Fantastic Seafood, Portuguese Food History and Cooking Lessons, and Company!
Vitor is amazing, a wonderful way to spend a day! He drove us all (8 class participants) to a historic seafood and produce market in Porto and we watched him select the fish, octopus, vegetables and other ingredients for our cooking class. He explained why he was making his selections and we had the opportunity to wander around the market on our own. Was so nice of him to pick us up from our vacation apartment in the morning and not have to locate the meeting point on our own. Vitor runs a very organized class, he expertly explains what we’re going to do, and demonstrates the process. He’s there to help with his staff if we are not getting it right! All along the way we have snacks and wine. Each dish was delicious and we learned a lot of Portuguese food history in addition to having a great meal and great company! A wonderful experience I would recommend to anyone interested in food culture. An experience we will always remember. Thank you Vitor (and George!) for a wonderful day!
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Rbb0612
June 1, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
An exceptional and authentic experience not to be missed!
Nothing better than shopping for your lunch at the Mercado and cooking with Viktor and Jorge. A cooking experience not to be missed
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833jurgenp
May 26, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Amazing!
From the time you get picked up, to the walk in the market to buy the food you will be cooking, to the kitchen experience. Amazing experience!
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jacalber
May 21, 2026 · via Tripadvisor
Fabulous Day! Highly recommend.
AMAZING! We love to do cooking classes when in need countries.. food is the soul of a community and you can learn so much from these traditions. It was fantastic to have an expert to guide us at the fish market. Then walk us through a 3 course meal. We were a family of 3 and was a highlight of our trip to Portugal. Vitor and Jorge were fabulous. Highly recommend.
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moeshaw
October 8, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
A cooking class that was our favorite experience in Porto
Absolutely spectacular. We started the day getting picked up outside of Livraria Lello (which our guide suggested since we were going there that morning). We then headed to a local market to pick out our fresh fish and vegetables for our meal. Then we headed back to their converted kitchen / apartment. We broke up preparation for the different parts of the meal - appetizers, main, and desert. We made a mushroom appetizer, a shrimp appetizer, a fish / rice dish, and an almond tart. Very hands on with lots of guidance. And plenty of good local wine flowing throughout.
I found this to be one of the absolute best experiences I have ever had on vacation, and I highly recommend it. Vitor and Jorge were so friendly and informative. I can't wait to visit Porto again in hopes of attending another cooking class with them.
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Sena A
September 14, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Unforgettable Taste of Portugal
As a family of three, we joined the Local Market Tour & Cooking Class in Ribeira. At the market, we discovered the essence of local life: fresh products, warm people, and the rhythm of seasonality. Later, in Vítor’s welcoming studio, we cooked a delicious menu and enjoyed excellent wines. We left with full hearts, full stomachs, and a deeper love for Portuguese food, culture, and the Portuguese people. Muito obrigada, Vítor!
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jatillinp2
May 21, 2025 · via Tripadvisor
Best of Porto!! Don't Miss it!!!
Absolutely a wonderful day!! This taste of Porto and Portuguese culture was extraordinary. The people of Portugal have treated us with courtesy and smiles all over the country, and there are amazing sites and vistas here. But if you want to immerse yourself in the feel of Porto as a living, breathing city, a day with Cook in Ribeira will epitomize the magic of Porto through wonderful food, wine and vitality.
Vitor, our host, driver, market guide, chef and entertainer was completely marvelous. We had a market and cooking class for myself, my wife and our two daughters. Vitor took us to a real Porto food market (not a tourist stop), and talked with us at length as we selected the menu for the day to suit the tastes and needs of our group.
His teaching kitchen in the heart of Porto was divine, and perfectly suited to a casual day of cooking and conversation.
We made sautéed prawns in rosemary and garlic butter, mushrooms with red onion and peppers, sea bass and prawns cooked in shrimp stock, tomato and rice, and a caramelized almond tort. All made from scratch by one of us under his gentle supervision.
I forgot to mention the other add ons: amazing Portuguese bread, chorizo roasted in a terra cotta dish over an open alcohol flame, fish roe in olive oil and cilantro, and fresh cooked barnacle snacks. Plus a lovely selection of local white wines to accompany our meal.
But the best part of the experience was Vitor himself, whose friendly, welcoming style made everyone feel like we had dropped in on a friend and cooked a 7-course meal on the spot of the moment. Don't miss this opportunity to connect with the world inside of Porto.
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137pepijns
October 25, 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Great cooking experience with fantastic host
On an otherwise rainy trip to Porto this was a sunny delight. Vitor is an amazing guide and really makes you feel welcome. The market tour was a nice change from the touristy spots and the cooking was great. Vitor is very engaging and makes the cooking a lot of fun. And the food is amazing! Looking forward to try and match this at home.
If you’re in Porto this is a must-do!
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bethgC480AQ
September 22, 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Delicious food and a fun day!
We spent 10 days in Portugal and our day with Vitor was day 2 and one of the best days! The food was so delicious that it spoiled us for the rest of our trip. We had our 10 year old with us and Vitor made everything engaging for him as well. He loved it! Highly recommend booking a day for this tour.
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stdaniel
August 30, 2023 · via Tripadvisor
Wonderful recipes, fresh food, and exceptional conversation!
We happened on cooking classes similar to this in Spain last year and had a blast, so we were excited to see offerings in Porto. Of the companies that do this, Cook in Ribiera stood out with great reviews and excellent communication. Our Market tour with cooking class was booked for our second day in Porto and it happened to be one of the hottest days we were there, so we were thankful to be mostly indoors. Vitor picked us up at our hotel around 10:30am. Immediately we love his personality and wit! We shared our class with a young couple from the US who were very nice.
The market tour was fantastic. We procured fresh seafood from one vendor in particular and produce from another. Vitor showed us a few Portuguese specific fruits/veggies and once we had everything, we headed back to Porto proper.
I enjoy cooking, so the next part was my favorite. We made seafood rice with sea bass, fresh made seafood stock, a sausage/cheese/bread plate as an appetizer and Almond tart for dessert. All of the participants were engaged and we all shared delicious wine and great conversation. Once the meal was ready, we ate together and shared more conversation/wine.
In what seems to be the Portuguese way, we NEVER felt rushed or that we were taking too long. The conversation flowed (and the wine) and when it was time to leave, we had full bellies and minds. We will absolutely seek out more cooking adventures in our travels, but I have my doubts that they will be as exceptional as this one. Thanks Vitor!