3 Best Restaurants in Baixa and Ribeira, Porto

Founded in 1933, this "musicians' café" exudes an old-world charm. The afternoon tea is famous, and if you're lucky you might happen upon a poetry reading or a live concert (often fado music).

Porto has a growing number of restaurants focusing on vegetarian dishes, and one of the places leading the charge for sustainable meat-free cooking is Época Porto. It's a small, light-filled space serving breakfasts, lunches, and brunches made entirely with organic produce---think barley bowls with mushrooms, goat cheese, and caramelized onion---and there's a range of natural wines and craft beers to accompany your meal.

Full of Art Nouveau grandeur—think leaded-glass doorways, elaborately carved woodwork, and ornate chandeliers—the Majestic Café has been the preferred hangout of Portugal's intellectual and social elite since the 1920s. After years of neglect, it was restored to its former glory and is once again an elegant place for coffee, cakes, and evening piano music.