Amazing Cocktail Bars in Porto & More

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So you’ve climbed the Clérigos Tower and stood in line for Livraria Lello and now you want to sip cocktails in Porto? Sounds about right!

From cocktails to rooftop bars, here are my favourite bars in Porto…

PORTO ESSENTIALS

Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld

Getting there: flight (Skyscanner), train (Omio), bus (Flixbus)

Porto activities: GetYourGuide

Getting around: walk / Metro / bus / taxi

Guidebook: Lonely Planet Porto

Best area for Porto bars

The best place for a night out in Porto is Rua de Galeria De Paris. After 10pm on Friday and Saturday, bars spill into the street with locals commonly sitting outside and tourists inside dancing.

This isn’t the place to come if you want to simply nurse a beer or sip cocktails in Porto. To hear yourself speak, avoid Rua de Galeria De Paris at least on weekends!

Porto bar crawls

If you’re travelling solo in Portugal or would rather explore Porto’s nightlife with a group and guide, take a 4-hour guided pub crawl for €20 including six drinks and entry to four venues. Tours like these are a great way to make friends with other travellers.

Best cocktail bars in Porto

If the nightclubs don’t sound like your scene, there are plenty of quieter and nicer bars where you can appreciate classy cocktails and Portuguese wines.

Here are a few excellent places to drink cocktails in Porto…

Royal Cocktail Club, Baixa

For a sophisticated ‘treat yourself’ cocktail bar in Porto, you can’t do better than the Royal Cocktail Club. The cocktails are some of the best I’ve had and, although it’s not cheap for Porto, it’s worth it. We were celebrating my friend’s 30 th birthday in Europe so it was worth it!

Ambience-wise, it’s a low-lit, intimate space with a marble bar and tiled floors. The cocktails are elegant but not over the top. I enjoyed the blossom cocktail with a sour melon flavour (€8).

Opening times: 7pm-2am, Sun-Thurs; 7pm-4am, Fri & Sat.

Address: Rua da Fábrica 105, 4050-247 Porto.

TerraPlana Café, Bonfim

After visiting the Royal Cocktail Club, I didn’t think I’d find better cocktails in Porto. I was wrong because this cool bar serves some of the most creative and unusual cocktails I’ve seen anywhere.

TerraPlana Café is slightly outside of the city centre, located in Bonfim neighbourhood. It’s worth visiting to try their wide range of cocktails from all your regular types (€6.50) and their own house concoctions starting at €9. It’s pricey for Porto but quite the cocktail experience.

If you want to study the menu before visiting (you’re my type of person!), head to the TerraPlana Café website. Ingredients include mezcal, cachaça, cherry heering liqueur, special reserve Port, Solero rum, cold brew coffee, rose water and more. Just wow.

TerraPlana also serve pizzas with creative toppings, several suitable for vegans in Porto. The pizza of the week is served for €10 including a wine or beer.

Opening times: 5-11pm, daiy.

Address: Avenue de Rodrigues de Freitas 287, 4000-421, Porto.

Foodie tip – time your visit around a fantastic dinner at Maus Habitos (pizza), Casa Guedes (meaty sandwiches) or Cafe Santiago / Brasão (both known for serving some of Porto’s best francesinhas). These restaurants are all near TerraPlana beside Jardim Marques de Oliveira.

Read next: 27 best Porto foods to try

More of the best bars in Porto

For bars that don’t specialise in cocktails, here are a few of my top picks including wine bars, quirky drinking holes and more.

Capela Incomum, Cedofeita – a quirky wine bar in Porto

For a cosy, intimate bar in Porto with a twist, waste no time in making your way to Capela Incomum. The name translates as ‘uncommon chapel’ and it’s certainly that!

This pale yellow chapel is now privately owned but has retained a few period features like the altar. In summer months, the front doors are open with tables spilling out into the courtyard. During winter, it’s a cosy vibe. Make sure to arrive early or book ahead as there are just a few tables that don’t cater well to large groups.

