The food in Porto is fresh, full of flavour, and, of course, delicious. If you like seafood but also have a sweet tooth, then you have chosen the perfect destination for your next holiday. Among the best foods to eat in Porto I have to mention the famous all over the world Francesinha – an extremely indulgent sandwich that will fill you for the entire day and the delicious dishes made with cod fish.
Although Portugal’s not that well known as a foodie destination, it really has quite a lot to offer when it comes to gastronomy. Enjoy delectable cheeses, fine wines, meats of different varieties and, of course, lots of fresh seafood – you’re right by the Atlantic Ocean, after all! After writing about what to eat in Madeira, the fantastic Portuguese island in the Atlantic, Ocean, in this article I will tell you all about the food in Portugal’s most charming city. If you’re visiting Porto, here are a couple of specific dishes that I recommend you try.
What to Eat in Porto
Francesinha
There are few dishes as synonymous with Porto as Francesinha.
This is a sandwich filled of meat, including sausage and ham, coated in melted cheese, with a fried egg on top and served in a tomato and beer sauce! It’s certainly a rich dish, but definitely, one to try when you’re in Porto.
Don’t worry if you’re vegetarian or even vegan – there are shops that offer plant-based sandwiches. Head to Francesinhas Al Forno da Baixa, which omits the egg, and offers varieties with vegan cheese instead of dairy cheese and tempeh, tofu and mushrooms instead of meat.
If you’re a mixed group with vegetarian/ vegans and meat eaters, Francesinhas Al Forno da Baixa offer the traditional types of sandwich too.
If you only eat one traditional food in Porto, make it a Francesinha!
Codfish
Portugal has an 832-kilometre-long coastline, so it’s unsurprising that seafood is an important part of the nation’s menu. But its most popular fish dish is cod, and surprisingly, cod isn’t actually found in the waters around Portugal!
Locals in Porto gained a taste for codfish after it was introduced by the British, who visited the city to trade. Due to historic wars with France and Spain, Britain developed an alliance with Portugal, which trade deals were built from. The British brought salted cod, which they sourced from Northern Europe, and traded it for port wine!
You’ll see codfish on menus throughout the city, particularly if you’re visiting Porto in winter, as it’s a popular festive dish in Porto.
One of the most popular ways to try cod is Bacalhau á Gomes de Sá. This is a local Porto dish consisting of salted cod, potato, onion, egg and olive oil. Together, it makes a kind of fishy casserole, and it’s something that you’ll find on the menu of lots of Porto restaurants.
Another cod-related dish to try is Pastéis de Bacalhau. These are cod fritters, similar to croquettes which are commonly found in Spain, typically served tapas-style.
Liver
Although it’s not a dish that everyone will want to try, liver is one of the most popular foods to eat in Porto. The most popular dish is simply called “liver and onions” and consists of – you guessed it – cow liver mixed with plenty of sautéed onions and garlic.
It’s traditionally served with boiled or mashed potatoes, and while it’s eaten throughout Portugal, it originates in the north, where you’ll see it on most traditional restaurants menus.
Cachorrinho
A cachorrinho is Porto’s answer to a hot dog. It’s not commonly served in sit-down restaurants, but it’s possibly the city’s most famous street food – you shouldn’t leave without trying one! It’s one of the best things to do in Porto, if I may say so.
It consists of a hot dog in a roll, brushed with spicy sauce and served with crispy onions. When walking around Porto, you’ll see stalls serving up fresh cachorrinhos, or you can often purchase them at bars – they go very well washed down with a pint of Super Bock!
To find the best cachorrinho, head to Snack Bar Gazela, which has been at the forefront of the hot dog scene in Porto for the last century.
Bolo Rei
Another popular festive dish in all of Portugal, Bolo Rei literally means “King’s Cake” and it’s eaten frequently throughout the Christmas period, usually between Christmas Eve and Epiphany, which takes place on 6th January. If you are spending time in Porto during the winter holidays, you must try it!
The cake looks like a crown and is made with a brioche-like dough full of fruit and a sweet glaze on top. If you’re visiting Portugal during the Christmas period, this is definitely one to try! Or, if you don’t like dried fruit, you could try the cake’s counterpart, Bolo Reinha, which translates to “Queen’s Cake” and is basically the same dish, without the dried fruit.
Dobrada
One of Portugal’s favourite stews, Dobrada is a tripe stew that originates from the Porto area. However, it’s so popular now that it’s eaten all over the country and beyond, in Brazil and in Portuguese restaurants all over the world!
