Must-Try Foods
- Francesinha: Layers of steak, sausage and ham under melted cheese, sitting in a tomato and beer sauce; heavy enough that locals suggest it for lunch.
- Tripas à moda do Porto: A stew of white beans, chouriço and tripe; the dish that earned Porto’s people the nickname “tripeiros”.
- Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá: Salt cod baked with potatoes, onion, boiled egg and olives.
- Sandes de pernil: A sandwich of slow-roasted pork leg; the city’s street food.
- Bolinhos de bacalhau: Fried salt-cod fritters, a standard snack in small taverns called tascas.
- Polvo à lagareiro: Octopus roasted with plenty of olive oil and potatoes.
- Port wine: Tasted in the cellars of Vila Nova de Gaia, across the river.
Where to Eat
Mercado do Bolhão, renovated and reopened in 2022; the side streets rather than the main strip of the Ribeira riverfront; Baixa and Rua de Santa Catarina for cafes and pastry shops; and Vila Nova de Gaia for the port wine lodges.
Quick Info
Lunch is taken seriously in Porto: many tascas offer a dish of the day (prato do dia) and dinner starts late. Bread, olives and cheese brought to the table are charged as “couvert”; send them back if you do not want them. Tipping is not required, and rounding up is enough. Bolhão is liveliest in the morning, and older guides that call it a temporary market are out of date.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Porto’s most famous dish?
Francesinha. Second is tripas à moda do Porto, the stew that gave the city’s people their nickname.
When should I eat a francesinha?
Usually at lunch. The portion is large and heavy, and most places serve it with fries.
Is Bolhão market open?
Yes. It reopened in September 2022 after roughly four years of renovation; older guides describing a temporary location are out of date.
Sources
- Nomado Travel — What to eat in Porto — https://www.nomadotravel.app/en/guides/what-to-eat-in-porto — accessed 2026-11-01
- Stay Libere — Where to eat in Porto — https://staylibere.com/en/blog/where-to-eat-in-porto-what-dishes-to-try-and-where-to-find-them — accessed 2026-11-01
- Diário de Notícias — Mercado do Bolhão reopens (September 2022) — https://www.dn.pt/local/mercado-do-bolhao-renovado-reabre-portas-a-cidade-do-porto-15166555.html — accessed 2026-11-01