Amarante is in the heart of the Vinho Verde region, and any restaurant in town will pour the local white — light, slightly fizzy, low in alcohol — by the carafe. The best restaurants cluster on the south bank near the monastery and the river. Restaurante Largo do Paço, in a 16th-century palace just up the hill, is the high-end option (Michelin-listed). Simpler choices on the riverside serve grilled bacalhau, roasted kid (cabrito), and the local vitela veal.
For something sweet, the famous doces de São Gonçalo — the phallic almond pastries — are sold at the confeitarias along the main street; Confeitaria da Ponte is the best-known. The town is also justly proud of its foguetes and São Gonçalos (cinnamon-and-egg specialities).