Fine dining restaurants in Porto? I know a few!

Porto is Portugal’s food capital and home to world-class chefs and Michelin-star restaurants. So you won’t have any difficulties finding amazing food throughout the city. Stay with me and I’ll tell you all about it (or join a Porto Food Tour and learn more about the food in Portugal and where to eat the best food in this town).

I’m always on the hunt to eat at the most delicious restaurants in town and let me tell you: there are a lot of fine dining restaurants in Porto. Portuguese do food pretty well, indeed. Without any further delay, here are my favorite fine dining restaurants in Porto.

FINE DINING RESTAURANTS IN PORTO

Pedro Lemos

The first restaurant in Porto to get a Michelin star. The room itself is very cozy, romantic, and British in a sense, with wallpaper and big chairs. The chef’s philosophy (who was a civil engineer, by the way) is very clean-cut, no big fuss, very straightforward. A spectacular Michelin-star meal with no overly complicated elements.

Em carne viva

A fine dining restaurant in Porto solely focused on vegetarian and vegan cuisines. Beautiful decor and a great place to try the Vegetarian Francesinha.

Emotivo

This is a fine dining restaurant in Porto and a very special one. Here, you can travel the entire country without leaving Porto. Every two months, two regions of Portugal are chosen to be the theme of the restaurant. The way you choose your menu is actually through a game – it’s a lot of fun but I won’t say more so I don’t spoil the surprise. It’s a young restaurant but it’s already making quite a splash. We cannot recommend Chef Sara Verde enough. What a Queen!

Rogério do Redondo

This is a more formal restaurant, the kind of place where you find the Mayor or the President of FC Porto (local football team) having lunch and discussing business. The quality of the food is absolutely stellar! It’s a classic for weekend lunch with the family because they do very very traditional dishes – the type Mom makes. The petiscos (small snacks) alone are a meal! The menu changes every day. If they’re serving roasted goatling, you should definitely try it but only if you like strong flavors.

Vila Foz

One Michelin Star. It’s the fine dining restaurant of the hotel with the same name which is set inside a XIX century manor house in front of the ocean. Due to its location, the chef focuses mostly on seafood (there are only two meat dishes in the degustation menu). This restaurant is bold but with humble roots, like the chef.

Elemento

Such a cool concept: they only cook with fire here, “like the primitive man”, as the chef says. Part of the kitchen is open, right where the wood-fired oven is, and that makes the restaurant super warm and cozy. And the smell… oh my! Vegetarian options are only available in the degustation menu and the restaurant requires a 24h notice. Do not take American Express.

Euskalduna Studio

This fine-dining restaurant in Porto combines Portuguese, Basque, and Japanese cultures. The degustation menu is composed of 10 moments plus a few surprises in the middle. The rabbit raviolo was my favorite and I don’t even like rabbit! The wine pairing menu makes the meal quite expensive but it’s very worth it because they are only serving handpicked, small-scale producers. If available, get a table at the counter.

Casa de Chá da Boa Nova

Two Michelin Stars. SPECTACULAR views over the Atlantic Ocean, in a tea house designed by Pritzer-award winner Siza Vieira. Beautiful all year round. Haute de cuisine focuses solely on seafood and vegetarianism. If available, do not miss the opportunity to try “The Channel Squid” – extraordinary!

Antiqvvm

One Michelin Star. Amazing views to the river – particularly beautiful when sunny. The executive menu at lunch (25€) is very popular but the portions are small. Big emphasis on traditions from interior Portugal and also seafood. The Coral dish with red mullet and sea urchin is particularly good.

Here you jave it: 9 fine dining restaurants in Porto. Enjoy your meal or, as we say in Portuguese, Bom appetite!
Your foodie friend in Porto