Capela Incomum doubles up as a well-stocked bottle shop. Buy bottles to take home or drink them at the bar. It’s mostly Portuguese wine, either from the Douro or Minho Valley. They also offer a selection of tapas dishes like croquettes and patatas bravas.

Address: 79-81, Travessa do Carregal 77, 4050-167 Porto.

Opening times: 4pm-12am daily.

Related read: drinking wine during a day trip to Douro Valley

Easy at Selina, Cedofeita

For a cool bar in Porto with a long cocktail list, swing by Selina to start your night. This venue is not only a bar but a restaurant, hostel and co-working space.

The Easy at Selina restaurant and bar has an inside and outside section, the latter with big shared tables and cool urban murals. Because it’s near the venue’s bedrooms, the outside area closes at 11pm.

Selina is one of Porto’s best cocktail bars based on the selection of drinks. From margs to Moscow mules and mimosas, the list is endless. I didn’t think the margaritas were amazing and my friend said she’d had better caipirinhas (don’t worry, I have a Porto bar for that coming up) but the Moscow mules were great and the Old Fashioned was insanely strong.

Cocktails cost €7-9.

Address: Rua Das Oliveiras 65, 4050-449 Porto.

Opening times: 8am-2am daily.

Maus Habitos, Baixa/Bonfim

Not only do Maus Habitos serve some of the best pizza in town (with almost as many veggie and vegan options as meat ones), but it’s also one of the best bars in Porto hosting live music events and resident DJs.

This bar and restaurant is cool from the offset, located on the top of an Art Deco car park. There’s a funky blue terrace for drinks and a spacious restaurant for food (and more drinks). They serve Italian food, Portuguese wines and cocktails. There’s a whole menu for caipirinhas made with different spirits.

Almost every night they host live music from DJs to jazz. Check the what’s on page. On weekends, it stays open ’til 6am.

Address: Rua de Passos Manuel 178 4º Piso, 4000-382 Porto.

Opening times: 6pm-12am, Mon; 12pm-12am, Tues & Weds; 12pm-2am, Thurs; 12pm-6am, Fri & Sat.

Bar Santa Cachaça, Marquês (best caipirinha cocktail in Porto)

Don’t visit Bar Santa Cachaça if you’re looking for a chic and stylish cocktail bar in Porto but DO visit for a quirky cocktail adventure.

This tiny bar measuring a few square metres can serve just a handful of guests at a time. What it lacks in size, it makes up for in atmosphere: every single inch of the bar is decorated with Brazilian-themed clutter from bottles of cachaça (a spirit made from fermented sugarcane) to hats, coconuts, art, even cuddly toucans!

Everything about this Porto bar is quirky and eclectic. Knowing a little Portuguese will go a long way with the owner who makes the best caipirinha in town for just €5.

Address: Rua de Santa Catarina 1191, 4000-457 Porto.

Opening times: 2.30-9pm, Mon-Sat. When I visited in November, it closed at 8pm which the owner told us were ‘winter hours’. It’s best to visit early just in case.

Candelabro, Cedofeita

Meaning ‘chandelier’, this bookshop bar with a classic, old-school feel is popular with local artists and creatives.

In the daytime, Cafe Candelabro is a relaxed cafe where you can borrow books from the shelves and read over coffee or tapas. In the evenings, the music goes up and it becomes a lively place.

Local wines start at €2! There are also beers and a few cocktails.

espresso martini COCKTAIL porto — Candelabro

La Boheme Entre Amis (Rua de Galeria De Paris)

This is a stylish bar in Porto’s main nightlife area serving a wide range of Portuguese wines and an equally impressive range of tapas dishes. They also make decent cocktails: I went for an espresso martini.

Visually, La Boheme entre Amis is moody and atmospheric with racks of wine and a wine cellar. It’s best visited during weekends as I recently went on a Thursday evening and found it a little quiet (but perhaps it’s busier in the summer months).

Address: Rua da Galeria de Paris 40, 4050-284 Porto.

Opening times: 6pm-2am, Sun-Thurs; 6pm-4am, Fri -Sat.

