A look at how Porto’s specialty-coffee scene has grown since 2019, plus 5 new coffee shops worth visiting.
BY ISABELLE MANI
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Featured photo by Von & Vonnie
Porto, Portugal, has half the population of Lisbon and a longer, more unified history—it’s where Portugal got its name. The cultural differences between the two cities emerge in both subtle details (in Lisbon, espresso is known as bica; in Porto, cimbalino) and broader trends, like the rise of specialty coffee. What began as a niche movement is now a key part of the city’s transformation.
We at Barista Magazine have covered Porto before, but it was time for an update. Back in 2019, the city had just six specialty coffee shops. As of October 2025, that number has grown to over 50—an increase of more than 40%, according to a survey by Tasteology.
The first wave was led by local coffee innovators such as Combi, SO Coffee, and 7G Roasters. Growth accelerated after the pandemic, fueled by an influx of young professionals under Portugal’s Digital Nomad Visa and many Portuguese returning from abroad. Since 2020, Porto’s population has risen by around 4%, with international residents now comprising roughly 8% of the 1.8 million people in the metro area. This blend of global influence and local entrepreneurship now defines Porto’s evolving coffee scene.
In October, the third edition of Porto Coffee Week—Portugal’s only full-scale coffee festival, held in the historic Alfândega building—attracted 3,606 visitors over its final three days, up 60% from 2024. The event sold out by day two. (Lisbon Coffee Week, also organized by Tasteology, takes place across the city in a pop-up format.)
At present, most of Porto’s specialty coffee consumers are international residents and high-income tourists. A traditional espresso still costs €0.70–1.0, while one brewed with specialty beans ranges from €1.0–2.0. Local adoption is steadily growing. In 2024, the domestic coffee market reached €695 million—a 6.9% increase from the previous year.
Within that, specialty beverages are growing at an annual rate of 6–8%, far outpacing the general inflation rate of 2–3%. Since per-capita coffee consumption has remained stable, this points to a clear trend of “premiumization.” People aren’t drinking more coffee—they’re simply paying more for better quality.
“Coffee here is part of daily life. It’s social, spontaneous, and constant. People drop by the counter for a quick bica, enjoy a galão with breakfast, or meet friends over a pingado,” says Rebecca Yang, 2025 National Barista Champion and co-owner of W You Coffee in Lisbon.
Born in Shanghai and raised in the U.S., Yang embodies the layered, global nature of Portugal’s modern coffee culture.
To build this list, I spoke with five people who reflect the current specialty coffee crowd in Porto: a local, a café owner, a tourist, a not-so-recent arrival from elsewhere in Portugal, and someone who relocated there from abroad. I visited every spot mentioned—and I stand by each pick.
1. 7G Coffee Roasters
Address: Rua de França 52, 4400-174 Vila Nova de Gaia, Portugal
Romanian-born Daniel Bordiniuc is the founder and co-owner of Brewing With Dani, an online platform that helps beginners make better coffee at home. He lives in Porto with his family.
“What stands out to me is how many small businesses here—especially cafés and roasters with Brazilian roots—source their green beans directly from Brazil. That close connection brings you nearer to the supply chain and helps you understand how coffee is grown, roasted, and tasted.”
Daniel’s coffee shop of choice is 7G Roasters in Vila Nova de Gaia: what he says is a great spot for breakfast or brunch, with coffee roasted on-site. “If you’re lucky, you can catch the roasting in action,” he says. “It’s just across the river, with beautiful views of Porto and easy access to the city’s best Port wine cellars.”
2. Comum
Address: Rua do Rosário 211, 4050-524 Porto (inside CRU Creative Hub)
Polish-born Lukasz Galecki is a community and customer experience expert at Comandante and is also the editor of Barista Stories at European Coffee Trip. He visited Porto to speak at Porto Coffee Week and immediately connected with the city’s laid-back energy and people-first culture.
“I loved how easy it was for non-professionals to take part in the festival. It wasn’t just for industry insiders. Home baristas, enthusiasts, and locals were part of the experience,” he told Barista Magazine. “It felt genuinely community-driven, not just another trade show.”
If he had to choose one place to spend an afternoon in Porto? “It’s tough to pick just one, but I’d go for a batch brew at Comum from Senzu Coffee Roasters, tucked inside the CRU Creative Hub,” he says. “It’s a great space to slow down, meet local artists and designers, and chat with Virginia, who brings a special warmth to the place.”
3. So Coffee Roasters
Address of main location: Rua de Sá da Bandeira 502, 4000-431 Porto
Other locations: Rua de Passos Manuel 44, and more.
Leandro Fedele is the Global Sensory Manager at FlavorActiV, where he leads sensory programs for the coffee market, working with international clients on training and flavor standards. Originally from Brazil, he lives in Lisbon and travels frequently across Europe, and Porto has become one of his favorite stops.
“What I love most about Porto’s coffee scene is how multi-cultural it is. I can drink a Kenyan coffee, roasted by a Brazilian roastery, brewed by a barista from Nepal, in a Portuguese café—all while chatting with a friend from Georgia. The respect and openness in this community are incredible. Coffee here connects people, no matter where they’re from.”
His go-to spot in town? So Coffee Roasters. “They always have an amazing and diverse selection—some
rare coffees you won’t easily find elsewhere,” he told Barista Magazine. “The atmosphere is vibrant, with people from all over the world, and the staff are super friendly. And of course, the coffee is always perfectly prepared.”
4. A Certain Café
Address: Rua da Torrinha 121, 4050-611 Porto
Originally from Swansea, Wales, Morgan von Mantripp is the co-founder of Von & Vonnie, a café and micro-roastery he built with his partner Yvonne in Porto’s Bonfim neighborhood. After years in Hamburg’s coffee scene, they came to Portugal looking for a slower rhythm—and found it here.
“Coffee used to be about control for me, and now, it’s about presence,” Morgan says. “I want people to feel welcome, even if they don’t know a thing about extraction curves.”
His pick for a quiet moment? “A Certain Café feels like Porto to me: slow, kind, intentional,” he says. “They only serve filter coffee, which I love. Sometimes I don’t want to talk shop; I just want to sit with a brew and breathe. That’s what this place gives me.”
5. Von & Vonnie
Address: Rua do Heroísmo 287, 4300-258 Porto
Born and raised in Porto, Sofia Ferraz is the founder of Tasteology, the creative studio and coffee subscription club behind Porto Coffee Week and Lisbon Coffee Week. A graphic designer by background, she now leads some of the country’s most relevant coffee events, coordinates SCA Portugal, and is a mother of two. She’s married to Hugo Ferraz, a barista, brewing trainer, and longtime collaborator in her coffee journey.
“Porto is small enough that everyone knows each other—but big enough to create new things. There’s a natural connection here between coffee and hospitality,” she says.
Her pick for a coffee break? “Von & Vonnie, always. It’s where I go to breathe, and to be reminded why I love this scene,” Sofia says. “My kids love it too.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Isabelle Mani (she/her) is a writer, journalist, and communicator specializing in the international coffee industry. Since 2017, she has focused on writing articles and features for various international coffee news outlets. Isabelle has traveled to coffee-producing countries such as Colombia, Kenya, Rwanda, China, and Brazil to study and research coffee. She holds training certifications from the Specialty Coffee Association (SCA) and the Coffee Quality Institute (Arabica Q Grading).
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