An excellent neighborhood restaurant by Michelin starred chef José Avillez. Lots of tastes and textures everywhere, and vegetarian dishes like the Mushroom Risotto. Particularly good were the Marinated Scallops on an avocado cream, and Oven Roasted Cheese from Nisa. The "Prego" steak sandwich is an excellent variant of a local favorite. Prawns à Bulhão Pato and Cod Nuggets lacked inspiration. The desserts are decadent, the Chocolate is a cup of delight, be sure to spoon to the bottom, and Cantinho chocolate cake has a center you will enjoy. Service was excellent in the old house wood paneled dining room. The wine list is a curated local collection. read more

See all

This place is an absolute must when you're in Portugal! Cozy atmosphere with excellent food! This is a restaurant that Anthony Bourdain went to in his Portugal episode. We came around 6pm on a Tuesday with no reservations and was able to sit at the bar (2 people). They were able to seat three parties of 2 at the bar and afterwards were turning away any parties that did not have a reservation. So I would definitely recommend making a reservation or going right when they open to sit at the bar! This meal was absolutely so comforting, we ordered the bread service to start and it came with these two sauces (one truffle) that were so worth it. We ordered the octopus ceviche and green bean tempura to start. The octopus was so fresh and refreshing! The tempura was a little heavy for me. For mains we ordered the bifana and risotto. The beef in the sandwich was super tender however our favorite was the risotto. If you get fries on the side of the bifana this is an extra charge, however the whole meal is so cheap that you probably won't even notice. read more

See all

We had a great dinner at Cantinho do Avillez, 3 appetizers, a main and a desert - with a couple mocktails and a glass of port. Highly recommend the fried beans with tartar sauce, the tartar sauce is truly fantastic. The fried cod bites were also really perfectly cooked, fish'n'chips bites from heaven. The oven baked cheese was also fantastic, the tomato chutney with it was reminiscent of a good greek saganaki with figs. Only complaint there is that their serving dish isn't cast iron so it gets cold pretty quick, need to eat it while it's hot! Lastly we had chocolate cake with strawberry gelato - paired with a port wine - for dessert. This was really fantastic, and I'd highly recommend saving room for it. Service was nice and efficient, not overly conversant but pleasant. read more

See all

For all the hype and accolades, I was disappointed in this place. Making a reservation was easy online, but the food was bland, the device poor and the space dark and crowded. A very cold host walked me to my table very close to other guests. After a long wait, my order was taken. I got the fried green beans and the steak sandwich. After around 45-60 minutes, my food finally came. Both dishes were underwhelming and bland. I'd save your money and skip this spot. Done at Mito instead- best mela I had while in Porto. read more

See all

A nice little neighborhood bistro type restaurant. Based on a recommendation from the Michelin guide, we headed over this way with a reservation which is highly recommended. Reservations are a must to get a spot at this location pretty much anytime of the day. This area close to downtown is easier walking than trying to drive and park which can be exceptionally tight. We were pleasantly greeted and quickly seated. We enjoyed the starter of the green beans followed by the traditional steak sandwich with a side of pomme frites. We had been to the sister restaurant in Lisbon and had a five star experience. The food here was good, but nothing special and unfortunately the service was a little spotty too so our experience was not overwhelmingly favorable. We also found the pricing a little high for the quality. read more

We had our last meal in Portugal at this restaurant, and it was the best! The dishes we ordered were all very tasty, including Sautéed Scallops with Portobello Mushrooms Risotto, Brazilian Seafood Stew, and Duck Red Curry. read more

See all

We had a 6:00 reservation, so we definitely beat the crowds.Food was excellent, service too. Overall a very nice experience. Keep in mind that in Portugal, when the waitress asks if you want bread, you will be charged! read more

I'd read reviews that were mostly positive but several saying the food wasn't creative enough, etc. I'm going to agree with those folks and say it's nothing to write home about really. It was good food but for the money there are much better values in Porto. The biggest complaint I have was the lack of attentiveness by our server. Luckily the water was right behind me or we would have never had refills during our meal. He was just bad all around and for a restaurant like this you expect 5 star service. We went to DOP the night before and the service was over the top, so going from that experience to one guy that mostly ignored us was quite the shocker. We were in Porto for 5 nights and this was the biggest disappointment for the restaurants we chose. We tried the Cantinho do Avillez in Lisbon several years ago and it was a better experience. read more

See all

Such a great local find. Stopped by this restaurant at the recommendation of hotel concierge. Was a great experience. Came for the octopus but loved every item on the menu. read more

