Restaurante Contradição — Restaurant in Maia

If you’re in Portugal and want to experience food that’ll make your taste buds do a happy dance, do yourself a favor and head straight to this place. Seriously, skip the touristy spots in Porto, they’ll have you believing that "authentic Portuguese cuisine" is just a sad, overcooked piece of fish with bland seasoning. Come here first, and you’ll taste what real food should be.

Let’s talk about the Francesinha. Oh. My. God. I don’t know what kind of magic was at play in the kitchen, but this thing was a masterpiece. The layers of juicy steak, melted cheese, and that rich, savory sauce had me thinking I was in food heaven.

Then there was the Calzone. It came out stuffed with toppings like they were trying to break some kind of record. Beef and chorizo? Yes, please. It was salty but understandable given the combo. I loved it, but I also needed a glass of water as big as my face.

Sure, the service took a little while to bring the food out, but let’s be real, good things come to those who wait, and boy, was it worth it. The staff was friendly and chill, and they really took the time to get the food just right.

Highly recommend this place to anyone, especially if you’re a tourist looking for food that’s as authentic as the city itself. Don’t fall for the downtown tourist traps in Porto, come here, and your taste buds will thank you. Five stars, would...

ay dios mio, que rica la comida. exquisita! wow

ieu adoré francesinha. yum what a nice end to my long day and to a much celebrated visit to porto. during my visit, food filled my heart in the best of capricious ways. yet, sweetness wasn't only in the sugar at this place. a heartfelt welcome came from a couple members in the team. for their genuine smiles and kind approach, muito obligado! i was the last served person for the day.

starter, in lieu of an stop over and a rather significant delay, my arrival into porto was late and felt that i could use some food. well, i'd found just the right place a couple blocks from my hotel. literally, i was their last customer, but not the one who left unimpressed. had a polite reception and the best food ever. yes, i was late. i could not so freely order from the menu. the item i found was just perfection. oh la la, francesinha. yum

in all, food was great -- service was...

What can I say. For the price this was jolly good! Definitely great value. I had the pork ribs and not sure if it's because I asked for salad only but that plate is half of a portion... I might have had 10-12 ribs. I didn't really count but you can tell how big the portion is. Can't imagine what the full portion must look like. For 9 euros it usually comes with fries and rice as well. For dessert I ordered the Natas do Céu. It was very tasty.

I definitely recommend this place if you are staying at one of the hotels nearby and you are at...