Porto has a wonderful way of turning a meal into part of the journey. From elegant Michelin-starred dining overlooking the Atlantic to intimate counters, lively open kitchens and slow Sunday brunches, the city’s food scene is as varied as it is memorable. During our time in Porto, we discovered restaurants that offered far more than simply good food, each one had its own character, rhythm and sense of place. These are some of the tables, flavours and moments that stayed with us long after we left.

Vila Foz Restaurante, a Michelin-Starred evening by the Atlantic:

There are restaurants where dinner is simply a meal, and then there are those rare places where the setting, the food and the atmosphere come together to make the entire evening feel like an occasion. Vila Foz Restaurant is very much the latter.

Set inside the elegant Vila Foz Hotel & Spa, overlooking Porto’s Atlantic coastline, the restaurant makes an immediate impression. We arrived as the last light of the day was fading over the water, catching glimpses of the sunset along the coast before stepping inside. It felt like the perfect prelude to dinner. The restaurant holds one Michelin star, awarded in 2022, but it is the setting that first captures your attention. The dining room occupies the former grand events room of the 19th-century manor house, where gilded details, original lamps, mirrors and elegant period features create the atmosphere of a grand European residence. And yet, for all its grandeur, the room never feels stiff or overly formal. There is warmth to it, and an intimacy that makes the evening feel wonderfully unhurried.

For dinner, we chose two tasting menus: the Maresia, inspired by the Atlantic and the rhythm of the tides, and the entirely vegetarian Novo Mundo. Tasting them side by side offered two very different interpretations of the same culinary philosophy. The dishes were beautifully composed, but the beauty was never merely decorative. There was precision in every element, from the textures to the balance of flavours, with each course offering something new to discover.

At the centre of the restaurant’s culinary identity is Chef Arnaldo Azevedo, whose relationship with food began at an early age in his family’s restaurant in Ermesinde. His cooking brings together Portuguese culinary traditions and a distinctly contemporary sensibility. Since joining Vila Foz in 2019, he has developed a style that feels closely connected to its surroundings, particularly the Atlantic that stretches beyond the windows.

Fish and seafood naturally play an important role, treated with precision while allowing the character of the ingredients to remain at the forefront. Elsewhere, familiar Portuguese ingredients are transformed through unexpected combinations, contrasting textures and subtle layers of flavour.

What impressed us most was the balance between technique and pleasure. There was plenty of culinary sophistication, but never a feeling that technique existed simply to impress. The food remained generous, expressive and, above all, delicious. The service was equally considered. Attentive without hovering and knowledgeable without becoming overly formal, the team guided us through the evening with a warmth that complemented the surroundings perfectly. Pedro, Emília and João were wonderful throughout the evening: attentive, warm and genuinely thoughtful, with exactly the kind of understated hospitality that allows you to relax and simply enjoy the experience. Everything felt carefully orchestrated, yet nothing felt forced.

By the time the final plates arrived, dinner had become something much bigger than a succession of courses. It was the fading Atlantic light, the elegance of the room, the anticipation of each new dish and the quiet rhythm of an evening spent entirely at the table. We left with new favourite dishes, plenty of flavours to remember and the feeling that we had experienced something genuinely special. More than anything, it was one of those evenings where every element seemed to fall perfectly into place, the setting, the food, the service and the people behind it.

Vila Foz is the kind of restaurant that stays with you. And when we return to Porto, we already know that another evening here will be on the itinerary.

Euskalduna Studio: Ten Moments of Culinary Magic

Porto has a way of working up an appetite. After a morning spent wandering its streets, climbing its hills and discovering the city one corner at a time, lunch at Euskalduna Studio felt like the perfect excuse to stop and linger.

Tucked away on Rua de Santo Ildefonso, Euskalduna Studio is intimate from the moment you arrive. Its understated entrance gives little away, but inside, the restaurant opens onto an open kitchen and counter where just a small number of guests can watch the chefs at work. There is something immediately engaging about sitting at the counter. Rather than creating a divide between kitchen and dining room, Euskalduna brings the two together, turning the preparation of lunch into part of the experience. At the helm is Chef Vasco Coelho Santos, whose cooking combines Portuguese traditions with influences gathered from around the world. His approach is contemporary and curious, but always anchored in ingredients and flavour.

We opted for the non-alcoholic pairing, which turned out to be one of the unexpected highlights of the afternoon. Thoughtfully matched to the tasting menu, it felt like an integral part of the experience rather than an alternative to wine. Our sommelier, Kamila, was fantastic, bringing warmth, knowledge and plenty of personality to the experience.

Then came the Ten Moments.

The tasting menu moves through ten courses, with a few surprises along the way, drawing on Portuguese and seasonal ingredients sourced from small producers across the country. Traditional flavours provide the starting point, but they are continually reinterpreted through contemporary techniques and unexpected combinations.