See all

Everything we ate here was delicious. We had the BEST octopus here! We also tried their mushroom risotto and hazelnut dessert and everything was so good. Service was great and spoke English/Spanish as well. Tip: make a reservation in advance before coming. read more

Cantinho do Avillez - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

Was recommended this restaurant by a friend, and he didn't steer me wrong! I sat at the bar for lunch and had a really fantastic meal. The lunch menu is a great deal, ranging from 16 to 24 euros, where you can choose between multi courses, including couvert (get this, the variety of breads and dips were great), a glass of wine, and coffee. I had all of this, with an appetizer and entree, a much larger lunch than planned, but all incredible. Loved the prawns cooked in garlic and the rapini rice, which was like risotto. Really nice ambiance and friendly wait-staff as well. read more

See all

I see why this restaurant got a Michelin star; the food was PERFECT. The fried green beans were so good when complimented with the sauce. The scallops were good with the avocado sauce. And the mushroom risotto was AMAZING!! One of my favorite dishes I tried in Porto, scallops were seared beautifully and the flavors were all there! read more

See all

Extremely slow service. Were ignored repeatedly by waiters, even when we requested to order multiple times, and waited at least an hour for food. Food decent, but did not knock my socks off. Doesn't deserve Michelin guide recognition. read more

Delicious food! Great service. This place was recommended by a dear friend and we were glad that we could enjoy these delicious food! A must if you are in Lisbon or even in Porto! One of our food highlights of our Spain/Portugal vacation. read more

See all

After sightseeing on the streets of Porto, we were looking for a late lunch. Cantinho de Avillez was recommended by our guide book and it was close to where we were at the time so it all worked out. Avillez is a popular chef and has quite a few restaurants in town. This one gets packed for dinner as we saw quite a few people stop by and try to make reservations. They were all turned down as the restaurant was fully booked. Luckily, lunch wasn't an issue. I'm going to butcher the spelling but I ended up trying an iconic dish created in Porto: The Franceschini. Essentially, the Portuguese version of a Croque Monsieur. The Portuguese version is the French version on steroids. Yes, it's a sandwich but it's served on thinner bread, at least that was the case at this restaurant. From there, they pile on a bunch of different meats including ham, sausage, and more and top things off with a beer-based sauce. I have to say that the French version is better but I was still happy to try this "everything in the kitchen sink" sandwich. read more

We heard José Avillez had restaurants in Lisbon. I did not appreciate he had one here in Porto until after we arrived. Originally we planned to make reservations for the second night of our visit. Instead we came across it walking between spots the first night and decided to take a chance. While booked for reservations, there were 2 seats available at the bar. Diogo, our server and bar man, took great care of us. He recommend the octopus tartare. I wasn't too sure I wanted to go there (I've given up eating octopus in the US) but Diogo reassured me this was a Portuguese specialty. Order it. It was great, like no other octopus I've had before. Diogo also had good wine paring suggestions to go with our scallop risotto and veal risotto options. We mentioned we'd be sharing these dishes and Diogo saw to it the portions were split and served one course at a time. It was a nice touch. After dinner we began speaking about traditional Portuguese dishes and I mentioned sampling ginjinha earlier in our trip. He poured some for us to enjoy to finish the night. The food was delicious. The service, spot on. The ambience, fitting for city life without feeling stuffy and pretentious. Make it a stop in your Porto plans. read more

See all

This restaurant is worthy of a Michelin star chef!! The food was fantastic! The service was outstanding! We were lucky and able to get reservations within 2 days. They were for 7pm on a Wednesday. In Porto people dine later, so by the time we were done eating the restaurant had become quite full! We ordered the fried green beans with tartar sauce which were very good. The beans were crispy and the tartar sauce was tangy and creamy. The scallops and guacamole were awesome. The guac was had a strong lime flavor but it was good! Not overpowering. The chicken liver with port wine was another crowd pleaser! The port wine reduction was phenomenal! For our entrees we have the mushroom risotto, scallop risotto,and the curry veal cheeks with Thai rice. All amazing! The veal cheeks melted in your mouth and the risottos had so much flavor! For the finale we ended with the hazelnut. This is hazelnut ice cream, topped with an airy hazelnut mousse, and chopped hazelnuts! It was quite tasty! This place was fantastic and did not disappoint!! read more

See all

We didn't have reservations but where able to get a seat at the bar after a short wait. The food was amazing! Service was as impeccable. Can't recommend this restaurant enough! read more

Curry dish was delicious and so was the soup. Great service in cozy setting. The bread could be a meal itself.