Still on my Porto bar wishlist…

Here are a few places with great ratings that I’m still planning to visit…

Casa do Livro – the Book House was sadly at maximum capacity last time I tried to visit. This cool venue actually used to be a book shop but now it’s a lively Porto club / bar known for live music and DJs.
The Gin House – this is my kind of house so I’m not sure why I haven’t made it here yet. As the name suggests, they serve hundreds of types of gin which can be drunk with tonic or as cocktails.
Bonaparte Downtown – this cool moody bar in Porto has a wide range of beers, wines and food amidst quirky decor.

Cheap & local Porto bars

Although I enjoy boujee Porto’s cocktail bars as much as the next 30-something, I also enjoy visiting a country and getting a feel for what it’s all about. There’s rarely a better way to do this than rubbing shoulders with the locals at a neighbourhood drinking hole.

For those travelling on a budget, have these affordable Porto bars on your radar!

Aduela, Cedofeita

This sunny yellow tavern with indoor and outdoor seating is located near Rua de Cedofeita, a local shopping street to rival Rua de Santa Catarina (the more touristic shopping street in Porto).

Although this part of town has become known for trendy cafes like Zenith (side note, one of my favourite places for brunch in Porto), it’s still managed to retain a local feel with businesses that have been around decades. One such place is Aduela with its huge range of Portuguese wines, beers and tapas dishes.

Wine starts from €2 a glass / €9 a bottle, then there’s sangria for €2 and mojitos for €5!

The food is just as affordable. Open sandwiches cost €4 for one person or €7 for two, overflowing with ingredients like brie, mozzarella, pesto, cherry tomato and smoked ham. Then, there are other Portuguese small plates, cheese & meat boards and desserts.

Whatever the time of day or weather, there will be locals and tourists drinking and dining outside Aduela. Long may they!

Address: Rua Das Oliveiras 36, 4050-448 Porto.

Opening times: 10am-2am apart from Sunday when it closes at midnight. On Sun & Mon, it opens at 3pm.

Embaixada do Porto, Baixa

This bar doesn’t look like much. You enter via the shop below and buy your first drink before making your way to the bar upstairs. Despite the no-frills vibe, it’s a cool venue with great views of the Chapel of Souls and regular live music.

I’ve visited twice: the first time a jazz band were playing and the second time a DJ was spinning retro tunes.

Embaixada do Porto also has a football table and a bar with plenty of budget-friendly drinks. On Wednesdays, they serve €3 pina coladas!

Address: Praça de Carlos Alberto 121, 4050-526 Porto.

Opening times: 11am-2am, Mon-Sat; 2pm-2am Sun.

Espaço 77, Cedofeita

70 cent beers! There’s not much else to say apart from don’t expect a fancy vibe. This is more of a student bar.

Rooftop bars in Porto

For a total contrast to student dive bars, let’s cover some of the best places in Porto to watch sunset with an ice-cold beverage in hand.

17th Bar & Restaurant, Baixa/Cedofeita

For fancy cocktails in Porto and some of the best cityscape views, visit 17th Bar & Restaurant. As the name might suggest, they also serve food but I’ve only visited for drinks. Margs and espresso martinis cost €9 upwards.

I believe if you want to dine inside, you need to book a table. In off-season, we easily bagged a table outside and settled down for sunset views.

If you’re looking for quirky and unusual bars in Porto, it might not fit the bill. The vibe is straight-up ‘fancy’ although I was intrigued by the Hendricks gin machine at the bar which looks like Breaking Bad meets the Mad Scientist!

Marg note from a marg lover (me) – not the best, not sure why there was a cherry in it!

Address: Rua do Bolhão 223, 4000-112 Porto.

Opening times: 12pm-2am daily.

Miradouro Ignez, Massarelos

Miradouro Ignez rooftop bar porto — Views and cocktails in Porto

This is one of my favourite rooftop bars in Porto. There’s a large terrace with lots of tables near the edge meaning it’s not difficult to bag one (though I’d still recommend arriving at least an hour before sunset in the summer).

