Sandwiches in Porto are usually served in a white bread called molete and, if you want one just look for a sande. While in town look for the three different but delicious sandwiches that we had to eat!

Sandwiches are always a good option to grab and go or, Porto style, having it at the stainless steel counter in tascos, their natural environment. A lot of the old tascos is suffering a makeover (the ones we call now neo-tascos), thanks to the huge wave of renovation that affects the City. However, renewal in Porto doesn’t mean destroying local culture so, between the existent ones that knew how to do an update and new ones that have a fresh approach to traditional cuisine, tascos are branded with both quality and authenticity. Barcelona born and bred, but living in Porto for 10 years now, I’m always surprised  that you can get authentic Portuguese food everywhere, without the obvious “software updates” NouvelleCuisine 2.0, with the ever present brie, foie or flambée goat cheese.

Local Neo-tasco in Rua da Picaria

Sandes de bochecha de porco preto

Iberian Pig cheek is the queen of sandwiches in  Casa Marlindo, located in Rua de Trás 15, close to São Bento train station and Avenida dos Aliados. This casa de pasto (a kind of tasco), estabilished in the 1950’s and completely renewed in 2015, its the kind of place where you can have a quick petisco and a glass of wine throughout the day. The cheek is marinated and stewed, slowly, to reach that delicious, delicate, softness – have it with a cold and fresh white Vinho Verde.

Iberian Pig’s cheek sandwich!

Sandes de chanfana

Chanfana, an 8-hour goat and red wine stew that will make the meat fall from the bones. This sandwich can be found in  Lareira, also a renewed tasco in Rua das Oliveiras 8, on a corner of Praça Carlos Alberto  and very near to Clérigos Tower. The name Lareira, meaning fireplace, comes from the eponymous structure that you can find in the main room. This sandwich goes better with a glass of espadal, a kind of Vinho Verde, rosé style.

Another excellent option, here, is the Pica pau (woodpecker).

Stewed goat in Sandwiches, who would’ve thought of it

Peido serrano

Peido serrano, meaning mountain’s fart, mixes the excellent Portuguese smoked ham (presunto) and a fried egg – when you bite it most of the times there’s an explosion. One of the places where you can get it is in Taxca, close to Avenida dos Aliados in Rua da Picaria 26, a street traditionally occupied by furniture shops and now, slowly, being replaced by restaurants and tascos. Taxca  was one of the first neo-tascos in this area, and it’s the son of the famous and historical mother-house,  A Badalhoca (the dirty lady), located in Boavista area.

In this tasco, peido serrano as a politically correct name, P.O. (meaning Presunto and Ovo – ham and egg) and can be tasted with a dry espadal. As an option get a liver sandwich, fried with onion and green pepper.

Peido Serrano

With this said, try not to get fat while in Porto!