And the ultimate question is: where to eat sandwiches in Porto? Not just sandwiches, the best sandwiches.
A sandwich feast is always a great way to have a quick and inexpensive meal. And by following this selection you shall ambition no less than a unique local experience.
1. Casa Guedes - Roasted pig's leg sandwich
Praça dos Poveiros, 130
Mon-Sat 09-21h
Phone: +351 222 022 874
You can’t come to Porto without going to Casa Guedes. Don’t worry about the queues, you really want to come to this place. Once inside you will understand the cause of such motion. A roasted whole pig’s leg being sliced and very carefully placed inside a bread. As much crowded as Casa Guedes will be, Mr Guedes never disapoints in finding the perfect balance in meat and sauce for each sandwich. In Casa Guedes, the main attraction is the succulent and smoky flavoured sandes de pernil (slices of slow roasted pig leg served in a crispy bun). But it can even get better, just try the same sandwich with a thick melted slice of queijo da serra (a cured buttery sheep’s cheese from Serra da Estrela).
2. Tasca da Badalhoca - Liver and onion sandwich
Rua Dr. Alberto Macedo, 437
Mon-Fri 09-14h & 15:30-20h / Sat 09-14h
Phone: +351 222 618 532
Don’t let yourself be fooled by the name (Badalhoca means ‘filthy lady’), this eatery run by Mrs. Maria de Lurdes is one of the best-known tascas in town. Despite the many homonymous popping up across the city, this one remains as the most authentic and distinguished tascas (traditional restaurant) in Porto. There are over 20 sandwiches on the menu! Every filling is awaiting you in a pan being the counter, it’s easy to look and let the eyes choose. Special highlight goes to the sandwiches of fígado de cebolada (pork liver with onion), presunto (cured ham), omelete de presunto (cured ham omelette), rojões (fried pork belly), alheira e ovo (smoked sausage and egg) and isca de bacalhau (cod fried with batter). Every options are available without the bread, as well as full meals. Finding a seat will be difficult, so count on eating while standing up. On Friday, in the café across the street, it’s worth trying the fresh pão-de-ló (a sponge cake with a soft custardy center) for dessert.
3. Cervejaria Gazela & 4. República dos Cachorros - Hotdog
(3) Travessa Cimo de Vila, 4
Mon-Fri 12-22h / Phone: +351 222 054 869
(4) Rua de Passos Manuel, 203
Mon-Sun 12-22:30h / Phone: +351 222 007 639
Cachorros (hot-dogs) are one of the most typical portuense snack foods. The portuense hot dog is a small, but hearty finger food: a thin crispy bread with fresh sausage, línguiça and melted cheese. For a first go, just stick to the real deal (cachorro misto). Later on, you can try the cachorro especial, with francesinha sauce. Head up to the holy grail of cachorros, Cervejaria Gazela, but if it’s too crowded, walk a few steps and find República dos Cachorros.
5. Brick Clérigos - Toasts
Rua Campo dos Mártires da Pátria, 103
Tue-Thu 10:00-22:00h, Fri-Sat 10:00-2:00h
Phone: +351 223 234 735
When compared with the the other recommendation, Brick is quite new in Porto’s dining scene and since its opening it has earned an exquisite reputation. Many are the diners that just can’t get a table that is why we recommend making reservations to avoid disappointment. The menu not only breaths a certain healthism also elevates the standards as far as sandwiches go. These are masterfully composed with fruits and other greens, conceptual sauces and excellent quality protein, all displayed over crispy slices of bread. Are these some of the best in Porto? Yes, indeed.
6. Casa Louro - Cured ham sandwich
Rua Cimo de Vila, 80
Mon-Sat 9.00h -20:00h
Phone: +351 222 008 995
Casa Louro is located in one of the sexiest streets in Porto, Rua Cimo de Vila. Yes, 1980’s brothels still subsist and can be traced by the long red or blue velvet curtain hanging at the door and the shimmer of a tacky mirror ball. Back to Casa Louro, which is said to have been one of the favorite of the late Fado singer Amália Rodrigues. In this very humble tasca you can chow down on presunto and salpicão sandwiches (cured ham and cured pork loin sausage) and drink the house wine in little white bowls. By lunchtime, you can snack on other other petiscos (small portions of food) like bolinhos de bacalhau (salt cod fritters), petinga (small fried sardines) or rojões (fried pork belly).
7. O Leitão do Forno do Zé - Piglet sandwich
Mercado do Bom Sucesso
Mon-Sun 9.00h 23.45h
Tel: +351 914 433 731
Piglets (leitão) are serious business, and piglet sandwich is no less. This specialty lives a time of prosperity in Porto, and despite using simple ingredients, most places fail miserably in presenting a decent sandwich. O Leitão do Forno do Zé stands out for maintaining the quality and simplicity of the only ingredients required: bread, leitão, and sauce. In this eatery, you’ll find a light and yet crispy bread, a succulent piglet and a balanced yet spicy sauce. There’s no way to go wrong here, even less if you pair it with a glass of sparkling wine (the ideal drink for this dish). They own a few places in town, one inside the Mercado do Bom Sucesso and other near the Mercado do Bolhão.
8. Conga & 9. O Astro - pork stewed sandwich
(8) Rua do Bonjardim, 318
Tue-Thu and Sun 11-22.30h Fri 11.00h-24.00h
Sat 11.00h-01.00h/ Tel: 222 000 113
(9) Rua da Estação, 18
Mon-Wed 11.00-22:00h
Thu-Sat 11.00-23:00h /Tel: 225 360 066
For lunch, afternoon snack, dinner or post-dinner snack… is there a more consensual sandwich than a bifana? This sandwich is filled with thin sliced pork stewed in beer and tomato, and quite frankly tends to be devoured in seconds. It may be found in its higher expression at one of the most well known tascas, Conga. Their bifana is apparently small but is in fact stuffed with hell. It’s spicy, that is. Along with making sweat roll from your forehead, it’ll make your lips numb, and give you a drip in your nose. O Astro is another option, located right in front of Campanhã train station, with a more composed and softer, yet delicious, bifana.
Maria
Bem com estas delícias todas fiquei com água na boca. São todas muito convidativas embora pêlo menos duas já tive o gosto de provar e 5 estrelas! Agora estou curiosa para visitar as restantes, obrigada pelas dicas é sempre bom saber onde ficam as melhores casas do nosso Porto para se comer bem.
João Carvalho
Concordo a 100% com esta lista, já fui a todos e são todos muito bons e o preço é muito acessível!
Creio que faltava sítios como o Conga e o Munchie com os seus hambúrgueres, mas isso pode ficar para outro post. 😉
Gostei imenso, continuem assim.
Amass. Cook.
Olá João, talvez venham mesmo a aparecer noutros posts 🙂 Fique atenta! Muito obrigada pelo seu comentário.
João José
Como não está aqui a Sandeira? Não faz sentido
Amass. Cook.
O nosso roteiro está em constante actualização, esperamos incluir novos locais numa próxima versão. Muito obrigado pela sua leitura e comentário!