Warning: long post ahead! Oh and I also would like to give you a warning, for those who read this at night or when you’re hungry af, don’t blame me. I wrote this post after I ate breakfast so I’m fine. This post is about where to eat in Porto edition. I made one about Budapest and Copenhagen. This one is pretty much the same, except for the restaurants ofc (duh!). Let me tell you something first, I love everything about eating in Porto (and Portugal!). Everything is so fresh, especially the seafood. And cheap! (read this to know what I mean). Everything was affordable for a budget, (ex)student traveler. I enjoy both traveling and eating in Porto.

The where to eat in Porto edition in here ranging from cheap to expensive, cafe to restaurant. Porto definitely didn’t disappoint me and my friends. I wouldn’t have guessed that I will be enjoying Porto very much. Because when I was decided to go to Porto with my friends, it was because of the super duper cheap airplane ticket (around CHF 42 return-ways, with EasyJet). Oporto, você é a razão do meu viver, eu te amo.

Porto

Majestic Cafe

Although this is not the most beautiful cafe in the world (New York Cafe), it is the most beautiful cafe in Porto. Majestic Cafe was used by the high society in Porto a long time ago. Now the cafe become one of the attractions in Porto. It is definitely worth to visit and should be in your where to eat in Porto. I had a great time in Majestic Cafe, but only after that long-ass queue in front! You can do reservation in their website to avoid that and to save time. My friend and I had some cocktails, cause it’s the afternoon (duh!) and it’s pretty delicious and refreshing. I ordered rabanadas, a Portuguese ‘french toast’. I know it was a weird translation but that’s how it is. It was really delicious and especially if you also take a Port wine that they paired with. Just like Cafe Central in Vienna (which I love too), they have live music in Majestic Cafe.

The best thing (yes, there’s more) about this cafe is when I visited Majestic Cafe, it was end of March. It was spring time in Portugal and flowers blooming everywhere! If you go to the backyard of Majestic Cafe during spring, you will encounter the most beautiful tree and flowers. I don’t know the name of the flowers, I’m not a botanist or florist. It’s just so beautiful I have to take a lot of pictures just to keep it as a memory. And a lot of selfies, and individual photo shoot between me and my friends lol.

Cozinha dos Lóios

Cozinha dos Lóios is where my friend and I had my first dinner in Porto. I’m all about making memories and remembering every moment. I’m so glad that I ate dinner in Cozinha dos Lóios. It’s Michelle(lin)-approved lol. First, as a hospitality (ex)student, you have to know how important bread and butter. Cozinha dos Lóios has the best truffle butter ever, period! We would be happy just to eat that crispy bread and delicious, smooth truffle butter. Next is Octopus Carpaccio, an appetizer to share. Like I mentioned before, seafood in Portugal is very fresh. At this moment, my friend and I about to burst from eating too much bread and drinking too much wine. But main course came, and sadly I cannot enjoy as much as I enjoy the appetizer and the bread. I ordered black pork with boiled potatoes. Not a big fan of the black pork but it might be 80% because I was full! Another reason I like about Cozinha dos Lóios is the fact that they are a small restaurant in an alley and everything is just like a non-touristy place. Although there were tourists, unquestionably.

Rua de Mouzinho da Silveira

My friends and I were hungry af and needed some energy before dragging our luggages to our Airbnb. Just so you know, Porto landscape is up and down. You either need extra money for taxis or strong legs to get around Porto. From the Porto Airport, we used the train to go to Porto city centre and stopped at Sao Bento. Nearby Sao Bento there’s a street called Rua de Mouzinho da Silveira. When you go outside from Sao Bento Station and see a lot of tourists flocking, that’s the street. So many places to eat there and such a tourist trap but girls gotta do what they gotta do when hungry af. So we stopped at one of the restaurants and ordered Francesinha, which is a must-eat sandwich dish when in Porto. I didn’t found the best one, but this one is good enough for me.

