Kaigi

Verdict: Kaigi Is Not a Japanese Restaurant in the Conventional Sense — Book It for That Reason

The most common assumption about Kaigi is that it sits in Porto's growing roster of international restaurants serving approximations of another country's cuisine. That reading is wrong, and it matters for your booking decision. Kaigi operates a nine-course tasting menu that fuses Japanese technique with Portuguese ingredients, presented at a 16-seat U-shaped counter — a format closer to an omakase experience than a standard restaurant night out. The Michelin Plate in both 2024 and 2025, combined with a 4.8 Google rating across 141 reviews, tells you this is a serious operation. At the €€ price tier, it is also one of the more accessible ways to eat at this level of intention in Porto.

What You're Actually Booking

Walk into Kaigi and the room resolves the concept immediately. The U-shaped counter seats 16 and functions as the entire dining proposition , there are no tables, no alternative configurations, no ambient din from a packed floor. Everyone faces the same direction, watching the same preparation. The format is drawn from the izakaya tradition, where counter proximity to the kitchen is the point, not a quirk of the floor plan. If you are used to restaurants where the room and the food are separate concerns, Kaigi will feel different: the counter is both the setting and the performance.

The nine-course menu changes with what is leading on the day, which is the Japanese approach applied to Portuguese sourcing. This is not fusion in the soft, crowd-pleasing sense , the Michelin recognition suggests the kitchen is doing something with enough coherence and precision to earn professional notice. What you can expect structurally is a progression of small courses, each designed to show a single idea clearly. The flavour combinations, per the Michelin write-up, are described as surprising rather than safe. That is a signal worth taking seriously: if you want comfort and predictability, a different Porto restaurant may serve you better.

The Drinks Question

Kaigi's assigned editorial angle asks about the wine program , and this is where the available data requires honest framing. The database does not confirm a specific wine list or pairing menu, so no specifics can be stated here. What can be said is that any restaurant operating a nine-course tasting menu at counter format, with Michelin recognition, typically either offers a pairing option or works closely with a small selection of bottles suited to the kitchen's output. Portugal's wine producing regions , Douro, Vinho Verde, Alentejo , offer a depth of material that pairs productively with Japanese-influenced cooking: the acidity of Vinho Verde against raw fish preparations, the structure of a Douro red against richer courses. For the explorer diner, arriving with some awareness of Portuguese wine geography will help you engage more actively with whatever the kitchen recommends. Confirming pairing availability at the time of booking is advisable.

For context on how seriously Porto's leading tables treat their wine programs, The Yeatman in Vila Nova de Gaia operates one of the most celebrated wine programs in Portugal and represents the upper end of what wine-driven dining looks like in the region. Kaigi's price tier and format sit at a different point on that spectrum , the food is the primary event , but the broader Portuguese wine culture means even a modest list here should be worth your attention. Porto's winemaking context is covered in depth in our full Porto wineries guide.

Booking and Timing

Kaigi has 16 seats and no published phone number or website in the current data. That combination , small capacity, counter-only format, Michelin recognition , points toward booking as the operative challenge rather than walk-in availability. Treat this as a reservation-required venue and pursue booking through Google, local concierge contacts, or restaurant discovery platforms that list Porto dining. Given the counter format and the fact that every diner eats the same menu at the same time, late arrivals disrupt the whole table. Book early, confirm your reservation, and arrive on time.

Porto's dining scene at the recognised end runs busy through spring and summer. If your travel dates fall between April and September, treat any 16-seat tasting menu counter as a venue where two to three weeks' advance notice is a minimum, not a buffer. Outside peak season, windows open up , but Kaigi's consistent Google review volume suggests it maintains demand year-round.

How It Compares

Kaigi sits at €€ in a Porto market where most of the Michelin-recognised restaurants operate at €€€€. Euskalduna Studio, Antiqvvm, and Le Monument all sit at the higher price tier and offer more conventional restaurant formats with fuller service structures. If your priority is a classic tasting menu experience with deep wine service and a full dining room, those venues are appropriate comparisons. Kaigi's counter format and price point make it the more accessible of the Michelin-recognised options in the city , and the Japanese-Portuguese fusion angle makes it the only venue in Porto doing this specific thing at this level of recognition.

For Japanese dining internationally at a different register, Myojaku in Tokyo and Azabu Kadowaki in Tokyo show what the counter omakase format looks like at its most developed. Kaigi is not trying to replicate those experiences , the Portuguese ingredients are the differentiator , but the structural comparison is useful for calibrating expectations. Within Porto's Japanese dining options, Tokkotai offers an alternative if the tasting menu format does not suit your group.

Across Portugal more broadly, the restaurants carrying serious Michelin weight , Belcanto in Lisbon, Casa de Chá da Boa Nova in Leça da Palmeira, Ocean in Porches , operate at a different price register and format. Kaigi is the entry point into Porto's recognised dining circuit, and at €€ with a 4.8 rating and two consecutive Michelin Plates, it is the most efficient version of that entry. See our full Porto restaurants guide for the complete picture, and consult our Porto bars guide and Porto experiences guide to round out your visit.

FAQ

Can Kaigi accommodate groups?

• The counter seats 16 total, which is the entire restaurant. A group of 6 to 8 is workable and will occupy a meaningful section of the counter. Larger groups should contact the venue directly to confirm whether a full buyout or partial block is available. This is not a venue for parties of more than 8 expecting flexibility in how they are seated.

What should I order at Kaigi?

• There is no ordering at Kaigi in the conventional sense. The format is a set nine-course tasting menu based on the leading ingredients available that day. Your only decision is whether to book , the kitchen makes the rest. Confirm at booking whether a drinks pairing is available if that matters to your experience.

Is the tasting menu worth it at Kaigi?

• At €€ pricing with back-to-back Michelin Plates in 2024 and 2025 and a 4.8 rating across 141 Google reviews, Kaigi represents strong value for a nine-course tasting menu in a Michelin-recognised setting. The closest price-tier comparison in Porto for tasting menu dining does not offer the same level of external recognition. If a fixed menu format suits your group and you are looking for the most accessible entry into Porto's recognised dining tier, the answer is yes.

What should I wear to Kaigi?

• No dress code is confirmed in the available data. The izakaya-inspired counter format and €€ price point suggest smart casual is appropriate , the atmosphere is described as welcoming rather than formal. Overdressing for a counter restaurant of this type is unnecessary; underdressing relative to the nine-course tasting menu format would be a misjudgement.

How far ahead should I book Kaigi?

• With only 16 seats, consistent Michelin recognition, and high review scores, treat Kaigi as a two-to-three week advance booking minimum during peak months (April through September). In quieter months, one to two weeks may be sufficient, but earlier is always better for a counter this size. Do not plan to walk in.

What should a first-timer know about Kaigi?

• First: this is a counter-only restaurant with a fixed nine-course menu. There is no à la carte option and no table seating. Second: the cuisine is Japanese-Portuguese fusion, not a traditional Japanese restaurant , expect Portuguese ingredients prepared with Japanese sensibility. Third: the format means everyone eats together and timing matters; arrive on time. Fourth: at €€ pricing with two Michelin Plates, this is a strong value proposition by Porto standards , go in expecting a considered meal, not a casual dinner.