With such a proximity with the Atlantic, its many Affluent and the infinite valley, no wonder Portugal's unique food culture is so rich in sea food, delicate fishes and delicious specialities. However, with such a diversity of fresh products, it can be difficult to find the right things to try or the right place to experience what these lands have to offer. They say there's a thousand way to taste the traditional Bacalhau (Morue) but it would be a mistake to stick to this only. Chef José Avillez has understood the richness and potential of Portuguese cuisine which is his main focus, and succeded in pushing it further. He contributes greatly in making Portugal a top gastronomic destination. He now owns an array of acclaimed restaurant in Lisbon and Porto. I had the chance to try one of them, Canthino do Avillez, in Porto. It's a more relaxed and comfortable concept, with a menu that combines the most popular and most traditional dishes of the prestigious chef. The décor itself is very friendly. The wooded walls ornamented with traditional plates sets the tone, yet still gives a modern touch and contrasting brigh red bistro-styled benches announced the easy-going approach. We started by trying their specialty cocktails that were impressively complex and refreshing. The barman seems quiet and modest, but he deserves some praise. They also have a lovely selection of local wines including some of the best producers such as Anselmo Mendes. We then decided to stick to the best-sellers in the menu, to get the true Canthino de Avillez experience. Extremely delicate and tasty marinated scallops with avocado cream and bread crumbs as well as amazing deep fried green beans with tartar sauce were our entrées. I must say that, for the cheapest item on the menu, the fried beans are absolutely a must-try. The crunchy, soft texture with tasty tartare sauce is a perfect combo. For the main plate, I tried the veal stew risotto with parmesan shavings. It might not be the most traditional dish of the menu, but it was generous in portions and in deliciousness. We also tried the giant red shrimps from Algarve. I've never seen any shrimp that size, not even close. They are enormous. They look sharp with their huge heads. It's way less copious with the shell off than the risotto, but I'm still glad we tried it. To finish, you need, I mean you most definitely need to try the hazelnut dessert. I was astonished during my whole trip at how amazing and unique local hazelnuts are and how nonchalant and disinterested people are about them. This is the stuff and this dessert put them in the forefront as a hazelnut icecream and hazelnut foam. I'll dream about it. read more

See all

One of the best places we ate in Portugal. Everything was good, nicely plated although they did ask for tips which I don't know if that's only to the tourists. But was happy to tip. read more

Service is very poor. It takes a long time for everything. The restaurant is very small and the people next to us are practically at our table. Food was fine. Good reputation but not based on service or ambiance. read more

We were lucky to get a couple bar seats since the restaurant was fully booked. While our meals were very nice, I didn't feel there was anything that really amazed me. The spreads and sauces made the dishes taste better, I liked the orange spread with the bread and the tartar sauce with the fried green beans. My husband ordered the octopus which was very tender. I ordered the veal cheek curry. The meals were good but prices are on the higher side. We also ordered dessert but we didn't like it at all. Too bad this restaurant wasn't what we expected. read more

Cantinho do Avillez - Tender octopus - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

See all

My wife and I enjoyed the executive lunch with a starter, main, dessert and a glass of wine. It was all very tasty with a beautiful presentation. read more

See all

We went last night based on recommendations and everything was great at first. We ate at the bar because we didn't have a res and bar service was good. Octopus appetizer and both entrees - scallop risotto and a fish dish, along with the crème brûlée dessert were all excellent. The problem is that someone stole my better half's purse which was on far left bar stool at front of bar on top of her coat. Someone must have seen it from the street and quickly grabbed it when we were talking to other bar patron. Be careful with your valuables if you sit at that end of the bar. We were told video camera only activates if alarm goes off and maybe it's time to have the cameras rolling during business hours regardless of whether the alarm is sounding. I understand crime doesn't discriminate but the fact that it happened here definitely impacts the review because everything else was at least a 4.5. read more

It is amazing delicious place by Michelin star chef Jose Avillez. We have started our ceremony with Marinated scollops and Roasted cheese with tomato chutney which all of them were tasty. As a main dish we had Veal risotto and octopus soooo yummmy. Coctails are amazing! You should give a try one gin, strawberry, mint and herbs one. Desert-Must eat: Haselnut has the one of my favourite taste read more

