What to Eat in Porto: Francesinha, Pernil and Port

Porto is one of Europe’s best food cities, and it doesn’t do things by halves: a sandwich drowned in cheese and beer sauce, roast pork rolls dripping with juice, tripe stew that gave locals their nickname, and of course port wine from the cellars across the river. Here’s what to eat in Porto, and where.

Quick answer: try a francesinha (Café Santiago or Lado B), a sandes de pernil at Casa Guedes, bolinhos de bacalhau, grilled fish in Matosinhos, a pastel de nata at Manteigaria, and port in Gaia. Shop and snack at the restored Mercado do Bolhão (closed Sundays). A food tour is about €75–95.

Why Porto is a food city

Northern Portuguese cooking is hearty, generous and cheap by European standards. Portions are big, pork and salt cod turn up everywhere, and the sea is 20 minutes away. You can eat very well here for €15 to €25 a head at lunch, and a snack and a beer at the counter costs a few euros.

The must-try dishes

Francesinha

Porto’s famous (and enormous) sandwich: layers of bread, steak, ham and sausage, covered in melted cheese and a rich beer-and-tomato sauce, often with a fried egg on top and chips on the side. Every café has its own secret sauce, and locals argue about which is best. Where to try it:

• Café Santiago: open since 1959 and a classic. Expect a queue.
• Lado B: near the Majestic, popular and good value.
• Cervejaria Brasão: several branches around the city, including Aliados and Coliseu, with a lively beer-hall feel.
• Bufete Fase: tiny, old-school and much loved, with the sausage on top. Open since 1984, it has only a handful of tables, usually opens on weekdays only and takes cash.

Read more in our francesinha guide.

Sandes de pernil (Casa Guedes)

Slow-roast pork in a crusty roll, best with a slice of melting Serra da Estrela cheese. Casa Guedes is the place. In 2026 the food guide TasteAtlas put the sandes de pernil in its list of the world’s best sandwiches, and named Casa Guedes as the place most linked with it. Expect a queue at lunchtime.

Bifana

Thin slices of pork marinated in garlic and wine, in a soft roll. A cheap, quick lunch at any counter. Add mustard. See the bifana and the prego.

Cachorrinho

Porto’s take on the hot dog: a thin, spicy sausage and cheese in a slim roll, pressed until crisp, cut into pieces and served with a hot sauce. It dates from the 1960s and goes perfectly with a cold beer.

Tripas à moda do Porto

A hearty tripe and white bean stew. Legend says that when the city gave its meat to the explorers’ ships in the 1400s, locals were left with tripe, which is why people from Porto are still called tripeiros. Look for it on traditional menus, often on set days of the week.

Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá

Porto’s own salt cod dish: flaked cod baked with potatoes, onions, olive oil, boiled egg and black olives. It was created by a Porto cod merchant in the late 1800s. See our bacalhau guide.

Bolinhos de bacalhau

Crispy salt cod and potato fritters, perfect with a beer or a glass of vinho verde.

Grilled fish in Matosinhos

The fishing town next to Porto is lined with restaurants grilling fresh fish and seafood on outdoor barbecues. Take the metro (line A) and follow the smoke. Fish is often sold by weight, so ask the price before you order. See Matosinhos.

Caldo verde

The classic soup of potato, finely shredded kale and a slice of chouriço.

Winter dishes

In the colder months, look for papas de sarrabulho, a rich northern porridge of pork, blood and spices, and rojões, fried chunks of marinated pork, often served with potatoes and tripe.

Sweets

• Pastel de nata: Manteigaria has a shop by the Bolhão market, open daily. See the best pastel de nata.
• Café Majestic: a gorgeous Belle Époque café from 1922 on Rua de Santa Catarina. Pricey, but you’re paying for the setting.
• Convent sweets: look in old pastry shops for egg-and-sugar cakes made to recipes from the old convents. See Portuguese desserts.

Drinks

• Port: tour a cellar in Vila Nova de Gaia and taste ruby, tawny and white port. See the best tours in Porto.
• Port tonic: white port with tonic, the city’s summer drink.
• Vinho verde: fresh, light wine from the region just north of Porto.
• Coffee: order um cimbalino for an espresso, the old Porto word for it.

Mercado do Bolhão

Porto’s historic market reopened in 2022 after a long restoration, with fresh produce, fish, flowers, cheese and little restaurants. Stalls open Monday to Friday 8am–8pm and Saturday until 6pm; the restaurants stay open later. Closed on Sundays and public holidays. Go in the morning for the best of the fish and fruit stalls, then have lunch upstairs. See Porto food markets.

Food and festivals

On the night of 23 June Porto celebrates São João, its biggest party, and the whole city grills sardines in the street. Summer is the season for sardines generally. See Portuguese sardines. In winter, look for warming stews and roast kid.

Food tours

A food tour is a fun way to try everything in an afternoon, with stories about the city. Expect about €75–95 for 3–4 hours. See Porto food tours.

Tips

• Lunch is the bargain: look for the prato do dia (dish of the day).
• Meal times: lunch usually runs from about 12:30 to 3pm, and dinner from about 7:30pm. Many small places close between.
• The couvert (bread, olives) isn’t free; send it back if you don’t want it.
• Francesinhas are huge: share one, or skip lunch.
• Book popular restaurants at weekends.
• Vegetarians: options are improving, but traditional menus are meat and fish heavy.

FAQ

What food is Porto most famous for?

The francesinha, followed by tripas à moda do Porto, the sandes de pernil and bacalhau à Gomes de Sá. And, of course, port wine from the lodges in Gaia.

Is the Bolhão market open on Sundays?

No. It closes on Sundays and public holidays. Stalls open Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm and on Saturday until 6pm.

Should I tip in Porto restaurants?

It’s appreciated but not expected. Leave around 5 to 10% for good service, or round up a small bill. See tipping in Portugal.

More: what to eat in Portugal, Porto in one day and 2 days in Porto.

See also: Matosinhos and its grilled fish, the francesinha, Porto food markets, the best restaurants in Porto, Bolhão Market and the Majestic Café.

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