Porto, a city rich in history and culture, is also a treasure trove of culinary delights. Recently, I had the pleasure of embarking on a Porto Food Tour with Taste Porto, a small local business dedicated to showcasing Northern Portuguese gastronomy and Porto’s vibrant culture in a socially responsible way. This unforgettable experience included highlights such as tastings of local cheeses, charcuterie, wines, and traditional dishes, all while exploring the historic and culinary gems of Porto.
The Porto Food Tour Culinary Journey Begins at Bolhão Market
Our adventure began at the iconic Bolhão Market, a bustling marketplace where tradition meets freshness. Here, we sampled an array of incredible local cheeses, each with its own unique story and flavor profile. Among the cheeses, we tried:
- Queijo Paços: A creamy delight that embodies the richness of Portuguese cheese-making.
- Queijo de Cabra Serrano de Celorico da Beira: A goat cheese with a distinct, tangy flavor.
- Queijo da Serra Curado de Oliveira: A cured cheese with a robust, savory taste.
These cheeses were paired perfectly with wines from the Bolhão Wine House. We savored the crisp and refreshing Vinho Verde (My favorite new discovery while in Portugal) with the cheeses and enjoyed a rich Vinho Tinto alongside various pork charcuterie from Charcutaria Princesa. The charcuterie included:
- Salpicão Especial: Black pig salpicão marinated in red wine.
- Chouriça Regional do Fumeirinho de Gouveia: Black pig chouriço marinated in red wine.
- Paiola Soledo Porco Preto: Dry-aged black pig paiola.
Along the way, we visited other stalls in the market and learned about the rich tradition of canned fish and the iconic salted cod, both staples in Portuguese cuisine that have been cherished for generations. We also learned so much about the different wine regions in Portugal and the types of wine offered during the tour and others we might try while visiting Porto.
Sweet Treats and Fresh Flavors
No visit to Bolhão Market is complete without indulging in some local desserts and coffee. We treated our taste buds to Portuguese sponge cake from Padaria Alzira do Bolhão and sipped on aromatic espresso from C’alma Coffee Room. To cleanse our palate, we enjoyed fresh seasonal fruit from Frutaria do Bolhão.
Exploring Porto’s Culinary Landmarks
Leaving the market, we wandered through the charming streets of Porto, discovering more hidden culinary gems. One notable stop was the oldest restaurant in the country, where we savored Terylene – a slow-cooked roasted pork and smoked ham sandwich that melted in our mouths. This delicacy was paired with Espumante Tinto, a red sparkling wine from the Bairrada region, adding a festive touch to our meal. This was such a fun & unique stop, and the food and wine were delectable.
A Taste of Tradition at Popina
Our culinary journey concluded at Popina, a modern take on the ancient Roman Popinae, known for their wine and small bites. Here, we learned about Petiscos, a Portuguese concept distinct from Spanish tapas, and enjoyed Pataniscas com arroz malandro de tomate – delicious cod fritters with “naughty” tomato rice. This dish was expertly paired with a Vinho Branco from the Douro region, bringing a perfect balance to our final tasting. This was the perfect way to end our culinary journey. By now we were all like old friends and we had full bellies and smiles on our faces.
Why You Should Experience the Porto Food Tour with Taste Porto
Taste Porto’s Porto Food Tour is more than just a gastronomic adventure; it’s a cultural immersion. With guides passionate about sharing the history and flavors of Northern Portuguese cuisine, every bite tells a story. Whether you’re a food enthusiast, a history buff, or simply looking to experience the authentic taste of Porto, this tour is a must-do.
Join Taste Porto on a journey through Porto’s rich culinary landscape. From the bustling Bolhão Market to hidden local gems, you’ll discover the heart and soul of this beautiful city, one delicious bite at a time. Porto food tour reviews and Taste Porto reviews consistently highlight this as one of the best food tours in Porto, and now we know why. This is an essential experience for anyone visiting the city and it definitely has my stamp of approval.
