Porto · Portugal
Postigo do Carvão
A practical guide to Postigo do Carvão, the charcoal-grilled fish restaurant in Porto's Ribeira: what to order, what it costs, whether to book and the medieval gate right next to it.
A simple, no-fuss fish dinner right in the Ribeira, at a reasonable price for the area. Book ahead: without a reservation the waits are long.
Postigo do Carvão is a charcoal-grilled fish restaurant on Rua da Fonte Taurina, in the Ribeira. It’s a traditional, unpretentious place known for fresh fish, seafood rice, octopus and bacalhau, and it’s named after the medieval gate right next to it.
Our experience
It was our farewell dinner in Porto, at 20:45 on Saturday, after our last sunset at the Passeio das Virtudes, about a ten-minute walk away. Our apartment host made the reservation. We planned to order sardines if they had them, since May is the start of the season, or otherwise seafood rice or octopus, with vinho verde. We kept it simple and early because the next morning the alarm went off at 4:30 to fly to Seville. It’s in our day 7.
The medieval gate
A few meters away is the real Postigo do Carvão: a low granite arch, the only gate left from the Fernandine wall. The wall was begun in 1336 under Afonso IV, finished in 1376 under Fernando I and ran about 2,600 meters around the city. Coal and other goods came in through this small gate facing the river; hence the name.
Between the 18th and 19th centuries the city tore the wall down piece by piece to open up streets. The postern survived partly because it sat under the Muro dos Bacalhoeiros. There’s no sign and no ticket: you walk under it in two minutes, and it’s the most medieval thing you’ll touch in the Ribeira.
What to see, in order
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The catch of the day
Ask "O que há de fresco hoje?". Sea bream or grouper on the grill, by weight, with salad and boiled potatoes.
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Grilled sardines
If they have them. May is the start of the season, and the first sardines of the year are smaller and more flavorful.
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Arroz de marisco
Seafood rice, one of the dishes the house is known for, for sharing.
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The octopus
Polvo, the other classic on the menu, along with bacalhau.
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Vinho verde
The young wine from the Minho, light and fresh, is what grilled fish calls for.
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The medieval gate
Next door is the original Postigo do Carvão, the only gate left from the 14th-century Fernandine wall. Walking under it takes two minutes.
Tips we wish we’d known
Tips
- Ask what's fresh before looking at the menu; at a grill house it's the right question.
- Fish like sea bream is priced by weight: ask the price of the piece before you order it.
- They take cards.
- If you can't get a table, A Grade, on Rua de São Nicolau, is another grilled-fish place nearby.
Do
- Book days ahead, especially for a weekend dinner.
- Walk through the medieval gate before or after dinner; almost nobody notices it.
- Keep your bag in front along the Cais da Ribeira: it's the worst area in the city for pickpockets.
Don’t
- Don't get pulled in by the people who come out with menus on Rua da Fonte Taurina: the good places don't chase anyone.
- Don't accept the sprig of rosemary "for luck" offered in the Ribeira: they ask for money afterward.
- Don't confuse the restaurant with the medieval gate: they share a name but are unrelated.
Frequently asked questions
What should you order at Postigo do Carvão?
Catch of the day on the grill, grilled sardines in season, seafood rice or octopus, with vinho verde.
Do you need a reservation?
Yes. Without one, the wait is long.
How much does dinner cost?
Roughly €15 to €25 per person.
What is the Postigo do Carvão?
It's the last surviving gate of Porto's Fernandine wall, finished in 1376. It was a small gate where coal and other goods came in from the river; the restaurant took its name.