Mojitos cost €7 or you can opt for beer, wine and soft drinks. As a group, we tucked into a bunch of tapas dishes including a meat and cheese platter and rissóis. These were fairly pricey as is to be expected from this type of bar. Still, this view can’t be sniffed at!

Address: Rua da Restauração 252, 4050-592 Porto.

Opening times: 11am-12am apart from Sundays when it closes at 8.30pm.

Porto Cruz, Gaia

Vila Nova de Gaia is known for port wineries. Once you’ve finished your cellar tour (or other port-related activity), pay a visit to Porto Cruz.

This port house isn’t a place to learn about the history or take tours. Instead, it’s a modern building where you can indulge in tasting packages including five ports and a cheeseboard for €25… With no one bothering you with historic facts!

Better yet is the rooftop bar. From here, you can see across to Porto and up to the Monastery of Serra do Pilar. As is to be expected, they serve all kinds of wines and port wines, plus sangria.

Address: Largo Miguel Bombarda 23, 4400-222 Vila Nova de Gaia.

Opening times: 11am-12am, Tues-Sat; 11am-7pm, Sun; closed Mon.

Like Port? Taking a Porto day trip to the Douro Valley is the best way to try port & Douro wine

Craft beer in Porto

Only recently have I come to appreciate craft beer. These are the best-renowned craft breweries in Porto but to be honest, I’d be winging it if I pretended to know much about beer. Let the experts, Taste Porto, show you around during their craft beer and food tour!

A Fábrica da Picaria, Cedofeita

Not to be confused with the Porto pastel de nata cafes and coffee roasteries of the same name (fabrica means ‘factory’), A Fábrica da Picaria is a craft brewpub on Rua da Picaria, a popular street in Porto with lots of great restaurants.

On the menu you can find various types of craft beer including 4 hops APA, tropical IPA, blonde beer and Pilsener. 20cl glasses start from €1.70 and 40cl ones start from €3.

If you prefer wine, they serve a selection from Northern Portugal’s Douro Valley. Line your stomach with burgers, cheese and meat boards and classic Porto dishes like francesinhas.

Address: Rua da Picaria 72, 4050-477 Porto.

Opening times: 5pm-12am, Mon-Thurs; 5am-2pm, Fri & Sat.

Letraria, Bonfim

Letraria is a fantastic brewpub in Porto serving more than 100 (!!) types of beer and boasting one of the city’s best hidden gardens.

As well as 20 beers on tap, there are various bottled beers and cans. In the summer months, the spacious garden in Bonfim is the ideal place to sample them alongside tapas dishes or, if you’re really hungry, burgers and francesinhas.

Address: Rua da Alegria 101, 4000-042 Porto.

Opening times: 4pm-12am daily.

Armazém da Cerveja – Craft Beer Bar & Shop, Bonfim

If you’re in Bonfim visiting Letraria, you may as well walk 1 minute around the corner for a pint at Armazém da Cerveja. Although it lacks the garden setting, it’s a chill bar with funky murals on the walls. After you’ve decided on your favourite craft beer, buy a few bottles to take home.

Address: Rua Formosa 130, 4000-254 Porto.

Opening times: 12am-4pm daily.

Carmo Brewery, Baixa

Despite the name, Carmo Brewery is a brewpub rather than a brewery (meaning they don’t brew onsite) but don’t let that stop you sipping a beer in the sun, overlooking ‘grammable Igreja do Carmo. Try the Nautica chocolate beer!

Address: Praça de Carlos Alberto 124, 4050-159 Porto.

Opening times: 2pm-2am daily.

Fado bars in Porto

Meaning ‘fate’ in Latin, this typical Portuguese music could be described as melancholy although the exact meaning doesn’t quite translate. The lyrics tell of heartbreak and social injustice… Concepts most of us can relate to!

Galerias de Paris – this is one of the most authentic places to watch fado in Porto. You even get to meet and greet the singers. Book a ticket for €16 including a glass of port wine.

