The riverfront tile-and-arcade quarter on the Douro. Tabernas, port boats below Ponte Dom Luis I and the loudest tourist push of the old town.
Taberna dos Mercadores in Porto's Ribeira packs eight tables, an open kitchen and a board of acorda, rojoes and cod croquettes a block from the Douro.
Signature: Acorda de mariscos, Rojoes
Order: Acorda de mariscos, the bread-and-seafood stew that built this place.
Tip: Reservations exhausted weeks ahead. Try lunch Tuesday or Wednesday for a walk-in chance.
Adega Sao Nicolau in Porto's Ribeira has been pouring red since the 1940s, serving polvo a lagareiro on a small Douro-facing terrace below the quay.
Signature: Polvo a lagareiro, Bacalhau a Gomes de Sa
Order: Polvo a lagareiro: octopus baked with potatoes, garlic and a slug of olive oil.
Tip: Lunch service from noon. The river-side terrace fills first; the inside room is cooler in August.
DOP at Largo de Sao Domingos in Porto is chef Rui Paula's modern-Portuguese tasting room inside the Palacio das Artes Fabrica de Talentos, opened in 2010 with a deep Douro cellar.
Signature: Cataplana of seafood, Slow-cooked pork cheek
Order: Tasting menu with wine pairing. Cataplana de mariscos a la carte for one plate.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. Lunch tasting is cheaper than dinner and runs the same kitchen.
Puro 4050 on Largo Sao Domingos in Porto is a mozzarella-and-burrata bar from an Italian-Portuguese duo, with Iberian cured meats, Sicilian cheeses and a roof terrace.
Signature: Burrata with chourico, Tagliata di manzo
Order: Burrata with chourico, tagliata di manzo to follow.
Tip: Roof terrace opens May to October. Aperitivo from 18:30 with prosecco and pizzette.
Taberna do Largo on Largo Sao Domingos in Porto is a small wine-and-petiscos counter with Iberian acorn ham, queijo da Serra and a regional Portuguese wine list by the glass.
Signature: Iberian acorn ham, Sheep cheese board
Order: Iberian acorn ham with bread, glass of Douro red.
Tip: Closed Sunday. Counter seats only; arrive by 19:30 to claim one.