In a stunning house designed by local Pritzker Architecture Prize-winner Álvaro Siza, Casa de Chá da Boa Nova (Boa Nova Tea House) provides dramatic ocean views with waves crashing against the rocks below. The Michelin-starred restaurant, helmed by acclaimed chef Rui Paula, serves traditional Portuguese dishes, many highlighting local seafood and fish, as well as a vegetarian menu featuring local potatoes, fava beans, and greens. [$$$$]

Near the gorgeous Leça da Palmeira beach, Esquina do Avesso serves a mix of creative and traditional recipes in a beautiful industrial space. Chef Nuno Castro highlights rich ingredients like sunchoke and Azorean island cheese, while the seasonal menu mixes traditional recipes with creative reinventions, like the chef’s take on onion soup. Natural light bathes the restaurant’s wood and marble furnishings, while well-made cocktails and a tight wine list round out dinner. [$$]

The Mercado de Matosinhos supplies the region’s restaurants with the freshest fish: mackerel, sardines, tuna, black swordfish. In this local farmer’s market, vendors sell all sorts of seafood, plus vegetables, flowers, and even live animals to be slaughtered. But the large, modernist, ceramic-paneled building has other surprises, such as the small restaurants worth visiting after browsing the stalls. At Mafalda’s, a cafe serving weekend brunch and lunch dishes like sweet potato lasagna with hummus, all the ingredients come from the local vendors, while Taberna Lusitana offers snacks and glasses of wine. Other venues allow customers to choose directly from trays of fresh fish cooked however they like. [$ - $$]

Naples-born Antonio Mezzero, winner of the Caputo Cup for top pizzaiolo in 2018, prepares the best pies in the city. At his Matosinhos pizzeria, perfectly thin Neapolitan-style pizzas emerge puffy at the edges and blistered from the wood-burning oven. The menu includes traditional options such as margherita and marinara, but nontraditionalists can also order the Tartufina (mozzarella cheese, white truffle cream, ham, and arugula) or All Stars (cured goat cheese, alheira sausage, and port wine reduction). [$$]

As the name suggests (paparicar roughly translates to “pamper”), O Paparico will take good care of you. The traditional restaurant looks like a sophisticated tavern set in a cave, with low light illuminating tables set with white tablecloths and ancient-looking stone walls. Chef Rui Martins highlights the roots of Portuguese cuisine in high-caliber dishes in beautiful, occasionally whimsical plating (the amuse bouche, for example comes in a picnic basket). The Portugalidade (Portugality) tasting menu is the best way to sample seafood and pork from all around the country, as well as local specialty ingredients like Carolino rice. Opt for the wine pairing, which includes rare, unique Portuguese bottlings. [$$$$]

In Portuguese, apego means a great feeling of affection. Chef Aurora Goy lives up to the name, infusing every dish with affection, but also technical skill, original ideas, and elegant execution. The stone walls, soft light, and long bistro-style banquette give the place a cozy atmosphere that pairs well with the Portuguese-accented French cuisine coming out of the small kitchen. Goy’s creations are simple in concept but complex in flavor, with options like oxtail with miso and cucumber, apricot and coriander, or mackerel fillet accompanied by toasted lime mayonnaise. For 30 euros ($33), the tasting menu gives you a chance to enjoy everything from snacks to desserts. [$$]

Japanese techniques anchor the menu at this cafe on the charming Rua dos Bragas, run by Miguel Cunha and Sako Arao, where the latter prepares comforting recipes from her native Japan. She serves hot, soul-warming dishes from breakfast, including homemade natto and sourdough buckwheat pancakes, and through the afternoon, when the cafe offers cold reimen soup noodles, Japanese curry, and osozai (sweet potato-and-sesame croquettes). [$$]

Esporão began as an important Alentejo winery, but it has grown into a regional powerhouse in southeast Portugal, with properties producing beer and olive oil, as well as a prominent restaurant in Reguengos de Monsaraz. Esporão No Porto is the company’s first venue outside its home. The small space on Rua do Almada looks modern and minimalist, with sleek furniture and plants scattered around, a serene setting to concentrate on the brand’s ingredient-driven cuisine. Menu items take inspiration from Portuguese tradition, like delicate rabbit escabeche, black pork shoulder with celery puree, and an updated take on traditional Portuguese pudding, which incorporates late harvest wine, orange granita, and mint oil. The venue also operates as a store, offering wine, beer, and olive oil tastings. [$$]

