Bolhão Market: our heart’s GPS location is fixed here!
Bolhão Market is the beating heart of the city. It always was. Its vendors have been there for a lifetime, and their families before them. Bolhão is their home, their territory, and they move through it like waves on the sea. This is the place where the lady in the fish stall prepares the freshest fish for you just like your mother would. And the lady at the flower shop tells you “Bom fim-de-semana ‘mor e até para a semana se Deus quiser” (Have a nice weekend, love! See you next week, God willing) and makes you feel part of something really special.
Every day feels like Christmas at Bolhão Market because the people who work there feel like family. If you want to meet tripeiros (Porto locals) in their purest form and experience Porto through all your senses, this is the place.
Your second tasting location, Bolhão Wine House, is owned by Hugo. Hugo’s grandmother, Guilhermina Silva, was a remarkable figure in our city. Born on May 26th, 1923, she dedicated herself to the art of floristry and owned a beloved flower shop in the market. For over 70 years, she enchanted Porto with her floral creations. However, a few years ago, feeling the need for rest, she entrusted her shop in Mercado do Bolhão to her grandson, Hugo, who transformed it into this wonderful regional product shop. Maria Guilhermina passed away in 2019, but her legacy lives on.
Here for you to sample there is a sardine petisco perfectly paired with a glass of Portuguese wine:
Have a seat in Bolhão Wine House
Please present the QR code to the waiter to receive your petisco. As you wait, take a moment to virtually meet Hugo, the owner of this wonderful establishment where you currently find yourself.
How did you find the sardine petisco? Over the years, we’ve noticed that it’s a dish that tends to elicit strong opinions—you either love it or hate it! We sincerely hope it delighted your taste buds!
Before we continue our culinary journey, let’s take a moment to explore the concept of “petiscos.” Petiscos are essentially smaller versions of traditional dishes. The brilliance of this concept lies in the fact that by ordering these smaller portions, you can try a greater variety of dishes compared to ordering full-sized meals. Isn’t that ingenious? We even have a word for it: “petiscar,” which means to enjoy and savor these small-sized dishes, ideally shared with friends.
Ready to start walking to open your appetite for your next tasting location?
Let’s go!
This is where we are heading next:
- Tasting Location #3: Confeitaria Moura
- Address: R. de Rodrigues Sampaio 115 (closest metro station: Bolhão)
- Working Hours:
Monday to Friday: 8 AM to 7 PM
Saturday: 9 AM to 7 PM - Contacts: +351 223 163 207