Francesinha
A sandwich of cured meats and steak under melted cheese and a spiced tomato and beer sauce. It is a heavy lunch and the city's best known dish.
Porto
What to eat in Porto
- Francesinha
- Tripas à moda do Porto
- Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá
- Bifana
Data checked on October 5, 2026
Tripas à moda do Porto
A slow stew of tripe, white beans and sausage. It is the old dish of the city, whose people are nicknamed tripeiros.
Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá
Salt cod baked with potatoes, onion and eggs, a Porto recipe from the 19th century. It is served at lunch and dinner in family restaurants.
Bifana
A pork cutlet in a bread roll with a garlic and wine sauce. It is a cheap stand up lunch, often with a small beer.
Port and tonic
White port with tonic water, ice and mint, served as an aperitif in summer. It is the usual way to start an afternoon in Gaia.
Pastel de nata
A custard tart with a flaky shell, eaten warm with coffee at any hour. Every neighbourhood bakery has its own version.
Every itinerary on this site keeps a lunch break after 12:30, so there is room for a proper meal in the middle of the day.
What a meal costs
- Meal in an inexpensive restaurant
- €12
- Three courses for two, mid-range restaurant
- €50
- Coffee
- €2.39
Besides the sights
- Six bridges river cruiseA short boat trip under the bridges of the Douro, leaving from the Ribeira quay. It shows the cliffs and the cellars from the water.
- Tram 1 to the seaThe old tram runs along the river from Ribeira to Foz. Get off at Passeio Alegre and walk to the Atlantic.
- Tile hunting in the lanesChurches and chapels around Santa Catarina and Carmo are covered in blue and white tiles. They are free to look at from the street.
- Cable car and the lower deckTake the Gaia cable car up for the view, then walk back over the lower deck of the bridge to Ribeira.
- A fado eveningSmall venues in the old town hold fado nights with a guitarra and a singer. Book ahead, since the rooms are small.
Markets in the stop base