Whether you’re eating at a market, local hole-in-the-wall, or a Michelin-star restaurant in Portugal, the food never disappoints! I recently traveled to Porto for the first time and thoroughly enjoyed exploring the north of this beautiful country and all of the delicious cuisine it has to offer. I did plenty of restaurant research before traveling, and have compiled a list of 7 fabulous fine dining restaurants in Porto that should be on your list too…
#1 O Paparico – Perfect for a special celebration
O Paparico absolutely deserves its Michelin star and should be on everyone’s dining list while in Porto. Executive Chef Rúben Santos is a Porto native who truly understands how to blend artistic creativity with traditional recipes and flavors of his Portuguese culture. We heard so many great things about this chef and his creations so we opted for the Chef’s tasting menu. We were surprised and delighted through each of the 7 courses, and absolutely recommend anything from their fabulous wine list. The service is superb as well, you really feel welcomed and taken care of with little touches like a personalized welcome card, for example. The menu changes often, but even if you choose something a la carte, you won’t be disappointed.
#2 Raíz – Perfect for a quiet date night
Raíz is a very centrally located yet hidden gem of a restaurant, as it’s just slightly tucked away from the Main Street. This narrow, historical building boasts 3 floors of fine dining. At Raíz you can expect ancient Portuguese gastronomy with contemporary twists. I absolutely loved having dinner here by candlelight, it was such an intimate and cozy atmosphere. We enjoyed classic Portuguese dishes like cod, octopus and goat – they really have it all and we loved every bite.
#3 DOP – Perfect for a trendy lunch
DOP is the perfect place to enjoy an upscale lunch after a morning of sightseeing in Porto. Housed in a historic building, I loved the contrast of its contemporary interior decor. With DOP’s colorful menu, you can choose from traditional Portuguese dishes featuring meats, soups, and pasta. However, if you’re a fish and seafood lover, you’ll be overjoyed with any of those dishes. A few of my favorites include their scallops, seabass and octopus. Also, the wine list at DOP is precise and extensive, with their sommeliers winning several awards of excellence for their incredible curations.
#4 Astória Restaurant – Perfect for drinks & dinner
We stayed at the beautiful and luxurious InterContinental Porto hotel located right across from Liberdade, the main city square. After checking into our room, we headed to Astoria Restaurant inside the hotel for dinner as it was convenient. However, we were very impressed with the food and would happily recommend it to anyone visiting Porto. Not only do they have a lovely terrace that’s perfect for pre-dinner drinks, but the inside is both friendly and elegant for a lovely dining atmosphere. Their varied menu is a wonderful selection of authentic specialities from all around Portugal and the Mediterranean. Some of their standout dishes are the lobster bisque, filet with sautéed vegetables, and any of their desserts!
#5 SEMEA by Euskalduna – Perfect for sharing plates with river views
Semea combines fresh fish, seafood and seasonal Portuguese products with beautiful Douro River views for a memorable dining experience. This is a great place to order several dishes to share amongst your table. While the food reflects fine dining, the atmosphere outside is cozy and casual. In my opinion, there isn’t a single bad dish on the menu for seafood lovers. And don’t forget to try their famous French toast served with “Queijo de Serra’s” ice cream for dessert. My top recommendation is to arrive about an hour before sunset to enjoy the pretty water views to the max.
#6 Terra – Perfect for sushi lovers
While most of my Porto recommendations in this article include restaurants serving Portuguese cuisine, Porto also has incredible international restaurants as well. Terra is one of the best sushi restaurants in the city, and is a must-visit if you’re craving some Asian cuisine. The downstairs section is where you’ll find the sushi lovers enjoying their meal in a Neo-rustic style dining room with plenty of natural light. Upstairs is more of a fine dining atmosphere serving Mediterranean dishes as well. I love having the option of these two dining concepts. Other than the fantastic sushi, I’d also recommend their lobster risotto.
#7 Le Monument – Perfect for modern foodies
Last but certainly not least is one of Porto’s most beautiful and innovative restaurants: Le Monument located. Michelin-star French chef Julien Montbabut takes guests on a gastronomic journey through the different regions in Portugal. You have two fantastic choices here which include a short or long version of a single tasting menu. One of my favorite parts, other than the delicious food, was the booklet you receive with your meal that provides an explanation of each dish and a map so you can see the regions that inspired them. While this is certainly fine dining at its best, the elegant atmosphere is still warm and inviting.
