Restaurant in Porto, Portugal
Counter tasting menu. Book early or miss out.
Euskalduna Studio is Porto's strongest case for a tasting menu at the €€€€ tier — Chef Vasco Coelho Santos works from a chef's counter with aged Azorean fish, charcoal techniques, and globe-spanning spice pairings. La Liste-ranked (76pts, 2026) and OAD-recognised (#239 Europe, 2024), it earns the price for diners who want technical depth and genuine surprise over a conventional fine dining format.
Yes — and for a specific kind of diner. If you want a tasting menu that moves between precise technical cooking and genuine surprise, Euskalduna Studio is the strongest argument for Porto in that format. Chef Vasco Coelho Santos runs a counter-kitchen setup where the food is built around charcoal-led cooking, aged fish sourced partly from Azorean waters, and a seasoning vocabulary that pulls from spice traditions well outside Portugal's borders. The result is a menu that reads as Portuguese but eats as something harder to categorise — and that ambiguity is the point.
Ranked 76 points on La Liste's Leading Restaurants 2026 list and placed at #239 in Opinionated About Dining's Leading Restaurants in Europe in 2024 (rising to a notable position in 2025), Euskalduna has the credentials to justify the €€€€ price tier. The Google rating sits at 4.7 across 515 reviews, which is a reliable signal at that volume. This is not a restaurant coasting on a single good year.
The format is a tasting menu served at a counter facing the open kitchen , a configuration that owes something to Japanese izakaya culture, where watching preparation is part of the experience. The comparison is apt in practice: the chefs interact directly with guests, and there is typically at least one dish not listed on the menu, added at the kitchen's discretion. That element of improvisation is baked into the format rather than being an occasional treat.
The technical emphasis here is on flavour intensity through controlled methods: charcoal cooking introduces smoke without masking ingredient character, and the use of aged fish is a deliberate technique rather than a trend. Aging concentrates flavour and changes texture in ways that fresh fish cannot replicate, and the fact that the restaurant sources from its own fishmongers , drawing on Azorean stocks , gives the kitchen more control over provenance and condition than most operations at this price point. The spice and herb pairings are used to extend and complicate the main ingredients rather than decorate them. That discipline, applying flavour pressure from multiple angles while maintaining coherence, is what separates kitchens working at this level from those that simply assemble quality produce.
For context within Portugal's fine dining tier: Belcanto in Lisbon works with more classical Portuguese reference points; Vila Joya in Albufeira and Ocean in Porches operate in resort formats with Michelin backing. Euskalduna sits differently , urban, compact, and more technically adventurous in its flavour combinations. Casa de Chá da Boa Nova in Leça da Palmeira and The Yeatman in Vila Nova de Gaia are the closest regional peers in terms of ambition, but neither operates in the same counter-kitchen format with the same degree of chef-guest interaction.
If you want to benchmark internationally: the chef-facing counter and improvised element recall the energy of Atomix in New York City, where the service format is as deliberate as the food. The comparison is not about cuisine similarity but about intent , both restaurants treat the physical arrangement of the room as part of the experience's structure.
Porto's upper tier is not deep. The city has a handful of restaurants operating at this ambition level, and Euskalduna is consistently among the two or three that generate the most sustained international interest. Within that small group, it occupies the position of the venue most willing to move away from Portuguese culinary convention while staying grounded in Portuguese ingredients. For the food-focused traveller who has already visited Antiqvvm or Vila Foz on a previous trip, Euskalduna is the natural next stop. For a first visit to Porto's fine dining scene, it is the more demanding choice , but rewarding if you come prepared for a menu that will not always explain itself.
The restaurant is also relevant to travellers building a broader Porto itinerary. See our full Porto restaurants guide for the wider picture, alongside our Porto hotels guide, Porto bars guide, Porto wineries guide, and Porto experiences guide.
Expect a tasting menu, a counter seat facing the kitchen, and a format where the chefs talk you through courses. There is typically a surprise dish not on the printed menu. The cooking ranges across influences beyond Portugal, so this is not a traditional Portuguese dining experience , it is a progressive interpretation of Portuguese ingredients. At €€€€ pricing, it sits at the leading of Porto's restaurant tier. First-timers who prefer a more conventional fine dining room may find Antiqvvm or Le Monument a more comfortable entry point.
There is no à la carte option , the kitchen runs a single tasting menu. The focus is on aged fish from Azorean waters, charcoal-cooked preparations, and spice-led condiments. The menu evolves with the kitchen's priorities, and one dish will always be unannounced. The leading approach is to go without fixed expectations and let the meal move at its own pace.
No dress code is listed, but at €€€€ with counter seating and a tasting menu format, smart casual is the right call , think what you would wear to any serious restaurant at this price in a European city. The room is intimate and the setting is not formal, but you will feel underdressed in shorts and a t-shirt given the calibre of the experience and the price you are paying.
At €€€€, yes , for the right diner. The La Liste recognition (76pts, 2026) and OAD ranking (#239 Europe, 2024) confirm this is not a locally-hyped venue inflating its prices; it holds up against international benchmarks. The counter format, the aged fish sourcing from Azorean fishmongers, and the improvised surprise dish all represent genuine value over a standard tasting menu structure. If you want Portuguese tasting menus at a lower price point, Blind is worth considering, but the technical ambition and sourcing at Euskalduna justify the premium.
Lunch runs only on Friday and Saturday, so your choice may be constrained by schedule. If you can do Friday or Saturday lunch, it is worth considering , tasting menus eaten at midday typically allow more time for the meal to settle, and you keep your evening free. Dinner from Tuesday to Saturday is the standard experience. Either service should deliver the same menu quality; the practical difference is timing and post-meal options.
