With its jumble of red-tiled buildings, historic city centre (a World Heritage Site), charming riverside promenades, and nearby sandy beaches, Porto is a popular holiday destination. The second-largest city in Portugal after Lisbon, Porto is also known for its Port, a fortified wine usually consumed with dessert. When it comes to plant-based food, the city has a wide range of options – from vegan Francesinhas and sweet pastries to Korean baos. ProVeg Portugal’s Marketing Manager, Catarina Chavinha, has compiled a list of her favourite spots.
Padoca Vegan Restaurant & Bakery
You might have heard of the famous Portuguese sandwich, Francesinha, inspired by the French Croque Monsieur. Well, Padoca is the place to eat a plant-based version, packed with seitan, sausage, chorizo, and a special sauce! Part restaurant, part bakery, this charming spot offers a variety of breakfast snacks and meals, as well as lunchtime burgers and larger dishes. Besides the Francesinha, try the Sem Bacalhau com Natas, a delicious vegan take on a famous Portuguese fish dish, made with oyster-mushroom flakes and potato cubes, and follow this up with the red-berry cheesecake.
Fava Tonka
Considered one of Porto’s best vegetarian restaurants, Fava Tonka uses seasonal, organic, and unusual ingredients to create beautifully presented dishes filled with flavour surprises. The menu changes seasonally, and when I visited in the summer, two standout dishes were the celeriac, nori emulsion, and ‘oyster’ ice cream; and the sea rice, seaweed, and halophytes. Vegan options are clearly marked, and adaptations can be made to many vegetarian dishes. This refined restaurant also offers delicious desserts, so don’t forget to try them!
Baomerang
Baomerang offers a wide range of plant-based Asian-fusion street food, from bao buns to satay portobello mushrooms and Korean-style cauliflower. Start with the Buffalo Skewers – two marinated and grilled soya skewers in a smoky, spicy sauce – and then move on to the Crispy Tofu Bao as your main course. Portions are generous, and all the sauces are homemade. This casual restaurant also offers delicious desserts, such as dairy-free Tiramisu. This is definitely a place to try if you’re craving Asian-fusion!
Casanova
While it’s not a fully vegan restaurant, Casanova is famous for its traditional Francesinha, served with a vegan fried egg. This low-key cafe near the city centre also offers nostalgic Portuguese dishes, such as Chouriço e Alheira, two types of plant-based traditional Portuguese sausage. The restaurant has a dedicated vegan and vegetarian menu, making it easy to find suitable options. The desserts – especially the plant-based chocolate mousse – are also highly recommended. Casanova is a great option for those travelling with non-vegan friends and family!
Nem Carne Nem Peixe
Translated into English, the restaurant’s name means ‘neither meat nor fish’ – a perfect description of what’s on offer. Serving vegetarian versions of traditional Portuguese dishes that would normally contain meat or fish, this stylish restaurant with a pretty terrace has honed plant-based alternatives. Two excellent options are the Caldo verde, a traditional potato and cabbage soup topped with plant-based chorizo, and Tripas à moda do Porto, a stew with white beans, carrots, oyster mushrooms, and spices. A perfect place to try traditional Portuguese cuisine!
Jardineiro
Elegant and centrally located, Jardineiro serves plant-based versions of popular Western dishes. Set inside a hotel with a beautiful terrace and garden, the restaurant’s cosy atmosphere offers a quiet respite from the throngs. Among the most popular dishes are the Tagliatelle alla puttanesca, and the Tofu Wellington with mushrooms, roasted cauliflower purée, and mixed greens. A definite highlight is their delicious Pistachio Tiramisu, the perfect dessert to round off a wonderful meal.
A Padoca do Rosário
After a long day of sightseeing, what’s better than sitting in a cafe with a warm drink and a plate of pastries? Entering A Padoca do Rosário is a sensory experience: baked goods piled high, and the smell of savoury, vegan goodness. This bakery, cafe, grocery shop, and restaurant serves a delicious plant-based version of the famed Portuguese custard tart, Pastel de Nata, and yummy German-style jam doughnuts, called Bola de Berlim. A Padoca do Rosário also offers meals such as shakshuka and omelettes, as well as homemade pantry staples such as jams and nut butters. It’s definitely a must-visit for breakfast lovers!
Porto: where traditional cuisine meets vegan innovation
If you’re looking for plant-based versions of some of the best traditional Portuguese dishes, Porto is the city for you. There are plenty of delicious pitstops to keep you refuelled while you’re exploring the city. Porto’s thriving vegan scene proves that you can honour culinary traditions while embracing a sustainable, plant-based future. Check out our guide to Lisbon too if you’re planning to visit Portugal!
For more plant-based travel recommendations, check out our guides to Barcelona, Shanghai, Rio, Prague, Paris, Berlin, Budapest, London, Madrid, New York, Cape Town, Chiang Mai and Amsterdam.
Let us know if we’re missing any of your favourite spots in Porto! E-mail us at [email protected].
Giovanna Diniz
Communications Assistant
