Restaurant · Porto and the Douro
Café Santiago
Choose a day and party sizeInformation
- Price
- €€€€
- Where
- Porto
The francesinha, in one of its homes
The francesinha is Porto's dish: a sandwich of sliced bread filled with meats and cured sausages, covered with melted cheese and bathed in a hot tomato and beer sauce, almost always with an egg and chips. Café Santiago was officially founded in 1959, although it opened earlier, in the 1930s, as an eating house. It is on Rua de Passos Manuel, a step from the Coliseu and Rua de Santa Catarina.
What to order
The Francesinha Santiago is the house one; they also have the cachorro, a hot dog with sauce their own way, and classic Portuguese dishes. A francesinha fills you for the whole meal: if you want to try something else afterwards, share it.
The other houses
The family has Santiago F, on the same street, at number 198, opposite the Coliseu, and Santiago da Praça, at Praça dos Poveiros 88, with a francesinha of its own. They open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 22:45 and close on Sunday: if your trip is a weekend one, come on Saturday.
What to order: the francesinha with egg and chips, and the sauce on the side if you do not like spice.
Practical details
- Phone
- +351 222 055 797
- [email protected]
- Opening hours
- Mon–Sat12:00–22:45
- SunClosed
- Cuisine
- Portuguese, francesinha
House specialities
- Francesinha Santiago
- Cachorro Santiago
- Bacalhau
- Cabrito
Tips
- Go at midday on a weekday At 12:30 on a working day there is usually no queue; on Saturday nights, there is.
- Ask for the sauce on the side It is a little spicy and soaks the bread: for children, better on the side.
Frequently asked questions
Is it open on Sundays?
No. It opens Monday to Saturday, from 12:00 to 22:45.
What is a francesinha?
A meat sandwich with melted cheese and hot sauce, typical of Porto, with egg and chips.
Do you book?
Call 222 055 797; tables turn over quickly.
As a familyWith teenagersWith friends