Porto has quite a few Michelin Star restaurants and Elemento is surely one to visit. Located few steps from the Cathedral, the front of the restaurant does not give much hints about what is going on there, except the mention of “Fire Dining” under its name, that I am sure people read quickly as “Fine Dining”. No, it is the word “fire” that is written, and entering the restaurant, your nose cannot miss the smell of burning wood. The explanation is simple: everything is cooked with wood fire and if, like us, you can sit at the counter, you can get a good glimpse of how the magic happens in the kitchen. We went there for our last meal before coming back home, on a Thursday, and the restaurant was quite empty, giving the chance to the kitchen staff to take their time to prepare delicious dishes inspired by Portuguese cuisine, with a modern and, of course, smokey twist.

They offer a menu a la carte and an 8-course tasting menu (95 Eur). I mentioned in the reservation that Jodi is vegetarian and so, they gave me a call earlier that day to get some more information so they could prepare a nice meal for her (vegetarian options are only accommodated in the tasting menu). The result was fantastic, each of her dishes being beautifully plated, colorful and flavorful, showcasing the creativity and skills of the Chef as, sometimes, restaurants would just make vegetarian dishes by doubling the portion of what is simply a side...Not at Elemento and, if they would have serving me the same, I would have been equally satisfied. Here is what we had:

The first course was their homemade sourdough with hazelnut butter, babahanouj and olive oil. I should mention that in the photo below, you can see a wooden box that contains the utensils to be used through the meals.

Bread and butter course at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

For me (regular 8-course tasting)::

2023 Bal de Madre rosé wine:

2023 Bal de Madre rose wine at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

Red prawn tartelette with coconut and lemongrass:

Red prawn tartelette at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

Blue fin tuna, parmesan and dill emulsion:

Smoked langoustine with bread stew and Xo sauce:

Smoked langoustines with bread stew at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

Wild croaker fish with guasacaca:

Wild croaker fish at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

Red snapper, sea urchin sauce and trout eggs:

Red snapper at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

Black pork rump, tapenade and chanterelles:

Pork rump at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

Orange ice cream, beets and plum vinegar:

Orange ice cream with beets at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

Brownie ice cream sandwich:

Ice cream sandwich at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

For Jodi (vegetarian tasting):

Strawberry tonic mocktail:

Tartelette with coconut and lemongrass:

Coconut lemongrass tartelette at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

Parmesan and dill emulsion:

Parmesan cheese and dill emulsion at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

Endive, dill and pecorino cheese:

Endive, doll and pecorino cheese at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

King Oyster mushrooms, vegetables and romesco:

King oyster mushroom at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

Grilled cabbage, smoked cream, fava beans:

Grilled cabbage at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

Hokkaido pumpkin, tapenade and chanterelles:

Orange ice cream and plum vinegar:

Orange ice cream at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

Sourdough ice cream:

Then, when we thought we were done, they brought us some canelets (southwestern French mini cake) and truffles, all homemade.

Canelets and truffles at Elemento in Porto, Portugal

The dish in the shape of a turtle was definitely appropriate as we were full and left the restaurant walking like turtles…From all the Michelin Stars restaurants we ate at, this is one of the most memorable: the food was exquisite, the service on point, with a cool atmosphere (we even heard the Chef singing a Cat Stevens song that was playing in the background) and it was surely an incredible experience. A must if you are visiting Porto and are looking for a fine dining experience. This was fire!

Enjoy (I really did)!

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Elemento - Rua do Almada 51, 4050-036 Porto, Portugal

My trip to Porto: Elemento, when fine dining meets fire dining

I Just Want To Eat!