Apego Restaurante

Thank you for a fantastic dining experience! 6/5 stars from me. How did I find this place? It’s small, opened by a woman chef, tucked into a quiet residential street uptown, a neighborhood still awaiting or avoiding gentrification. Apego is Portuguese for attachment. And boy, did I get hooked last night! I had asked my culinary friends at Churchill’s wine bar for restaurant recommendations, so here goes my growing attachment story: The first plate was four 4 amuse gueules from the kitchen: a mushroom empanada, a French-inspired mini onion quiche, a minuscule courgette, and a fresh cucumber-carrot shot on the sweeter side. My favorite? The quiche. Starter # 1 turned out to be a panzanella improvisation - inspiring me to replace smoked bell peppers with really, really oven smoked eggplant puree. Delightful. Starter # 3 is a really tiny plate: mackerel, raspberries, crème fraiche, and a little herbal-leaf looking like a kid’s x-mas tree drawing. It’s called “target” and I’ve never tasted anything like it before. I’ve also never eaten a Christmas tree branch in my life. Plus I never knew I’d be eating - and loving it - Mackerel. Raspberries. And Crème fraiche. Together. My friendly wine waiter, Victor, has a tough time pleasing me though: I made it crystal clear that I didn’t want to go anywhere near a natural wine (a fashion that has hit Porto, as have opulently sized plates “for sharing”… ironically they describe them as tapas, except that you’re full with two. I think that’s tricking you into eating more rather than trying more). He made me try it anyway, and as always, I didn’t get it. I can’t savor the grape, it looks pale, and it tastes as most in various stages of fermentation. This one was on the sour side. I don’t get it, I really don’t. Leave alone the hype. But I digress. I’m loosing count, but next up is a Corvina, and it’s awesome. More than a filet it looks more like a steak, wrapped in a leak leaf roll - think a bigger size sushi - together with a green herb paste, it comes with a white wine sauce and, on a separate side plate, a mixed bean salad is served. Green long ones and very likable cocoa like ones with a lemony vinaigrette - the third vinaigrette I fell in love tonight (after the tomato vinaigrette and the raspberry vinaigrette, to keep track). What followed - I think this is a second main course- is displayed around a red wine reduction in the middle of the plate. So surrounding the red pond, I found a pink piece of pork shoulder, a Cajù (aka cashew nut) creme with blackberries, and a grilled miniature corn. Culinary creativity knows no limits…. And I love the disconstruction and re-construction of everything. On a separate plate was mashed potato role - think cannolo - sprinkled with spring onions. Normally potato mash is a favorite soul food but this time I passed. It had a very strong cheese mixed into it, competing over attention with the other pork companions. Dessert # 1 - the call them desapego / detachment Blackcornhoneycrumbs. Olive oil ice cream, a scoop. Dried fennel greens, edible (the waiter made sure I knew everything on the plate was edible), white and crunchy. Incredible combination of texture and flavor. All of which came under a tent of white merengues. Dessert # 2 Hazelnutmousse, apricot compote under a Belgium butter biscuit, topped by a desconstructed praline. I’m told I have to destroy this little pyramid with an ordinary spoon. I walk down Rua Santa Catarina with a big smile and a lot of flashy tasty memories to write down. Plus I don’t know if they should rename the place - I’d rather think of it as Saudade.

The food was excellent - interesting, thoughtful, and, above all else, tasty. The staff, however, put Apego over the top. Everyone was so nice, so engaging, and so clearly enthused with what they, as a team, had to offer their customers. What a great night!

A very special meal in a very special restaurant. Service was extremely warm and professional. The chef/ owner came out to introduce herself and tell us about our first dish. This was a very nice touch. The dishes were beautiful and creative with a nod to the chef’s travels. Everything was tasty, attention was paid to building flavour and each dish had a variety of textures and colours. Wine pairings recommended were lovely. The restaurant is casual but elegant. A memorable experience

Great experience ! Hake Ravioli are delicious, veal short rib is out of this world, wine glass excellent as the service, location is ok but deserves 5* as very tasty cuisine. Don't miss the bread, it's makes you addict !! Absolutely reccomended.

