The 17 best bars in Porto right now

This new nightspot is found on Rua José Falcão, housed in the Arab building of the former Depósito de Materiais da Companhia de Cerâmica das Devesas (a monument in Porto). There's graffiti on the walls, signature cocktails and a menu of sumptuous appetisers to go alongside. You'll want to stay for hours, and you should – just be ready to stumble home. 

Gulden Draak Bierhuis Porto is the team's first official bar in Portugal, and the second in the world (the other is in Prague). There's plenty of beer and plenty of delicious finger food to go with it.

At Meridians & Parallels, cocktails are at the centre of everything – but not in a conventional way. There is no menu here. Instead, there are several books with recipes and photographs of classic cocktails, from which you choose what you fancy drinking. All in all, there are over a thousand cocktail options, all priced at €6. If you're undecided, there's a slate on the counter that gives you different suggestions every day, including some more unusual ones. As well as cocktails, there's beer on tap, shots for €1 and a selection of spirits that can go up to €18. On the first Sunday of every month, there's live music from local band 45 de Fevereiro. It's also pet friendly. 

The beer is good, the space is great and the appetisers are even better. One of Lisbon's favourite beer brands has opened its doors on Passeio das Virtudes, facing the Douro. They have 15 taps, eight of which are filled with their own beers and the rest with guests. From the semi-open kitchen comes sandwiches, burgers and the likes, but the vibes really amp up in the evening, when the little tables get folded down to make room for a boogie. 

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.

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. 

Porto’s original early-evening drinking spot, Candelabro was founded in 2009 and quickly became an essential post-work stop. So it remains: any evening you’ll find locals hanging out by the door, chattering and relaxing after a busy day. Known for its Portuguese wines and gins, as well as its delicious grilled sandwiches, this is also an ideal place for book lovers: there’s an in-house bookshop where you can pick up a second-hand read to pair with your drink.

The first Bonaparte bar opened in Foz in 1977, and this Downtown spin-off Irish bar followed in 2016. From its older sibling, the bar inherited features such as the antique-covered walls and the dim lighting, making this an appealing choice on grey-skied days. It serves a range of beer, whiskey, cocktails and wine, which you can enjoy on their own or pair with one of the dishes prepared by chef Mário Rodrigues.

The Páteo das Flores, housed in a late-18th-century nobleman’s home, boasts a list of more than 100 Portuguese wines and a menu of snacks (priced from €4 to €18) ranging from amêijoas à Bulhão Pato (clams with coriander and garlic), francesinha em massa folhada (a pastry variant of Porto’s famed multi-layered sandwich), tuna tartare with soy and recurrant sauce, scrambled eggs with oyster mushrooms and truffle-flavoured olive oil, peixinhos da horta (battered, fried runner beans) and sweetpotato chips. If you want to see and be seen, position yourself on the terrace; if you prefer a lower profile, plump for one of the high chairs in the front room.

To passers-by, it’s just an old nineteenth-century chapel. But step inside and you’ll realise this is indeed a place of worship– to Bacchus, the god of wine. At Capela Incomum, you can admire the inside of the church, complete with altar, while enjoying a glass of wine: the star of the menu, though other popular drinks include craft beer and sangria. And every other Thursday, this charming place reverberates with live fado performances.

Unsurprisingly, Letraria is a craft beer lover’s haven. You’ll find over 100 types of draught and bottled beer here to try, organised alphabetically – from Portuguese brands like Sovina Lupum and the bar’s namesake Letra to foreign beers like the Japanese Kiuchi. There are two indoor areas with seating for you to have a drink, but most people flock to the back garden. Letraria also has a snack and appetiser menu, and waiters are happy to advise on the best nibble-and-tipple combinations.

Terraplana became famous for its spacious terrace, which is perfect on a warm summer’s night – but it also has an indoor area for chillier days. The drinks menu is extensive and includes many signature cocktails, changing frequently thanks to the bar’s use of seasonal ingredients. Alternatively, you can pick from many different international beers, wines and vermouths – all while vibing on some rock, blues or Portuguese music. For the hungrier folk, between 7pm and 11pm, they serve pizza. Otherwise you can get sharing platters and snacks all night.

Miradouro Ignez has become a regular hang-out for many locals thanks to its splendid river view. The open terrace facing the city – great for photosynthesising on sunny days – invites you to contemplate the boats crossing the Douro while enjoying a classic cocktail. Keep an eye out for the bar’s regular sunset parties too.

As the name suggests, jazz rules this bar, and it’s the only music genre you’ll hear while you’re there. There’s live jazz every Saturday and Sunday, between 5pm and 7pm, and shows take place more frequently in the summer. Drinks-wise, you can order wines from different regions in Portugal by the glass, to wash down one of the bar’s tasty grilled sandwiches while you enjoy the music. You can also buy bottles of wine to take home. The best part is the setting, on a balcony overlooking the Douro river.

Porto loves football, and if you’re after a place to watch it (or most other sports), Adega Sports Bar is your jam. The décor matches the vibe, with scarves from different football clubs and roller hockey sticks lining the walls and the ceiling. Why not play a round of snooker or table football before the game starts? And, of course, they serve a variety of Portuguese, international and craft beers to go with the all the fun.

This former bookshop has been converted into a Porto nightlife classic. At Casa do Livro, where previously only books were sold – they now feature in the décor – you’ll find cocktails, wine, beer and even some hot drinks. You can dance to tunes picked by one of the many guest DJs, but if you’re after a more chilled out evening, they often have jazz, samba or soul gigs.