Honorato

I was walking around between the clock tower and the famous library, must-visit in Porto. Accidentally, I saw Honorato and suggested my friends to have our breakfast here during our second day. Honorato is a restaurant specialized in burgers. It made me remember Burgerista in Salzburg because it’s quite the same, but not really. Everything we ordered is damn delicious! The location is also easy to reach as it is nearby the famous library, Livraria Lello.

Brasao Cervejaria

This is one of the best dinner I had with my friends in Porto. I would say this is a perfect place for those who like Portuguese cuisine. If someone ask me where to eat in Porto? I will say Brasao Cervejaria. Not only the service is topnotch, the interior is to die for. It’s also Michelle(in)-approved. I cannot compliment enough of this restaurant, seriously. Starting from the francesinha (Portuguese Sandwich), the clams, the prawns, the steak, the super refreshing sangria. It was a perfect feast. If you have just one day in Porto, and ask me where to eat in Porto? The answer is Brasao Cervejaria. I literally fell in love with this restaurant.

Cafe Guarany

I went to Lisbon for 2 days, 1 night and went back to Porto. I arrived at Porto at night and dying for food. It wasn’t easy to find restaurant at night in Porto. Thankfully, we found Cafe Guarany and have dinner in there. I wouldn’t go crazy about this restaurant other than their live music. It was full of tourists (mostly Americans, based on my hearing haha). The location makes it easy for tourists to visit Cafe Guarany. But everything else was standard and the waiters was nice.

Mercearia Restaurant

We did brunch in Mercearia Restaurant D-1 before leaving Porto. I was actually woke up very early to do sunrise photoshoot. The second picture in the beginning is from my morning session. I was strolling alone and saw this cute restaurant with big, hemisphere window. That’s how I find Mercearia Restaurant and they didn’t disappoint me with their food. One of my friends was not into the dish in Mercearia but I personally love it. I ordered the seafood rice (for two) and LOVE RICE INSIDE THE SOUP. That’s how asian I am. The interior of the restaurant also seems very rustic and gave me the warm, comfy vibe. Again, what I love about Portugal is how affordable the food is.

Graham’s Port Lodge

I made a separate blog post about Graham’s Port Lodge. I booked a guided tour around Graham’s Port Lodge and a wine tasting session. Tour and wine tasting in Graham’s Port Lodge is very affordable, around €12-17 (as per March 2017). If you read my blog post about Graham’s Port Lodge, you may know that there’s other Port wine lodge other than Graham’s. I choose it randomly but you can choose any other Port Lodge. One thing you should do is visiting the Port wine cellar and do wine tasting! If you want to see the vineyard, it’s in Douro Valley (not in Porto). This is a fun activity to do with friends and family (without the children).

FLOW Restaurant

I ate my last dinner in Porto at FLOW Restaurant. Considering FLOW Restaurant a semi-casual fine dining, I booked a table for two beforehand through email. This is also a Michelle(in)-approved and a must-eat place when in Porto. Slightly more pricey than the other, but you get what u pay. I personally don’t mind paying a little bit more for a great experience and memories with my friend. Just like any other fine dining, there’s appetizer, main course and dessert. We also ordered Port wine because we went to the Port wine lodge the day before. So we felt ‘educated’ and wanted to pair it with our food. All in all, the food was good (but I think Brasao Cervejaria is better) and the ambiance is making everything better.

Another note from eating in Porto experiences, everyone (like the waiter, staff, etc) was extremely friendly. It’s different when you’re in France or Swiss where you don’t get treated nicely most of the time. In Portugal, I never had bad experience with the service at all! All of the are nice, patience and if we don’t understand something they really, really try to explain it to us. It makes me don’t mind to give them more extra tips to them. And that’s also made me want to go back to their restaurants/cafes when I’m in Porto again.

I hope you enjoy this and make you dream or start planning your trip to Porto. At least a culinary trip to this wonderful, friendly city.