Portuguese€€€baixaWed-Sun 12:00-15:00 19:00-22:00
Tapabento behind Sao Bento station in Porto plates octopus salad, duck rice and grilled tiger prawns in a small, loud, family-run dining room.
Signature: Octopus salad, Duck rice
Order: The octopus salad to start, then the duck rice with chourico.
Tip: Closed Monday and Tuesday. Book the 19:00 sitting if you want a chance of a same-day table.
Modern Portuguese€€baixaMon-Thu 12:30-15:00 18:30-22:30, Fri-Sat 12:30-15:00 18:30-23:00
Cantina 32 on Rua das Flores in Porto plates quail-egg croquettes, grilled octopus and a cheesecake served in a terracotta flower pot at communal tables.
Signature: Grilled octopus with roasted tomato, Cheesecake in a flower pot
Order: Grilled octopus with roasted tomato, finishing with the flower-pot cheesecake.
Tip: Walk-in only after 22:00. Lunch menu is the better value if you want the full plate selection.
Modern Portuguese€€€baixaMon-Sun 12:30-23:00
Cantinho do Avillez in Porto is chef Jose Avillez's relaxed bistro on Rua Mouzinho da Silveira, with daily Matosinhos fish and a strong wine list.
Signature: Tuna tataki, Iberian black-pork cheek
Order: The tuna tataki to start, Iberian black-pork cheek to follow.
Tip: Open daily, lunch and dinner. Walk down to Praca do Infante after for a riverside coffee.
Modern Portuguese€€€bonfimTue-Sat 12:30-14:30 19:30-22:30
Almeja in Porto's Bonfim is chef Joao Cura's seasonal counter, building short tasting menus around what arrived from the Atlantic and Minho gardens.
Signature: Seasonal tasting menu
Order: Whichever menu the kitchen is running this week.
Tip: Tiny room. Book a week ahead. Lunch is cheaper than dinner and runs the same kitchen.
Traditional Portuguese€€ribeiraSun 09:00-17:00
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.
Traditional Portuguese€€ribeiraMon-Sat 12:00-15:00 19:00-22:30
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.