Early Morning Porto
Places that suit an early start
The market and a few cafes are at their best early. These places suit an early start, either because they open early or because the morning is the better time. Check each page for opening hours.
16 places
All year When
The places
Cafe · Cedofeita Café Piolho A student café on the square near the university, open since 1909 and known as Piolho. Students leave messages on the walls.
Cafe · Cedofeita Café Ceuta A coffee house built in 1953 and designed by architect Carlos Neves, with lampshades and decoration referring to the conquest of Ceuta. It's one of the few 1950s cafés still running in the city.
Market · Bolhão and Santa Catarina Bolhão Market The city's central municipal market on Rua Formosa, with fresh produce stalls and a separate food-service area with longer hours.
Church · Bolhão and Santa Catarina Chapel of Souls An early 18th-century chapel whose exterior was covered in azulejos in 1929, with scenes from the lives of Saint Francis of Assisi and Saint Catherine. It was restored in 1982.
Cafe · Bolhão and Santa Catarina Confeitaria do Bolhão A bakery and pastry shop founded in 1896, with a restaurant on another floor serving set menus and daily dishes.
Market · Matosinhos Matosinhos Municipal Market Municipal market hall in central Matosinhos. The east and west gates stay open until midnight from Tuesday to Saturday to serve the restaurants.
Cafe · Foz do Douro Café Moreira A neighbourhood café founded in 1964, known in Foz for its pastries and cakes.
Cafe · Foz do Douro Padaria Formosa A bakery in Foz open since 1898, baking bread and broa in a wood-fired oven. It also sells bolo-rei, sponge cake, convent sweets, jams and honey.
Cafe · Baixa and Aliados Padaria Ribeiro A bakery near the Clérigos area that has traded since 1878. It sells bread and pastries to take away.
Cafe · Bolhão and Santa Catarina Nata Lisboa A café on Rua de Santa Catarina that sells mainly pastéis de nata, a Lisbon-style custard tart.
Food · Cedofeita Café Luso A café, restaurant and beer house on Praça de Carlos Alberto, open since 1935 and restored in 2010. The house specialities are the francesinha and salt cod, and there is a smaller room downstairs with outdoor seating.
Cafe · Baixa and Aliados Confeitaria Serrana A pastry shop on Rua do Loureiro with a ceiling painting by Acácio Lino and an iron staircase to a first floor with sculptures. It is known for its large bolas de Berlim, a filled doughnut.
Food · Massarelos Cervejaria Galiza A large beer hall on Rua do Campo Alegre with a long counter, serving francesinha, cod Galiza, steak and fresh seafood.
Cafe · Boavista Confeitaria Petúlia A pastry shop open since 1972, known for its bolo-rei. It also sells cheese, cold cuts, chocolates and wine.
Food · Foz do Douro Adega Rio Douro A tasca also known as Tasca da Piedade, serving Portuguese snacks such as cod fritters, beef rissoles, pork stomach and breaded escalopes near the Douro.
Food · Ribeira A Marina A family-run restaurant in a granite building on the Ribeira quay, serving homemade Portuguese food.
