Culto ao Bacalhau

I don’t think this restaurant is ready to be on the Michelin guide. Their expertise is cod but I didn’t feel like they did anything creative, innovative, or interesting with it. We ordered the laminated smoked cod and it was a plate of cod, olive oil, green onions, and capers. It was one dimensional and lacked flavour and wasn’t smokey. I started eating it with the free bread they gave us because otherwise I wouldn’t have been able to eat another piece. Our mains were the octopus and the oven baked cod with mashed potatoes. The oven baked cod was over salted (they were really all over the place with the seasoning). If you paired the cod with enough mashed potatoes, yes, it drowned out the saltiness but shouldn’t I be able to eat the items stand alone? I didn’t finish the dish as it was just annoying to eat when some bites were so unenjoyable due to the inconsistent seasoning. The octopus was cooked really well. However, it was paired with white onion which was undercooked meaning the onion had way too much bite. The parsley paired with it was also a miss because it overpowers the octopus. I finished the octopus but left everything else on the plate. Overall, I was really disappointed. If a restaurant’s whole theme is cod then I expect to see all the amazing dishes you can make with cod. I left feeing like I wasted 100 euros and I do not think this is at the standards of Michelin guide. The service was also lacking. My partner’s napkin was stained, they took away our plates and never replaced them so we couldn’t finish our bread. Then they returned asking if we were done with the bread - were they expecting me to eat over my hands? The table next to us had a starter made table side and they flicked fish on her chair.

Another gem in Porto. Our entire menu was based on fish, specifically cod. Perfect quality, superb ambiance, excellent service, and an even better personalized selection from the menu for six. The Michelin star 2025 is proof of that. Many thanks to the team and especially to Donaldo, our host that night. (I rarely give a full five star rating) 😉

Culto ao Bacalhau is a fantastic spot for anyone who loves Portuguese cuisine and, of course, cod! The service was outstanding—our server was so friendly and attentive. The atmosphere was also great, with a warm and inviting feel. The food was good overall, but after a few dishes, the focus on cod became a bit overwhelming. Still, it’s a great restaurant, and I highly recommend it if you’re a big fan of the ingredient.

Food is extremely overpriced. Very poor menu, mostly contains cod fish as a base. Awful so-called “sponge cake”, it’s not sponge at all, it’s disgusting and undercooked. We tried almost all the menu, and pretty nice was only octopus salad (if it was octopus without salad). The service, though, was very good, but it was a very bad idea to go there and spend that amount of money for so bad tasting experience. You should think twice if you still want to go there. I wouldn’t recommend this place at all.

Stunning restaurant in the market. We had the cod fillets to start and the steak and cod and prawns as the mains and it was delicious and just perfect! I’m amazed by this place. Ask for port at the end and witness the huge bottle. Wonderful service too. Fantastic!

Huge let down. The food was very mediocre for how much it cost. Water costs as much as a glass of wine. Service was terrible. I’m not sure if the waiter was a little standoffish towards me because I was a solo diner or for other cultural reasons. I saw him talking warmly and explaining dishes to other parties but not me. He was sarcastic and abrupt with me. When I asked for the bill, he forgot about it. I was patient and waited 15mins then I saw him getting into the lift across from the market. Definitely not worth it. At all.

If Porto has a temple dedicated to codfish (bacalhau), it's Culto ao Bacalhau. This restaurant takes Portugal's most iconic ingredient and elevates it into an unforgettable dining experience. Every single dish we tried was creative and delicious. Cozy modern atmosphere, great wine list, and super friendly and professional staff. We are looking forward to going back to Culto ao Bacalhau on our next trip to Porto.

Food is good. I love the pumpkin soup a lot and tomato risotto with cod fish and steak is tasty. Enjoy our dinner here.