7 BEST FRANCESINHA RESTAURANTS IN PORTO.

A REGALEIRA

Serving the real Francesinha in Porto since 1934!

A Regaleira restaurant opened its doors in 1934, began serving francesinhas in 1952 in Porto and has always remained in the hands of the same family. It ended up closing in May 2018, after negotiations with a hotel group, but the owners of A Regaleira (Tiago Passos and Francisco Passos) did not lose hope of returning the historic restaurant to the city of Porto. Reopening in 2021, a few meters below the original location, on Rua do Bonjardim.

Here the original Francesinha was created! António Passos, founder of A Regaleira Restaurant, in 1934, discovered a bartender one day in a hotel in France, and invited him to work with him. The bartender was Daniel David da Silva, who started working at A Regaleira in 1952 and, inspired by the French “Croque Monsieur”, decided to create a sandwich, taking advantage of Portuguese meat and smoked products. Later, he decided to wash it down with a sauce with a refined flavor and a spicy touch, which promised to make the Portuguese as “spicy” as the French, since that is how he described the French at that time. The original recipe, with the secret sauce, remains saved to this day.

BRASÃO BREWERY

Brasão Brewery, belongs to the same owners as Yuko and is undoubtedly one of the most charming breweries in Porto. It has a wonderful menu, with spectacular starters and large dishes, among which the Francesinha. This place was born to share a timeless experience, where the present is combined with the good work of other times. A comfortable and uncomplicated place, where you can enjoy a large space and a personalized offer of craft beers, francesinhas, snacks, steaks, fish, vegetarian and vegan options. Not to mention the entrees, which are amazing! A true Portuguese house! A very fast service, something different in the city and where the constant search for perfection is seen. This Porto restaurant is in our top 3 for Francesinhas and a great place to take a group of friends as there will be options for everyone. Brasão currently has 5 different spaces.

Francesinhas

Café SANTIAGO

Officially founded in 1959, Café Santiago opened its doors much earlier, already in the 1930s as a pastry shop and tavern. Since then, it has undergone several extensive renovations, but almost nothing has changed from its original decoration. In 1978, Mr. Fernando Pereira and Ms Isabel Ferreira, current owners, began their relationship with Café Santiago and in 1993, they acquired the entire establishment, giving a new life to the place, since until then it was shared with a tobacconist.

The Francesinha of Santiago is one of the main references of the city, although it has fallen a bit in recent years in our opinion. But the result of these years of work by the Pereira family is the development and perfection of the typical Porto Francesinha. Carefully selected ingredients, unique manufacturing processes, 100% handmade and the famous and delicious special sauce, whose recipe is a well-kept family secret, make Francesinha Santiago one of the benchmarks in the city. They also have SANTIAGO F and SANTIAGO DA PRAÇA a walking distance from each other in the center of Porto.

O AFONSO

On February 15th, 2017, Anthony Bourdain tasted one of the most typical dishes of the city of Porto, the Francesinha, and made it known to the whole world in his American CNN International program Parts and tried it in this grilled meat restaurant, francesinhas, tortillas, wine and with 11 dratf bees,, in a restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere. At the entrance there was also an altar to Senna, a small museum of the pilot, which includes a replica of the grill of departure from Imola, where he died in 1994.

Mr. Afonso worked a lifetime for this, the secret is in his hands. No one else is allowed to do francesinhas. Only when I & sick does my wife help me. For Afonso, the Bourdain effect is synonymous with work. A lot of work. If the production of francesinhas doubles, the responsibility lies on him. The goal is that the star of the menu never loses the quality that guarantees the loyalty of regular customers. Afonso´s francesinha is balanced, carefully assembled and has a strong flavor, like the ones at the old Café Luso in Porto where he worked with his father. The process is not easy and it has its tricks, which are not secret because at the counter you can see the whole trio dancing between Afonso, the presses and the hot iron.

O GOLFINHO

This cafe is nothing more than a hole in the wall in the center of Porto, but their francesinha is very, very good. Golfinho is a tiny restaurant, but extremely clean, where you can have a really good francesinha, with fantastic fries and a cold Super Bock, the best-selling beer in the north of the country. An extremely popular place with the locals and with friendly staff. Going to Golfinho for a francesinha is one of the most authentic experiences you can have in Porto. Only cash is accepted here!

REPUBLICA DOS CACHORROS

This restaurant convinces lovers of Portuguese fast food in Porto, mainly the Francesinha. Delicious cuisine that surprises with a wide variety of tasty specialties, the best condiments and accompaniments. All their dishes are made at the time of the order, from the francesinhas, to the special hot dog, going through their drinks, all created with the client´s economic possibilities in mind. A place where you can enjoy a pleasant evening both indoors and on the outdoor terrace in the center of Porto. On cold evenins, heating takes place that offers a warm and pleasant atmosphere. A good place to get to know the world of the francesinhas in the city. You can also take advantage of its free parking spaces.

LADO B

Located in the center of Porto, l in front of the Coliseu do Porto theater, Lado B Café is a space with modern architecture and decoration linked to the universe of music, where you can enjoy a good francesinha, in an informal atmosphere at affordable prices. Brewery atmosphere like place, that functions as a restaurant, cafeteria and bar, offering a varied food menu and an extensive wine and beer list. They also opened inside the Bom Sucesso Market, in the heart of Boavista area.

Lado B belongs to Artur Ribeiro, the former owner of the Jo – Jo´s vinyl store, which is no surprise to find a modern decoration, with numerous musical notes in red and gray tones and famous musician. The service is quick and this Porto francesinha, although not prime, it will definitely not let you down either, as it makes our top 7. You´ll find plenty of other food options on the menu, from traditional Portuguese dishes to fast food options like hot dogs and burgers. As for dessert, order “the best chocolate cake in the world”, or any of their homemade desserts.