The extremely casual bar only offers tall stools at the bar and a few sidewalk tables, but the beer selection, which focuses (though not exclusively) on Portuguese craft breweries, absolutely justifies a visit. After finding a favorite brew, you can pick up a few bottles from the shop to drink later. Catraio often welcomes visiting chefs and pop-ups to pair food with whatever is on tap. Look for local breweries like OPO 74 Brewing Co. and Bendita, as well as options from Catalonia and the Basque Country. [$$]

In a charming retro building with tile flooring and stone walls, chef João Cura recreates recipes from childhood memories while adding inventive, modern touches. Look for dry-aged beef, potato mille-feuille with braised onions, and roasted wild mushrooms with parsnips. Cura even features an updated, snack-size take on a francesinha made with carrot marinade, and rabanada (French toast) served with truffle and amaretto caviar. [$$$]

Portugal produces cheeses to rival any from France, Italy, or Switzerland. Queijaria do Almada, situated on one of the city’s most charming streets, boasts great samples of artisan cheese selected by its cheesemongers. The team highlights quality Portuguese dairy products, from the famous buttery cheese of Serra da Estrela, to São Jorge cheese made from the milk of free-roaming cows in the Azores, to stellar sheep and goat cheeses from Azeitão or Serpa. For less nationalist cheese eaters, there are also options from across Europe. [$$]

Portugal has a well-established reputation for producing good bread, but only recently has the country seen slow-leavened sourdough loaves become more popular. Masseira is one pioneer of the style in Porto. The bakery inhabits a small space in the Cedofeita neighborhood with white-tile walls and wooden shelves. There, Benedita Saavedra and Adriano Sequeira take turns baking and selling loaves to their growing clientele. Saavedra used to sell bread in the hip Porto Belo Market, before the couple decided to open a permanent space where customers can find their famous breads made of sweet potato, rice, wheat, and rye, as well as local ingredients such as fig and negrinha do freixo olives. [$]

The elegant Monumental Palace Hotel enlisted French chef Julien Montbabut to create monumental food befitting the hotel’s restaurant. With experience in Paris at Pavillon Ledoyen and Le Restaurant, Montbabut plays to his strengths, making classic French dishes with Portuguese vegetables and seafood. The butter, sourced from Nantes, arrives like a guest of honor. Spotted with sea lettuce and dulse flakes, it perfectly complements the house-made bread in the couvert (bread service). Other notable dishes include Portuguese crab with avocado and yuzu, roosterfish cooked in butter with artichoke and sea urchin, and a local beef entrecote (rib-eye) that serves two. The wine list is excellent, with many local bottles, as are the inventive desserts. [$$$$]

There’s more to this Nordic-style cafe than paper lanterns and pour-overs. The all-day eatery serves an organic, local, plant-based menu, driven by the seasons and the kitchen’s creativity. The options range across salads, sandwiches, Turkish eggs, fish and chips, cakes, and much more, all perfect to snack on as you sit by the windows watching life pass by on the street outside. [$$]

Tasca Vasco is the newest project from the esteemed Cafeína Group. The stylish tapas bar looks like a midcentury modern shipping container, while the kitchen serves a smart menu of shareable small plates like grilled octopus, gizzards with garlic toast, shredded cod with chickpeas, and headcheese with beans. Cocktails and sangria complete the buzzy, cheerful experience. [$$]

The Royal Cocktail Club is situated in the touristy Baixa neighborhood, set in an old bankers’ union building, with an elegant interior decked out in wood, marble, and bronze. The cocktail list is modern and creative, thanks to head bartender Nelson de Matos and his team, who create drinks like the Black Cask (whiskey, lemon, stout, egg white, and chocolate bitters) and the Espresso to São Paulo (cachaca, vermouth, and coffee). In the basement below the restaurant, you’ll find a private room with another bar exclusively serving signature cocktails. [$$]

