I was on the lookout for a decent local restaurant when I stumbled upon this gem. We arrived early and ended up waiting in line before it opened, unaware of its popularity. Given its small size, with only five tables inside, we waited at least an hour for a seat. The food did not disappoint. We started with the black pig cheek served with bread, and it was surprisingly delicious--big chunks of pork, a bit spicy, juicy, and not at all dry! Next, we tried the "a brás," which features fried potatoes, onion, and egg. It was fantastic, but you have to eat it quickly as the thinly sliced potatoes get soggy fast. Of course, we had to order the Francesinha, Porto's traditional dish. It's quite heavy, consisting of a sausage, ham, and steak sandwich smothered in melted cheese. While it was interesting to try, it was a bit too much for me to finish, and I don't think I would order it again. We also enjoyed the octopus and codfish, both of which were pretty good--the octopus drizzled with olive oil and the codfish flaky. We paired our meal with a local wine, which was decent. Overall, the food was great and definitely worth a visit. It was surprisingly affordable given the generous portions we ordered! read more

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Good spot for tapas and seafood close to the Sao Bento station. My friend and I came for lunch on Tuesday. They open at noon, as we got there right at noon, but unfortunately they just filled up the restaurant and we were the first ones in line for the second seating. It's a small space with only 5 tables, and they don't take reservations, so I recommend coming before opening to make it for first seating. The food is good but not worth a 1 hour wait. We were finally seated around 12:35. Very grateful to whoever ate quickly and left. Luckily for us, they had an English menu. We started with drinks, a white vinho verde for me and a beer for him. Drinks are very affordable here, with a glass of wine only €4 and a bottle of beer €2. For food, I got the codfish and octopus duet "a Lagareiro" for €24.50. It came out straight out of the oven in a piping hot bowl and was delicious! I love octopus and it was cooked super tender here. I wasn't as big of a fan of the cod as I found it quite bland, but it was still good. I'm taking a star off my review because my friend didn't enjoy his dish. There's only one option for vegetarians, the "A Bras" vegetables (€13.50), so he got that, and it was pretty disappointing. It wasn't what we were expecting at all based on the description, plus it was very bland We had to ask for salt, and once he added some it was better but still not good. read more

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We came 20 minutes before opening and there were already people in line. We were seated 5 minutes after opening time and got one of the last tables. We ordered the caldo verde (3,00), profiteroles (2,20 each), bacalhau natas (12,00), polvo (octopus) (23,00) and dessert (4,00). Everything was a bit disappointing to me. We had high expectations on this place as we had read so many review on Google. The calde verde wasn't as creamy as I had expected it to be. The tuna profiteroles were probably the most unique of them all. Very creamy and interesting. The octopus was overcooked and hard to chew. The bacalhau natas was far from what I expected. It had lots of nutmeg on top which was a bit overwhelming to me. It was hard to stomach as it had so much cream in it. Usually I eat bacalhau natas with rice but without it it was hard to eat. The dessert was probably my favourite thing from this place as it wasn't overly sweet and was the perfect finisher. The 20 year old port wine was also really good. Recommend: dessert and port wine I would not come here again and wouldn't recommend waiting for it either. The service was unbelievably good. They weren't fast but they would come check up on us all the time. Super friendly and tried to make sure everything was to our liking. I was too shy to tell them that it wasn't. I can see why people come back as the service is so nice. Maybe they were just having an off day with the octopus. We just expected too much from this place. read more

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I feel like this place is so overrated. We got here close to opening for lunch after reading all the horror stories about long wait times and got seated right away. I'm glad we did because I would have been really disappointed if I had waited and hour or more for this meal. Having had bacalhau elsewhere and planning to try franceshina at another restaurant, I ordered the tuna profiteroles, tentúgal de alheira and cod fish and octopus. The two tapas were really good but the cod fish and octopus main was mediocre. It was drenched in olive oil and on the salty side. The homemade iced tea was much too sweet. Service by the gentleman was friendly enough. The lady doesn't know much English. Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing and should have stuck with the bacalhau/franceshina. But based on my experience I would not wait to dine here. read more

Sometimes you walk by a place that's inconspicuous but something about it catches your eye. This is was one of those spots. Of all the restaurants in the area I stopped here and so glad I did. It's a family owned business where they make you feel like family. It's a simple place, but everything was well executed. The tuna profiterole was amazing. The mirandesa beef steak was tender, well seasoned and came with a small salad. I ordered a cafe and asked for a dessert recommendation and the chocolate mousse was it. It was smooth and creamy with a touch of salt. I found it to be amazing. The gentleman who made the recommendation, who was also the owner, said it was a simple recipe from his great grandmother. read more

