12 Tasty Traditional Portuguese Dishes to Try in Porto

If you’re visiting Porto and wondering what dishes to try (beyond the iconic pastel de nata pastry), we’ve done some taste-testing to guide you. Porto’s food scene is both local and proudly traditional, with menus full of comfort dishes that reflect both Porto as a city and Portugal’s history of exploration.

From smoky sausages and slow-cooked stews to grilled sardines and surprisingly addictive sandwiches, there’s a lot to dig into here.

We are an American family living in Porto, and we love trying new flavors and local specialties. We might have even discovered why sardines are so popular!

This guide covers twelve dishes that we suggest you try when in Porto, including soups and starters, fresh seafood dishes, hearty meat and sausage dishes, and tasty fried foods. Some of these might already be familiar, but at least a few should be a pleasant surprise. We also included some suggestions for where to try each dish in Porto and the surrounding area.

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Portugal has been around a long time, the Portuguese will proudly tell you that Portugal is older than Spain, and dates back to 1143. In their era of expansion and discovery, influences from Asia and Africa came back to Portugal and were integrated into the local cuisine.

Dried cod was packed onto ships to last on long journeys across the ocean. Whatever was left upon their return was sold cheaply to the local population and became integrated into many traditional dishes.

We’ve broken down our list of traditional dishes you should look for in Porto and the north of Portugal into starters, seafood, and meat dishes. Hopefully, once you understand what these dishes are, you’ll spot them on menus and be more likely to try them!

Check out our tips for travelers for what to expect in restaurants in Portugal and how to ask for the bill! These are our favorite traditional restaurants in Porto.

If you’re looking for a coffee for a mid-day break, check out our guide to ordering coffee like a local!

Soup is an integral part of Portuguese food. Served every day at lunch and dinner, it is often the main source of vegetables in the daily diet. Some soups are vegetarian, though some will have some churizo, ham, or fish for flavoring. Soups are generally made of a thick base (not a thin broth), often using potatoes.

When our children started school in Portugal, we were informed that unless we said otherwise, it was expected that they finish their soup at lunch before moving onto the main part of the meal.

Caldo verde is one of the most popular soups in Portugal, made of julienned collard greens, potatoes, onions, and garlic. It is usually served with slices of chouriço or linguiça added, but you can ask to have it vegetarian. It is traditionally accompanied by Portuguese corn and rye bread called “broa.”

Where to try: Restaurante D’ Outro Mundo – R. Sousa Aroso 447, 4450-289 Matosinhos. This restaurant has a terrific and inexpensive set menu for lunch during the week. Use the Porto Metro to easily get out to Matosinhos.

Peixinhos da Horta, which translates as little fish from the garden, is most often prepared from green bean pods that are battered and fried, although you might also find it with peppers or squash. When fried, they resemble little fish on the plate. Originally from the Lisbon area, it is believed that it was the Portuguese explorers in the 1500s who introduced it to Japan, which then became known as “tempura.”

Where to try: Popina – R. de Ceuta n° 73, 4050-191 Porto. This is one of our favorite tapas places; they also have a great wine list.

Bolinhos de bacalhau (codfish cakes), as they are called in Northern Portugal, or pastéis de bacalhau (codfish pasteries), in central and southern parts of Portugal. This is a traditional Portuguese dish made from potatoes, salted cod, eggs, onions, parsley, and a touch of nutmeg.

Typically made by using two large spoons to mold the ingredients into an egg shape, and then deep-fried and served hot or cold. When prepared correctly, they should be slightly crunchy on the outside and soft and fluffy on the inside.

You can find bolinhos de bacalhau on menus as an appetizer or as a meal in itself. As a meal, it is typically served with white rice, a simple salad, and olives.

You may see Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau advertising large pastéis de bacalhau dripping with cheese. They have become known for a non-traditional version that is packed with Serra de Estrela cheese. You’ll find them in Vila Nova de Gaia, and near the Clérigos clock tower.

Where to try: For the traditional version, head to Taberna Dos Mercadores – R. dos Mercadores 36, Porto. You’ll also see these served at the Bolhão Market.

Bacalhau (cod fish) alone is not actually native to Portuguese waters, but has become a huge part of Portuguese history and culture. You’ll find dishes that use it both fresh and salted.

Many families serve at least one cod dish as part of a traditional Christmas dinner, though you’ll find it on menus all year round.

Bacalhau à brás is a great introduction for those who have never had the dried and salted fish. Shreds of codfish are mixed with onions and julienned, deep-fried potatoes, and held together with egg. It is typically finished with black olives and fresh parsley.

