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 dishes: Tuna tataki, Iberian black-pork cheek
Must 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.
Address: Rua Mouzinho da Silveira 166, 4050-416 Porto
Flow in Porto's Baixa pairs a sushi counter with a Mediterranean kitchen across two floors and a roof terrace, on a quiet Conceicao side-street near Cordoaria.
Signature: Tuna tartare, Black-rice seafood
Order: The tuna tartare to start, the black-rice seafood to follow.
Tip: Walk up to the roof bar for a Touriga Nacional flight after dinner.
MUU Steakhouse on Rua do Almada in Porto serves dry-aged Portuguese and international cuts from a glass maturation room, with a kilo-cut to share.
Signature: Maturated tomahawk, Iberian secreto
Order: The maturated tomahawk to share, with the smoked-potato gratin.
Tip: Dinner only, 18:00 to midnight. Bring an appetite; portions are sized for two.
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 that morning.
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.
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.
Cafeina in Foz do Douro, Porto, occupies a tiled corner villa where the kitchen pairs Portuguese classics with international turns and a serious wine cellar.
Signature: Bacalhau a la Cafeina, Tournedos with foie
Order: Bacalhau a la Cafeina, then the chocolate cake in port-wine reduction.
Tip: Closed Mondays; lunch and dinner Tuesday to Sunday. The walled garden books out on Saturdays.
Flow in Porto's Baixa pairs a sushi counter with a Mediterranean kitchen across two floors and a roof terrace, on a quiet Conceicao side-street near Cordoaria.
Signature: Tuna tartare, Black-rice seafood
Order: The tuna tartare to start, the black-rice seafood to follow.
Tip: Walk up to the roof bar for a Touriga Nacional flight after dinner.
MUU Steakhouse on Rua do Almada in Porto serves dry-aged Portuguese and international cuts from a glass maturation room, with a kilo-cut to share.
Signature: Maturated tomahawk, Iberian secreto
Order: The maturated tomahawk to share, with the smoked-potato gratin.
Tip: Dinner only, 18:00 to midnight. Bring an appetite; portions are sized for two.
