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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Chef Henrique Sá Pessoa has followed up the success of his Lisbon-based restaurant Tapisco with a second location in the heart of Porto. Best known for his 2-star Michelin restaurant Alma in Lisbon, chef Sá Pessoa continues to expand his culinary empire with the opening of this restaurant in Porto in September 2018.

The name Tapisco is a play on words that is a combination of “tapas” (from Spain) and “petiscos” (from Portugal). Tapisco is a casual restaurant that celebrates the Iberian cuisine and small plates that are a tradition in both Spain and Portugal. While both Tapisco locations are a departure from the formal setting of his highly acclaimed Alma, the restaurants still retain a level of sophistication and deliver a modern fine dining experience that is more laid back.

The menu includes a variety of traditional Spanish and Portuguese dishes, including Spanish tortilla (Tortilla de Patatas), Iberian ham (Jamón Ibérico), garlic shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo), lentil stew (Estofado de Lentejas), baby clams (Amêijoas à Bulhão), and salted codfish (Bacalhau à Brás and Bacalhau à Lagareiro). Chocolate lovers will want to leave room for the Dark Chocolate Mousse that is served with olive oil and fleur de sel. The bar also serves a full complement of drinks, including a selection of Vermouth, signature cocktails, Spanish and Portuguese wines, and beer.

Tapisco is located in the heart of the city, just a short walk from the São Bento train station. It is open daily from noon to midnight.

• Rua Mouzinho da Silveira, 165
• Porto, Portugal
• Phone: 222 080 783
• Website: Tapisco

Photo credit: Tapisco

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