I would give this restaurant 3.5 stars but the stupendous service will raise it to 4. We ordered 4 starters, 3 main dishes, and 2 desserts. The restaurant treats you to delicious bread and assortments such as tomato gazpacho, olives, and butter with white truffle to start. Very appetizing. Starters: scallops with avocado mousse, deep fried green beans with tar tar sauce, Farinheira sausage with corn bread and coriander crust, and Prawns à Bulhão Pato. The scallops were fine, nothing special. The deep fried green beans were nice, and the sauce went well with it. The prawns were also tasty, but the Farinheira was an awful dish. Main: grilled octopus, Flaked cod with bread crumbs, LT egg and "exploding" olives, and Veal risotto with cherry tomatoes, watercress and cheese shavings. Grilled octopus was very nice, perfectly tender. The flaked cod was a disappointing dish, bland. The Veal risotto was solid. Desserts: Halzenut³ and chocolate cake with strawberry ice cream. While the Halzenut³ seems to be widely acclaimed, it was good dessert though essentially tasted identical to Nutella. The chocolate cake was superb, the ice cream was a sorbet and also delicious. Prices were very reasonable, just €120 total. read more

Cantinho do Avillez - Halzenut³ and the chocolate cake with strawberry ice cream. - Portuguese Near Me - Porto, 13

Great restaurant opened by a famous chef who also has a michelin star rated restaurant in Lisbon. Infact, he has a handful of restaurants now. At lunch this caters to professionals out on lunch. At night it caters to both locals and visitors. You really need a reservation but if you don't have one there is a chance you can sit at the bar and still be served off the full menu. We came in and we were not too hungry. Just had a couple small dishes and a drink. The first dish was a tasty slab of foie gras. The second dish was deep fried green beans served upright like french fries. For desert the waiter recommended a hazelnut mousse. It was outstanding. Could have easily downed three of them. Bottom line, if you cant get a reservation stop by anyway. Its so worth it. Most of his restaurants including one called MiniBar and another by the same name are in Lisbon. read more

See all

The food was good but the service was lacking. We made reservations and we were seated immediately. However, we weren't given the menus until 5 minutes later. A lot of servers walked by and saw that we were waiting for a menu but nobody seemed to care. I didn't have a good first impression. We ordered several dishes to try and they were good. However the shrimp dish with curry was disappointing. It was 40 euros and they skimped out on the curry sauce. I felt the dish was so dry given the lack of sauce. My experience was just okay. read more

A nice place. A fine dining version of the classic Portuguese cuisine, the food was really good and delicious, if a bit expensive. Staff were sub-par, often confused or inattentive, but with one girl who was clearly wanting to be elsewhere. The interior and setting were also not quite clicking. I think that they need to seriously consider rebalancing the place: the food is good, but everything else is not up to the food's level. read more

Sometimes a name isn't enough to make up for a mediocre, maybe even disappointing experience. We were greeted by the expected warm hospitality I've come to expect of the Portuguese, and we were seated in a very comfortable booth. We went for several different dishes because we were keen to try a range. The scallops were served on a thick bed of mashed avocado (effectively, guacamole). The avocado was so rich, it overwhelmed the scallops - the scallops became negligible. When topped with crunchy breadcrumbs, the scallops further struggled to stand out. The LT eggs came covered in crunchy breadcrumbs. Again, the breadcrumbs overpowered any flavor these eggs had. The flaky cod dish came with... you guessed it, a thick coating of bread crumbs. WTF is it with all the bread crumbs. The fish and prawn with cashews in coconut sauce was straight up derivative of Asian fare - objectively good, nothing I can't get elsewhere. But they forgot a veal order, which ultimately came, it was a tasty and tender offering. Paying the check came with its own drama. We asked for the check, it arrived 10 minutes late. 10 minutes go by and no one comes by to charge our card. To make a point, we give them our card and tell them we're ready to pay. Another 10 minutes go by and we find that our card had been mistakenly passed to other customers before coming back to us so that we could pay. Get it together, Cantinho do Avillez. All in, a mediocre performance unworthy of a repeat visit. read more

See all

My wife and I ate here last night and all around pleasant experience. The apps were just OK ( some sausage which I forgot it's name and the prawns in garlic sauce). For dinner we both had the risotto. Her the scallops and mushroom and for me the veal. Both outstanding but both a little salty. As for overall value, it wouldn't be bad if the apps were better. 3 stars because service was ok and the quality of apps read more

Delicious traditional Portuguese food with a subtle modern twist. Absolutely great service, staff here are very nice!! I got grilled octopus and my friend bacalhau (cod) and both were really good. Wine menu is also very well curated!! Totally recommended even to the pickiest patronage! read more

