Porto is located between Douro and Minho, the cradle of the Portuguese nationality. Among the city’s many cultural traditions Porto emphasizes its much celebrated gastronomy and the appeal it has for visitors.

When talking about Porto one must mention some traditional dishes, such as the Porto Style Tripe, which gave the city’s inhabitants their nickname -- tripeiros – i.e. those who eat tripe.

This dish, famous not so much for its preparation (veal’s tripe with sausages and butter beans) as for the altruistic attitude of the Porto people who, in a moment of need, donated all the available meat to the ships leaving to conquer new cities in Northern Africa and kept only the animals’ tripe for their subsistence, is today’s major symbol of the city’s gastronomy.

More than just a recipe, this dish represents some strong characteristics of the Northern people: altruism, self-sacrifice, availability and hospitality. Porto’s cod and meat dishes and some luscious and rich secular cakes are singled out as examples.

Porto style eating means to eat abundantly, with great quality and refinement, always in tables well decorated with silverware and embroidered linen tablecloths.

The following are just a few examples of how Porto has combined --through the meeting of cultures – Medieval, Oriental, African and Brazilian recipes. The conjugation of different gastronomies, new spices and products, mixed with already existing flavors has created a rich cuisine, of which the natives are particularly proud. Porto chefs are motivated by the need to create dishes that preserve the city’s gastronomic flavors and traditions while continuing to discover new tastes:

Caldo Verde

Caldo Verde is always present in the Porto and Minho menus. This soup, made with potatoes, julienned cabbage and a sprinkle of olive oil, is mentioned in several of Camilo Castelo Branco’s books as a morning food. Due to its simplicity and lightness it is usually served at the beginning of a meal or as a late supper. View Recipe

Broa

This Northern bread is made with white or yellow corn and a variable amount of rye. It usually goes with fried or broiled sardines, cod dishes or caldo verde. The corn – which was brought from the American continent -- quickly became part of the local eating habits since it was easy to cultivate and tastier than rye, from which bread used to be made. View Recipe

Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá

Gomes de Sá was a 19th-century merchant from Porto. He was the creator of this cod recipe that – as legend has it -- used the same ingredients (except for the milk) as the bolinhos de bacalhau with which he used to delight his friends every week. Indeed, the ingredients are the same, but the recipe is the result of a careful and refined preparation. The following recipe was part of a manuscript by Gomes de Sá, who gave it to his friend João with the delightful note: “João, if you change it, you will spoil it.”  View Recipe

Cabrito Assado

Maybe because St. John is always represented with a lamb by his feet -- a biblical reference to the Lamb of God – or maybe because this meat is more abundant in this season, in either way there is no St. John’s without a roasted lamb or kind, always served with new potatoes, oven rice with sausages and offal and sautéed Chinese broccoli. Traditionally, this is also an Easter recipe – undoubtedly, for biblical and Jewish reasons. However, tender kind is used instead of lamb. View Recipe

Tripas à moda do Porto

The dish after which the Porto people are named has a long story. Although there are several tripe recipes -- such as the Caen’s, Lyonnaises, or the callos à Madrilenã -- none of them has such an historical framing. The most popular version of the legend/story -- the one that has more supporters and historical evidence -- has its origin in the great adventure of the Discoveries. Porto-born Prince Henry needed meat to supply the caravels leaving to conquer Ceuta and asked his people to help him victual the vessels.The Porto people came forward and immediately filled the wooden barrels with salted meat, keeping only the tripe, which was then cooked in a thick stew with sausages and fat meat, and eaten with big slices of dark bread. Later on, the same man who had been responsible for the provision of the caravels, discovered new worlds, thus introducing a new ingredient – the butter bean.The dish became part of the history of a city, which is characterized not only by this juicy recipe -- with the flavor of cumin and black pepper, seasoned with homemade sausages and fat chicken -- but also by an altruistic gesture in a decisive moment of the Portuguese nation. View Recipe

Francesinha

This is the evening dish in Porto, the city’s late night or fast food choice. A Portuguese emigrant in France introduced the recipe in the 60's as an innovative croque-monsieur. The quantity and diversity of the ingredients, seasoned with a hot seafood sauce, meet the needs of the Porto people, who like strong and heavy flavored foods. It is, therefore, an inventive hot filling dish for youthful occasions. View Recipe

Papos de Anjo

Many Porto convents were responsible for the introduction of pastry recipes in the city’s gastronomy. These exquisite delicacies - namely egg pastries - always end a good meal in Porto.The Amarante Convent - which belongs to the Diocese of Porto - is known not only for its architecture, but also for its papos de anjo, queijinhos de São Gonçalo, lérias and foguetes, while the Clares’ Convent in Vila do Conde had a recipe for sopa doce.The Avé Maria Convent used to be located in the heart of the city, where the São Bento Railway Station stands today. Its trouxas de ovos are still quite famous.The Egg Yolks and Port Wine Pudding is another of the innumerable egg pastries that make our gastronomic tradition. Although extremely sweet, its flavor is softened by the glass of Port wine that should go with it. Wafer “Papos de Anjo”Of all the Porto pastry recipes, this one seems to be the most unusual and traditional. View Recipe

Pão de ló

This cake has its utmost expression in Porto. Casa Margaridense, at Travessa de Cedofeita, makes it to perfection. It is a soft and light cake eaten throughout the year but mostly at Easter. It goes wonderfully with Port wine and is often served with the Serra cheese at Christmas time. All the excuses are good for tasting this cake, which is regarded as a food of the gods.
View Recipe

Biscoito da Teixeira

This dark saffron-flavoured solid cake is easily found in fairs and religious festivities, particularly in Douro and Minho, where it is known as intruso or metediço. The elderly are especially fond of it, since it reminds them of the religious festivities of the past, which were the only cultural events to take place for many years. Nowadays, the Biscoito da Teixeira can still be found in the festivities of Our Lady of Lapa, St. Lazarus and Senhora da Saúde. View Recipe