In this article I’ll talk about the most interesting dishes in my opinion, and at the end you’ll find a map with recommended restaurants in Porto — I put it together with my Portuguese friends.
Francesinha.
A specialty of the city of Porto and its environs, the francesinha («little Frenchie») is a sandwich. In theory. In practice, it’s a whole mountain of meat, sausages and ham between two pieces of bread, with a thick layer of cheese on top and meat sauce around the edges. Thanks to the cheese, the sauce doesn’t smear the crusty bread. Sometimes they still put an egg on top, and offer fried potatoes or chips as a garnish.
Don’t be surprised when you are offered only half a portion. The locals joke that if you eat francesinha for breakfast, you don’t have to spend any more money on food all day long.
Porto is very proud of its specialty. There is even a festival of francesinha, where you can try different variations of the dish. It usually takes place at the beginning of October in Praça D. João I (João I Square). But in the last two years, due to the pandemic, nothing has been heard about it.
Salada de polvo (octopus salad)
This appetizer is served in most Portuguese restaurants. It is prepared in different ways, but the main ingredients are cooked octopus, some pickled onions and herbs, olive oil and lemon juice. Some places add shrimp, tomatoes, olives or a hard-boiled egg.
Rice with duck (Arroz de pato)
The specialty of this dish is that the rice is cooked in a broth of duck, vegetables and spicy chorizo sausages. The meat and vegetables are then placed between two layers of rice and sent to the oven. In this way, the rice is saturated with all these flavors and becomes very rich. And later, about 15 minutes before it is ready, a little chorizo and sometimes cheese is added on top.
Arroz de pato is not as famous as the same francesinha. But when I asked local friends what their favorite Portuguese dish was, three of them chose it. It’s a very hearty, family-friendly dish that is also served at Christmas.
Bacalhau (Bacalhau)
Bacalhau, salted cod, is perhaps the most common ingredient in local dishes. It is said that a true Portuguese can cook bacalhau every day for a year and never repeat it. Here cod is served with any garnishes and sauces, and takes all kinds of forms. There is even a recipe for Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá that requires soaking it in milk to soften it. Fish in milk!
All traditional recipes include dried salted cod, not fresh or frozen. Hundreds of years ago, this allowed the fish to be kept longer, because there were no refrigerators yet. But their appearance did not change the tradition, and the Portuguese still cook with bacalhau.
You won’t miss salt-dried bacalhau in the supermarket — you’ll find it by smell. It is sold there as is, without any packaging. But do not hurry to eat it on your way home: it is not an appetizer, but just a way of storage. Fish should definitely be rinsed with boiling water and soaked to get rid of excess salt and regain moisture. But even then, the fish can remain very salty. If you want to try bakalyau itself, without special dishes, I suggest you boil it and eat it at least as a snack with bread.
Pastel de Nata, Pastel de Belém (Pastel de Nata / Pastel de Belém)
Legend has it that this main Portuguese dessert was invented by the monks of Lisbon’s Jerónimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jerónimos). The authentic recipe for pasteis de Belém is still only available at the café next to it — Pasteis de Belém.
Elsewhere, variations of this dessert are called pâtel de nata. They can already be found anywhere. These puff pastry baskets with egg custard, powdered sugar and cinnamon are even sold in supermarkets. Sometimes chocolate, port wine or other toppings are added to them.
Sardines (Sardinhas)
There are not as many recipes for sardines in Portugal as there are for cod: they are mostly just grilled with salt and pepper or sold in canned form. But they are no less loved here. These fish are usually cooked very fresh, only from the ocean, and the smell is incomparable. The only thing is that they have a lot of small bones. It can be uncomfortable to eat.
Meat casserole (Empadão de carne)
Not exotic or refined at all, but a very tasty dish. Stuffing for it is stewed in white wine, tomato paste and spices, and then laid out between two layers of mashed potatoes. For the crust, the top layer is smeared with egg. Locals associate this dish with childhood, comfort and home.
Caldo verde.
This simple peasant soup is a cold-weather salvation. The ingredients are few: kale (or «curly cabbage»), potatoes, chorizo, onions and garlic. Here potatoes are mashed, not cut into cubes as we are used to, and because of this caldo verde turns out to be very thick and hearty. In some places it is cooked not with water, but with meat broth, which makes it even richer.
Bolo Rei.
In Portuguese stores and bakeries, it is impossible to pass by bolo rei (translated as «king cake»). The round cake with a hole in the center looks like a crown, and the candied fruits, nuts and dried fruits are like jewels. They are soaked in port wine for flavor and aroma.
This is a traditional Christmas dish, but you can try it all year round. It is a holiday that is always with us.
Feijoada.
Feijoada is a very hearty dish with beans, meat and smoked meat. In the original recipe there were beef giblets and pigs' ears, but nowadays you don’t find such a dish.
This dish is cooked like a stew, over low heat, usually in clay pots. At first glance, all this dark brown mass is not very appetizing. But the locals convinced me to try feijoada, and now I recommend it to you.
Where to try Portuguese food in Porto?
All Portuguese dishes didn’t make the list, and yes, your ranking might be different after traveling. But now you know what to try first!
The francesinha is a must in Porto, as it originates from here. Also don’t miss the bacalhau à Gomes de Sá, the local recipe for bacalhau, the one for which cod is soaked in milk.
I share with you a selection of Portuguese restaurants in Porto, the «northern capital» of the country, that were recommended to me by locals. The best restaurants are not only in the historic center. The freshest seafood, for example, is served in the port’s Matosinhos neighborhood.
If you’re looking for Porto’s most traditional option, choose establishments with «Brasão» in the name. The literal translation of «Brasão» is «coat of arms». This is a special type of Portuguese food establishment, something between a pub and a restaurant.
Most restaurants in Portugal close between lunch and dinner, from about two to seven. It’s not a siesta, it’s just not the usual time to eat. Some places still close on Sundays, but these are fewer and fewer, especially in the city center.
In Portuguese restaurants, they will bring you appetizers even if you didn’t order them. These are usually olives, pate and bread. They are not free. If you don’t want to pay extra (usually 2—3 euros), it is better to refuse them immediately or just don’t touch them.