Where to try: Another reason to visit Popina – R. de Ceuta n° 73, 4050-191 Porto

Sardines are another huge part of Portuguese culture. In fact, most of our current neighborhood was once filled with sardine processing factories. You will see a lot of canned varieties, but you can also get them grilled fresh. Locals swear that they are best when eaten between the festival of São João (the start of summer) and the end of August.

Grilled sardines are a popular appetizer or main course. Fresh sardines are cleaned and then seasoned with coarse sea salt. The fish are then grilled over a charcoal fire and served with rustic bread, and possibly potatoes and a salad.

Matosinhos is the place to go for fresh fish and seafood in Porto. Just north of the main beach in Matosinhos (Praia de Matosinhos), on Rua Heróis de França, you will be surrounded by wonderful restaurants. The hard part is choosing one, but you really cannot go wrong.

Where to try: There are so many good seafood restaurants; these three are all on the same strip in Matosinhos. When in doubt, look for crowds! Palato Restaurante – R. Heróis de França 487, Restaurante Lage Senhor do Padrão – R. Heróis de França 516, Meia-Nau Matosinhos – R. Heróis de França 375.

In the seafood restaurants of Portugal, one of the most popular things to try is grilled octopus, called polvo. Prepared similarly to cod, the octopus is grilled over charcoal and then finished in the oven, so it’s tender and succulent on the inside, and crispy on the outside. It is then served with crushed potatoes in garlic and lots of olive oil.

The key to this dish is fresh ingredients. This is a popular dish on holidays like Easter and Christmas, when families will break out the good olive oil from Trás-os-Montes, in northern Portugal.

Where to try: Gaia has its own seafood-heavy areas, including Madureira’s Restaurant – R. da Praia 9950, 4400-554 Vila Nova de Gaia; or order polvo in Matosinhos at any of the fresh seafood restaurants, including Restaurante O Valentim – R. Heróis de França 263, 4450-158 Matosinhos

The most famous sandwich in Porto, the Francesinha, or “Little Frenchie,” was first created in Porto in the 1950s by Daniel Davis de Silva after his return from France and Belgium, and was his take on a Croque-Madame.

The sandwich is made of toasted bread, layered with wet-cured ham, linguiça sausage, steak or roast beef, cheese, and a fried egg on top, then melted by ladling a nearly boiling tomato and beer sauce over it and served with fries.

This sandwich looks like it will be greasy and heavy, and honestly, I avoided trying it for a while. But it is delicious! It’s not nearly as heavy as it appears, though a half is plenty for most people.

You can order it with or without a fried egg on top, and with or without the addition of fries. Everyone makes it a little differently, and the sauce is a well-guarded secret. This is a big meal, and in some places you can order a half portion or even a vegetarian version.

This sandwich is so typical of Porto, that trying one is on our list of things to do in Porto. It is also on our list of best things to do on a rainy day!

Where to try: For a more upscale vibe, we like Brasão Coliseu – R. de Passos Manuel 205, 4000-385 Porto, they also have a terrific vegetarian version, and half portions are available. Their Francesinha is heavy on the high-quality beef and light on the sausage.

Café Santiago is another great option; you can share a portion here, but you cannot order a half. – R. de Passos Manuel 226, 4000-382 Porto;

Lado B Café is another famous shop for this dish; R. de Passos Manuel 190 Frente, 4000-382 Porto.

This delicious steak sandwich is one of Portugal’s basic comfort foods and can be found all over the country, with slight variations. You can find it as a simple bar snack or as a “dessert” to a larger traditional seafood meal. This is our kids’ favorite “go-to” snack when we are out and about exploring.

Prego means “nail” in Portuguese, and the sandwich is named for this because of the way pieces of garlic are pounded into the meat before cooking.

(Interested in the Portuguese language? Check out our easy phrases for visitors!)

The thinly cut beef is pounded with garlic and then marinated. The meat is then typically served on a crusty roll with a little mustard. Other condiments include hot sauce, a slice of ham or cheese, or a fried egg.

These sandwiches are generally on the small side, so they make a great snack or a lighter meal.

The sandwich is served warm and can be enjoyed in most Portuguese pubs, called tabernas or more casually, tascas. Remember that food in Portugal is a social event, and is meant to be enjoyed with friends, family, and cold beer, of course.