And what makes Euskalduna particularly memorable is the sense of fun. The atmosphere is lively and relaxed, helped along by a great playlist and the constant movement of the open kitchen. We could watch the chefs prepare each dish just metres away, see the concentration behind the cooking and occasionally exchange a smile or a few words with the team.

Every new course brought another surprise. Familiar Portuguese flavours appeared in unfamiliar forms; textures shifted, ingredients were paired in unexpected ways, and beautiful plates appeared almost continuously in front of us.

Watching everything happen so close by made the meal feel wonderfully immersive. There was no curtain between the kitchen and the dining room, no sense of being separated from the creative process. We were simply there, watching each dish come together before tasting it.

But the lasting impression wasn’t just the quality of the food. It was the atmosphere; relaxed, curious, playful and completely absorbing. And perhaps what made the afternoon so special was the people behind it. Joshua, Vasco, Kamilla and Manos were simply wonderful, making us feel less like guests at a Michelin-starred restaurant and more like friends who had been invited to share a meal. That sense of warmth is something we will remember just as much as the food.

Euskalduna Studio is a reminder that Michelin-starred dining doesn’t have to mean white tablecloths and hushed rooms. Here, the experience is intimate, creative and refreshingly informal, with the food, music, chefs and energy of the kitchen all becoming part of the story. For us, it was the perfect way to turn a busy morning in Porto into a long, leisurely afternoon of culinary discovery.

Ten moments, countless flavours, and a team we would happily return to see again.

Kaigi,  an Intimate Japanese-Portuguese journey:

After a day spent exploring Porto, there is something particularly appealing about stepping into a small restaurant, taking a seat at the counter and letting someone else take care of the evening.

That was the feeling we found at Kaigi.

Located on Rua de Eugénio de Castro, slightly removed from Porto’s historic centre, Kaigi is an intimate restaurant inspired by the philosophy of the traditional Japanese izakaya. At its heart is a beautiful U-shaped sushi counter with space for just 16 guests, creating an experience that feels personal from the very beginning.

The concept is a fascinating meeting of Japan and Portugal. Japanese techniques, precision and culinary philosophy meet the exceptional ingredients of Portugal, resulting in a menu that feels simultaneously familiar and unexpected. The nine-course tasting menu changes according to the best products available, allowing the kitchen to follow the seasons and work with ingredients at their peak.

We were fortunate enough to sit at the counter, which quickly became one of the highlights of the evening. From our seats, we could watch the preparations unfold, while the team shared the story and inspiration behind each dish. That sense of transparency gives Kaigi much of its charm. You watch, listen and taste as each course comes together, becoming part of the rhythm of the kitchen rather than simply observing it from a distance.

The food itself reflects the restaurant’s philosophy beautifully. Japanese precision provides the framework, while Portuguese ingredients give the dishes their character. Each course brought a different combination of flavours and textures, with thoughtful explanations from the team adding another layer to the experience.

Despite the sophistication of the cooking, the atmosphere remained wonderfully relaxed. There was none of the stiffness that can sometimes accompany tasting-menu restaurants. Sitting around the counter created a natural sense of connection, while the team made the evening feel warm and personal.

By the final course, we had experienced an elegant balance of two culinary worlds: Japanese technique and Portuguese produce, tradition and experimentation, precision and personality.

Some restaurants impress through grandeur. Others draw you in through the smallest details. Kaigi belongs firmly to the second category. It is intimate, thoughtful and quietly adventurous, the kind of place where the experience feels just as important as the food itself.

SoMos, for a slow Sunday brunch:

Sundays are made for taking things slowly, and brunch at SoMos offered exactly the kind of leisurely pause we had been hoping for.

With an ever-changing menu, there was plenty to choose from, so we settled into a selection of starters before moving on to perfectly cooked salmon.

And then came dessert, arguably the moment we had been waiting for. A generous buffet offered fresh fruit, beautifully made cakes and an irresistible selection of sweet treats, making it very easy to linger a little longer than planned.

There was nothing hurried about the experience. Just good food, easy conversation and the luxury of having nowhere else to be.

Sometimes, that is exactly what Sunday should look like: a generous table, a long lunch and plenty of time to enjoy it.

Bistro Severo, for an intimate lunch:

A leisurely lunch in the courtyard of Bistro Severo turned out to be one of those simple pleasures that stay with you.

We settled in for a three-course meal, with each dish carefully prepared and full of flavour. The weather outside wasn’t entirely on our side, but once we were seated with good food, a glass of wine and plenty of conversation, it hardly seemed to matter.

There was something deeply comforting about the whole experience. Nothing felt rushed or overly complicated. It was simply an intimate lunch enjoyed at its own pace.

And sometimes, that is all a memorable meal needs. Good food. Good wine. Good conversation. Bistro Severo was a lovely part of our time in Porto, a reminder that not every memorable restaurant experience needs to be elaborate. Sometimes the simplest lunches are the ones you remember most.