I’ve been a client of Tapas since it opened, back in 2011. Heldér, a self-made man, decided to extend the concept that he had created with his previous cafe, and so Tapas 24 was born, right in the back of the “Piolho” area, perhaps the biggest hub of Porto’s open air nightlife. Basically, he had a simple idea: why not provide a laptop with internet access, so that people can play songs on youtube according to their own taste? Soon enough it became trendy, not only due to the own DJ concept, but also because of the good location and, perhaps the most important asset of all, the warm and personal attention of Heldér, the soul of Tapas.

So, what can we expect from a place where you can select the songs? Well, it can get quite messy sometimes, but generally everything flows peacefully, with respect between the patrons. It’s actually an excellent place to get in touch with different kinds of music, that you wouldn’t hear anywhere else. The kind of soireé that you might get in Tapas varies a lot, from having two blokes sipping a beer in the balcony, listening peacefully to some classic rock, to a whirlwind of people rushing the place, putting on some samba and just dance to it around the tables.

Perfect to go with friends, specially if you’re in the mood for some random laughter, but also suitable for going solo, with a lot of pretexts to make conversation almost from nothing.