While Lisbon has been seeing natural wine venues pop up over the past 4 years, it took quite a while for Porto, Portugal’s second largest city, to get up to speed. Things are finally on the move, and this city is a must visit when in Portugal. Porto is the perfect destination if you’re in the mood for a weekend trip in Europe. Even with a growing tourist scene, the city still has an authentic touch, remains exotic, and true to itself.
While roaming around the city, you’ll discover many streets left untouched, much like postcard pictures of colored houses that you may imagine when you think of Porto. Not to mention, there’s the Douro river, Eiffel bridge, Monastery da Serra do Pilar, beautiful granite houses, and churches everywhere.
The great news? It’s easier than ever to find a nice hotel or a great place to eat and drink! There are now 13 establishments on the Raisin map where you will find farm-to-table restaurants who focus on simplicity, seasonality, local, and often organic food. These places of course champion natural wines, a majority of which are from a new wave of young winemakers who are working to change the wine scene’s traditional image. Among all of them, we’d like to list a few that you should definitely try:
Miguel Viseu (Saravá wine) who makes an amazing Loureiro. @sarava.wine
Tiago Sampaio (Folias de Baco) whose wine signature is extra crisp and tailored for acidity lovers. @folias_de_baco
Aline Domingues (Menina d’Uva), a French and Portuguese young woman on a mission to put Planalto Mirandês wines on Portugal’s map. @meninaduva
Pedro Marques (Vale da Capucha) makes wines from the Torres Vedras area with an aromatic complexity and acidity that is so special. @pedro_valcapucha
António Madeira makes smooth wines from the heart of the Dão region. @dao.antonio.madeira
As we’ve mentioned many times before, natural wine is not just a trend, but a way of life that is linked to organic nutrition and sustainability – one of the many reasons we love it!
We have also picked a few venues that are very representative of the natural wine energy and spirit. All of them are recommended on the Raisin app, meet our 30% natural wine minimum, and all of them have been tested by members of the Raisin team. Some of these venues are a little off the beaten path, but definitely worth the visit. Say hi for us!
🥂 Cave Bombarda:
You’ll find a wonderful Portuguese natural wine selection in this wine shop, and it also happens to have some of the cheapest prices in Porto (some bottles as little as 8 euros)! Saràva, Menina d’Uva, Phaunus range from Aphros Wines, and many more. The owner knows all the winemakers by heart and will be able to guide you through a large variety of regions and tell you all about the very large selection of indigenous grape varieties from Portugal. If you plan on staying in the city for a few days and want to stock up on a few bottles, this is one of the places you should go!
Cave Bombarda: Rua de Miguel Bombarda 285, 4050-381 Porto / @cavebombarda
🍰 Manna Porto:
Such a great wine selection, but don’t miss out on their home-made coffee! This is a breakfast & lunch venue that doubles as a bookstore as well as a yoga location in a newly renovated building! The owner, Helder, and his wife have a real sense of design and you can feel it all over the place. Manna Porto is filled with very friendly people and fabulous food in a very cozy environment. Go for the Socca dish, the soup of the day, and the homemade breads. If the weather’s nice, ask to be outside! They have a very nice patio where you can soak up the sun. We highly recommend the wonderful vegan chocolate cake, but you can’t go wrong!
Manna Porto: Rua da Conceição 60, Porto. / @mannaporto
🧀 Cave do Bon Vivant:
If you’re looking for a little piece of France in Porto, this is the place for you. Stan, the owner, has a goal in mind: convert more and more people to natural wine. Stan is a very joyful character who loves to share his discoveries and make you taste wines you’ve never had before. French, Portuguese, Italian, Georgian… there are plenty of great bottles to try, at what could be the largest natural wine selection in town. With Ganevat, Tissot, and Philippe Tessier on the shelves, it’s a good place to treat yourself. They even have cheese and charcuterie boards to enjoy. It’s a place to make yourself at home, and one that you just can’t miss. We love it!
A cave do bon vivant: Rua de Santa Catarina 763, 4000-466 Porto. / @acavedobonvivant
☕️ Época Café:
Known for their amazing pancakes, the best bread in town, and fabulous lattes! If you’re looking for a wonderful place to have breakfast, lunch, or brunch in Porto, head to Época! Their natural wine selection started from customers who asked for it, and it’s quickly expanding. They even plan to hold wine tastings very soon!
época café: Rua do Rosário 22, 4050-519 Porto. / @epocaporto
👍 Taberna Folias de Baco:
If you haven’t tasted Tiago Sampaio’s wines, you must, and this is the place to go for them in Porto. The winemaker opened this restaurant to offer simple and unpretentious flavors that highlight the quality of the food, made with authentic and seasonal products from local, sustainable farmers. You can taste the quality! You can also pick from 2 different menus: one made of meat specialties from the Alto Douro region, or go for the vegan menu which is just as delicious! The wines come directly from Tiago’s manually harvested organic vineyards, made with minimum intervention in the cellar, that pair perfectly with the cuisine. Vibrant and crisp are qualities that make Tiago’s wines so special.
Taberna Folias de Baco: Rua dos Caldeireiros 136, 4050-138 Porto. / @folias_de_baco
⭐ theLAB @ Catavino:
The owner Ryan is a natural wine pioneer in the city, making this venue a true original: “We focus on low-intervention wines where the wine producer cares for the land, and people first.” If you want to see how loved theLAB is in Porto, just check their comments on the Raisin app. “Fab place, a much needed addition to Porto’s fairly staid wine scene. Super interesting selection of lesser known Portuguese natural wines from North to South. Ryan’s enthusiasm is infectious, and he’s a wonderful guide through not just great wine, but craft beverages of all kinds,” says Simon J. Woolf, and he hit the nail on the head! If you’re shopping for natural wine in Porto, this is another one that you can’t miss. The prices are also great!
theLAB @ Catavino: R. do Bonjardim 1206, 4000-133 Porto. / @thelab.porto