Porto, from a Matosinhos local
Six places in Porto that Tiago, who lives in Matosinhos, sends people to: Café Santiago for what he calls the best francesinha in the city, BH Foz and Treze % for lunch, the Mercado da Foz for Friday-afternoon drinks, and — for a rainy day with children — World of Discoveries and the SEA LIFE aquarium.
Curated by Tiago Martins · Last updated 8 October 2026
This isn't a complete guide to Porto, and it doesn't try to be. It is the six places Tiago, who lives in Matosinhos, actually sends people to — which is why there isn't a port-wine cellar in it, and why three of the six are about children.
The francesinha
Tiago's pick for the best one in the city: Café Santiago, on Rua de Passos Manuel. Bread layered with mortadela, sausage, linguiça, steak and ham, under cheese, an egg and a sauce the family will not explain.
Two lunches
BH Foz, on Avenida do Brasil by the sea, in a 1945 Modernist building that was once a service station and a ballroom — Mediterranean, with sushi and a children's menu. And Treze %, on Rua da Cerca, where two brothers have cooked traditional Portuguese food since 2013. Tiago calls both of them great lunch spots: at BH Foz he orders the sushi or the entrecôte risotto, at Treze % the cabrito.
Friday afternoon
The Mercado da Foz, on Rua de Diu: fruit and vegetable stalls, florists and places to eat under one roof. Tiago's pick for a drink and something light at the end of the week, with the family along — his order is the pizza at Péco, one of the stalls inside. It stays open until 23h from Tuesday to Saturday.
When it rains, with children
Two places, and Tiago names both. World of Discoveries, on Rua de Miragaia by the Douro, is an interactive museum about the Portuguese navigators with a boat ride along a water channel. SEA LIFE Porto, at Castelo do Queijo where the seafront walk from Matosinhos ends, is an aquarium with Humboldt penguins, an underwater tunnel and feeding talks every day. Tiago's own time for World of Discoveries is a Sunday morning.
Every place in this guide
In the order we’d do them.
Walking and driving times are from Beach Family House, on Rua Brito Capelo in Matosinhos.
Café SantiagorestaurantOwner recommendation
Tiago's pick for the best francesinha in Porto — his words, not a critic's. Café Santiago, on Rua de Passos Manuel, was founded in 1959 and builds its francesinha from mortadela, fresh sausage, linguiça, steak and ham, under cheese, an egg and a sauce the family keeps to itself.
BH FozrestaurantOwner recommendation
Tiago's pick for lunch in Foz. BH Foz sits on Avenida do Brasil, by the sea, in a 1945 Modernist building by the architect Amoroso Lopes — once a service station, bar and ballroom, restored after thirty years empty. The kitchen is Mediterranean, with a children's menu; Tiago orders the sushi or the entrecôte on porcini and truffle risotto.
Treze %restaurantOwner recommendation
Tiago's other pick for lunch, near the Mercado da Foz. Treze %, on Rua da Cerca, has been run since 2013 by the brothers Miguel and Filipe, and cooks traditional Portuguese food; Tiago's order is the cabrito (kid goat).
Mercado da FozmarketOwner recommendation
Tiago's pick for Friday-afternoon drinks and something light to eat, with the family — his order is the pizza at Péco no Mercado. The Mercado da Foz, on Rua de Diu, is a local market of fruit and vegetable stalls, florists and casual places to eat.
World of DiscoveriesattractionOwner recommendation
Tiago's pick for a rainy morning or afternoon with children in Porto — his is a Sunday morning. World of Discoveries, on Rua de Miragaia a few metres from the Douro, is an interactive museum about the Portuguese navigators, with a boat ride along a water channel through the routes they sailed.
SEA LIFE PortoattractionOwner recommendation
Tiago's other pick for a rainy day with children. SEA LIFE Porto is an aquarium at Castelo do Queijo, at the end of the seafront walk from Matosinhos, with Humboldt penguins, an underwater tunnel, daily feeding talks and a play area inside.
Café Santiago
Tiago's pick for the best francesinha in Porto — his words, not a critic's. Café Santiago, on Rua de Passos Manuel, was founded in 1959 and builds its francesinha from mortadela, fresh sausage, linguiça, steak and ham, under cheese, an egg and a sauce the family keeps to itself.
- From Beach Family House
- 145 min walk · 30 min driveon Rua Brito Capelo in Matosinhos
- Best for
- A francesinha, for lunch or dinner
- Worth knowing
- Closed on Sunday. It opens at noon and serves through to 22h45, Monday to Saturday. Its listing says there is usually a wait and recommends booking for dinner; it takes reservations.
Tiago's verdict is short: the best francesinha in Porto, in his opinion, is this one.
