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© João SaramagoEsta francesinha é cozinhada em forno a lenha

The 13 best francesinhas in Porto

The francesinhas are a monument of this city and, just as in football, each one has its own preferences. These are the best francesinhas in Porto

Written by
Time Out Porto editors
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Portuguese francesinhas deserve all the honors possible. This typical Invicta dish, created in the 50's, conquers both hearts and bellies every day, and even the tourists can't seem to resist it. Scattered throughout the city, so you will be sure to cross paths with a few as you discover Porto, there are examples of francesinhas for all tastes and even less traditional variations, such as vegetarian or chicken instead of red meat. Always ready for a good meal, we took on the arduous task of discovering the best francesinhas in Porto.

And if you've had enough francesinhas, be sure to try their cousin, the cachorrinhos. Here's the top places you can find them.

The 13 best francesinhas in Porto

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Restaurants
  • Aliados
  • price 2 of 4

What if we told you that there was a beer specially made for Brasão, with the Francesinha they serve here in mind? It is true. Brasão and Sovina have teamed up to create the perfect wedding. The almost obligatory reservation proves that the duo is a success.

  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Restaurants
  • Portuguese
  • Porto
  • price 2 of 4

Afonso is a reference in Invicta when talking about francesinhas, and even Anthony Bourdain has been there to taste this famous dish. Anthony and not only, one of our critics was also there and liked it so much that he confessed to have thought of repeating the dose. The bread comes roasted, the meat is tasty, and the potatoes fill the dish and the belly.

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  • Restaurants
  • Baixa
  • price 1 of 4

Bufete Fase wouldn't be the same without people at the door, beer in hand, to endure a stoic wait to taste one of the best francesinhas in town. Those who go there know this and help clean up the tables (they are few, even more so) and have coffee at the counter to give way to other customers. The ingredients of this Francesinha are slightly different: the sausage is at the top of the dish and, besides the steak, there is also roasted meat.

  • Restaurants
  • Santa Catarina
  • price 2 of 4

This is, perhaps, the most famous Francesinhas house in town. The sausages come from Leandro, from Bolhão, and, according to Isabel Ferreira, the owner, the secret is in the sauce. The potatoes are cut and peeled by hand.

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  • Restaurants
  • Porto
  • price 2 of 4

Capa Negra II is one of the obligatory stops for lovers of Francesinhas. Here they bet on the original recipe but there are other options for different tastes. Just go and try one.

  • Restaurants
  • Cafés
  • Constituição
  • price 1 of 4

Barcarola is over 30 years old. After four months tuning the sauce, the business began to grow. Today it is considered, with all the legitimacy, one of the best houses to eat francesinhas. Besides the traditional, there are some variations, such as vegetarian, and Iberian. This one takes bacon, mushrooms and olives.

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  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • Restaurants
  • Portuguese
  • Baixa
  • price 1 of 4

If you like to eat francesinhas and eat at the counter, here is a place where you can and should do both. The space is small, but the francesinhas, the big bet of this house, are what really matters. They earned four stars from our critics and left them satisfied. Go there and see that everything we tell you here is true.

  • Restaurants
  • Pinheiro Manso
  • price 1 of 4

Only three people know the recipe of the sauce served in Cufra, which opened its doors in the revolutionary year of 1974. The sauce is the biggest secret, so it is not surprising that this is considered one of the meccas in Porto to eat this mythical dish which will make your stomach jump for joy.

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  • Restaurants
  • Campo Alegre
  • price 2 of 4

Carlos Carneiro was 16 years old when he went to work at Galiza. At the time, the francesinha would cost 17 escudos, can you believe it? Forty years later, they cost from € 8.15 and each customer can choose what to add to this beautiful dish.

Lado B
  • Restaurants
  • Santa Catarina
  • price 2 of 4

This is the home of the "best francesinha in the world". Why is the expression in quotation marks? Because it was registered by the owners of the house. Besides the francesinha, Lado B has everything you want in a brewery: hot dogs, good chips and cld beers (ask for a fino).

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  • Restaurants
  • Pizza
  • Greater Porto
  • price 2 of 4

Here, the francesinhas are cooked in a wood oven. They fit ten in there at a time, which come out with the bubbling sauce and a gratinated cheese on top. It's worth going to Canelas to try it out ...

  • Restaurants
  • Vila Nova de Gaia
  • price 1 of 4

Tappas Caffé is a success story. The business started with a small restaurant in Candal, then this house was born in Madalena, and meanwhile, there are already seven spaces altogether. If you get there without booking ahead you have two options: either you wait ... or you wait.

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  • Restaurants
  • Portuguese
  • Constituição
  • price 2 of 4

The current owners have had Yuko for almost 20 years now. Here there are three options of francesinha and all take ham, an unusual ingredient. The traditional and the Francesinha da Casa (the house francesinha) take a (large) beef steak. But the sausage from the first one is fresh, and the sausage from the other is smoked.

The best food in Porto

  • Restaurants

Petiscos are small plates, originally served between meals, often to accompany a drink. They’ve recently become a trend in Lisbon restaurants. They can be cold, such as mixed olives and cheese, or hot like calamares (fried squid). Porto’s version often includes dishes like octopus salad, chickpeas and codfish, fried garlic shrimp or typical Portuguese sausages like alheira, morcela or chouriço. These are the best restaurants for petiscos in Porto or, as we like to put it, food for sharing.

  • Restaurants
  • Seafood

Porto has seafood for all tastes: from grilled, roasted and served in bready açordas (bread soup) or with pasta, steamed, seared or even raw. You can find it all at these restaurants – the top eateries in Porto where you can sample the best of the ocean’s bounty.

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