A have a look at how Porto’s specialty-coffee scene has grown since 2019, plus 5 new espresso retailers value visiting.
BY ISABELLE MANI
BARISTA MAGAZINE ONLINE
Featured picture by Von & Vonnie
Porto, Portugal, has half the inhabitants of Lisbon and an extended, extra unified historical past—it’s the place Portugal acquired its title. The cultural variations between the 2 cities emerge in each delicate particulars (in Lisbon, espresso is called bica; in Porto, cimbalino) and broader developments, just like the rise of specialty espresso. What started as a distinct segment motion is now a key a part of town’s transformation.
We at Barista Journal have lined Porto earlier than, however it was time for an replace. Again in 2019, town had simply six specialty espresso retailers. As of October 2025, that quantity has grown to over 50—a rise of greater than 40%, in response to a survey by Tasteology.
The primary wave was led by native espresso innovators similar to Combi, SO Espresso, and 7G Roasters. Development accelerated after the pandemic, fueled by an inflow of younger professionals below Portugal’s Digital Nomad Visa and lots of Portuguese coming back from overseas. Since 2020, Porto’s inhabitants has risen by round 4%, with worldwide residents now comprising roughly 8% of the 1.8 million individuals within the metro space. This mix of world affect and native entrepreneurship now defines Porto’s evolving espresso scene.
In October, the third version of Porto Espresso Week—Portugal’s solely full-scale espresso pageant, held within the historic Alfândega constructing—attracted 3,606 guests over its last three days, up 60% from 2024. The occasion bought out by day two. (Lisbon Espresso Week, additionally organized by Tasteology, takes place throughout town in a pop-up format.)
At current, most of Porto’s specialty espresso shoppers are worldwide residents and high-income vacationers. A conventional espresso nonetheless prices €0.70–1.0, whereas one brewed with specialty beans ranges from €1.0–2.0. Native adoption is steadily rising. In 2024, the home espresso market reached €695 million—a 6.9% enhance from the earlier yr.
Inside that, specialty drinks are rising at an annual price of 6–8%, far outpacing the overall inflation price of two–3%. Since per-capita espresso consumption has remained steady, this factors to a transparent development of “premiumization.” Individuals aren’t ingesting extra espresso—they’re merely paying extra for higher high quality.
“Espresso right here is a part of day by day life. It’s social, spontaneous, and fixed. Individuals drop by the counter for a fast bica, get pleasure from a galão with breakfast, or meet associates over a pingado,” says Rebecca Yang, 2025 Nationwide Barista Champion and co-owner of W You Espresso in Lisbon.
Born in Shanghai and raised within the U.S., Yang embodies the layered, international nature of Portugal’s fashionable espresso tradition.
To construct this record, I spoke with 5 individuals who replicate the present specialty espresso crowd in Porto: a neighborhood, a café proprietor, a vacationer, a not-so-recent arrival from elsewhere in Portugal, and somebody who relocated there from overseas. I visited each spot talked about—and I stand by every decide.
1. 7G Espresso Roasters
Tackle: 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 internet platform that helps newcomers make higher espresso at house. He lives in Porto together with his household.
“What stands out to me is what number of small companies right here—particularly cafés and roasters with Brazilian roots—supply their inexperienced beans immediately from Brazil. That shut connection brings you nearer to the provision chain and helps you perceive how espresso is grown, roasted, and tasted.”
Daniel’s espresso store of selection is 7G Roasters in Vila Nova de Gaia: what he says is a good spot for breakfast or brunch, with espresso roasted on-site. “If you happen to’re fortunate, you’ll be able to catch the roasting in motion,” he says. “It’s simply throughout the river, with stunning views of Porto and quick access to town’s greatest Port wine cellars.”
2. Comum
Tackle: Rua do Rosário 211, 4050-524 Porto (inside CRU Artistic Hub)
Polish-born Lukasz Galecki is a group and buyer expertise skilled at Comandante and can be the editor of Barista Tales at European Espresso Journey. He visited Porto to talk at Porto Espresso Week and instantly linked with town’s laid-back power and people-first tradition.
