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- The ultimate Porto food – francesinha. The number one Porto food to try is, of course, the ubiquitous francesinha. When I first researched food in Porto, I could barely believe my eyes when I saw photos of this ridiculous sandwich oozing meat, cheese and simmering in a bath of thick sauce.
- Prego em prato. I ate this classic Porto dish within my first 12 hours in the city, following a day of brunch, cod cakes, chorizo, pastel de nata and port wine.
- Bacalhau (codfish) Fish fans wondering what to eat in Porto need look no further than bacalhau (in English, cod), a dish which locals will tell you there are over 1,000 ways to prepare.
- Bolinhos de bacalhau (salt cod fritters) The quintessential codfish fritter is easily one of the best things to eat in Porto. Of the 1,000 ways to serve bacalhau, this is my favourite (although I can’t promise I’ve tried the other 999).
- Francesinha (Signature Porto Sandwich) The Francesinha isn’t just Porto’s most famous food. The unusual open faced sandwich, which requires utensils and a hefty appetite, is big enough to be a meal.
- Pernil com Queijo (Pork Sandwich with Cheese) The Pernil com Queijo sandwich wasn’t on our radar until we visited Porto. After one bite, we wondered where the sandwich had been all our lives.
- Bifana (Pork Steak Sandwich) Portuguese people love to grab a Bifana or two on the go. This stewed pork sandwich is popular and prevalent all over Portugal.
- Cachorrinho (Porto Hot Dog) Cachorrinhos look like chopped hot dogs but taste even better. To make them, cooks stuff toasted oval Portuguese rolls with grilled sausage before adding melted cheese and spicy sauce and chopping the sandwiches into bite-sized pieces.
Aug 9, 2023 · The best places to eat in Porto, including cafes serving francesinha and bifana sandwiches, Michelin-starred restaurants, a conservas shop for tinned fish, and more.
1. Adega São Nicolau. Restaurants. Portuguese. Ribeira. Recommended. We don’t hold back about the stuff we love, and when it comes to Adega São Nicolau, we love everything. There’s a menu...
- What to Eat in Porto? – Starters
- Best Foods in Porto – Snacks
- Soups
- Meat – What Food to Eat in Porto
- Fish and Seafood – Porto Dishes
- Sweets and Desserts – Porto Typical Dishes
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You usually find bread, cheese, butter, olives, and sausages at a restaurant. Sometimes they are already on the table; other times, they are served while you choose the main dishes. It’s well worth a try, as the ingredients are of good quality. But keep in mind that the starters are not free. If you consume, you have to pay. So if you prefer not to...
Bifanas
Bifana is one of the best sandwiches in Portugal. It is made with pork sausage cooked with lots of garlic and a spicy sauce. The meat is placed on a bun with a bit of sauce. Despite not being originally from Porto and ubiquitous in Portugal, it is cooked differently from the rest of the country. In Porto, it is made with very thin and small meat slices that are stewed in a spicy tomato sauce. The meat is added to a small bun called “papo seco or mulete”. Bifana is seen as a snack or even as s...
Cachorrinhos da Gazela
The Cachorinhos (translates to small hot dogs) from Cervejaria Gazela are Porto’s most famous hot dogs. It is not exactly a typical dish from Porto, but it has become a reference. Everyone wants to eat one, and the reason is apparent, they are delicious. These little hot dogs only exist in this restaurant. Cervejaria Gazela opened about 60 years ago and became famous for its hot dogs. They are a good snack after work or at lunch. They became trendy after cook Anthony Bourdain visited the esta...
Pernil (Pork Shoulder) Sandwiches
The pernil Sandwich from Casa Guedes is another Porto reference dish. The sandwich consists of bread stuffed with slow-roasted pork shank, the roast sauce, and Serra da Estrela cheese. It’s simply divine. Casa Guedes was initially a tiny tavern in Praça dos Poveiros near the city center. The restaurant barely had space for five people, which made long lines at the door. Eventually, the restaurant expanded and opened a larger establishment close to the original restaurant. When you come to Por...
Caldo Verde
Caldo verde is a traditional soup from northern Portugal, especially from Minho, but it is very popular in Porto. Thus, it’s very common to find this soup in Portuguese food restaurants in Porto. It’s a soup made with onions, garlic, potatoes, very thinly sliced Portuguese cabbage, and chorizo. It’s a very simple but delicious soup. A piece of good Portuguese cornbread almost always accompanies Caldo Verde.It is also a typical dish of the festivities of popular saints, along with grilled sa...
Francesinha
Francesinha is the most famous dish in Porto and is a must-try. The dish is basically a sandwich made with toasted bread, ham, several types of sausage, and steak. Finally, it is topped with melted cheese and a special sauce. The francesinha sauce varies from restaurant to restaurant but is usually based on tomato, beer, and Piri-Piri. The sauce and the meats’ quality is what makes the francesinha as good as it is. Some francesinhas even have a fried egg on top or a shrimp. Francesinhas are t...