I've been to Avillez's restaurants Taberna and Pateo in Lisbon and loved them both. I was really excited to try out another one of his places in Porto. However, I was let down by Cantinho. I didn't find their menu to be as exciting/interesting, and I didn't really care for anything that I ate other than the hazelnut dessert. The service was very good though. read more

See all

Stopped here for a light lunch and we couldn't have picked a better spot. The staff was attentive - starting with the hostess to all the wait staff. The ambient was modern, without pretension, very comfortable with low volume music playing in the background. Extensive list of wines (both local, other parts of Portugal and international) and cocktails. The food is amazing - a lot of local classics interpreted in modern ways. The green beans in tempura batter came hot and the green flavor bursts in your mouth. The tuna starter in ginger sauce had the right amount of tanginess. Both main dishes - cod with breadcrumb and oyster risotto were perfect. The portions were not small nor too large. Enough to have room for the life changing hazelnut centric dessert and the house chocolate cake with lattes. One of those perfect accidental discoveries. read more

See all

This was the worse dining experience that I can recall anywhere. We waited over 25 minutes for a drink order to be taken and we were eating at the bar. We had three different people wait on us, but when we asked for another drink, we were told to ask the bartender. The people around us received horrible service also and complained to management. The bartender took over 10 minutes To make 1 drink because he was looking at directions. It was taking 20 plus minutes from the time the drink order was taken till the time it was served. Really the worst service I've had anywhere in the world, including American fast food restaurants. The hamburger had a long hair in it and large chunk of a piece of previously cooked steak. It was served cold and nearly raw. It was inedible. The sausage and cornbread dish was rock hard, like it had been sitting around for a long time. The sauce for the prawns lacked any flavor and the prawns were rubbery. The only decent bite we had was the fried cod. It was a terrible experience in every way. I would never, even if the meal was free, eat here again. In a city or amazing restaurants, eat elsewhere. read more

We went here to celebrate our anniversary and unfortunately they only had seats by the bar. But it turned out to be the best seats. The food is amazing, the staff is really service minded and the bartender is fun! read more

Hard to see what the fuss is all about. We went on advice of the owner of the rental at which we were staying; she indicated that it had a Michelin star (it doesn't), and it turned out to be one of 5 restaurants under Jose Avillez, who is a prominent Portuguese chef and TV/radio host; he does have two Michelin stars for one of his other places in Lisbon. The decor is plain, and tables are packed fairly close, which of course is not unusual in Porto. The menu was uninspired, with only a few typical Portuguese dishes, and not much else to get very excited about. Our appetizer arrived almost instantly (fried green beans, tasty enough), and then we waited a good 45 minutes for our main courses (veal risotto, and meagre and shrimp Moqueca). The food was only lukewarm; my wife observed that most of the dishes sat in the kitchen pass-through for a very long time before being delivered to the tables. It certainly fell short of exciting; the Moqueca was especially disappointing, resembling more a somewhat bland étouffée, scanty on the sauce and lacking even the barest hint of lime (a few peppers and plantains would also have been welcome). Wine list is good but overpriced compared to most of the other restaurants at which we ate during a full week in Porto. Service was inattentive despite what appeared to be plenty of waitstaff available. The tab came to 99€ for a meal that was forgettable; it was definitely the lowest value for money of all the places we visited (both high and low end). There are far better places available within a few blocks that are more interesting and less pricey. Pass on this one - highly over-rated in my opinion. read more

Yum yum! Good service + good food= 4 Stars. The green beans are a must, and all our seafood was fantastic. We loved our meal here.

Our hotel recommended this restaurant mainly for its amazing chef and owner of a 2 Michelin stars restaurant in Lisbon but also because there are many vegetarian options. (A huge bonus in Portugal - pretty rare) The scallops with avocado mousse and bread crumbles was simply breathtaking. The flavours blended perfectly together ! The fried green beans, a chef's recommendation, was, in my opinion, not that good. You tasted mainly the fried part and there was clearly a lack of flavour. Although an inexpensive starter, I would still have expected more... The grilled tuna was good and very tender but maybe a little bit more flavour or sauce would have made this dish more complex and stand out. Now, the 5 stars are clearly a result of the extraordinary veal risotto. Wow ! Perfect texture and just creamy enough with a strong veal taste. I've tasted so many risotto in Italy and this one is one of the best by far. Finally, the hazelnut dessert, recommended by our waiter and also many reviewers, was very good. It was refreshing and very sweet but never overbearing. Keep some place for it ;) read more