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What a cute tiny restaurant in Porto that is run by kind women who gave me intense motherly vibes! We each had a tomato salad. The tomatoes were really fresh and plump! My friend got the bacalhau with a very delicious cheese sauce on top and a side of some of the best mashed potatoes we've ever had. I got the slow cooked beef stew that really reminded me of a home cooked meal. Highly recommend! read more

Petisqueira Voltaria - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Porto, 13

They have 5 tables. Five. Easily the best restaurant we ate at during our stay in Porto. Classic Portuguese dishes with amazing service and super friendly staff; our server spoke at least 3 languages, that we overheard. Fantastic. We had: - Cheese board (variety with crackers and jam) - Meat board (cured ham) - Voltaria salad (greens and fruit) - Rosè - 50cl Super Bock - Francesinha (served with fresh chips) The meat and cheese were fresh, plentiful and delicious . We washed it down with tasty, local, beer and wine. The Voltaria salad was fresh and lightly dressed and very flavorful. Then the main event, the francesinha, was next level. This mammoth sandwich has steak and sausage nestled inside fresh bread then they cover it it melted cheese and smother it in a cheesy, tomato sauce. A-freaking-mazing. It's tiny and you may have to wait a little bit, but it's worth it. read more

What a not so hidden gem! We waited an hour to be seated and it was completely worth it. They do not take reservations. Everybody that leaves the restaurant will look at the line and tell you it's worth it. They speak English and the menu is also available in English. We ordered a variety of dishes and loved them all! Baked Cod with Mashed Potatoes - THE creaaamiest mashed potatoes I've ever had. The cod was great but it took a back seat to the potatoes for sure. Half Platter Portuguese Meats and Cheese - Yum! Get this as an appetizer. You can ask for more bread. Soup - We think it's some sort of lentil blend. But it was delicous. Voltaria Salad - Simple fruit salad that was nice to eat in between bites 2 savory pastries that I forgot :( but were also yum Cream of Heaven dessert - A crushed cookies, cream and egg yolk sauce that was out of this world SUPER affordable, they don't rush you at all. Definitely going on the favorites list of Porto. read more

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Great little hole in the wall place!!! Authentic food - I ordered the creamy version of the cod and potatoes, so good!! However, the best part was the dessert. We got the cream one with crushes cookies and egg yolk sauce. AMAZING! Our waiter called it "cream from heaven" and he was absolutely right! read more

Petisqueira Voltaria - The best dressert - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Porto, 13

How this restaurant has only 4.5 stars is beyond me! If 6 starts we're an option, I would give them just that! Yes, they only have 5 tables (2-4 top and 3-2 top) and the wait can be a bit, however, the food is amazing! Coming from the states, meat and cheese is always pricey but the amount you are provided here is very affordable. The Francesinha sandwich was delicious! On top of the wonderful food, the staff were so accommodating and delightful. If I lived here, I think I'd be a regular. read more

Voltaria is a Petisqueira (Portuguese tapas bar) just off Rua Das Flores near Sao Bento station. I found this little gem on Yelp. And it is little: six small tables along one wall with an aisle just big enough for one person to walk next to them. I ordered a cod fish cake, an alheira cake with port wine reduction and some black Alentejano - ham made from free range, acorn-fed pig. To drink I got the jug of sangria I missed out on at lunch. As it was only half the size the waitress didn't try to talk me out of it this time. The sangria was blue - made with blue champagne my waitress explained - and full of raspberries. I tried to tease the complete recipe out her but without any success. Whatever the secret ingredient, it was delicious. Really tasty and refreshing. The food was equally good. The sausage cakes (a serve of three) were very nice and the sticky, sweet port reduction really worked well with them. The ham was great; moist, lovely flavour and not too salty - and served with warm bread. The cod cake was a surprise. I was expecting something similar to what I'd eaten in Lisbon, but instead of a creamy puréed fish and mashed potato ball, this had a boiled egg in the middle. Really interesting! Voltaria is a real find. Good food very reasonably priced (my three appetizers cost only about 8 Euros) and friendly service. The lady behind me was eating a local specialty called Francesinha which she assured me was also delicious. Guess I'll just have toagain to try that read more

Perfect for tapas -- the dark and light pig meat plate and cheese plate was delicious. The house salad with fruit was so fresh and the perfect compliment to the meat and cheese. Be sure to finish off the meal with the chocolate mousse!! read more