It consists of the tripe, tomatoes, onions, garlic, some vegetables, beans and spiced with paprika. Dobrada is a hearty food in Porto, which will warm you up for sure on a cold winter evening.
Alheira
Another really common food from Porto is Alheira, which you’ll find on many menus throughout the city. It’s a type of sausage – but unlike traditional sausage, it is made from chicken, veal, rabbit and other types of meat rather than pork.
It originates back to the time of the Portuguese Inquisition, which took place around the same time as the more famous Spanish inquisition and was a regime that ruthlessly persecuted non-Christian people in the country.
Many Jewish people took to practising their religion in secret; they tried to conceal the fact that they didn’t eat pork for religious reasons. The Alheira dates back to this time; Jewish people made these sausages and pretended they were made of pork, subsequently hoping to avoid the inquisition.
Nowadays, people in Portugal are free to worship whatever religion they like and eat what they want, but Alheira sausage remains a staple in Porto, usually served with a fried egg and other side dishes such as crisps of salad.
Sardinhas Assadas
Sardines are one of the most popular seafood that’s found in Portugal’s waters, and sardinhas assadas are one of the most popular dishes in the country. These fish are rubbed with salt and grilled over an open fire.
The fish is naturally very oily, and they’re served on a slice of bread, which absorbs the oils. They’re traditionally served at Portuguese festivals, and you’ll find them on street food stalls throughout the city. You can also have sardines at the traditional restaurants around Porto, where they are served alongside boiled potatoes.
Rojoes
Another popular stew from the Porto area is Rojoes. This is a pork stew made from fatty cuts of the meat and served with garlic, cumin, bay leaves and white wine. It’s traditionally served with bread, rice and potatoes.
It was made in the countryside around Porto but is now one of the main classics of the country, served in Portuguese restaurants all over the world.
Polvo com Molho Verde
This is a classic Portuguese seafood dish, made thanks to the country’s enormous coastline! Its main ingredient is octopus, which is cooked with a parsley sauce. You’ll typically find it in seafood restaurants or on seasonal summer menus.
Pasteis de Nata
Pasteis de Nata actually come from Lisbon, but you have to try these egg custard tarts wherever you are in Portugal. They consist of flaky pastry and a rich filling, sometimes with a lightly bronzed top.
Originally, they come from the Lisbon suburb of Belem, with a popular cafe (appropriately called pasteis de Belem) coming up with the recipe a few centuries ago. Their tarts are quite eggy, although a lot of the tarts you’ll find in cafes have a sweeter filling.
Although pasteis de Belem are the most famous, you’ll find pasteis de nata in virtually every single traditional cafe around the country, usually for around one euro. I highly recommend trying out a few – or even starting every morning with them!
Tarte de Amêndoa
While you’ll find pasteis de nata all over Portugal, Tarte de Amêndoa is generally the traditional dessert that’s eaten in the northern region of Portugal, particularly in Porto. It’s a dessert that mainly consists of an almond-based filling, encased in a delicious dough.
You’ll find this Tarte de Amêndoa in various cafes in Porto, and it’s commonly on the dessert menu in restaurants.
Port Wine
Although it’s a drink rather than food, port wine is another must-try while you’re in the city. The fortified wine was created in Northern Portugal, with grapes from the Douro Valley region, but in the 17th century, British traders started trading it for salted codfish, which they sourced from Northern Europe.
Port wine was a massive hit in the UK, and has since gained international fame and recognition. These days only grapes from a specific area in the Douro Valley can be used to make port wine, and most of the world’s port cellars operate in Vila Nova de Gaia, which sits across the river from Porto (Vila Nova de Gaia is technically another city, but it’s walkable from Porto city centre).
Because the British popularised Porto, most of the cellars have very British names like W & J Graham and Sandeman. Going to one of the port cellars for a tasting is definitely a must-do activity in Porto.
You can also visit the Douro Valley, especially the area where port wine originates, to try some of the beverages at the source!
If you’re looking for what to eat in Porto, look no further than this list! The food in Porto will surprise you! With some of the best seafood that you’ll find in the country, plus meaty and vegetarian dishes too, this is exactly what you’ve got to look out for when in Portugal’s northern capital. You’ll definitely have a delicious time in the city!
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The combination of tomato and beer sounds strange to me, but I would love to try it