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Vogue Cafe, Porto, Portugal

Vogue Café (Porto, Portugal)

Vogue Cafe, Porto, PortugalThe only café associated with Vogue magazine in Europe brings an undeniable splash of style to the terrific Infante Sagres hotel in Porto. I was having breakfast here every morning inside Vogue Café’s chic space, accessed via sets of French doors. I felt like I had stepped into a location photo shoot for the fashion magazine, what with its high ceilings, finely set tables, plush red velvet sofas and banquettes, a wall-length mirror, soft lighting, black and white patterns, a sleek backlit bar, and framed photos of covers of past issues of Vogue.

Vogue Cafe, Porto, PortugalFor dinner, however, I migrated outside to the patio with a white and dark gray Q*bert floor that matched the tabletops. Easy, jazzy New Age music set a slightly sultry mood, and I kept looking for a model to drop by at any moment. When my meal arrived, however, my gaze was laser-focused on the culinary creations before me.

 

 

 

Fork and KnifeTry This: Sample some fine Portuguese wine with an Altano Branco white. Then order the halloumi cheese with pomegranate seeds, toasted sourdough, and an incredibly delicious lentil hummus that you’ll never forget. For your main course, a rewarding choice is the grilled cod with parmesan, topped with fresh greens, on a bed of puréed chickpeas with whole toasted chickpeas. For dessert, indulge in the chocolate fondant with vanilla ice cream dusted with powdered cocoa—it’s well worth the wait for it to be prepared on demand.

 

 

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