When you’re downtown (Baixa do Porto), head over to Abadia do Porto (Rua do Ateneu Comercial do Porto, 22) for some offerings of traditional Portuguese food coalesced with selections of rabbit, goat and other tasty ingredients. The restaurant has a rather mediaeval feel to it and the dishes are moderately priced.
The Café Majestic (Rua Santa Catarina 112) is an iconic establishment at the heart of the city’s most important shopping street. This café, once known as the “Elite,’ was designed by João Queirós. It used to be a hotbed of political and social activists. The interior is quite grand, deserving the moniker ‘Majestic.’
After you’ve done a little sightseeing and shopping at the Mercado do Bolhão, cross the road and take the load off at the Confeitaria do Bolhão (Rua Formosa 339). The display window is brimming over with baked goodies, both savoury and sweet. You can chow down on a proper meal inside while enjoying the local atmosphere and the down to earth prices.
Escondidinho (Rua Passos Manuel 144) is just off Rua de Santa Catarina. It’s an old tavern serving up fish and seafood with daily specials, based on the local catches. Top off your meal with one of their fancy desserts, like orange pudding. The ambiance is a little dressy and the prices are pretty steep.
Portucale is another upscale establishment, located above the Albergaria Miradouro (Rua da Alegria 598). It’s north of Baixa, but worth mentioning because of the outstanding views it offers over Porto’s red-tiled rooftops. The ambience is old school, and perhaps a little stuffy, but it’s a good place to sample some high-end Portuguese cuisine.
Sessenta Setenta (Rua de Sobre o Douro 1A) is a mellow bistro inside a former convent. The chef cooks up a varying mélange of international cuisine down by the riverside, east of Baixa and the Ribeira, in the parish of Massarelos.
If you’re looking for some reasonably priced snacks from the sub-continent, try Thali (Rua da Fábrica 34) in Baixa, right next to Galeria de Paris.