The 18 best francesinhas in Porto

This is maybe the most famous Francesinha house in town, served with thick hand-cut potatoes. The sausages come from Leandro, and according to owner Isabel Ferreira, the secret is in the sauce.

Find local favourite Inês Diniz at Time Out Market Porto, in the south wing of São Bento Station, serving up top-notch Portuguese classics like octopus fillets and rice – and now, one of the best francesinhas in the city, which she was asked to create especially for the Market. The francesinha is made with slow-roasted veal in olive oil, wine, garlic and herbs, with grilled linguiça sausage and mortadella from Bolhão Market, as well as cheese and ham. The sauce is enhanced with beer but subtle and balanced, the bread is thinner to hold the filling better, and the chips are cut into rounds – ‘just to be a little different.’

Bufete Fase wouldn’t be the same without a line of people at the door, beer in hand, enduring a stoic wait to taste one of the best francesinhas in town. Those who go often know this well, and have coffee at the counter to give way to other customers. The ingredients of this Francesinha here are slightly different from normal; the sausage is at the top of the dish, and there’s extra roast meat beneath. It’s serious business, but it’s one of the best. 

Francesinha Café is another name that often comes up when talking about the best francesinha in town. Well-loved across Porto, you can order it with chips and an egg right away – but Sr. Fernando, a proud purist of the dish, recommends enjoying it in its most authentic form. The sausages come from Leandro, of course, but the mortadella and chorizo are sourced from Italy. Expect a rare, tender and juicy beef fillet, along with a rich sauce with a silky texture and a deep coppery colour, developed over long hours of slow cooking. It’s light, slightly tangy, and has a subtle beef flavour that makes all the difference. If you’ve still got room, try the prego no pão as a starter – it’s the other big star of the house.

Anthony Bourdain loved it here. Need we say more? One of our critics was also there and liked it so much that he confessed to nearly ordering a second round (once you've tried one, you'll know how utterly insane that is). The bread is toasted, the meat is tasty, and you get a generous helping of potatoes too. 

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 for their food and their atmosphere, so it's bloody worth a go.

What if we told you that there was a beer specially made for Brasão, with the Francesinha they serve here in mind? Well, it's true. Brasão and Sovina have teamed up to create the perfect wedding. Clearly it works: Brasão is now a must-visit in Porto.

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

If you’re heading to a concert at Casa da Música, you’ve already got dinner sorted. Lemos Café is a small, traditional spot where the francesinha has gained a loyal following. You can order it as is, with an egg and chips, or even its XXL version (if you’ve got the appetite for it). The steak is huge and tender, the sausages are plentiful, and you get a serious portion of homemade chips too. The sauce follows tradition, but is a little more spicy. if you’ve got room, try one of their homemade cakes for dessert. 

The current owners have had Yuko for almost 20 years now. Here there are three options of francesinha and all feature ham, which isn't typical of the dish. The traditional uses its classic sausage, but the Francesinha da Casa (the house francesinha) includes a very large beef steak and smoked sausage. Meat lovers, give it a go.