Very special dinner with seasonal ingredients, perfectly cooked and seasoned, with an excellent and generous Portuguese wine pairing. Service was warm and friendly. The setting is intimate and beautiful.

We visited this restaurant to celebrate my mom’s birthday, and I was looking for a traditional spot with a warm and cozy ambiance. Apego exceeded our expectations with its charming stone walls, intimate setting, and the incredible fact that the chef is a talented woman—it was just perfect. We chose the tasting menu, and it was a delightful surprise for our taste buds. Every dish was carefully curated, both in terms of presentation and flavor. The combinations were unexpected yet harmonious, leaving us amazed. The tasting menu is absolutely worth it, as you get to try a bit of everything. Portions are well-balanced, ensuring you don’t leave hungry. It’s excellent value for money! The highlight of our meal was the veal short rib—it had an extraordinary taste, unlike anything we’ve ever had before. Even as people who don’t typically favor meat, we were blown away. This dish alone is worth the visit! The ambiance was wonderful, the service impeccable, and the staff incredibly kind and fluent in English. The Michelin star is truly well-deserved. If you’re in Porto and want an intimate dining experience with refined, exquisite food, Apego is a must. A lovely touch at the end is the little notebook they give you to write down your thoughts—a beautiful idea! Congratulations to the chef and the entire team! We will definitely be back.

Great gastronomic trip! Perfect food-wine pairing. Lovely staff. Will definitely come back here....

Amazing evening for my birthday treat -Aurora the chef is something else! Thank you to Bruno and Victor for looking after us! The tasting menu and wine pairing is fabulous ❤️ massive thanks to all of you at Apego!

A wonderful place run by creative and gifted women led by Chef Aurora Goy, This culinary gem is situated in a section of Porto noted for its plainness and wedged between two seedy buildings. Inside Apego, however, lies beauty. Although small, the ambience is a casual elegance that reflects the fare that Chef Goy and her crew prepare. Barbara, the sommelier, knows her wines. We went there twice during our 6 day stay and will return if we go back to Porto in the future.

Apego Restaurante was my first dining experience in Porto on my week and a half trip to Portugal. I had no expectations, really, other than the food being a slight twist on traditional Portuguese fare. Well, let me tell you. I had an outstanding meal. The street Apego is on doesn't look like much, especially at night with all the stores closed. Just keep walking. The restaurant itself is somewhat small, fitting about 20 people inside, with a banquet along one wall and traditional tables up against the other. The guy running front of house was very sweet and kind, providing wine recommendations and explaining each dish as they came out. Oh yeah, the price was nice too. Couvert: This was the most delicious couvert I've ever had. It was a pumpkin spread with cream cheese and pomegranates. It paired nicely with the bread and was incredibly light. More room for the rest of dinner! Appetizer: I had the blood sausage with pear and bean purée. I learned that the blood sausage was made in house by the chef. I could eat this dish all day, between the wonderful flavors and perfect texture differences. A real winner. Entree: I worry about large pieces of fish served on a plate. Usually, they're too big and dense and too... fishy. Not this sea bass. I loved that it was wrapped in cabbage, giving it a little crunch. The mashed potatoes were also great, because who doesn't love mashed potatoes?! Dessert: The guy running front of house recommended the orange ice cream dessert. He said it was his favorite. I trusted him. It was amazing. I loved everything about the dessert- from the orange zest, to the olive oil drizzled on the plate, to the nut brittle throughout the ice cream. Just incredible. Between the couvert, appetizer, entree, dessert, and glass of wine, I spent about €33, which was well worth the money. If you're in Porto, make a reservation and go to Apego.

Off the beaten path. Walk, crawl, hitchhike, Uber or taxi to get here. Three choices for each phase of the meal. You absolutely cannot go wrong. Tonight we chose an onion pie appetizer, the octopus and pork dinners. All were perfect! Best meal in two weeks in Portugal and we seek out exceptional dining. Phenomenal.