“I liked how straightforward it was for non-professionals to participate within the pageant. It wasn’t only for trade insiders. House baristas, lovers, and locals have been a part of the expertise,” he informed Barista Journal. “It felt genuinely community-driven, not simply one other commerce present.”
If he had to decide on one place to spend a day in Porto? “It’s robust to select only one, however I’d go for a batch brew at Comum from Senzu Espresso Roasters, tucked contained in the CRU Artistic Hub,” he says. “It’s an ideal house to decelerate, meet native artists and designers, and chat with Virginia, who brings a particular heat to the place.”
3. So Espresso Roasters
Tackle of important location: Rua de Sá da Bandeira 502, 4000-431 Porto
Different areas: Rua de Passos Manuel 44, and extra.
Leandro Fedele is the International Sensory Supervisor at FlavorActiV, the place he leads sensory packages for the espresso market, working with worldwide shoppers on coaching and taste requirements. Initially from Brazil, he lives in Lisbon and travels incessantly throughout Europe, and Porto has develop into one among his favourite stops.
“What I like most about Porto’s espresso scene is how multi-cultural it’s. I can drink a Kenyan espresso, roasted by a Brazilian roastery, brewed by a barista from Nepal, in a Portuguese café—all whereas chatting with a good friend from Georgia. The respect and openness on this group are unimaginable. Espresso right here connects individuals, regardless of the place they’re from.”
His go-to spot on the town? So Espresso Roasters. “They at all times have a tremendous and various choice—some
uncommon coffees you received’t simply discover elsewhere,” he informed Barista Journal. “The ambiance is vibrant, with individuals from all around the world, and the employees are tremendous pleasant. And naturally, the espresso is at all times completely ready.”
4. A Sure Café
Tackle: Rua da Torrinha 121, 4050-611 Porto
Initially from Swansea, Wales, Morgan von Mantripp is the co-founder of Von & Vonnie, a café and micro-roastery he constructed together with his associate Yvonne in Porto’s Bonfim neighborhood. After years in Hamburg’s espresso scene, they got here to Portugal searching for a slower rhythm—and located it right here.
“Espresso was about management for me, and now, it’s about presence,” Morgan says. “I need individuals to really feel welcome, even when they don’t know a factor about extraction curves.”
His decide for a quiet second? “A Sure Café seems like Porto to me: gradual, form, intentional,” he says. “They solely serve filter espresso, which I like. Typically I don’t wish to discuss store; I simply wish to sit with a brew and breathe. That’s what this place provides me.”
5. Von & Vonnie
Tackle: Rua do Heroísmo 287, 4300-258 Porto
Born and raised in Porto, Sofia Ferraz is the founding father of Tasteology, the inventive studio and low subscription membership behind Porto Espresso Week and Lisbon Espresso Week. A graphic designer by background, she now leads a number of the nation’s most related espresso occasions, coordinates SCA Portugal, and is a mom of two. She’s married to Hugo Ferraz, a barista, brewing coach, and longtime collaborator in her espresso journey.
“Porto is sufficiently small that everybody is aware of one another—however sufficiently big to create new issues. There’s a pure connection right here between espresso and hospitality,” she says.
Her decide for a espresso break? “Von & Vonnie, at all times. It’s the place I am going to breathe, and to be reminded why I like this scene,” Sofia says. “My children adore it too.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Isabelle Mani (she/her) is a author, journalist, and communicator specializing within the worldwide espresso trade. Since 2017, she has targeted on writing articles and options for varied worldwide espresso information shops. Isabelle has traveled to coffee-producing international locations similar to Colombia, Kenya, Rwanda, China, and Brazil to check and analysis espresso. She holds coaching certifications from the Specialty Espresso Affiliation (SCA) and the Espresso High quality Institute (Arabica Q Grading).
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