The Soul Food of Porto - Restaurante Roma | Portuguese Gastronomy

The Soul Food of Porto - Restaurante Roma
Rua de Santo Ildefonso Nº 310, Porto 4000-465 Portugal

I’ve always dreamed of experiencing life in Europe. My company allows employees to work abroad for several weeks each year, so I seized the opportunity to go to Portugal and chose Porto for my European adventure.

Leaving behind the winter chill of Canada, I landed in Porto on a mild, sunny day. My first meal in a small local restaurant made me instantly fall in love with this country. I moved into a co-living space, looking forward to connecting with people from around the world.

Unfortunately, my first week was challenging. My cell phone was pickpocketed, and my co-living roommates were extremely cold. One was a software engineer who occupied the living room from noon to midnight. A couple, who loved cooking elaborate vegan meals, always took over the kitchen. A guy from LA claimed he was a YouTuber, but you wouldn't know it from his interaction level—he barely glanced up from his laptop, let alone said hello, even when we practically bumped into each other. The only friendly person was a painter.

They were nice people but lacked the motivation to interact. It felt like living with a troupe of socially distant statues. I found myself feeling increasingly frustrated and isolated. My goodness, I hadn't signed up for 'COLD-living!'

One day, while walking from the Campo 24 Agosto station to Padrão and Poveiros squares, I noticed a menu stand on the pedestrian street. The menu looked promising. I opened the door to a bustling restaurant with almost every table reserved. I settled at the bar table, and this place quickly became my favorite spot in Porto.

I started going there often. One day, I lined up with seniors at 11:50, waiting for the restaurant to open at noon. As usual, all the tables were reserved. I never managed to sit at a table, but the bar table with other local regulars became my cozy corner.

The restaurant changed its menu daily, offering unbeatable quality and price. It was the perfect place to discover Portuguese gastronomy. I always ordered one and a half portions of a meal (they always stopped me from ordering a full portion, haha) accompanied by a glass of fresh vinho verde (green wine). The food was always fresh and delicious!

Restaurante Roma felt like home. The two main employees, both over 65, worked tirelessly.
They carried dishes up and down the stairs with unwavering dedication, showing immense care and love in every aspect of their food and service. After leaving my cold-living space, I moved to two other places, one near the Baixa area and the other near Ribeira (an apartment with fantastic views of the Douro River). Despite the moves, I still walked 30 minutes to Roma for lunch quite often. The restaurant was always bustling with locals enjoying homemade, quality Portuguese food. They knew me and always called me to sit at the bar table.

The day before I left Porto, I went to Roma for my last meal. I felt emotional as it was time to say goodbye to this warm Portuguese haven. When it was time to pay, I was speechless. The owner noticed something was different about me. I simply managed a "thank you very much" but forgot to say it in Portuguese.

In my heart, I made a promise: this wasn't the end. I would return to Roma one day. Porto and Restaurante Roma had given me a sense of home and warmth during a challenging time, and their memory would always be cherished deeply in my heart.