Although our trip to Porto was mainly staying in our apartment because my daughter Gaja got sick, we still had the opportunity to do one of my favourite things while travelling: get to know the local cuisine. We had the pleasure to eat some delicious typical Portuguese food and some restaurants will forever stay in my mind. This is why I am sharing the best dishes and places I found with you. So, what to do in Porto, Portugal if you are a foodie? 🙂
Eat Francesinha (at Noshi)
I knew I had to try this traditional Porto sandwich, which is heaven for meat lovers (although today they also do vegan options). It is made from thick slices of white bread with ham, sausage, cheese, and steak. They top the sandwich with more cheese, which is melted in the oven, and a sauce, that has beer and tomatoes as a base. The sauce is what makes Francesinha unique in every place because it’s chefs secret. We tried it at Noshi and loved the flavor as well as the ambience of the place.
Try Pastéis de Bacalhau
Portugal is the world’s biggest consumer of codfish, which means that eating a Portuguese codfish cake, named Pastéis de Bacalhau, is a must when visiting. It is a deep-fried fish cake that is made with mashed potatoes, shredded cod, eggs, onion, and parsley. Sometimes they also add cheese to the mixture. Restaurant Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau in Porto is specialized in serving codfish cakes, in the cheese version they add delicious Portuguese Serra da Estrela Cheese. And serve it to you with some local white port wine.
Go for a lunch to the local hidden gem O Caraças
There was a small wooden door on the Rua das Taipas street, that we were looking at from our balcony. At lunchtime and dinnertime from nowhere, there were people queuing in front of it. So, we had to investigate, what is hidden behind the door. We found out an amazing family restaurant named O Caraças. Each day they have one meat and one fish main dish (and desserts), and the menu is not written, the waitress shares it with you. If you are visiting on a sunny day, do go through the restaurant and have a meal on their lovely terrace with a view of the city. It is also good to have a reservation, as they are only open Monday to Saturday from 11.30 am to 2.30 pm and from 7.00 pm to 11.00 pm.
Have a romantic dinner at The Door
On Rua das Taipas street you can find another local restaurant with delicious food and romantic ambience – The Door. Although we ordered takeaway, as our daughter was sleeping, and had a picnic on the couch at our Airbnb, the food was amazing. We tried their Argentinian empanadas, Alheira sliders, Noisette potatoes (with orange tobico mayo), and “The” brownies.
Try pastel de nata (from everywhere) ☺️
I am a sincere lover of pastel de nata – a Portuguese egg custard tart pastry – since my trip to Madeira in 2017. So, when we planned a trip to Portugal, I said to my fiancée: “I want to eat at least one pastel de nata each day.” And I did not stop at one a day. I tried this typical Portuguese pastry from several different patisseries and keep going back to Manteigaria.
Visit Mercado do Bolhão and/or Mercado Beira-Rio
Porto’s historic market Mercado do Bolhão offers a huge selection of local fresh produce on 79 stalls. There are also some restaurants and shops. It is interesting, for me at least, to walk along the stalls and see local fruits, vegetables, meat, and other produce. We bought some delicious local olive oil here. And the market is set in a beautiful iconic building, that is a municipal heritage. On the other side of the Duero River, there is another market worth visiting. Mercado Beira-Rio also offers a great selection of fresh produce and has an amazing food court. Here we also saw the option of having a local beer tasting. Something for the next visit of Porto.
Buy some canned sardines
Sardines are another fish that is a very important part of Portuguese cuisine. Although they are delicious when prepared fresh, they are even more widely consumed in a can for conservation. In Porto, you can find many beautiful stores, full of colorful and artistic cans, filled with sardines of different flavors. You can find sardines with tomatoes, garlic, hot sauce, and more. We visited The Fantastic World Of Portuguese Sardines, which has a big collection of sardines and a circus-like décor of the shop.
Book a port wine tasting
Port is a typical Portuguese wine from the Douoro Valley region, and it is usually served as dessert. I find it to be too sweet for my taste, but I still enjoyed the tour of the wine cellar Porto Cálem and the port tasting. When visiting the cellar, I learned all about the history of the wine and the cellar, which was founded already in 1859, how the port is made and what are its styles: red, white, rosé and aged Tawny Port.
I shared my favourite Porto restaurant also for Fred.Olsen Cruise Line. If you need some more inspiration for a great places to eat in Porto, check out their full article here.
Visited: October & November 2022
