The best bars in Porto

Aduela is probably the best known and loved spot for after-work refreshments in Porto, and it's a good place to sample Portuguese wines from several regions at affordable prices; you can also try sangria or moscatel (the sweet wine from the southern region of Setúbal – ask for ice cubes in summer. There’s also classic Portuguese sandwiches, featuring things like tremoços and grissini. If the terrace is full, follow the locals: ask for a drink and sit on the street.

The music drifting down from the upper floor fades as you descend the stairs into this hideaway in central Porto – a secret spot revealed only once you book. After following a few clues to find the entrance, you arrive at Apotecário, a speakeasy-style bar that opened in early 2025 and offers a genuinely unique, tailored experience, with cocktails created for each guest by bartender Pedro Duarte. The space is cosy and intimate, and the whole idea is that this ‘flavour laboratory’ serves the right drink for each person, depending on their mood that day and what they’re into. There’s no fixed menu, and each cocktail starts at €15. Well worth it. 

Time Out tip: Note that bookings are made through Apotecário’s website. From there, you’ll receive all the details you need to find this hidden spot.

Inside the Maison Albar – Le Monumental Palace on Avenida dos Aliados lies a little spot that transports you straight to the Roaring Twenties, thanks to its cocktails and an atmosphere inspired by the original American speakeasies. The cocktail menu at Bar Américain channels the era’s bold, rebellious energy. There are also delicious small plates prepared by chef Julien Montbabut, the hotel’s executive chef and head of Le Monument, which has held a Michelin star since 2022.

Barbarita brings together two worlds – those of Bárbara Carvalho and Rita Aragão – who teamed up with a shared dream: to open a tapas bar. And we mean Portuguese tapas, of course. At No. 366 on Rua de Santo Ildefonso, right in the centre of Porto, Barbarita is a cosy spot serving classic petiscos, personalised cocktails, wine and a gentle hint of beach vibes. Try bacalhau à Barbarita, petinga with cornbread, alheira migas and their Barbarita potatoes, which pack in all the flavours of a francesinha. As for the cocktails, there’s plenty to choose from – and if you can’t decide, they’ll happily mix one tailored just for you.

As soon as Porto caught on to the craft beer hype, it spread quickly: there are now a ton of quality brands and breweries all over the country, and new ones keep popping up all the time. You can grab the good ones at the Catraio CraftBeerShop, a venue for (mostly Portuguese) craft beer, where you’ll find Porto beers Sovina and Burguesa, Minho’s Letra, Lisbon’s Passarola and Oitava Colina or Trás-os- Montes’s Gíria, and many others. The staff are always eager to offer advice, and if you taste a good one you should definitely grab a pack to take home with you.