Rumors have it that dining at Restaurante O Gaveto, Matusinhos in Greater Porto is a must. Visitors to Porto will soon discover that it is well worth taking a taxi ride to Matusinhos to dine at O Gaveto. Join me now at the dinner table.
When you walk into the restaurant the front area houses a bar area and tanks, with dining room on the left.
Dining at O Gaveto
Our final night out in Porto included a dinner at O Gaveto.
O Gaveto is known for its fresh fish and seafood. When we arrived to the table for our group was all setup with seafood appetizers. As my photos show the appetizers were so carefully arranged that they looked like floral bouquets on the table.
Needless to say, it was an amazing dinner. Even though I became engrossed in conversation with friends I did manage to capture a few telling photos.
Yes, there are a few of us who don not eat fish. My dish that evening was a tasty omelet.
On the sweet side I was tempted by the following options:
The restaurant is regarded as one of the most wine friendly restaurants in Porto. You can bring your own and pay a corkage fee, or order a la carte. Naturally in our wine community there were some special bottles of wine to taste.
Dinner that evening began with a tempting Soalheiro Brut Rosé wine.
Also included in the above wine lineup were:
It is hard to beat the lineup of wines we had that evening. Moreover, it is hard to imagine a better place for dinner. The service was excellent. After dinner it was back to hotel for me. I needed to rest for the next day's event. No trip to the Porto area is complete without at least a quick visit to the Douro Valley.
Off to the Douro Valley in the Morning
Let's not forget Porto's Port Lodges
I can not help but note that the port lodges in the historic Vila Nova de Gaia are an absolute must. It is hard to pass up a tasting at places, like Taylor's Port Lodge at the top of the Gaia hillside overlooking Porto. The view from there is absolutely majestic.
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| Restaurante O Gaveto © Spaswinefood |
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| O Gaveto Bar Area and Fish Tanks © Spaswinefood |
Our final night out in Porto included a dinner at O Gaveto.
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| O Gaveto, Porto © Spaswinefood |
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| Appetizer Time, O Gaveto © Spaswinefood |
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| Colorful Bouquet of Seafood, O Gaveto © Spaswinefood |
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| Dining at O Gaveto © Spaswinefood |
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| Omelet, O Gaveto © Spaswinefood |
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| Desert, O Gaveto © Spaswinefood |
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| More Deserts, O Gaveto © Spaswinefood |
The restaurant is regarded as one of the most wine friendly restaurants in Porto. You can bring your own and pay a corkage fee, or order a la carte. Naturally in our wine community there were some special bottles of wine to taste.
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| After Dinner Wine Lineup © Spaswinefood |
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| Soalheiro Brut Rosé NV © Spaswinefood |
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| Emilio Pepe, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2000 © Spaswinefood |
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| Vivanco Collectión Parcelas de Mataran Tinta, Rioja DOCa 2011 © Spaswinefood |
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| Franco Biondi Santi Tenuta Greppo Riserva, Brunello di Montalcino 1990 © Spaswinefood |
It is hard to beat the lineup of wines we had that evening. Moreover, it is hard to imagine a better place for dinner. The service was excellent. After dinner it was back to hotel for me. I needed to rest for the next day's event. No trip to the Porto area is complete without at least a quick visit to the Douro Valley.
Off to the Douro Valley in the Morning
Next morning we were off to the Douro Valley.
We had an amazing visit at Quevedo's where they treated us royally.
First, we did some sampling from the barrels. This was followed by a wine tasting of Quevedo and Covela wines over an awesome lunch.
It was a stellar lunch with excellent wines. It was hard not to love Covela's Rosé and Quevedo's 30 Year Old White Port.
It was indeed a delightfully hot day in the Douro Valley. Before leaving we took a dip in the Douro. It was a great way to cool down on a 38 degree Celsius day. Hot or not, no true wine enthusiast can get enough of the Douro. Let me not forget to mention the many breath taking views of Douro Valley quintas (or vineyards) where the grapes are grown. The Douro Valley port wines and its other wines sure leave a lasting impression.
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| A Douro Day © Spaswinefood |
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| Quevedo, Douro Valley © Spaswinefood |
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| Tasting Quevedo and Covela Wines © Spaswinefood |
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| Covela Rosé 2015 © Spaswinefood |
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| Quevedo 30 Year Old White Port © Spaswinefood |
Let's not forget Porto's Port Lodges
I can not help but note that the port lodges in the historic Vila Nova de Gaia are an absolute must. It is hard to pass up a tasting at places, like Taylor's Port Lodge at the top of the Gaia hillside overlooking Porto. The view from there is absolutely majestic.
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| View from Taylor's Port Lodge © Spaswinefood |
Take a walk down the hill towards the Douro River waterfront. There you will find the other well-known port lodges, such as Sandeman's. The Sandeman symbol is hard to miss. I still remember visiting Sandeman's Quinta do Seixo in the Douro Valley during an earlier visit.
I left Portugal with fond memories and knowing that I have come back soon to explore more wines and foods. Obviously Porto's O Gaveto is a place that should top most #foodies and #winelovers must visit list. Spaswinefood looks forward to further adventures in Portugal. I invite you to join me in my travels in Portugal and elsewhere in search of the best in Spaswinefood.
Sharon
July 2016
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