Time Out Market Porto
Photograph: Time Out Market Porto, João Saramago

Time Out Market Porto: everything you need to know

Just opened at São Bento train station, Time Out Market Porto brings the best of the city under one roof

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Something exciting has arrived at Porto’s São Bento station. Time Out Market Porto is finally here, bringing you the best of the city’s food and drink scene under one roof.

There is so much great food in Porto. We’d even go as far to say it’s a bit of an underrated food destination, if that phrase wasn’t so overused. But the fact of the matter is that if you’re visiting Porto, you can’t leave without sampling the city’s food scene.

And now, the city’s best food is all be in one place: Time Out Market Porto.

From classic Portuguese cuisine to dishes you’ve never heard of before, the market is home to 11 truly brilliant restaurants (with one more still to open) and two bars, curated by the Time Out editorial team. We’ve got everything you need to know about the market right here.

What is Time Out Market?

It’s the best of the city under one roof. That’s our motto, and we stick to it: the best chefs, the best drinks, the best cultural experiences, gathered from across the city into one essential destination. We launched Time Out Market Lisbon in 2014, and its success has led other cities to follow suit: New York, Cape Town, Boston, Chicago, Dubai, Montreal and now Porto.

 

Where is Time Out Market Porto?

Time Out Market Porto is in the south wing of São Bento railway station, a UNESCO World Heritage site. That puts it right in Porto’s historic centre, surrounded by iconic buildings and landmarks like Porto Cathedral, Avenida dos Aliados, and the lively Rua das Flores, which is full of shops and restaurants.

Need directions? Find Time Out Market Porto here, or use the coordinates 49WR+35 Porto on Google Maps.

What will you find at the market?

Time Out Market Porto hosts 11 restaurant counters representing some of the city’s best food options, plus a bar. (A twelfth restaurant counter will open soon.)

The restaurants face out onto the courtyard, which is full of tables and chairs to sit and eat at. There’s also a new landmark for the city: a 20-metre-high glass and iron structure, designed by Porto-born architect (and 2011 Pritzker Architecture Prize Winner) Eduardo Souto de Moura. This contains the sky-high Tasting Room bar and the A Vida Portuguesa shop, specialising in nostalgic Portuguese products.

What are the opening hours?

Time Out Market Porto is open daily from 10am to midnight.

Are there vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options?

Absolutely, but we recommend you let the chefs and staff know of any allergies or dietary restrictions.

Can I reserve a table?

We don’t take table reservations – we take a more casual approach, with communal tables. Just grab any available seat and enjoy the culinary experience.

Do you accept cash and cards?

The Time Out Market spaces only accept credit/debit cards and MBWay payments. If you only have cash, you can load a TOM Card at the information desk. These are valid for one year.

How can my restaurant appear in the Time Out Market?

The Time Out Market concept is directly linked to our editorial curation: any vendor in the Market must already exist in Porto and have been rated four or five stars by the magazine’s critics. If your project meets these criteria, send us the info at infoporto@timeoutmarket.com. We’ll register your interest and contact you if an opportunity arises.

Can I hold an event at Time Out Market Porto?

For information about private events and cards for groups, please contact us at infoporto@timeoutmarket.com.

What events are coming up at Time Out Market Porto?

The full Time Out Market Porto events calendar is available at www.timeoutmarket.com/porto.

Is there wifi at the Market?

Yes, there is free wifi.

Please can I use the toilets?

The Time Out Market toilets are exclusively for customers. To use them, keep the receipt you received when purchasing food, and enter the code on it at the toilet door.

Does the Market have parking?

The market doesn't have its own parking, but there are public car parks nearby, including Parque das Cardosas or Parque Dom João I.

Are animals allowed?

Sorry – animals aren't allowed in the Time Out Market, except for guide dogs.

Which chefs and restaurants will be there?

The 11 Time Out Market Porto restaurants offer the best of Porto’s cuisine, including four of the hottest chefs on the city’s food scene today. Get to know them better right here…

Time Out Market Porto: meet the chefs

Vasco Coelho Santos

He’s a chef to watch, both now and in the future (already bagging a Chef de l’Avenir award and a Michelin star). His career journey shows that swapping a management degree for the kitchen was a smart move. He’s worked with top chefs like José Avillez, Nuno Mendes, Andoni Aduriz, Arzak, and Ferran Adrià before launching his own Euskalduna Studio. Since then, Vasco Coelho Santos has continued to wow Porto with new ventures, from a bakery and a fish shop to an Asian restaurant. Now he’s joining the chef team at Time Out Market.

Rui Paula

Rui Paula was made famous in Porto for his spectacular waterside restaurant DOC (and his two Michelin stars), with an incredible view of the Douro river. Think natural wines, bold Portuguese flavours and immaculate presentation. 

Rui Paula is an unmissable name on Porto’s food scene, even though his first restaurant was a couple of hours away in the town of Alijó. His journey to Porto started in 2007 when he opened DOC in Folgosa, in the centre of the Douro wine region. In 2010, he launched DOP in Porto’s historic centre, and four years later, he restored the Casa de Chá da Boa Nova in the seaside suburb of Leça da Palmeira, earning two Michelin stars. He’s a familiar face on Masterchef Portugal, and now he’ll be appearing at Time Out Market Porto. He describes his cooking as ‘simple, technical, and visually appealing, with flavour, texture, and beauty.’

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Rafaela Louzada

Rafaela, or Rafa to her friends, is an inspiration for the women who work in her kitchen (and beyond). Her kitchen is all about bringing dishes full of flavour, lightness, and freshness to the table. Along with her efforts to empower women in the culinary world, this Brazilian chef also focuses on sustainable cooking, using fish and seafood from the Portuguese coast. These ingredients have always been the stars of her restaurant, Gruta, in Santa Catarina, and they’ll shine just as brightly at Time Out Market Porto.

Ricardo Costa

Hailing from the lagoon city of Aveiro, for the last decade Ricardo Costa has settled on the banks of the River Douro. He runs the kitchen at The Yeatman’s gastronomic restaurant in Vila Nova de Gaia, where he has earned two Michelin stars. He goes all in on Portuguese cuisine, perfectly balancing traditional recipes, local ingredients, innovative techniques, and contemporary presentation. He’s one of the biggest names on Portugal’s culinary scene today, and an absolute must-try at Porto’s Time Out Market.

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