11 Best Restaurants in Northern Portugal, Portugal

Worth a trip for its stunning location and prize-winning design, this restaurant is also renowned for its regional cuisine. Perched in the Serra Amarela, 12 km (7½ miles) from Terras de Bouro, the long building slots into the surrounding slate, its terrace affording panoramic views of the valley of the Rio Homem. Outstanding main dishes include tender barrosã steak. The dessert menu has family recipes as well as standards such as pudim do Abade de Priscos (egg-and-almond pudding) and ricotta with pumpkin jam.

Vila do Conde native Paulo André has worked with top chefs around Portugal; he is now applying his evident talent just steps from the Rio Ave, producing eye-catching, delicious creations from the best local ingredients. Signature mains include sea bass with creamy clam-and-prawn rice, garnished with seaweed and trout roe, and the equally sophisticated bacalhau and octopus creations. In addition, you can order meat dishes such as duck magret with wild mushroom and truffle risotto, offset with tangy Azores cheese, and lamb carré with a pistachio crust and mustard and honey sauce. The desserts don't disappoint, either: try the dense Guinness cake with honeycomb, berries and salted caramel ice cream, or passion-fruit tart with saffron and dill, accompanied by pineapple sorbet. 

In an old mansion across from the old cathedral, this family-run establishment starts you out with a complimentary aperitif in the wood-paneled reception area lined with antique bookshelves. The place is imbued with old-world elegance, from the ornate silver candlesticks to the fine crystal and lace tablecloths. The menu features house-made starters such as alheira sausage and regional dishes that include pheasant, javalí (wild boar), and cabrito assado (roast kid). For dessert, try the pudim do Abade de Baçal, a chestnut-based take on caramel pudding. Reservations are a good idea on weekends, especially in summer.

In a residential area away from the center, this spacious, well-appointed restaurant is known for its hearty regional dishes such as cabrito assado (roasted kid), arroz de marisco (seafood rice), or bacalhau à lagareiro (fish baked with olive oil and garlic and served with tiny baked potatoes). Wash it down with some robust local wine.

Vendors from the town's weekly market favor this rustic restaurant with its wooden ceiling, wrought-iron chandeliers, and vases of fresh flowers. Grelhados (grilled meats and fish) are prepared in full view of hungry customers on a huge range that splutters and hisses. Other regional dishes served here include rojões (tender fried pork) and papas de sarrabulho, a stew thickened with pig's blood.

On one of the city's most scenic squares, this handsome eatery across from the Museu de Alberto Sampaio has tables in a wood-paneled dining room and beneath the arches of a cobbled courtyard. Portuguese specialties include bacalhau roasted with a cornbread crust, posta à Trás-os-montes (steak, marinated with garlic and then grilled), and prime cuts of porco preto (from the Iberian black pig).

On the iconic square of Largo do Toural, this venerable eatery serves tasty regional dishes—the bacalhau baked with cheese and potato slices and the breaded octopus are fantastic—at prices that won't break the bank. Wash it down with some very drinkable house wine.

Named for the black cat on its tiled facade, this sleek, family-run restaurant on Régua's main street, next to the Museu do Douro specializes in traditional Douro cuisine. Favorites include cabrito assado (roasted kid), which locals line up for once the tourists are gone, but there are also well-priced dishes of the day.

This longtime favorite, overlooking a pleasant riverside garden, has walls that are adorned with old guitars, carvings of saints, ceramic birds, and vintage books—you know the kind of place. In warm weather the terrace out front is a great place to dine on some of the best seafood in town, though it is not cheap.

You wouldn't know it from the bright, modern decor, but O Laranjeira is Viana's oldest pensão, and its restaurant serves some of the best traditional Minho cuisine around. The business is now in the hands of the third generation, who are innovating while respecting tradition and preserving the soul of the place. Any of the fresh fish dishes is a good option, but so is the roasted kid.

Overlooking the Rio Cávado, 4 km (2.5 miles) from Esposende, Sra. Peliteiro is housed in the clubhouse of a golf course, where players often stay on to enjoy the octopus, bacalhau, and hearty meat dishes produced by the eponymous chef, Paula Peliteiro. It's not just the usual regional fare: there's also a rump-steak tagine and Brazilian-style prawn moqueca, and a good range of desserts, both traditional and modern.