How to Take the Backstreets Like a Porto Local

When I went to Porto, Portugal earlier this year, I had three goals: Eat like a local, try some tripe, and get my mouth around a presunto sandwich. (Presunto is similar to Italian prosciutto, and I had seen pictures of it piled between Portuguese rolls.)

Social media was awash with recommendations, but even the spots that were said to be “local approved” seemed to be flooded with tourists. Luckily, I was able to snag a spot on Culinary Backstreet’s Beyond the Barrel Porto walking tour. The leisurely five-hour stroll featured lesser-known food traditions, with decadent treats, down-home cooking, and the best chocolate I’ve ever had in my entire life.

Breakfast and a show

We met at the gates of Palácio de Cristal with crowing roosters and proud peacocks. After taking in the views of the Douro river and strolling around the gardens, our guide Bruno led us to Negra Café for a light breakfast of coffee, toast and doce de abóbora—a sweet, silky pumpkin jam. Made with orange juice and a little bit of cinnamon (cinnamon is ubiquitous in Portugal), it was much brighter than the heavily spiced pumpkin offerings that plague American coffee shops. In fact, I had no idea I was eating pumpkin until Bruno clued us in.

After breakfast, we snagged a show at one of the outdoor stages—a peacock, tail unfurled, twirled for the tourists and passersby, seemingly aware of the fact he was being he was being watched (and photographed).

Time for second breakfast

Our next stop was Café Mar Azul, a family-owned restaurant that specializes in typical Portuguese fare. There, I learned that a chilled glass of white vinho verde makes a far better brunch beverage than a mimosa. Simple, traditionally prepared codfish cakes—made with mashed potato and salt cod—anchored the meal; they were substantial but light, fueling us for the rest of our trek without weighing us down. Salpicão do cachaço de Lamego, a well-marbled, smoky, garlicky piece of pork collar, was also on the table. I’d describe it as similar to Italian copa—far less spicy (Portugal is devoid of chili heat) but just as satisfying.

For a sweet treat, we had rabanadas, Portugal’s take on French toast. It was a custardy dish, spiced with cinnamon and drizzled with honey. It’s usually served over the holidays, but I would gladly eat it any day, any season, any time.

The best chocolate I’ve ever had

I come from a family of dark chocolate lovers, and Amedeo Corallo was a revelation. The pastry case was full of brownies, cookies, and other treats. We did a tasting of cocoa nibs, including 75% dark chocolate as well as—something I’d never had before—100% dark chocolate. It blew my mind. With nothing to hide behind, the true flavor of the chocolate shone through, and it was far sweeter than the 70% stuff I’d had in the U.S.

We ended the tasting with a small cup of hot chocolate, made by dissolving one of the handmade bars in just enough hot water.

The cheese course

Next, we stopped off at A Favorita do Bolhão, a delicatessen in downtown that’s been in business since 1934. The range of treats within its walls was almost overwhelming, with barrels of nuts, dried fruit and candy, shelves of wine and tinned fish, and giant jars of incredibly flavored, nuanced honey. Our tasting focused on olive oil and cheese (and the incredible honey!), all products that are imbued with the terroir of the country.

The cheese was serious business. Both Queijo da Serra da Estrela and Queijo de Cabra Transmontano (a sheep cheese and goat cheese, respectively) bear the Protected Designation of Origin (DOP) seal, ensuring they are produced, prepared and processed in their specified geographical region, and according to exacting guidelines and local traditions. Both were grassy and tangy, and particularly lovely with the local honey.

Also bearing the seal of DOP, the olive oil was flavorful enough to eat by the spoonful, which is exactly how we tasted it.

Finally, some tripe!

For our lunch, we stopped at O Buraco, which in no way could be described as touristy. It was packed with locals enjoying classic Porto fare, including tripas à moda do Porto, the dish I had been looking forward to all visit. Cooked with white beans, carrots, and a few other preparations of cured and uncured pork, it was surprisingly tender, ever so slightly chewy, and utterly homey.

When in Porto

In his infinite wisdom, Bruno skipped the stuffy port tasting room and took us to Casa Louro, a classic Porto neighborhood bar with soccer memorabilia covering every inch of wall space and hams hanging from the ceiling.

There, we tasted generous pours of a 10-year-old tawny port, which paired perfectly with pastries he’d selected at Confeitaria Império—my favorite was the pastéis de Tentúgal, which featured layers of delicate, ultra-crisp pastry wrapped around a filling of egg jam.

Speaking of Bruno’s infinite wisdom, our guide was the highlight of the tour. He was a veritable trove of knowledge, not just culinary, but historical, geographical and political. Most importantly, however, he pointed me to Casa dos Presuntos "Xico," where I was finally able to order my presunto sandwich, a testament to the idea that the best things are often the simplest (and better yet, sometimes only cost 3 euro).

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Claire Lower

Claire Lower is the Digital Editor for Christopher Kimball’s Milk Street, with over a decade of experience as a food writer and recipe developer. Claire began writing about food (and drinks) during the blogging boom in the late 2000s, eventually leaving her job as a lab technician to pursue writing full-time. After freelancing for publications such as Serious Eats, Yahoo Food, xoJane and Cherry Bombe Magazine, she eventually landed at Lifehacker, where she served as the Senior Food Editor for nearly eight years. Claire lives in Portland, Oregon with a very friendly dog and very mean cat. When not in the kitchen (or at her laptop), you can find her deadlifting at the gym, fly fishing or trying to master figure drawing at her local art studio.