The Royal Cocktail Club

The Royal Cocktail Club is one of the bars that put Porto on the map for serious cocktails, and it features in The World's 50 Best Bars discovery listings. It occupies a narrow building on Rua da Fábrica, a street running through the Baixa between Avenida dos Aliados and the Carmo area, and from the outside it is easy to walk past. Inside, the mood is grown-up and sophisticated without being stiff.

The ground floor is built around a marble-topped bar where you can watch the bartenders at work, which is the best place to sit if you want to talk through the menu. The cocktail list changes over time and draws on unusual ingredients, but the drinks are balanced and elegant rather than gimmicky. Downstairs, a lounge with sofas offers a more relaxed setting, and here the cocktail menu takes the form of a board game, a playful touch that makes ordering part of the evening.

Prices are higher than in an ordinary Porto bar but reasonable by the standards of quality cocktail bars elsewhere in Europe. The room is small, so arriving early in the evening improves your chances of a seat, particularly on Fridays and Saturdays, when the bar fills up quickly. Groups larger than four or five may find it hard to sit together at busy times, and calling ahead is sensible for larger parties.

It suits couples, small groups of friends and solo travellers happy to sit at the bar. The atmosphere works equally well for a pre-dinner drink or a nightcap. Smart casual dress fits the room. If you are unsure what to order, describe the flavours you like and let the bartenders suggest something from the list; that is often the most rewarding way to explore a menu built on unusual ingredients. As opening times can change, check the bar's social media pages before a special trip.

The bar is a short walk from Aliados metro station and from the Galerias de Paris area, where many of the Baixa's late-night bars are concentrated, so it is an easy first or last stop on a night out. Livraria Lello, the Clérigos Tower and Praça de Carlos Alberto are all within about five minutes' walk.