional products (fresh figs! sardine pate! wine!), everything homemade and everything to lick your brightly colored plate. Really. Go. Rua de Miguel Bombarda 416, Casa Diogo

Restaurante O Comercial - Palácio da Bolsa
The name says it all: a commercial restaurant. Okay, that's not how the name is meant of course, but that is due to the fact that it is the restaurant near the Porto market. Outside on the terrace you have a fantastic view of the city and the sea behind it. Rua de Ferreira Borges, ocomercial.com

Moth
Wine bar and restaurant Traca is located almost next to Puro. A classic indeed. A bit trendy, but not too much. Nice, but not necessary to be happy during the day. Just nice in a prime location and a great alternative if you can't go to one of the others on this list. Largo Sao Domingos 88, restaurantetraca.com

Santo Burga
Small chance that you will detour for a hamburger when you are in Portugal, but if you are in the area, be sure to make a stop in the neighborhood called Leça Da Palmeira, adjacent to the Matosinhos district (just above) where you including steak restaurant Bo, see above. R. Helena Vieira da Silva 52, 4450 Leça da Palmeira, santoburga.pt

Negra Cafe
New kid on the block in a Porto residential area. So locals, and that's always a good plan. Homemade cake, coffee, snacks and more. You do have to choose where you sit: the large cafe has different rooms: the entrance is the coffee bar, at the back is a beautiful living room (the nicest!) and a floor lower is a more private area for a group of friends (and there is a kids corner) and finally: the backyard. Everything great. Negra Cafe

Horta House
For all vegan friends! A (too) crazy restaurant for which you have to climb some stairs, after which you enter a restaurant that looks most like a cave, but with a bit of luck you will find one of the two small terrace tables in front of the door available. You will find the restaurant right opposite the tram stop, near the water next to a square where there is a party every evening. R. de São Francisco 12, casadahorta.pegada.net

flashes
At times like this, I always hope that you read through to the end... Because Pisca really shouldn't be missed. Just outside the center of Porto, on the water and with a view of the typical Portuguese fishing boats. In the Granja de Baixo district, Baixo for intimates. R. do Passeio Alegre 294,piscarestaurante.com

A Casa Guedes
A tiny, thoroughly Portuguese eatery (read: a bit unsightly), very out of the way (east of the city center) but oh so worth it and recognizable by the line in front of the door around lunchtime. That in itself says enough. Order one sandes de pernil com queijo da serra with a plate of fries and the house wine – with a bit of luck there will still be a table available on the terrace. Prada Poveiros 130, A Casa Guedes

Sentence? We get it! We had too. And so we booked with the Dutch Travelbird, the nicest and youngest travel club in the country with truly great offers! The best part of the story? That TravelBird offers a Portugal trip where you go to Porto and Lisbon in one trip! You can go for 4, 6 or 8 days. Hotels, flights and the train journey between the two cities (which is super relaxing, and also very simple: you can get from Porto to Lisbon in just under 2 hours) are included. How to book? Easy. Like this: TravelBird Porto + Lisbon