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 dishes: Octopus salad, Duck rice
Must 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.
Address: Rua da Madeira 221, 4000-330 Porto
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
