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Trying to find quality vegan meal options while traveling in your own country can be hard enough, but international travel to Europe is a whole new challenge. Porto is famous for some key things, beautiful rivers, historical cityscapes along the Ribeira district, and Portugal’s seafood. The prospect of finding good vegan restaurants in Porto can seem intimidating, however.
Whether you’re trying to eat a little more sustainably for the environment or are a practicing vegan, I’ve collected some of the best vegan restaurants in Porto, what to look out for when avoiding animal products, and how to monitor any allergies which vegan food might trigger.
Best Buffet Vegan Restaurants in Porto: daTerra
Vegan buffets are a very rare find, and daTerra is one of the best you can find. Dedicated to ecological sustainability, fresh ingredients and healthy living- daTerra have good ethics and even better food. Their menu changes daily, but you can see everything they offer for the week on their menu.
Their affordable prices will get you a good meal for anywhere from 10 to 20 euros, accounting for drinks and desserts being charged separately from the buffet. daTerra is part of a vegan buffet chain set up in Porto, so while I only list one location, there are others around the city.
Located at R. de Mouzinho da Silveira 249, 4050-421, near the Porto Cathedral and the Clérigos Church, you’ll find beautiful monuments to marvel at before or after your meal. They offer takeout, breakfast, excellent lunches, and a buffet at lunch and dinner. There’s no better way to enjoy a buffet dinner than going to one of the best vegan restaurants in Porto.
Best Pub Food in Porto: Apuro
Pub food is always a real treat, and Apuro offers a creative take on those classic dive foods at incredibly low prices. It is easily one of the best vegan restaurants in Porto. Craft beers, hearty burgers, and live shows, Apuro has all the fixings of a classic pub you can return to again and again.
Their delicious menu is stuffed with a talented selection of sustainable food options, and with affordable prices in the 5-12 euro range. You can park just outside the bar at Rua do Breiner 236, 4050-124.
Porto’s Best Vegan Grocer & Cafe: Vegana by Tentúgal
Near the urban heart of Porto, Vegena by Tentúgal doesn’t just offer a dedicated vegan grocer, but a delightful cafe too. The vegan offering of the Francesinha is a treat in its own right, but Vegana offers up an array of so much more, soups, sandwiches, beverages and desserts served fresh.
Not just by people who care, but who put all they can into every meal. You might have to wait a little, but it is so worth it. Drop by, grab a meal and the stuff to make your own at R. de Santo Ildefonso 412 4300, Porto, Portugal. Vegana is one of the best vegan restaurants in Porto, and you won’t regret visiting.
Porto’s Freshest Vegan Foods: Casa de Horta
This “House of the Vegetable Garden” isn’t just a superbly fresh and simple arrangement of local grown vegetables, fresh baked bread, and freshly made drinks, but a local NGO putting their best foot forward to helping their community.
The organizers hold regular events and benefits, focusing on the arts and fostering a healthy sense of community. Casa de Horta can be found at R. de São Francisco 12, 4050-253 near the beautiful river and only a minute away from the beautiful Church of São Francisco.
Porto’s Best Vegetarian Offering: Comércio Café Coworking
Barring only their dairy options, the Comércio Café went all in on vegan food options and really knock it out of the park. They offer a wonderfully cozy breakfast menu, with their best being a huge serving platter of filling and delicious vegan breakfast foods to get you started on your day around town.
Dairy offerings may put some off, but the Comércio Café are committed to serving good vegan options, with coconut yogurts and non-dairy milks on offer. The cafe is located at R. do Comércio do Porto 124 A, 4050-209.
Tips For Eating Vegan In Portugal
Portugal isn’t the easiest place for vegans, with a historic culinary culture centered around seafood, it finds its way into most available offerings. When you feed yourself, you won’t find many newer meat substitutes in stores yet, but good old tofu and seitan still have a strong presence in many grocers. When you seek out vegan grocers and vegan restaurants in Porto, you might even find some affordable quick meals and options to really explore the local cuisine while following your ethics.
The vegan food scene in Portugal as a whole is catching up quick, and great new vegan restaurants in Porto open all the time. Still, you can always ask servers if they offer any vegan options or what animal products a meal might contain and whether they could be removed.
With the amount of tourism coming to Porto, you may be able to find menus or servers in English who can help you to locate and order a vegan meal option or to remove any animal products from a meal. Some Porto bed and breakfasts even include vegan offerings.
Remember To Enjoy Yourself
Still, don’t let it stress you out, vegan options are beginning to exist everywhere and becoming more accessible. Don’t feel like you can’t travel somewhere on the feeling they might not offer vegan options, it’s a movement with a lot of spread and a lot of love.
Enjoy Porto, the wonderful vegan restaurants in Porto, and the beauty that Portugal offers.