Taberninha do Manel

During our visit to Porto in 2019, we stumbled upon Taberninha do Manel in Vila Nova de Gaia on a rainy day. Despite waiting for an hour to get inside, we were intrigued as Lia had received a recommendation from a Brazilian living in Portugal. And let me tell you, the wait was absolutely worth it! We were treated to a delightful array of Portuguese dishes, each bursting with flavor. The Porto wine tasting was a highlight, and the desserts were simply heavenly. Situated along the banks of the Rio Douro, the restaurant boasts a fantastic location, offering stunning views—though we found the cozy and fun interior decoration equally charming. The service was friendly and quick once we were seated, and overall, we thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Taberninha do Manel. Highly recommended for anyone looking to savor authentic Portuguese cuisine in a delightful setting.

Had a great experience here. It was the first restaurant we ate at, no wait on a Sunday evening, great service & beautiful view of the river.
We had the cheese ball with bacon (I think deep fried) and a steak with egg - great fresh ingredients and cooked to perfection, in our opinion!
They were happy to suggest & bring us different wine options (as we didn’t realize port wine was so sweet).
Unfortunately not many pictures because we were so hungry lol

This restaurant was really good!
Service was excellent! Staffs were very friendly and kind.
Restaurant itself was beautiful and located right in front of water so river view and the bridge view was amazing at night as well.
Foods were very tasty and was just perfect.
Highly recommend this place!

Cais de Gaia is a wonderful Promenade. Nice views, lots of tasting rooms and lots of restaurants. We had lunch here and it was really delicious. Took a table outside where our Bulldog was welcome as well.

Had some bread and goats butter for starters. Also some very good olives. The Polvo Assado (grilled octopus) and baked Bacalhau casserole for mains. Both excellent dishes. Octopus was grilled to perfection, fresh, tender. Really nice meals.

Had a bottle of good white wine with the meal. After the meal we went for two flights of Porto. The "Pack Taberninha" for 18 Euros and the "Pack Porto Prestige" for 28 Euros. There is also the "Pack Port 120 Years" which is all Tawny Port. Good Port, but since we know Tawny well, we didn't go for that one. Our two flights were wonderful. A real discovery was the 10 and 20 Year old White Porto "Dona Antonia" from "Ferreira". Divine. Also the "Ruby Reserve Organic" from "Fonseca" was excellent. A young Porto, somwhere between a heavy wine and Porto. Great for some warmer days I'd say.

We had a great time here. Staff was amazing. Friendly, helpful. Made us feel very welcome. A nice place to get some good meals. Or to have some Porto and/or wine.

Food is just phenomenal. Friendly service. Rustic deco. Right by the river in Gaia so there’s ample opportunity to see the view. They don’t take reservation so take this into account if you’re there during high season!

We loved our lunch at Taberninha do Manel. We stopped here for lunch while touring the nearby port houses. The atmosphere was rustic and genuine, and the service was excellent. Our server was a young man, whose name we didn’t get unfortunately, but who spoke perfect English and was very gracious with our attempts at Portuguese.

We had a perfect rainy day lunch - seafood empanadas, salt cod fritters, and casserole with seafood rice. The food was all very good and we would definitely return.

Great food and ambiance. The service was very prompt and efficient. The seafood was fresh and cooked to perfection

Had a wonderful lunch here! Great view and warm atmosphere. Good variety of wine by the glass and we also enjoyed a port tasting. Highly recommend ✨

We challenged them to “make us fall in love with Porto” and then didn’t fail - the service was amazing and the food was DELICIOUS! Their shrimps are so tasty!

A perfect spot to eat good foods and enjoy the river view. You have options of quick bites and main dishes with reasonable price. The clams are amazing, fresh and big in size. Rustic decor, friendly service.

We had an awesome meal here after walking around Villa Nova de Gaia and World of Wine all afternoon. We had to get the Francesinha (this was the first place we tried it) and it was delicious! Surprisingly light for everything that is in it, but still very tasty and filling. The Chorizo, Vinho Verde, and appetizers were all delicious.

The rustic atmosphere was very cozy and the staff was quick and attentive. One group had a super cute dog that was just wandering around looking for food and laying in the funniest spots. Highly recommended!

Nestled in a convenient and excellent location, Taberninha do Manel proved to be a delightful discovery, especially after a leisurely walk along the river. The service we received here was impeccable from the get-go, setting the stage for an outstanding dining experience.

Our experience at this charming taberna was a true highlight. Each dish, thoughtfully accompanied by great wine, showcased a meticulous attention to detail in crafting flavors that delighted our palates.

If you're ever in the area, do yourself a favor and make a stop at Taberninha do Manel. Its combination of prime location, exceptional service, and a menu that celebrates local food and wine makes it a standout choice for a memorable dining experience in this picturesque setting.

Wonderful authentic restaurant. Delicious food! Try the Vinho Verde! Tasty white wine! Very friendly service.

Another great restaurant in Porto and well located right in front of the Douro valley.

Porto has countless restaurants with fresh & delicious plates. This restaurant is one of them.

I don't have any complaint towards service. The staff did great.

You can't go wrong with this restaurant.

A tourist trap I was glad to fall into.

Usually I avoid the first bar on a strip, but we ended up walking all the way down and coming back to here. So good. Friendly, knowledgeable service and fair price.

Excellent food, we were walking along the river and checking out the restaurants- this one had the best rating and no line, it did not disappoint ! Loved the clams, fried green beans and a beef stew dish ! And there was street musician too ! We had port and cheese after, the bill came out a little high but without, it would be totally reasonable and great value by the river !

We have enjoyed a good typical Portuguese meal. The service was fast and efficient.

Fist of all, our quadruped host, she was a delight, always attentive and very friendly, guarding the tables and checking if everyone is having a great time!! As for the food, absolutely delicious!!! The octopus, cod and the gizzards are a must!! House's wine a very nice delight for the price! The staff were fantastic the both times we visited the taberninha and the views are just perfect for a pleasant atmosphere! I'll come back for sure!!!

Really good food and service. The artisan dark bread and goats butter is superb. I also ate the black pudding dish and the bean stew with mushrooms.
I’ll be back to try the cheese plates which look superb but I was too full!

I love food here . Super tasty and fresh. Francesinha is great. Service is great too.

Hope to go back in one day. 😍