{"id":6992,"date":"2022-02-28T19:32:48","date_gmt":"2022-02-28T19:32:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tasteporto.com\/?post_type=passport_post&p=6992"},"modified":"2026-03-11T15:18:27","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T15:18:27","slug":"best-food-experiences-in-porto","status":"publish","type":"passport_post","link":"https:\/\/tasteporto.com\/pt\/passport_post\/best-food-experiences-in-porto\/","title":{"rendered":"The best food experiences in Porto (come hungry!)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hi and welcome! It\u2019s Porto speaking again. Looking for the best food experiences in Porto? Today, I’m taking on the hard mission to find out the home-cooking meals you might only experience if raised by a Portuguese mother.

People often ask me what food experiences they shouldn\u2019t miss while visiting. It\u2019s a tricky question, because my kitchens, taverns, and markets have been cooking up stories for centuries. But if I had to share a few dishes that truly feel like home cooking in Porto, these would probably be the ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FOOD EXPERIENCES IN PORTO I NEVER GET TIRED OF SHARING<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

TRIPAS \u00c0 MODA DO PORTO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If I had to choose the dish most closely tied to my identity, it would probably be Tripas \u00e0 Moda do Porto<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This traditional tripe stew goes back centuries… all the way to the time when the Iberian Peninsula was inhabited by Suevian and other tribes who made the most of every part of the animal. Over time, the dish became so closely linked to me that my people proudly adopted the nickname Tripeiros<\/em>, literally Tripe Eaters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One place where I often see visitors discovering this dish for the first time is Restaurante Abadia. It\u2019s the kind of meal best enjoyed slowly, around a table, surrounded by good company.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Tripas<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

ARROZ DE CABIDELA<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A classic! Arroz de Cabidela<\/em> is too-good-to-be-true, and there’s a restaurant in Porto that has the best recipe: Taberna de Santo Ant\u00f3nio. This is a little tavern in downtown Porto, and it doesn’t get more authentic than this, believe me. Very informal, obviously, kind service, traditional dishes.

Mrs. Herm\u00ednia, the cook of this traditional tavern, was kind enough to share with me her recipe for Arroz de Cabidela<\/em>, which she has been improving throughout the years with the suggestions of some loyal clients and her own amazing talent for cooking. But I’m not telling you her secrets! Go there and find out for yourself!

If you go, finish your meal with a small glass of xiripiti. That\u2019s when visitors usually start feeling like locals.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Arroz<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

BACALHAU \u00c0 Z\u00c9 DO PIPO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There is no escaping bacalhau in Portugal. And honestly, I wouldn\u2019t want you to. People often say there are 365 ways to cook codfish… one for every day of the year. Personally, I suspect there are even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One version that feels particularly close to me is Bacalhau \u00e0 Z\u00e9 do Pipo<\/em>, a Porto classic created by restaurateur Jos\u00e9 Valentim in the 1940s. It\u2019s a comforting dish that locals often pair with Vinho Verde from the Minho region.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Bacalhau<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

FRANCESINHA<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s one dish visitors seem curious about before they even arrive. Let me guess\u2026 Is it Francesinha?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This indulgent sandwich \u2014 layered with meats, covered in melted cheese, and bathed in a rich sauce \u2014 has become one of my most famous culinary symbols. Over the years, I\u2019ve seen many debates about where to find the best one. A few places that regularly come up in those conversations include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n