Where to try it: Pregar – Lgo de S. Domingos 96, 4050-265 Porto, or take a road trip to Guimarães, Tasquinha do Tio Júlio – R. de Couros 20, 4810-225 Guimarães

Bifanas are the original fast food of Portugal. Whether you are on your way out for the night or heading home from a party and need a quick bite, the bifana is a simple pork sandwich that gets better as the day wears on.

Thinly sliced pork is marinated in garlic, spices, and white wine, then slow-cooked and served in a fresh, crunchy roll. You can find bifanas all over Portugal, and each area does them a little differently.

In Porto, they turn up the heat a little. The meat is cooked in a sauce which hot and tangy, and just the right amount of spicy. You’ll find many thin slices of meat, in contrast to the thick slice of marinated pork you’ll find in Lisbon.

You can order it as a sandwich, “bifana em pão” (with or without cheese), or a plate, “bifana com batata frita” (with more meat, no bread, and fries). Bifanas pair well with a cold Super Bock Lager, or you can go with the Conga house recommendation and try it with the Super Bock Stout.

Where to try: The most famous place to try this is Restaurante Conga Casa das Bifanas. This place is larger than it first appears and only serves bifanas or cachorros with bifana meat on top. No cutlery is supplied, just a large stack of napkins. R. do Bonjardim 318, 4000-115 Porto.

Casa Guedes is also known for their bifansa, with two locations: Casa Guedes Tradicional – Praça dos Poveiros 130 and Casa Guedes Rooftop – Praça dos Poveiros 76 80, 4000-393 Porto. Another option is O Astro Cervejaria Petisqueira – Rua da Estação 16, 4300-171 Porto

Alheira de Mirandela is a traditional smoked sausage with a fascinating history. It was created by the Jewish community who chose to remain in Portugal after the 15th century when their religion was banned. Although they converted to Christianity, they strove to preserve their culture and beliefs in any way they could, such as by not eating pork.

To create the sausage, bread was mixed with meat, such as cow and wild game, to create a product that appeared and tasted like pork, but still remained kosher, so it could be sold without question in markets.

Alheira remains a very popular sausage variety in Porto. It is usually served grilled, and is sometimes served with fries, collard greens, and a fried egg.

This typical Sunday food is a bean stew that originates in Trás-os-Montes, the north-eastern corner of Portugal, a hilly region whose topography has kept it largely isolated. This area has ideal growing conditions for both beans and olives.

Feijoada is a slow-cooked bean stew made from beans (feijão), meat (carne), and vegetables (legumes) and varies from region to region. You can think of it as Portugal’s version of chili.

Feijoada à transmontana is a hearty stew that uses red kidney beans, tomatoes, cabbage, and carrots as its base. This was a historically poorer part of Portugal, and so they would use all the parts of the pig that you might not sell, such as the ears, feet, and head. Today, the stew typically consists of cured sausages, pork, and vegetables.

Where to try: Capa Negra II – Rua do Campo Alegre 191, 4150-177 Porto

Great for lunch or an afternoon snack, cachorrinhos (little dog) are Portugal’s version of a hot dog, either served wrapped in paper to hold and eat, or in bite-sized slices. Portuguese sausage is prepared in a roll, often with ham and/or spicy linguiça, but usually cheese and a spicy house-made piri-piri sauce, then grilled and served.

You can find them all over Porto; most cafes offer these as an option.

Where to try: Here are a few places that are well known specifically for their cachorros. The first was made famous by a visit from Anthony Bourdain- Gazela. You’ll still find lines out the door most days, but it’s worth a visit. The atmosphere is high energy, and the cachorros are spicy. Rua de Entreparedes 8, 4000-434 Porto.

A Cachorra has two locations: R. Trindade Coelho 36, 4000-069 Porto, and Praceta Manuel Carlos Seabra Monteiro 33, 4450-096 Matosinhos.

In Gaia, head to Mirone – Cachorrinhos do Morro for a pressed variety of the cachorro. Av. da República 376, 4430-188 Vila Nova de Gaia

There You Have It

Traditional Portuguese dishes are full of flavor and character. You might start with a simple bowl of caldo verde soup or go all in with a francesinha sandwich, but either way, you are in for a delightful meal.

We have enjoyed getting to know the local food scene, one plate at a time, and hope this guide helps you do the same. Keep your eye out for these dishes, and give them a try.

Do you have a favorite dish or restaurant you think should be on our list? Let us know your favorites!

Want to try cooking some of the specialties on your own? We’ve got the best grocery stores in Porto to stock up on ingredients.

First-time visitor to Porto? Check out our 3-day itinerary for Porto. If you’re in a rush, we’ve got all the highlights in a 1-day itinerary as well.