P.S.: Our tour guide Sergio was outstanding. Going above and beyond to make sure everyone was having a great time and satisfied with the food and drinks. He was full of knowledge and shared many amazing stories. He provided wonderful tips for the rest of our stay in Porto including great places to visit, amazing bars, and food venues.
If you have any questions or need more information about this wonderful experience, feel free to ask! And you can book your own Porto Food Tour here.
14 comments
We do love to do food tours when we travel. And we loved the food in Portugal when we visited. So we would definitely want to do a food tour in Porto to try all the Northern food treats and understand the cultural influences. We certainly would be a big fan of Petiscos for small bites like tapas. And it would be fascinating to try something called “naughty” tomato rice! Glad you had such a good guide. That can make all the difference.
Oh yes the guide can make or break the experience and we were so happy to have a wonderful guide. Food tours are such a fun way to combine introduction to city and culture with some good food. You are so right, the food in Portugal is incredible. We did not have a bad meal in the time we were there. I hope you get to return and check out this wonderful tour or one of their other offerings.
This looks like a great food tour. I also love to go on a food tours when I explore a new destination, to learn more about the local cuisine. I love that you went to the market first, that’s what I call the soul of a city. The cheeses you tasted there looks so good, especially the goat one. Love that they were paired with wine.
I love how you describe food markets as the soul of the city. It is the truth especially here where the stands have been passed down from generation to generation and you get to meet and talk to locals and hear their stories. I love doing food tours on my travels, some are better than others but in general I have had great experiences and this one was fun with a fantastic guide. Oh and yes, the cheeses were incredible. I would have loved to buy some to take home and they paired great with the wine.
A food tour is such a great idea when visiting any place, especially Porto! I missed the Bolhão Market while I was there, and I agree that a market is a great place to get an overall sense of the foods in the area. I loved Porto, and it’s so much more than wine (although that’s a plus!).
Food tours are such a fun way to combine city exploration with good food. The market is a bit of a further walk and some do not make it there. We truly did enjoy it and are glad that the tour started there so we could have this opportunity. Porto is a wonderful foodie city and I hope you get to return one day and check out this food tour and the market.
I have not been exposed to Portugese cuisine a lot. But I’d like to try the wine. As I am a vegetarian, I would like to try Portuguese sponge cake with espresso. And a platter of seasonal fruit is always welcome at any time of the day.
I did not have a bad meal while in Portugal. And while their cuisine is heavy on fish, cheese and meats I did encounter quite a few really good vegetarian restaurants. We also had a few vegetarian meals at non strictly vegetarian restaurants while there and each dish was really amazing. I am pretty sure they would accommodate for vegetarians on this tour. And I think you would really enjoy the wine as well.
I enjoy preparing charcuterie for special occasions at home, especially during Christmas and New Year. I love to include a variety of cheeses, meats, biscuits, and more. So, visiting Bolhão Market and seeing all the local cheeses and wines sounds perfect for me. Cheeses like Queijo Paços and Queijo de Cabra Serrano must have been delightful to taste. For me, this tour is a a must-do for anyone visiting Porto!
The market is a wonderful place to pick up products for your charcuterie board!!!
We are visiting Porto for a quick three days this October and being a foodie your tips would be immensely useful. Last time during our Portugal visit ww missed out Porti. The organic cheese looks inviting to start off. The cake and coffee at Bolhao market would be a certainity. Love to be at Popina for the wine and small bites. Already feeling excited. For a change would love to go for a food tour when there.
This food tour sounds delish. You get to taste so many food and drinks and learn about the food history, too. The Queijo Pacos sounds delicious, and the cod fritters with naughty tomato rice sounded tempting.
What a wonderful and tasty food tour you had in Porto. The cheese looks so tasty and I bet it went very well with the wine. I am a vegetarian and did not find yet a vegetarian food tour. I did an ordinary one once, but all they did, was leave the meat out.
I have always enjoyed joining food tours because this is one of the best ways to learn about the local community. The stops you mentioned seem fantastic and I am excited to try the cheese and wine pairing they included.
Looking forward to joining should we have a chance to visit Porto.