Praia da Aguda · Since 1970
Some restaurants open and close. Others stay. Zizi has been at Praia da Aguda for more than fifty years. And that’s not down to luck, but to the fact that things here are done properly, without shortcuts, and without losing the thread of the story that brought it this far.
Foundation
Anyone arriving at Praia da Aguda for the first time quickly realises this isn’t a summer beach. It’s a fishing coast. The kind of place where the sea is work, is life, is what sets the rhythm for those who live there.
It was precisely that sea that brought Manuel Ferreira to Aguda in 1965. He came from Angola, from the war, from a life that hadn’t been easy. He arrived without much capital but with a clear idea: he wanted to work for himself. Aguda gave him that ground to stand on.
In 1970, with investment secured from a family member, Manuel opened the doors of the first premises. It was small. The tables filled up fast. When the space could no longer hold the customers, he joined forces with his brother-in-law Francisco Marques, and the two of them moved to a larger space, the former grocery shop where Zizi still stands today.
The name came from his eldest daughter. Luzia, whom everyone at home called Zizi. It stuck.
Over the years, the restaurant specialised in fresh fish and traditional Portuguese cuisine.
Its reputation grew. Well-known figures passed through, along with visiting customers who always came back and families for whom Zizi is the place for the days that matter.
Management passed to Vera Ferreira, Manuel’s daughter. In 2014 she bought out her uncle’s share and became solely responsible for the restaurant. In 2018 she did something that’s hard to get right: renovating without destroying.
The renovation changed the structure, the comfort, the presentation. What didn’t change was the essential: the produce, the cooking, the people. Those who knew Zizi from before still recognise it. Those arriving for the first time find a space that feels as though it has always been this way.
In an industry where staff turnover is constant, Zizi is an exception. Paula Cardoso has worked at the restaurant for 42 years. She knows the customers, their tastes, their birthdays. She knows who likes their fish more well-done and who prefers a thicker açorda. That kind of knowledge is unique and builds up over the years.
There are more than 18 staff members. Many with years of service. It’s this stability that makes a meal at Zizi feel less like going to a restaurant and more like visiting the home of someone who knows how to welcome guests.
Restaurante Zizi works daily with fresh fish from the local market and seafood from the Portuguese coast. There are no shortcuts here. The produce changes with the season, with what the sea provides, with what makes sense to serve on any given day. The relationship with local fishermen is close and direct, without unnecessary middlemen.
That’s why Zizi’s menu isn’t the same every day. And that’s why it’s worth coming back.
Two projects born within Zizi deserve special mention, as they say a lot about how this restaurant thinks about its identity.
Zizi ice cream is made with natural ingredients and the same flavours as always. In summer, it’s the perfect excuse for a stop in Aguda, even for those not staying for lunch. In winter, the restaurant pauses production and resumes when the weather invites it again.
Ó Manel is our limited edition wine, created in tribute to Manuel Ferreira, founder of Zizi. Available in our wine cellar, to enjoy with your meal or take home.
Available in the restaurant’s wine cellar, to enjoy with your meal or take home.
Restaurante Zizi is on Rua Mar, at Praia da Aguda, in Arcozelo, Vila Nova de Gaia, just minutes from Porto. We’re open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch and dinner, and Sunday for lunch only.
At weekends, we recommend booking. The dining room fills up.
