Catraio

Craft Beer Shop & Bar

8/10

Last modified: 31/07/2022

Porto might be famous for its port wine as well as local wine from the Douro region, but craft beer lovers do not have to go thirsty in the Portuguese port city. Besides Superbock being available on pretty much every corner in town, quality craft beer can be found in quite a few craft beer bars located all over town.

We pretty much tried them all for you and there was one clear favourite coming out on top: Catraio

This place was actually recommended to us from the get go by our craft beer friends Totenhopfen and Bierblog Trier, and we do have to agree with them that this place does not only serve great beer, but that its location and setup is one of the coolest you can find around. When you are in Porto, this is a must-visit, and we ended up going back a couple of times during our stay.

The location

Located in a pedestrian zone in hip Cedofeita, which is known as Porto's art district, Catraio looks like a modern craft beer bar with a small terrace out front and some indoor seating. However, appearances can be deceiving because Catraio is hiding a 'secret' beer garden, which is located in the back of the bar and only accessible via several flights of stairs. But more on that later. Most places in Porto are easy to reach on foot and luckily Catraio is one of them. So, no matter where you are staying in the city center, you should be able to walk there in about 15 minutes. One of the reasons we actually chose our rental place, Almada 333, was because it was so close to Catraio.

The bar

Catraio opened in 2015 as one of Porto's first craft beer bars and has since become a meeting place for craft beer enthusiasts from all over the world, serving local, national as well as international craft beers. Some famous local breweries you can find here are Musa, Dois Corvos and Letra. With about 15 beers on tap and more beers available in the beer fridge, there certainly is a beer for everybody. Can't decide? Staff will gladly help you choose the best beer based on your preferences, or you can try a tasting flight, sampling several of their tap beers. For non-beer drinkers, they do have a small selection of ciders and non-alcoholic drinks, but the focus is very much on craft beer.

Something to note, if you wanna grab a can from the beer fridge, let them so beforehand, so they can keep track of who is drinking what. Planning to spend a bit of time at Catraio? They'll gladly open a beer tab for you!

Their tap menu is conveniently displayed on a big screen above the bar, and you can find it on their Untappd Profile as well. Catraio is open Monday through Saturday from 5 pm until 11.30 pm during the week and 0.30 on Friday and Saturday. Sunday they are closed. Staff at Catraio is very friendly and laid back, so it's no surprise that they have made many friends around the world, also from Luxembourg. They have already visited The Store in Luxembourg City, and the Luxembourgish craft beer brewery Totenhopfen is a welcome guest at Catraio. They also organize tap takeovers and let craft beer breweries showcase their beers. While we were there, the local craft beer brewery Letra was actually showcasing one of their beers. Check out Catraio's Instagram page for their latest news and events!

The hidden beer garden

One of the highlights is undeniably the hidden beer garden in the back, which is only open during summer. This place is great to escape the buzz of the city and to relax while enjoying a cold beer.

At the back of the bar on your right you'll find a metal door which will lead up a steep staircase. Continue further up the next staircase, and you'll find yourself on a covered terrace with picnic benches and a second bar which also serves beers on tap. Up one more flight of stairs, and you have finally reached the hidden beer garden. This space is surrounded and shaded by trees and grapevines, blocking out the hot summer sun as well as the noises of the city.

Sitting there, you could never tell that you are in of the biggest and busiest Portuguese cities. During the evening, they light up the place, and it actually becomes quite atmospheric. The lounge furniture is not necessarily the comfiest, but there are many types of seating arrangements in- and outdoor, so you can choose the one you like the most.

Even if the beer garden is closed during the cold months, Catraio still has indoor seating available and the quality and selection of the craft beer they serve definitely still makes it worth the trip.

Porto's craft beer scene

Craft beer has certainly become more and more popular in Porto and whereas Superbock still seems to be the crowd's favourite, craft beer bars have definitely been popping up all around town. Whereas most of these bars are quite enjoyable, none of them tick all the boxes like Catraio does in terms of location, beer selection, seating options and friendliness of service.

Here are some of the places we did enjoy, so do not hesitate to pop in to have a beer if you happen to pass by:

BaoBab - A newly opened, small craft beer bar - indoor seating only - about 5 to 6 beers on tap and a large beer fridge. Service is very friendly, and you always get a complimentary snack with our beers.
Cask Beer Bar - Located near the river, this rustic craft beer bar has many well selected beer fridges (such as a 'Belgian' beer fridge for example) as well as several beers on tap. We actually got lucky and found a couple of cans of Equilibrium in one of their fridges. Their tap menu is actually linked to Untappd, so you can immediately check the beers' ratings, which is pretty neat. They also recently started serving food.
Musa das Virtudes - One of the taprooms of the local craft beer brewery Musa, serving of course their own as well as other craft beer breweries on tap. Located very centrally just right across from a viewing point and in a street with many other bars, this is a local favourite. The place is buzzing and the food coming out of their kitchen actually looks really nice. Great place to grab a beer and watch the sunset.

However, there are also some places you might consider skipping:

CAL Craft Beer - located just off Porto's famous Ponte Luiz I bridge, this definitely is a tourist trap, selling mediocre craft beer at a high price.
Craft Beer House - this place is overall well rated, but we got unlucky with very unfriendly service, and it's cash only. Considering the location and selection, just walk over to Catraio, you'll be better off there!

Food

Catraio also serves some small bites and actually has quite a nice BBQ area, but we did not get to try it during our trip as there were just too many food places on our to-eat list. Their setup looks legit, and we only heard good things about their food, so don't worry, in case you get hungry while having a beer or two, they got you covered.

Porto's best craft beer bar?

This is a no-brainer - good beer, cool location, friendly people, Catraio checks all the boxes and is not only Porto's best craft beer bar but one of our favourite places in Porto in general.

That said, if you or your friends are not very much into craft beer, there are probably better places around Porto, but we still recommend you give it a try. The beer garden is such an enjoyable place, and they also do serve the more classic beer styles such as Pils. They do have some alternative drink options, but craft beer is so versatile that you might just discover a new beer style you like. If you simply do not like the taste of beer, maybe give a fruity sour beer a try, you might be surprised how much you like it.

Needless to say, add Catraio to the itinerary of your next Porto trip!