In Porto and the North of the country, people eat very well and abundantly. Therefore, (re)discover some of the best traditional recipes. Believe it, they are worth tasting and crying out for more.
It is certain and well-known that in Porto and the North of Portugal, there are true gastronomic delicacies. Therefore, we take the opportunity to recommend a getaway to try some typical dishes, such as Feijoada à Transmontana.
From the beautiful landscapes of this region of the country to the delicious traditional cuisine, there are plenty of reasons to make a gastronomic itinerary focused on typical dishes from Porto and the North. You will certainly be left with your mouth watering.
In this article, you will only find a few ideas, but we guarantee that they are delicious. Furthermore, you should try them at least once in your life. Before that, be warned: it will never be just once. After the first time, you will not resist the second, nor the third!
1. Francesinha, one of Porto’s typical dishes
Francesinha is a typical dish from the city of Porto and consists of a sandwich with beef, linguiça (a type of Portuguese sausage), fresh sausage, cheese, and sauce. There are many variations of Francesinha, but the essential and most important ingredient is the sauce.
Each restaurant has its own recipe, some spicier, others sweeter; there is almost a sauce for every taste and therefore a perfect Francesinha for anyone!
It’s difficult to confirm which is the original Francesinha, but legend has it that it was born in the A Regaleira restaurant (which unfortunately has closed down). The owner, Daniel David Silva, was an emigrant in France, returned to his country, opened this space, and invented this dish.
As for the name, it is said to be related to its inspiration, the French croque monsieur, a sandwich similar to Francesinha without the meats and sauce. The idea was to adapt this dish to the cuisine of Porto, a city that loves hot and strong flavors.
View this post on Instagram
One thing is for sure: what a blessed invention! In Porto (and some other cities in the North of the country), you can find this dish on any street corner. Here are three suggestions where you can find this Porto delicacy:
Café Santiago, Rua de Passos Manuel, 226;
Capa Negra II, Rua de Campo Alegre, 191;
Lado B Café, Rua de Passos Manuel, 190.
2.Tripas à moda do Porto
Not only is it an emblematic dish of the city, but it’s also at the origin of the nickname for the people of Porto: tripeiros.
Tripas à moda do Porto is a dish with beans where salpicão (a type of sausage), meats, pig’s ear, cow’s foot, chorizo, and of course, tripe cannot be missing. It’s a dish usually served with white rice.
Ideal for a Sunday lunch, where family and friends gather and cook in a big pot, the history of this Porto dish dates back to 1415, the time of King D. João I. It’s said that the monarch, together with his two sons, was preparing an expedition to Ceuta to take the city, so D. Henrique was responsible for preparing the navigations on the Douro River, and D. Pedro was responsible for doing the same on the Tagus River.
Thus, and in order to serve and support the Infante on this journey, the city donated all its foodstuffs to the fleet, keeping only the offal and tripe. The dish arises from the creativity of the people of Porto in transforming “the leftovers” into a dish that is now one of the most typical in Porto.
View this post on Instagram
Here are three restaurant recommendations where you can find delicious tripas:
Pombeiro, Rua do Cap. Pombeiro, 218
Abadia, Rua do Ateneu Comercial do Porto, 22;
O Buraco, Rua do Bolhão, 95.
3.Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá, one of the typical dishes of Porto
Did you know that Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá was born in Porto? That’s right, this is actually one of the curiosities of our city that is worth (re)discovering.
Created by Gomes de Sá, this recipe emerged in the 19th century and became one of the most typical dishes in Porto and the north of the country.
It’s true that we love codfish in general, as it is the king of national cuisine. But, a good Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá is something that can never be missed, right?
View this post on Instagram
Here are some places in Porto where you can find a delicious Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá:
Abadia do Porto, Rua do Ateneu Comercial do Porto, 22;
Adega Típica de São João, Rua de Alexandre Herculano, 183, among others.
4.Rojões
Rojões are a dish that is eaten in several regions of the country, but they are more traditional in Minho.
It is a dish of pork meat in pieces, boneless, which is accompanied by blood sausages, floured tripe, and boiled pig blood, cut into thin strips to accompany it.
View this post on Instagram
It is a dish usually served with rice or sarrabulho porridge or white rice. To try some good rojões, we suggest:
Casa Nanda, Rua da Alegria, 394;
Restaurante Cruz Sobral, Campo das Hortas 7/8, Braga;
Camelo, Rua de Santa Marta N.119, Estrada Nacional Nº. 202, Portuzelo, Viana do Castelo.
5.Sarrabulho
Like rojões, sarrabulho is a traditional Portuguese dish found throughout the country, but it’s more common in the north, especially in Ponte de Lima.
Whether in the form of rice or porridge, this meal is associated with family and friends gathering and happens after the pig slaughter, using its blood. In addition to blood, sarrabulho is characterized by using “the innards” of the pig, such as the heart, liver, tongue, or throat, and a strong seasoning based on cumin.
View this post on Instagram
It’s a hot and hearty dish for true enthusiasts. If you are one of them, here are three wonderful restaurants to eat Sarrabulho:
O Açude, Centro Náutico de Ponte de Lima, Arcozelo, Ponte de Lima;
Taxca, Rua da Picaria 26, Porto;
Casa de Pasto Maria de Perre, Rua Viana 118, Viana do Castelo.
6.Lamprey
Lamprey is a traditional Portuguese dish that is gaining more and more fans. More typical in Alto Minho, there are even festivals dedicated to this delicacy and the most common way to eat it is with rice (called Arroz de Lampreia).
View this post on Instagram
The beginning of the year (January and February) is the perfect time to indulge in this dish. So, we leave some suggestions for the lovers or for the more adventurous who want to take a chance on this lamprey adventure:
O Gaveto, R. Roberto Ivens 824, Matosinhos;
Casa das Lampreias, EN 106 – Torre, Entre-os-Rios;
O Moinho, Largo do Corro 1, 4980-614 Pte. da Barca
7.Feijoada à Transmontana
Traditional Sunday food, this dish originated in the North of Portugal, around Vinhais.
Traditionally made with red beans, and in addition to meats, sausages and cabbages are essential. It is served with white rice or oven-baked rice.
It is a dish rich in fats and vegetables and, essentially, hot, which explains its origin in Trás-os-Montes! Throughout the North, it is easy to find places to eat a good feijoada à transmontana, whether in Porto or a short trip from Invicta.
View this post on Instagram
Here are two recommendations:
O Nordeste Transmontano, R. da Rasa 834, Vila Nova de Gaia;
Restaurante El Rei D. Afonso, Praça de São Tiago 20, Guimarães.
8.Enchidos (Portuguese Sausages)
The North of Portugal is known for its smokehouse meats, and therefore, sausages could not be missing from this list. Whether as a side dish or a main course, there are countless ways to delight in all of these wonderful sausages!
Whether it’s an alheira (Portuguese sausage made with bread and meats) with egg, a board of sausages to snack on during the afternoon, or in feijoada (traditional Portuguese stew), this is definitely one of the dishes to try when you’re in the north of the country.
We’re not just talking about the most well-known sausages, as the more we venture north, the more wonders we discover. Don’t miss the opportunity to try the alheira from Mirandela or the butelo from Bragança.
View this post on Instagram
If we’ve got your mouth watering, but you’re not sure where to start, here are some suggestions:
Tábua Rasa, Rua da Picaria 68, Porto;
O Pote, R. Alexandre Herculano 186, Bragança;
A Adega, Av. 25 de Abril 866, Mirandela.
