I'm a big sucker for nice cafes, and always try to visit at least one good one when I go away. Today I'm going to take you to the Majestic Cafe in Porto, Portugal. There's a constant queue waiting outside.... luckily we only had to wait for a few minutes.
The Majestic Cafe dates back to 1922 and is said to be the most beautiful cafe in Porto and one of the top ten in the world. The former I can believe. Even though I haven't been to many cafes in Porto during my short stay there, the Majestic Cafe's interior and decor is stunning, it would take quite a lot to surpass that. However, I'm not sure if it would make the top ten given there are so many cafes in this world. I think it depends on who's list trends on the internet. Anyway, let's just say, the Majestic Cafe is worth a peep if you're in town.
There's even a grand piano inside. I think certain people may like that very much 🙂
One thing I wasn't too keen on, is how cosy the place was. The tables are a bit small, fine for four cups of coffee,but if everyone orders a plate of food or even a dessert,it's going to get very crowded, like all the diners inside.
However, I like the chairs a lot. The imprint on the seat and back is a very nice touch, again living up to the majestic name. I don't know if that is leather, I'm not a big fan of stroking areas where lots of bums have sat on 😉
What I am a big fan of, is food of course, specifically sweets. I ordered a portion of their famous french toast. This one taste a lots softer and cremier than the ones I normally have. It has a hint of sweetness, not too sweet. The custard on top was very very nice, and complemented the french toast perfectly along with the toppings.I liked it a lot, no wonder it's so famous.
I was the only one who ordered the french toast, but imagine how crowded the table would be if there were four plates. And in case you're all wondering, I did share my french toast even though everyone said they didn't want any at first. I ended up eating two mouthfuls only ☹️
You'll notice my post title Is the Majestic Cafe really majestic?
First impressions, there's no denying, the exterior and the first glance inside has a wow factor. As I sat down and looked around, I noticed the decor has signs of aging, particularly the mirrors, many had black streaks.
Toilets always tell a lot about a place. I was hoping to get some nice photos for a Loo Loo post but the toilet was really disappointing. There was only one basic small ladies toilet with not a lot of wiggle room and no decor. Hubby said the washing basin in the gents was stainless steel!!
I already mentioned the seating is quite cramped, you're very close to the next table. And the place is a tourist trap, I doubt it there are many locals here.
Finally, a cafe review post would not be complete without talking about the coffee. I'm not a big coffee drinker and am not too fussy nor can I really tell the difference between a good or bad coffee. For me, the coffee here was nice, a little on the strong side. I was still feeling the effects a few hours later, and that doesn't happen to me often.
I wonder if that's why they charge such a high price - €6!!!! Yes, your heard right, €6, that's over £5, USD6.50, or over 14 Hive at today's rate of USD0.45. That is very expensive and double the price of a normal cup of coffee in many European countries I've visited 🥴
Majestic Cafe is one of the few cafes that stands out for me because it's nice and not nice. Normally I'm pretty clear on whether I like a café or not, and in fact I don't think I've been to any that I don't like. But I'm on the fence with this one. It's not because of the high price, I can live with that, it's not going to bankrupt me. There's just something about it that I can't put my finger on. Damnit! Now I'm pretty sure I won't forget about it, but for odd reasons.
What do you think? Would you visit the Majestic Cafe if you're in Porto?
