Tucked away on a narrow cobblestone street alongside the São Bento train station is the restaurant Tapabento. This charming tapas restaurant offers a wide variety of home-cooked food, served in a warm and welcoming ambiance. The easiest way to find the restaurant is to look for the crowd of people standing in the street to the left of the train station entrance, as they are most likely waiting for a table to open up at Tapabento.
Tapabento is a family-owned business and a labor of love of the owner Isabel, who will most likely be the one to greet you at the door. Her personality is warm and outgoing, and she welcomes diners to the restaurant as if she were welcoming you into her home. Although the restaurant space is tiny, the same can’t be said for the menu, which is full of a broad range of Portuguese, Spanish and other Mediterranean inspired food. Dishes include a velvety roasted pumpkin soup, classic Spanish tortilla, foie gras toast, citrus marinated tuna toast, sauteed mushrooms and glazed Alentejo black pork cheeks – and those are just the starters! Main dishes include a tasty duck breast, vegetarian wild rice, curried seafood stew, and traditional baked cod. Other daily specials and seasonal dishes are offered, so be sure to ask your server about any additions to the menu.
The one thing you should not miss out on at Tapabento is the Peanut Foam on the dessert menu. The name does not fully do it justice, as it is a heavenly treat made with layers of peanut mousse and ice cream, drizzled with melted caramel sauce, and topped with peanut brittle – it tastes like a sophisticated Snickers candy bar. This dessert is a perfect end to a delicious and comforting meal.
Demand is high for the small number of tables in this cozy restaurant and even the handful of seats at the bar fill up quickly, so reservations are a must.
- Rua da Madeira, 222
- Porto, Portugal
- Phone: +351 222 034 115 / 912 881 272
- Website: Tapabento
Photo credit: © Christopher Pappas · All rights reserved.
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