Mito means “myth” in Portuguese, and that name is very telling. The goal of the proprietors at this Porto restaurant is to create a dream that sweetly infiltrates into reality.
Opened in 2018, it is the first signature restaurant of Pedro Braga, who worked in the kitchens of Tenra and Reitora. He favors prime ingredients, straightforward but playful presentations, and brief but intriguing menu descriptions.
The main part of the menu is divided into four sections, each of which has somewhere between three and six options that are meant to be shared. The categories are Starter (couvert of sourdough bread, pickled mussels, charcuterie), Hot (ox croquettes, tandoori chicken wings), Charcoal (shiitake mushrooms with yakitori sauce, bone marrow with shrimp and Chinese five spices crust), and Comfort (monkfish and shrimp rice, rib-eye on the bone).
(At top) Beef tartare, (above top) Beets with tangerine, chèvre and nut brittle, (above) Crab bao
Braga’s specialty is aged meats—that rib-eye has a month of maturation—but the pescatarian and vegetarian options are quite good as well. That makes Mito good for diverse groups.
So does the dining room, with its relaxed decor of bare wood tables and industrial-style lights geometrically arranged along the ceiling and one wall. It’s a relaxed place to enjoy a better-than-average dinner with friends.
PS: The most famous dessert nimbly blends sweet and savory, virtuous and decadent. It’s matcha-infused French toast with bacon and maple ice cream. It’s good for more than just bragging rights.
For more information, visit the Mito website.
Mito
Rua de José Falcão, 183
Porto
Phone: +351 222 081 059
Email: reservas@mitorestaurante.com
Hours:
Monday to Thursday – 12:30 to 15:00 and 19:30–23:00
Friday and Saturday – 12:30 to 01:00