Highlight of our Porto trip. My daughter and I are such a foodie that on our travel, food tasting is what we're most excited about. And this gem of a restaurant did not disappoint at all. Just make sure to visit on a off peak hours since the wait is quite intimidating especially if you're very hungry or eager to taste their exclusive treats and highly reviewed meals. A real hole in the wall, about 5 tables inside and 1 outside. The servers are multi- lingual, very warm and friendly despite running a very busy place, Didn't feel rushed at all even if the line is piling up outside. Kitchen was small yet very clean and organized, couldn't imagine the delectable food they're serving is freshly made there. The menu offering looks similar to other resto but the deal breaker is first select their exclusive treats which is marked, and believe the reviews , the rest is history. The Bolinhos de Bacalao is an exclusive treat, a different take from the typical cod fish cake, there's a egg in the middle of it. Voltaria salad was so refreshing. The cod entree was amazing. Francescinha was so pillowy and dreamy in every bite. Always looking forward to dessert even before the meal started, but this time I was completely full. That didn't stop my curiosity to ask what do they call their popular dessert in a tall glass, it's called Creme from heaven. So we made sure to make room for it and I would have regretted is we skipped it , real heavenly treat to complete the entire dining experience. Last but not the least, price point is just affordable with sharing portions. read more

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We stopped in here for lunch and had a delicious meal. It's a total hole in the wall, with only about 5 tables inside a narrow restaurant. But that's not what matters. The food is what matters. Here's what we got: codfish pastry (nata bacalhau)- it was nice to try a savory version of pasteis de nata (Portuguese egg tart, which is sweet). It was a tasty one too. black ham plate (pratinho presunto)- Spanish Iberian ham. Tastes better in Europe for some reason. Solid, and served with a crusty small bread roll. chickpea and cod salad (salada bacalhau grao)- a refreshing and light salad. It was good to get something light for once, since most of the Portuguese food we'd had up to now was heavy and salty. The dressing seems to be just olive oil, salt, and parsley. Simple, but good. There's some sliced egg on top of the chickpeas and cod fish, which is a nice touch. Francesinha (a famous Portuguese sandwich served everywhere in Porto)- this was our first francesinha experience. And it was delicious. I think it reminded me of a grilled cheese sandwich with a variety of pork meats sitting in tomato basil soup. So even though it was a traditional Portuguese dish, it had a homey American feel to it. The meats included sliced pork, chorizo, and a meat stuffed with olives. It was very tasty. But it was also salty and kind of a punch to the taste buds. But we loved the sauce so much we were trying to sop up the last bits with the potato chips that came with this dish. All in all a solid & delicious meal. The waiter/owner was super nice and spoke fluent English (along with having the menu translated to various languages). Glad we tried out this spot! read more

What a gem in a rough neighborhood. There are two restaurants in Porto you must try should you need reliable, fresh food made on the spot... this is one of them. Fatima the Chef/Owner has mastered some of the Porto traditional dishes like Francesinha, which for the untrained eye such as myself is a very very scary choice. Scary only bc it involves a sandwich made from beef and sausage, wrapped in cheese, lathered in sauce and baked. I needed to try one but at a place I felt confortável out of fear ;) I have to say, it is surprisingly delicious when made by Fatima. She uses great top Picanha (Brazilian traditional beef cut) and made to order. This is a dish you can only find in Porto as it was invented by a Porto chef in 1930s who was trained in France. read more

Petisqueira Voltaria - Francesinha - Tapas/Small Plates Near Me - Porto, 13

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Well this place was so fabulous we went here twice. A very small place so expect a wait unless you are an early dinner. The owners/chef family-owned business is outstandingly fresh, reasonable and quite personable with their guests. We had many dishes all fabulous. Cod with Creme , Cod with Egg & Crispy potatoes (fab). Creme from Heaven (don't miss). If I lived there, I would eat there once a week. Owners treated us like family being from New York. A great time for us - Grady from NY read more

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Beautiful cosy spot with real food. A wonderful experience for all those who want to try portuguese flavours. Go early or book in advance. The owners are very nice and they'll be more than happy to help you chose the perfect meal. read more

This place was a godsend!!! The food is fantastic, and the staff spoke great English was able to give me recommendations. They even have a table charging station that was clutch when my phone was dying. If I am ever in Porto again I will return for the good food, great service, and reasonable prices!! read more

Very delicious, local food. (especially soup) And very nice owner! We felt like home :) definitely recommended!

This is an absolute gem of a restaurant. It looks like a hole in a wall in that the space is small, but the food and beverages are absolutely amazing- authentic, inventive, and so fresh. The customer service is out of this world, it was such a surprising find, and the high reviews are well deserved. A must dining experience to have if you're in Porto! read more

Courteous friendly service no tourist tricks excellent food good conversation. Must go.

This place was a lovely hidden gem where my boyfriend and I enjoyed a delicious meal. The owner was very friendly and speaks excellent English. She provided us with great recommendations on what to order. If you are looking for the best Frencesinha in Porto, this is where to find it. It was levels above any that we had had elsewhere with a delicious sauce and high quality meat. The "Cream from Heaven" dessert was the best dessert I have ever had - I still crave it to this day. I highly recommend this place and I will definitely be back if I visit Porto again! :) read more