Unlike many hotel restaurants, Pedro Limão is an eatery first and an inn second, with six apartments above the dining space that act almost as extensions of the culinary program. Eponymous chef Pedro Limão offers guests cocktails and snacks during check-in and serves his tasting menu as room service. If you’re just stopping by for dinner at the “non-restaurant” though, you’ll find menu items focused on Portuguese ingredients like an ode to potato’s many forms (potato served with potato mayonnaise, smoked sweet potato, and potato pickles); pork belly served with salted marshmallow; and cow tongue served with mashed peas. [$$]

This family-run establishment has been serving wood-fired fare since 1985. The counter is the best place to taste the excellent food coming out of the kitchen, but there are set tables for larger groups as well. Start with Serpa cheese and roast lamb, then move on to mains such as veal and potatoes roasted for hours over wood. Finish with rabanadas or creme do céu, which consists of mousse, biscuits, and creamy egg custard. [$$]

Casa Guedes has earned a great reputation for its pork-leg sandwich. Servers slice the meat ​​into ridiculously tender strips and arrange them in lightly toasted, crispy bread. The long line snaking on the sidewalk is a clear indication of the sandwich’s merits, but you should also queue up for the shop’s tasca-style daily meals. Options may include caldo verde or papas de sarrabulho (pig-blood soup) for under 10 euros ($11). Pair any meal with assorted cured meats and cheeses, and a cold bottle of local sparkling wine. [$]

After working in Australia, South Africa, and Uruguay, Belgian barista Paolo Guffens set up shop in Porto. At his cafe not far from Praça da Batalha, he serves some of the best coffee in town. A playful illustration along one wall, fixed gear bikes stacked in the corner, and a communal table give the space a restful hipster vibe. The smell of coffee mixes with the smells of cooking from the open kitchen, where the team prepares healthy brunch-style bites like sandwiches and avocado toast, as well as local comfort dishes like empanadas and rabanadas. Guffens sources beans from the best roasters in Europe, but look out for Senzu, the proprietor’s own brand, which he roasts in the back of the shop. [$]

Visitors can’t leave Portugal without picking up some tins of fish, a beloved staple of the everyday Portuguese diet since the mid-19th century. The preserved fish travel beautifully, and they come in handy when trying to make dinner from an empty pantry. Loja das Conservas is the best place to stock up on the iconic staple. The store arrays horse mackerel, anchovies, eels, and much more in colorful tins from every region of the country. If you want tuna from the Azores, octopus from Algarve, or local sardines, you’ve come to the right place. [$]

This lively venue merges Japanese cuisine with the minimal, casual atmosphere of a Portuguese tasca. Chef Ruy Leão offers sushi and hot share plates inspired by izakaya fare. He makes use of local tuna, sardines, and the rest of the daily catch. Winners from the hot dishes include eggplant roasted in miso and okonomiyaki. [$$$]

Situated in a narrow alley just off the frenetic streets of the riverside area, Taberna dos Mercados serves traditional regional dishes to about 20 lucky people, so be sure to book a table in advance. Order a bowl of seafood açorda, a popular bread soup made with prawns, clams, and cockles, or the Portuguese cozido, stewed lamb with potatoes and greens. The wine list favors bottles from the nearby Douro Valley. [$$]

Named for (and seated among) the traditional casarios townhouses that characterize the riverside area of the city, this refined restaurant starkly contrasts the neighborhood’s many tourist traps. Local chef Miguel Castro e Silva serves a seasonal menu based around traditional Portuguese dishes like bacalhau à gomes de sá, a codfish casserole in which the chef expertly deploys fish gelatin. He also uses Portuguese-style marinade (olive oil, lemon, and pepper) on slices of fresh sea bass, and incorporates light-as-air Serra da Estrela cheese into his delicious mille-feuille. Sit on the patio where you can really enjoy the restaurant’s stunning views of the Douro River. [$$$]

In Vila Nova de Gaia, on the south side of the Douro river, you’ll find many traditional port wineries, including Real Companhia Velha. The winery is set in a renovated warehouse that also houses a museum and Enoteca 17.56, an elegant, airy restaurant on the top floor. The kitchen, led by chef Jerónimo Pinto de Abreu, focuses on seafood and fish. There’s classic lobster bisque, as well as mussels with celery mousse and crispy capers. The wine list is a highlight, with antique vintage bottles on offer, alongside dozens of labels produced by the winery. Even if you don’t need a full meal, stop by for a glass of Port and tonic as you look out over the river. [$$$]