Tripas à moda do Porto
Tripas à moda do Porto is a dish that originates in Porto and is one of the city’s most emblematic and historical foods. As the name implies, this dish is made with cow tripe, cooked with white beans, carrots, smoked like chorizo, veal hand, ribs, and tomato sauce. The tripe is cooked and served with white rice. This recipe is thought to date back to the Age of Discoveries. To supply the ships, the inhabitants of Porto provided salted meat, leaving only the offal and tripe for themselves. The...
Rojões
Rojões are another typical dish from Minho that’s very common in Porto. This dish is made with pieces of pork shoulder that, after being marinated in wine, garlic, paprika, salt, and bay leaf, are fried in lard. Potatoes are cut into pieces and fried in the same lard as the meat. Rojões are usually accompanied by floured tripe, liver, and fried blood. But they can also be served simply with potatoes and white rice. Despite being a traditional dish from Minho, many Porto restaurants serve it a...
Grilled sardines
Grilled sardines are a popular dish in Porto, especially in summer. It is traditional during the festivities of Nossa Senhora de Matosinhos and in São João. Some say that the tradition of eating grilled sardines at popular festivals, such as Santo António in Lisbon, originated with the feast of Nossa Senhora de Matosinhos, passing the custom on to others. To be good, sardines have to be fresh and plump, grilled over hot coal, and served with grilled peppers. As a rule, sardines are served wit...
Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá
Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá (or Gomes de Sá-style Codfish) is an original and typical dish from Porto. José Gomes de Sá Júnior, a cod trader in Porto, created this delicious dish. He sold this recipe to his friend João, Chef of Restaurante Lisbonense in Porto. Since then, it has become one of Portugal’s most famous cod dishes. To cook Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá, it is necessary to cook the cod, previously soaked. Once cooked, the cod is left to soak in milk for two hours. On a platter, place onion and...
Fish and Seafood
Like many coastal cities in Portugal, Porto is an excellent place to eat fresh fish and seafood, especially in the Matosinhos area. In Matosinhos, next to the port, many restaurants serve the catch of the day. By the way, when you go to one of these restaurants, you can choose the fish from the window and check if it is fresh. In addition to fresh fish, seafood is also excellent, from seafood rice to snacks with barnacles, stuffed crab, sea urchins, and clams. Besides being fine, seafood is c...
Bolo de São João
Currently, the São João cake is not that well-known. In the past, it was eaten during the festivities of São João, but the tradition has been lost. Some bakeries in Porto have recently restarted the practice and are selling São João cake according to the original recipe. Tradition dictates that this typical Porto cake is eaten at the feasts of the popular saint, accompanied by a St. John’s banner. The cake is similar to King’s cakebut does not contain candied fruit. It has a lot of nuts and i...
Éclair da Leitaria do Paço
Obviously, the eclair is not a Portuguese sweet but a French one. However, Leitaria do Paço’s Eclair has become a reference in Porto. In 1920 Leitaria do Paço was a dairy producer: milk, butter, cheese, and whipped cream. The company’s strong suit was the whipped cream sold in paper bags. Later, they started selling Eclairs filled with whipped cream, and people loved it, becoming very famous. Nowadays, Leitaria do Paço doesn’t have the same popularity as it used to, but it’s still terrific. W...
Jesuita
Jesuita is a crunchy, delicious pastry created in Santo Tirso in the Porto district. The pastry is made with buttery puff pastry stuffed with a light egg cream (almost unnoticeable) and covered with a crispy layer of frosting. It’s delicious and not too cloying for those who like simple sweets. Although it has not originated in the city, you can find this delight in almost every pastry shop. Yet, the best ones still come from the same pastry shop in Santo Tirso (Pastelaria Moura). You can als...
Discover the best foods in Porto, from bread and cheese to sandwiches and meat. Learn about the history and ingredients of Porto's gastronomy, influenced by the cuisine of northern Portugal. Find out where to eat the famous bifana, cachorrinhos, and sarrabulho dishes.
Mar 29, 2024 · Porto Food Guide: 15 Must-Try Restaurants in Porto, Portugal. Last updated: March 29, 2024. TERMS OF USE: Some of the information on this website may have changed since the time of writing. By continuing to read this article, you agree to be bound by our Terms of Use and Disclaimer and verify any information before taking action. Stay safe!
Aug 16, 2021 · Cachorrinho – Portuguese hotdog. Bifana – sliced pork sandwich. Sande de Pernil – Portuguese sandwich made with roast pork. Prego no Pão – Portuguese steak sandwich. Traditional Portuguese food in Porto. Caldo Verde – green soup. Bacalhau – codfish. Peixe Grelhado – Portuguese-style grilled fish. Frango Assado – Portuguese-style chicken.
