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Where to eat in Porto: my 16 favourite restaurants

Nobody eats well following the tour buses. These are the 16 restaurants in Porto I'd send a friend to: the cheap neighbourhood place, the one locals keep to themselves, the splurge that's genuinely worth it. No photo menus.

Café Santiago★ 4.4 · ~€12–15 · Francesinha · PortugueseThe francesinha pilgrimage spot: Porto's monster sandwich of cured meats and steak under melted cheese, drowned in a beer-and-tomato sauce with a fried egg on top. Directions
Adega São Nicolau★ 4.3 · ~€15–25 · Portuguese · SeafoodA tiny family-run tasca tucked on a Ribeira lane, doing honest grilled fish, octopus rice and bacalhau the way Porto grandmothers make it. Directions
Casa Guedes★ 4.5 · ~€9 · Sandwiches · PortugueseThe legendary roast-pork sandwich (sande de pernil), pulled from the bone and stuffed into a crusty roll, optionally with melting Serra cheese. Directions
Majestic Café★ 4.1 · ~€8–18 · Café · PastriesPorto's grand Belle Époque café from 1921: Art Nouveau mirrors, carved wood and leather banquettes. Directions
Tasca do Bairro★ 4.2 · ~€8–12 · Portuguese · TavernA no-frills neighbourhood tavern doing big, cheap plates of the day to a mostly-local crowd: the antidote to the Ribeira's tourist menus. Directions
Cantina 32★ 4.3 · ~€20–30 · Modern PortugueseA creative take on Portuguese small plates in an industrial-chic room near the Clérigos, great for sharing, with a younger crowd and a good wine list. Directions
Amorino★ 4.4 · ~€4–6 · Gelato · Ice creamThe flower-shaped gelato spot: Italian gelato sculpted into a rose on your cone, a sweet, photogenic treat for a riverside stroll. Directions
Antiqvvm★ 4.7 · €€€€ · tasting from €120 · Fine diningA Michelin-starred restaurant in a 19th-century villa above the river, where chef Vítor Matos serves intricate, art-like tasting menus. Directions
Brasão Aliados★ 4.6 · ~€15–22 · Portuguese · FrancesinhaA buzzy, beautifully-tiled brasserie off Avenida dos Aliados, famous for one of the city's best francesinhas and a proper Porto dinner buzz. Directions
Cantinho do Avillez★ 4.3 · €€€ · ~€45–80 pp · PortugueseStar chef José Avillez's relaxed Porto outpost near the river, serving playful, modern Portuguese plates in a buzzy bistro. Directions
Euskalduna Studio★ 4.7 · €€€€ · tasting from €120 · Fine diningAn intimate Michelin-starred counter where chef Vasco Coelho Santos cooks a no-choice tasting menu rooted in Portuguese produce. Directions
Fábrica da Nata★ 4.6 · ~€1.40/tart · Pastries · Custard tartsCrisp, warm pastéis de nata baked through the day: one of the best custard tarts in Porto at around €1.40 each, ideally paired with a small glass of port. Directions
Garden Porto Café★ 4.5 · ~€8–12 · Brunch · CaféA bright, plant-filled brunch spot a couple of minutes from the Carmo church where almost the whole menu lands under €10: the French toast and the eggs Benedict (sweet and savoury versions) are the draw. Directions
Porto Bacalhau★ 4.5 · ~€20–35 · Portuguese · BacalhauUp on the top floor of the Bolhão market, a restaurant devoted entirely to bacalhau, Portugal's beloved salt cod, where the chef turns out inventive cod dishes right down to a cod-featured dessert. Directions
Tapabento★ 4.6 · €€€ · ~€45–80 pp · PetiscosA tiny, wildly popular spot behind São Bento station mixing Portuguese petiscos with seafood and great wines. Directions
The Yeatman Gastronomic Restaurant★ 4.9 · €€€€ · tasting from €120 · Fine diningThe two-Michelin-starred restaurant of The Yeatman in Gaia, with a wall of glass across the Douro to Porto's skyline. Directions