Majestic Cafe opened its doors in 1922 and today it is every bit as Majestic as it was back then. The Cafe-restaurant is located in the city of Porto Portugal and is a highly recommended destination in the city.
From a personal perspective I would say that the experience is worth the slightly higher price tag based on the quality of food and the romanticized atmosphere.
Price is definitely a relative concept here though. The prices in the Majestic Cafe were more expensive compared to normal rates in Portugal but equal or even less than some other standard places that we've eaten at in Europe. To put it into perspective I would say that this elevated experience cost about the same as what we paid for a regular breakfast in the Netherlands or Switzerland for similar items.
Ambiance and Decor
The interior of the Cafe is exquisitely decorated in an Art Nouveau style. It has green marble floors and charming white topped tables with carved wooden chairs.
Stamped leather benches are situated around the perimeter. The walls are adorned with flemish style mirrors inlaid in intricately carved wooden frames.
Metalworked lamps hang from an ornately plastered ceiling, lighting the interior in a warm golden glow.
The Cafe is small but it feels open and airy.
My picture barely shows it but a man in a white coat stands at the door greeting guests and showing them to a table while friendly servers, also dressed in immaculate white coats, smile to guest and take their orders.
The place is fancy without being pretentious, snobish or fussy. I think that refined comfort would be a good way to describe it.
Accolades
The Cafe has received many awards over the years but one that stands out among the rest comes from Cityguides. The cafe made their top 10 list of Most Beautiful Cafes in the world, coming in 6th place.
The cafe also comes highly recommended by some celebrities. According to J.K. Rowlings biography the author spent much of her time in the Majestic Cafe while writing her first novel, Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone. She Tweeted about the Cafe back in 2020 as well, stating that it was the most beautiful Cafe that she had ever written in.
Coffee and Breakfast
As I mentioned above, we were there for breakfast. My wife and I had a cappuccino and of course a Pastel de Nata, the quintessential breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack pastry of Portugal.
She also ordered a scone with jam and cream (sorry no photo) and I got the Majestic style French toast.
The French toast was delicious. It was slightly crispy on the outside and gooey and creamy on the inside. It was unique and different from other versions that I've had in the past.
As you can imagine the Cafe gets pretty busy throughout the day. We arrived on a Tuesday shortly after it opened and it was quite full by the time we left.
Cafe Majestic really lives up to its name so head over there early in the morning to ensure that you'll get a table, you wont regret it!