Porto: Hands-On Cooking Class & 3-Course Meal with Wine

Cook, taste and laugh in Porto’s city center with local wine

You’ll roll up your sleeves in Porto’s city center kitchen, learn traditional recipes from a trained chef, taste Portuguese wines with each course, and share laughter over homemade rabanadas soaked in Port wine syrup. Take home recipe cards, but honestly, it’s the warmth around the table you’ll remember most.

Step-by-step itinerary

Hands-on Portuguese cooking class

• Join cooking class in Porto city center
• Learn to prepare Mirandela’s alheira puff pastry
• Cook Bacalhau à Brás or Açorda de camarao
• Make Rabanadas ao vinho do Porto dessert
• Taste Portuguese wines and welcome cocktail
• Enjoy meal with paired Portuguese wines
• Receive recipe cards to take home

The experience

The first thing I noticed was the clatter of pans and someone humming in Portuguese, not sure if it was our chef or just the city coming through the window. We were right in Porto’s center, tucked into this bright kitchen that smelled like garlic and something buttery. Chef Ana greeted us with a glass of vinho verde (my new favorite) and a smile that made me feel like I’d wandered into a friend’s home by accident. She asked where we were from, then handed me an apron before I could overthink my knife skills.

I’ll admit, I’d never heard of alheira before: Ana explained it’s a smoky sausage from Mirandela, originally made by people who weren’t allowed to eat pork centuries ago. We wrapped it in pastry for our starter, and she showed us how to twist the dough just so. The kitchen got loud when someone dropped an egg (not me, for once), but nobody cared. There was this easy way Ana mixed stories about her grandmother with tips on chopping onions without crying (I still teared up anyway). The main course was Bacalhau à Brás (shredded codfish with potatoes and eggs), which sounds simple until you try to get the timing right so nothing turns to mush.

We sat down together at this long wooden table, passing plates and pouring more wine than I’d planned. Someone tried to pronounce “rabanadas ao vinho do Porto” (that’s dessert, basically French toast soaked in Port wine syrup), and Ana laughed so hard she nearly spilled her glass. Eating what we cooked felt different here: maybe because we’d all fumbled through it together, or maybe it was just the Port talking. Either way, I left with recipe cards stuffed in my bag and this feeling that food really is better when you make it side by side with strangers who don’t stay strangers for long.

What’s included

Your day includes hands-on cooking instruction from a chef trained at Le Cordon Bleu Paris, all ingredients for a three-course meal featuring classic Portuguese recipes, a welcome cocktail plus Portuguese liqueurs like Beirão, generous local wine pairings throughout lunch or dinner, printed recipe cards to keep, full wheelchair accessibility at every stage of the experience, and plenty of shared laughter around the table before heading out into Porto again.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 11:00 and 17:00

AgesAdult (14 and older) · Under 14: can't be included in the booking

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.Operator's directions: “Our facilities are located in two of Porto’s most iconic landmarks: Rua de Santo Ildefonso number 14. Getting there on foot is remarkably easy from virtually anywhere in the city centre.”

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated 3 days ago

Good to know

Wheelchair accessibleAccessible transportStroller friendlyPets welcomePublic transport nearby

Operated by Cooking Class Portugal at the Table

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24h before the start.

Is this Porto cooking class suitable for beginners?

Yes, all skill levels are welcome and the chef guides you step by step.

Are drinks included in the cooking class?

Yes, Portuguese wines are paired with each course plus a welcome cocktail and liqueurs.

What dishes will we cook during the class?

You’ll prepare an alheira puff pastry starter, Bacalhau à Brás or prawn soup for main, and Port wine rabanadas for dessert.

Is there wheelchair access at the venue?

Yes, all areas are wheelchair accessible including restrooms.

Will I get recipes to take home?

Yes, detailed recipe cards are provided so you can recreate the dishes later.

How long does the cooking class last?

The session covers hands-on cooking plus dining time. Expect several hours total.

Are children allowed at this Porto cooking class?

Infants and small children can attend. Prams or strollers are welcome.

Where is the cooking class located in Porto?

The class takes place in Porto city center with public transport nearby.