McDonald’s Imperial

Most beautiful McDonald’s in the world

You won’t need to do much research to agree with this statement: this is the most beautiful McDonald’s restaurant in the world! Period. And, even if you are not into the so-called fast food sold here, the interior is absolutely worth a visit.

This McDonald’s restaurant in Porto was inaugurated in 1995. I remember coming here when I was a child and this was the Imperial Café, an emblematic historic building from the 30s, just by Aliados Avenue, which was frankly in need for a restoration. The final restoration work is a result of a cooperation between two architects ateliers: Archange and A. Burmester. The idea was to give it a fresh look, maintaining the iconic features and recovering the social gathering spirit once so lively here.

The name “Imperial” comes from the Eagle, still preeminent in the facade, in which you can also find the amazing art deco stained glass. If you come to see the interior (which you must do) your head will be looking up: the roofs and the chandeliers are beautiful.

The offer is diversified and, of course depends on your taste. The truth is that they sell fast food that tastes equal regardless of which part of the planet you are in and, of course, you can choose among the different classic menus of burger sandwich, fries and a drink, starting at approximately 5 Euros.

However, this is not a conventional McDonald’s, not even in the “McCafé” (the coffee shop, separated from the snacks) where you can find a genuine Portuguese sweet break: coffee with a custard tart… don’t forget some cinnamon on top which takes it to another level. Again, if you do not like any of the sandwich menus served here, have a coffee and read the newspaper and stare at the stunning interior for a while. Trust me, you won’t regret it.

If you’re into beautiful cafes, don’t skip a visit to Majestic Café or Café Guarany, both really close by and also totally worth a visit.