Where to Eat in Porto: Francesinha, Petiscos, Bakeries

Almost every guide agrees on the same few things. Eat a francesinha at Café Santiago, a sandwich at Casa Guedes, a cachorrinho at Cervejaria Gazela, petiscos in a tasca like Adega São Nicolau, a pastel de nata from one of the bakeries around Bolhão, and fish in Matosinhos. Porto is easy to eat in on a small budget, and the best-known places are plain rooms where nobody dresses up.

The picks below are ordered by how many guides name them. Roam Porto read 23 guides in English, Portuguese, Spanish, French and German, from tourism sites, food bloggers and travel blogs. Every hour, price and address on this page comes from the restaurant’s own page or from Visit Porto, not from those guides. Many places close on Sunday, and some close on Saturday too, so plan the big meal for another day. Every place with a page here is on the map.

The short list

What’s on while you eat

Meals are better planned around what is happening that evening. The events page lists exhibitions, concerts, festivals and sports from the organisers’ own pages, and the live music page lists gigs by venue. For a month, see November or December, and the events by season guide covers the year.

Francesinha

The francesinha is a toasted sandwich of steak, ham and sausage, covered in cheese and a hot sauce. Four places come up most. Expect a queue at lunch and dinner at the famous ones.

Café Santiago is the name most guides give first. Recommended by 12 of 23 guides read. Its own site says the sandwich is made with mortadella, fresh sausage, linguiça, beef steak, ham and cheese under a fried egg, and that the sauce recipe is a family secret. The restaurant is at Rua Passos Manuel 226 and opens Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 22:45. It’s closed on Sundays.

Cervejaria Brasão has more than one branch. Recommended by 11 of 23 guides read. Several guides mention a vegetarian version. Its hours differ by branch and the guides disagree with each other, so check the restaurant before you go.

Lado B Café is the third regular name. Recommended by 10 of 23 guides read. Guides advise arriving before the lunch rush.

Francesinha Café is the pick of four guides for people who want a different house recipe. Recommended by 4 of 23 guides read.

Café Santiago sits in Bolhão and Santa Catarina, and the rest are spread across the centre.

Sandwiches and snacks

Casa Guedes turns up in nearly half of the guides. Recommended by 11 of 23 guides read. Its site lists five locations, called Tradicional, Rooftop, Progresso, Oliveiras and Gaia, and gives no opening hours, so check before you walk over.

Cervejaria Gazela is the cachorrinho place, a small hot dog Porto people eat standing up. Recommended by 9 of 23 guides read. Its site lists opening from Monday to Saturday, 12:00 to 22:30, at Travessa de Cimo de Vila 4.

Conga Casa das Bifanas is where guides send you for a bifana, the pork sandwich. Recommended by 6 of 23 guides read.

Tascas and petiscos

Petiscos are small plates shared at the table, and tascas are the plain taverns that serve them with the day’s stews. The same few names recur.

Adega São Nicolau is the most named in Ribeira. Recommended by 8 of 23 guides read. It’s at Rua de São Nicolau 1, and Visit Porto lists it open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 23:00, closed on Sundays. Visit Porto gives a price of €25 and names cod à Gomes de Sá, whitebait with tomato rice and octopus rice among the dishes.

A Cozinha do Manel is named for tripas à moda do Porto, the tripe and bean stew that gave Porto people their old nickname. Recommended by 6 of 23 guides read.

O Buraco is the budget tasca. Recommended by 5 of 23 guides read.

Taberna dos Mercadores is small and gets a queue. Recommended by 5 of 23 guides read.

Tapabento is the table-service option. Recommended by 5 of 23 guides read.

Ribeira’s riverfront has many tourist tables. Several guides tell you to walk a street or two back from the quay.

Bolhão and the bakeries

The Bolhão Market, at Rua Formosa 322, is the city’s main food market. Recommended by 8 of 23 guides read. Its own site lists the market stalls open Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 19:00 and Saturday from 8:00 to 18:00. The restaurants inside run Monday to Saturday from 8:00 to midnight. It’s closed on Sundays and public holidays.

For pastéis de nata, four names come up. Manteigaria is the best known. Recommended by 6 of 23 guides read. Its site lists four Porto shops, at Bolhão, Clérigos, Santa Catarina and Largo São Domingos.

Confeitaria do Bolhão is the old-style pastry shop on Rua Formosa 339. Recommended by 4 of 23 guides read.

Fábrica da Nata and Leitaria da Quinta do Paço are each named by four guides. Recommended by 4 of 23 guides read, each.

Seafood in Matosinhos

Matosinhos is where Porto goes for grilled fish and shellfish, a short Metro ride out. O Gaveto is the one guides name most. Recommended by 4 of 23 guides read. It’s at Rua Roberto Ivens 826 and opens from 12:00 to 23:30. It’s closed on Tuesdays, and the restaurant asks for 24 hours’ notice on bookings. Several guides also warn that some seafood restaurants add starters you didn’t order, so say no if you don’t want them.

Less common picks

Three guides name each of these. Casa de Chá da Boa Nova is the special-occasion choice on the rocks at Leça da Palmeira. Its site lists lunch from 12:30 to 15:00 and dinner from 19:30 to 22:30, and it’s closed on Sundays and Mondays. Cantinho do Avillez, Café Majestic, Wine Quay Bar, Cafeína and the Bom Sucesso Market also have three each.

Two guides name Bufete Fase, a francesinha place on Rua de Santa Catarina 1147. Visit Porto lists it open Monday to Friday from 12:00 to 16:00 and from 18:30 to 21:30, closed on Saturday and Sunday, with a price of €12. Nata Lisboa, also named by two, opens daily from 8:00 to 19:00 at Rua de Santa Catarina 499, according to Visit Porto.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should you eat in Porto?

The francesinha, a bifana or a cachorrinho, tripas à moda do Porto, and a pastel de nata. Fish and shellfish are best in Matosinhos.

Where is the best francesinha in Porto?

Café Santiago is named by 12 of the 23 guides read, then Brasão (11), Lado B (10) and Francesinha Café (4). Café Santiago’s site lists it open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 22:45.

Which restaurants are closed on Sundays?

Café Santiago and Adega São Nicolau list Sunday as closed, and so does the Bolhão Market. Check any other place’s own page before you plan a Sunday meal.

Is Bolhão Market open on Sunday?

No. Its site says the market is closed on Sundays and holidays.

Where should you eat in Matosinhos?

O Gaveto is the most named, and it’s closed on Tuesdays. Book at least 24 hours ahead.

Plan the sights between meals with things to do in Porto, check Porto travel tips for the rest of the practical details, and see where to stay in Porto for the areas compared.

Places in this guide

Photos show the actual places, licensed under Creative Commons and credited to their photographers.

Casa de Chá da Boa Nova Matosinhos Photo: Vitor Oliveira Café Majestic Bolhão and Santa Catarina Photo: Europeana EU