Casa da Guitarra – where better to watch fado than at a bar translating as ‘house of guitars’? Book your ticket in advance as it gets busy, probably due to its prime location beside Luís I Bridge.

Bars in Porto with live music

There’s nothing quite like the atmosphere of live music. If you feel the same, be sure to check out…

Rua Tapas & Music Bar Porto

Rua means ‘street’ in Portuguese so when my friend suggested we go dancing in Rua, I responded ‘which one?’. Turns out he meant RUA Tapas & Music Bar Porto, a bar in Cedofeita with strong caipirinha cocktails and live bands.

Look down while on the dancefloor and you’ll notice cobbed bricks. At Rua, you really are dancing in the street!

Address: Tv. de Cedofeita 24, 4050-448 Porto.

Opening times: 7.30pm-1am weekdays and 4am weekends.

Mirajazz

Up an ancient staircase on the outskirts of the city, this hidden gem is a cool rooftop bar with regular live jazz bands.

Unlike some rooftop bars in Porto, Mirajazz is an affordable, no-frills place. Glasses of wine start from €3 and port tonic cocktails are just €5. Watch sunset while being serenaded by jazz, either live or played from a speaker depending on the night you visit.

Find it up a flight of stairs near the Mira mural, one of my favourite pieces of Porto street art.

Address: Escadas do Caminho Novo 11, 4050-554 Porto.

Opening times: 3-9pm, Tues-Sun.

Thanks for reading!

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TRUSTED RESOURCES FOR VISITING PORTUGAL

Getting there by air – I use Skyscanner to find the best-value flights, using the ‘search by month’ tool to find the cheapest dates. You can also use the ‘to anywhere’ feature if you’re flexible on where you’re going.

Driving in Europe – use Rentalcars.com to compare car rentals in European countries (and all around the world).

For trains, I use Omio. The search feature allows you to compare prices, and they show live departure times on the website. This is also a handy tool to compare trains and buses in one search.

For buses, I use FlixBus. Find journeys between European countries from €1!

For hotels and self-catering apartments, I use Booking.com. You can filter by review score and price to find the best-rated budget places. For hostels, I use Hostelworld.com.

Browse tours and activities on GetYourGuide.

To save money on accommodation, I use Trusted Housesitters, a website that connects homeowners going away and travellers who can sit their homes & pets.

Need travel insurance? I use True Traveller (for UK & Europe residents) since it’s some of the most affordable insurance out there but still covers everything you’d need including various activities, valuables and pre-existing conditions. Unlike some companies, they insure you if you’re already travelling / don’t yet have your flight home booked. Get a quote.

For travel insurance for other nationalities, I recommend Hey Mundo and for long-term digital nomad travellers, I suggest Safety Wing.

Check out my resources page for more travel discounts and budget tips from my 10+ years on the road!
TRUSTED RESOURCES FOR VISITING PORTUGAL

Getting there by air – I use Skyscanner to find the best-value flights, using the ‘search by month’ tool to find the cheapest dates. You can also use the ‘to anywhere’ feature if you’re flexible on where you’re going.

Driving in Europe – use Rentalcars.com to compare car rentals in European countries (and all around the world).

For trains, I use Omio. The search feature allows you to compare prices, and they show live departure times on the website. This is also a handy tool to compare trains and buses in one search.

For buses, I use FlixBus. Find journeys between European countries from €1!

For hotels and self-catering apartments, I use Booking.com. You can filter by review score and price to find the best-rated budget places. For hostels, I use Hostelworld.com.

Browse tours and activities on GetYourGuide.

Need travel insurance? I use True Traveller (for UK & Europe residents) since it’s some of the most affordable insurance out there but still covers everything you’d need including various activities, valuables and pre-existing conditions. Unlike some companies, they insure you if you’re already travelling / don’t yet have your flight home booked. Get a quote.

For travel insurance for other nationalities, I recommend Hey Mundo and for long-term digital nomad travellers, I suggest Safety Wing.

Check out my resources page for more travel discounts and budget tips from my 10+ years on the road!

Europe