Casa Guedes

Ideal corner location with outdoor seating.

Porto’s Best Traditional Roasted Pork Sandwich

Casa Guedes is the traditional Portuguese tavern you envisioned yourself eating at in Porto. It often tops the foodie list for Porto’s dining scene and after visiting for the first time, I can see why! There aren’t many places like this anymore where everything is made either by them or for them including their tender slow roasted pork shoulder, pungent yet tasty Serra da Estrela sheep’s cheese hailing from the mountains (and a 2000 year old recipe), and traditional farmer’s wine from the owners’ farm which is typically only found in small village taverns nowadays.

I tried the roasted pork sandwich with cheese (Sande de Pernil com Queijo) and a glass of their house rose (Vinho rosada Casa-Guedes Turbo). The roasted pork was gentle and just the right amount of saltiness. The cheese nicely accented the sandwich with a little sharpness and the semi-warmed bread was a great base, soft and easy to eat but a wee bit nutty at the same time. The rosé was perfect and so delicious I wished I had gotten the whole bottle.

The tavern is very casual and friendly. There's generally always a line but it goes rather quickly so go ahead and hop on it. Order at the counter and seat yourself at one of the outdoor tables overlooking the Jardim de S. Lazaro.

Perfect for a break after wandering around downtown Porto or wanting to grab a simple bite and drink. Personally, I've walked the 15 minutes from my apartment a few times since I've been here to have it for lunch or early dinner.