What to eat in Porto: 10 dishes and drinks to try

Porto is a wonderful place to eat: hearty, generous and very good value. Here are the dishes and drinks to look out for.

1. Francesinha

Porto’s signature sandwich: layers of bread, cured and grilled meats and sausage, covered in melted cheese and a rich, slightly spicy tomato and beer sauce, often with a fried egg and chips. Share one if you are not very hungry.

2. Tripas à moda do Porto

A slow-cooked stew of tripe and white beans. Locals are nicknamed tripeiros, tripe eaters, after a legend that the city gave its best meat to the ships of the Age of Discoveries and kept the tripe.

3. Bacalhau

Salt cod is Portugal’s national obsession, cooked in countless ways: baked, grilled, in fritters called bolinhos, or shredded with potatoes and eggs.

4. Bifana

A simple, delicious sandwich of thin pork slices simmered in a garlicky sauce, served in a soft roll. Perfect for a quick lunch.

5. Caldo verde

A comforting soup of potato and finely shredded kale, usually served with a slice of chouriço.

6. Grilled sardines

Best in summer, and everywhere on the night of São João in June, when the whole city smells of sardines on the grill.

7. Seafood rice

Arroz de marisco, a soupy rice packed with shellfish, is a favourite in the seafood restaurants of Foz and Matosinhos.

8. Pastel de nata

The famous custard tart, with crisp pastry and a caramelised top. Eat it warm, with a dusting of cinnamon.

9. Port wine

Try a white port with tonic as an aperitif, a fruity ruby or a nutty aged tawny after dinner. The best place to learn about it is a cellar tour in Gaia.

10. Vinho verde

A light, fresh and slightly sparkling wine from northern Portugal, ideal with seafood on a warm day.

Tips for eating out

• Bread, olives and other starters brought to the table, the couvert, are charged if you eat them.
• At lunchtime, look for the prato do dia, the dish of the day, for great value.
• Family-run tascas often serve the most authentic food.