Book as early as possible. La Liste specifically notes the restaurant is hard to secure a table at, and with a small counter and limited service days (closed Sunday and Monday, no lunch Tuesday to Thursday), the total weekly covers are low. For weekend dinner, aim for at least three to four weeks out. For Friday or Saturday lunch, similar lead time applies. This is not a walk-in venue.
The counter facing the kitchen is the primary seating format at Euskalduna Studio , it is not a bar in the conventional sense, but a chef's counter where the meal is served. There is no separate bar area listed in the venue data. If you are looking for a more casual counter dining option in Porto, Almeja at €€ offers a less formal alternative. At Euskalduna, the counter seat is the full tasting menu experience, not a lighter option.
| Venue | Cuisine | Awards | Booking Difficulty | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Euskalduna Studio | Progressive Portugese, Modern Cuisine | La Liste Top Restaurants (2026): 76pts; On a narrow street in downtown Porto, you’ll find one of those restaurants that captivates true food lovers; unsurprisingly… it can be hard to get a table! When you ring the bell, the doors open onto an intimate space brimming with personality, reminiscent of Japanese izakayas, featuring a counter opposite the kitchen where all dishes are prepared. What’s their proposition? A tasting menu that will leave no one unmoved, highlighting Chef Vasco Coelho Santos’s passion for a wide array of world cuisines. With coherence as a foundation, he pushes flavour to its limit, enabling him to work with charcoal, introduce smoky notes, use aged fish from his own fishmongers (many sourced from Azorean waters)... and pair the main ingredients with intriguing condiments, from spices to spicy herbs. The chefs, who interact a great deal with customers, always add a surprise dish not shown on the menu!; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked #369 (2025); Chef: Vasco Coelho Santos document.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() { var el = document.getElementById("Achievements_chefs"); if (el && el.parentNode) { el.parentNode.removeChild(el); } });; On a narrow street in downtown Porto, you’ll find one of those restaurants that captivates true food lovers; unsurprisingly… it can be hard to get a table! When you ring the bell, the doors open onto an intimate space brimming with personality, reminiscent of Japanese izakayas, featuring a counter opposite the kitchen where all dishes are prepared. What’s their proposition? A tasting menu that will leave no one unmoved, highlighting Chef Vasco Coelho Santos’s passion for a wide array of world cuisines. With coherence as a foundation, he pushes flavour to its limit, enabling him to work with charcoal, introduce smoky notes, use aged fish from his own fishmongers (many sourced from Azorean waters)... and pair the main ingredients with intriguing condiments, from spices to spicy herbs. The chefs, who interact a great deal with customers, always add a surprise dish not shown on the menu!; Opinionated About Dining Top Restaurants in Europe Ranked #239 (2024); Michelin 1 Star (2024); Opinionated About Dining Top New Restaurants in Europe Recommended (2023) | Easy | — |
| Almeja | Portugese, Contemporary | Unknown | — | |
| Pedro Lemos | Modern European, Contemporary | Unknown | — | |
| Antiqvvm | Creative | Michelin 2 Star | Unknown | — |
| Le Monument | Contemporary | Michelin 1 Star | Unknown | — |
| Pátio 44 | Traditional Cuisine | Unknown | — |
Side-by-side comparison to help you decide where to book.
The format is a single tasting menu served at a counter facing the open kitchen — there is no à la carte, no table choice, and no walk-in culture. Chef Vasco Coelho Santos runs an interactive service where the kitchen team explains each course, and there is always at least one surprise dish not listed on the menu. La Liste (2026) flags it as genuinely hard to book, so first-timers should reserve well ahead and arrive ready for a full evening commitment, not a quick dinner.
There is no ordering decision to make — Euskalduna Studio runs a single tasting menu only. The kitchen's focus includes aged fish sourced from Azorean waters, charcoal-cooked preparations with smoky notes, and pairing main ingredients with spices and herbs. Expect the menu to shift seasonally, and expect at least one off-menu surprise course on the night.
No dress code is published, but the €€€€ price point, counter-only seating, and a format ranked in both La Liste and OAD's top European restaurants suggest smart casual as the floor, not the ceiling. Think what you would wear to a serious dinner in any European city — not a suit, but not trainers either.
At €€€€, yes — for a diner who wants a tasting menu format with genuine technical ambition. La Liste awarded it 76 points in 2026, and OAD ranked it #239 in Europe in 2024 (up from #369), which places it among a short list of Porto restaurants operating at this level. If you prefer flexibility or à la carte dining, it is not the right fit at any price.
Lunch runs only on Friday and Saturday (1 PM–3 PM), so the choice is largely determined by your schedule. Dinner is available Tuesday through Saturday and gives you the full evening counter experience the restaurant is known for. If your visit falls on a Friday or Saturday and you prefer a lighter midday commitment, lunch is a practical option — but the format and menu are the same tasting menu structure either way.
Book as far ahead as possible. La Liste explicitly notes the restaurant is hard to secure a table at, and with a small counter format and no Sunday or Monday service, available slots are limited. A minimum of four to six weeks out is a reasonable baseline; more lead time is safer for weekend dinner slots, which fill fastest.
The counter facing the open kitchen is the primary — and effectively only — seating format here. It is not a bar in the conventional sense: it is a chef's counter where all dishes are prepared in front of you, closer in spirit to a Japanese izakaya than a restaurant bar. There is no separate bar area where you can drop in for drinks and snacks outside of a booked tasting menu sitting.
Keep this venue in your Pearl passport, rate it after you visit, and track it alongside every other place you collect.
