Guarany Café, Porto

Guarany Café, is yet another of Porto’s wonderful cafes.  Opened on 20 January 1933, Guarany is much different from the Belle Epoch style of Majestic Café.  To use only two words, more casual.  But in using casual, I’m not referring to dress or shabbiness.  Quite the contrary.  The waiters here adhere to the black pants and white jacket attire.  The tables and chairs have such an old yet new flare, and the coffee is delicious, as are the Pastéis do Nata, or Custard tarts for which Porto is famous.

http://www.cafeguarany.com/en/Guarany-Cafe-Restaurante/History/The-Guarany-History.aspx

The first things you notice, after you review the menu and notice the Guarany has a full bar, are the mural sized painting in brilliant acrylics and pasels, Os Senhores da Amazónia,  the Lords of the Amazon, done by Crarça Morais in 2003.  The painting depicts the full lives of the Guaraí Indians, who live in many parts of South America, but mostly in Paraguay.  Funny that the painting should be titled Lords of the Amazon, since the Amazon runs mostly well north of Paraguay, but the Paraná River runs along the Paraguay border.  Ah well.  Artistic license.

As an aside, more people in Paraguay speak the Guaraí language (Tupian) than Spanish!

But, let’s get back to getting a good cup of coffee!  Although, there is no need to restrict yourself to coffee.  I had a Pastéis do Nata and it was so good I want the aftershave, shampoo, and Pastéis toothpaste.

Reading the reviews, one and all rave about lunch and dinner as well, and judging by its size and reserved tables, I’d say the kitchen is superb.  But, in Porto, if you’re more than a mom and pop operation and want to say in business, you’d better be superb.  Walking past the place in the evening, it was packed with young and old, who came for the cuisine and music.

Want to know why Guarany is also called The Musical Café?  Check out this list of events:

http://www.cafeguarany.com/en/Guarany-Cafe-Restaurante/Events/Agenda.aspx

The café was refurbished down to the tiniest detail in 1994, to up date it, but also to insure the café was in tune with the changes in the city, while still remaining true to itself.  To my eyes, the refurbishers managed both impeccably.  

Guarany Café! Drop in for a coffee or to read a book or to write a novel, or in the evening to listen to music.  Whatever your bent, it’s a place you’ll come back to every time you visit Porto.