At Tenro by Digby, the signature restaurant of the Torel Avantgarde hotel in Porto, Portuguese cuisine is treated with both reverence and imagination. The name “Tenro,” meaning “tender” in Portuguese, sets the tone for a dining experience rooted in comfort, memory, and emotion. Drawing inspiration from the inventive spirit of Sir Kenelm Digby, the 17th-century polymath credited with shaping the modern wine bottle, the restaurant reinterprets Portugal’s culinary heritage through a contemporary lens, pairing tradition Portuguese cuisine with modern culinary technique.
The setting alone makes Tenro by Digby a destination. Designed by Isabel Sá Nogueira, the restaurant stretches along one wing of the hotel, its length defined by floor-to-ceiling windows that overlook the pool terrace and, beyond it, the Douro River and Porto’s historic skyline. By day, light pours in; by night, the pool becomes a shimmering water feature that reflects softly into the dining room. Opposite the glass walls, rough cork panels line the space, while thick ropes drape from the ceiling in sculptural rows, their tassels adding texture and warmth. The palette—creams, beiges, and earthy browns—creates an atmosphere that is both grounded and serene.
At the heart of the kitchen is Chef João Figueirinhas, a Porto native from Vila Nova de Gaia whose résumé includes some of Portugal’s most respected kitchens, from the two-Michelin-starred Yeatman to Euskalduna Studio and Vista in the Algarve. At Tenro, Chef João channels his deep affection for Portuguese comfort food, reworking familiar dishes with balance, finesse, and a personal sense of storytelling.
The menu reads like a love letter to tradition, reimagined. Starters include a Russian salad tartlet with mackerel, an affectionate nod to a dish from the chef’s childhood, transformed into something elegant and nuanced. As well, Chef João reinterprets Porto’s beloved bifana—here served with tender pork on a light potato croissant and a subtly spiced tomato sauce.
Fish dishes are particularly compelling, from monkfish and eel in a deeply flavored caldeirada-style sauce to cod paired with vegetables, eggs, and chickpeas.
A vegetarian “cozido à Portuguesa,” re-created as a terrine of vegetables and beans, is both clever and comforting, while meat lovers will gravitate toward duck rice or Iberian pork presa accented with seaweed and pickles.
Desserts continue the theme of indulgent nostalgia. A coffee dessert arrives with layers of cookie, ice cream, and warm milk foam, with black coffee poured on top at the table. Perhaps, the most indulgent, however, is the custard-y “Rabanada do Céu”—a decadent reinvention of the classic Portuguese fried bread, draped in caramel and sitting beside a scoop of vanilla ice cream with olive on top.
Tenro by Digby is a place where history, craft, and flavor converge—an intimate yet expansive dining experience that feels distinctly Portuguese, unmistakably Porto, and certainly unforgettable
For more information, visit the Tenro by Digby website.
Tenro by Digby
Rua da Restauração, 336
Porto
Phone: +351 222 449 615
Email: info@digby.pt
Hours:
Everyday Dinner – 19:30 to 22:30
Saturday & Sunday Lunch – 12:30 to 15:00
Photos ©Luís Ferraz courtesy of Tenro by Digby