The sandwich
Café Santiago builds its francesinha from mortadela, fresh sausage, linguiça, a steak and ham, stacked in bread and covered in cheese and a fried egg, and says every part is made by hand when it is ordered. The sauce is the part it will not explain: the café calls it Essência Santiago, a family secret, and describes only the fire, the pots, the seasoning and the boiling times that go into it.
The café says its francesinha has been named one of the 50 best sandwiches in the world. That is its claim, not ours; ours is Tiago's, above.
The place
It was founded officially in 1959, and the café itself thinks it opened well before that, in the 1930s, as a casa de pasto. Fernando Pereira and Isabel Ferreira ran the tobacco counter inside it from 1978 and took over the whole café in 1993. It now has three locations; Tiago's is the one on Rua de Passos Manuel.
Its Google listing says it welcomes children, with high chairs and a children's menu.
Sources
- The host's own recommendationsTiago Martins · Beach Family House · 2026 · Told to us directly, 11 September 2026
“Best francesinha IMO”
The recommendation on this page is his, first-hand, as a resident rather than a visitor — which is the only basis on which this site recommends anywhere at all. What he vouches for is that this is the best francesinha in Porto, in his opinion. Everything else on this page — hours, prices, what the place says about itself — is sourced separately and marked.
- Café Santiago · cafesantiago.pt · 2026
The business describing itself, read 11 September 2026 — the source for its history, what goes into the francesinha, and its own claim to a top-50 sandwich ranking, which is reported here as its claim. It establishes what the place says it offers, not how good it is; that part is Tiago's.
- Café Santiago · Google Business Profile · 2026
The business's own listing, read 11 September 2026, and the source for the hours, the reservation policy and the facilities for children, all as the business lists them. Hours are what the business publishes about itself. The star rating is not cited.
BH Foz
Tiago's pick for lunch in Foz. BH Foz sits on Avenida do Brasil, by the sea, in a 1945 Modernist building by the architect Amoroso Lopes — once a service station, bar and ballroom, restored after thirty years empty. The kitchen is Mediterranean, with a children's menu; Tiago orders the sushi or the entrecôte on porcini and truffle risotto.
- From Beach Family House
- 44 min walk · 7 min driveon Rua Brito Capelo in Matosinhos
- Best for
- Lunch by the sea
- Worth knowing
- Lunch is 12h30 to 15h30 and dinner from 19h30, every day, with the kitchen closed in between. Its listing recommends booking for lunch; it takes reservations through TheFork. Most mains on its menu are 18 to 28 €, and the couvert at lunch is 1.80 €.
Tiago's lunch in Foz. He calls it a great lunch spot, and what he loves there is the sushi, or the entrecôte on its porcini and truffle risotto.
The building
BH Foz was built in 1945 by the architect Amoroso Lopes, in the Modernist style, and in its first life it was a service station, a bar, a restaurant and a ballroom all at once. It then stood abandoned for thirty years before being restored for dining and events, while keeping its identity. It is right on the seafront, on Avenida do Brasil.
The menu
Mediterranean, with sushi. From the sea there is roast bacalhau with sautéed greens and crushed potatoes, grilled sea bass on a lemon risotto, and octopus done à lagareiro; there are risottos and pastas, pizzas, and steaks.
There is a children's menu at 13 € — a burger, bolognese, an omelette or a small margherita — and its listing adds high chairs and a changing table.
Sources
- The host's own recommendationsTiago Martins · Beach Family House · 2026 · Told to us directly, 11 September 2026
“Great lunch spot. Love the sushi or the entrecote risotto.”
The recommendation on this page is his, first-hand, as a resident rather than a visitor — which is the only basis on which this site recommends anywhere at all. What he vouches for is that this is a great place for lunch, and his dishes: the sushi, or the entrecôte risotto. Everything else on this page — hours, prices, what the place says about itself — is sourced separately and marked.
- BH Foz · Google Business Profile · 2026
The business's own listing, read 11 September 2026, and the source for the hours, the menu and its prices, the reservation policy and the facilities for children — and, in the business's own description on the listing, the building's history: Amoroso Lopes, 1945, the service station and ballroom, and thirty years abandoned. Hours are what the business publishes about itself. The star rating is not cited.
Treze %
Tiago's other pick for lunch, near the Mercado da Foz. Treze %, on Rua da Cerca, has been run since 2013 by the brothers Miguel and Filipe, and cooks traditional Portuguese food; Tiago's order is the cabrito (kid goat).
- From Beach Family House
- 56 min walk · 12 min driveon Rua Brito Capelo in Matosinhos
- Best for
- Lunch — traditional Portuguese cooking
- Worth knowing
- Closed on Monday, and on Sunday it serves lunch only. Lunch starts at noon (12h30 at weekends) and runs to 15h; dinner is from 19h30. Its listing recommends booking for both.
The second of Tiago's two lunches. He calls it another great lunch spot, and his order is the cabrito — kid goat.
Two brothers and a Portuguese kitchen
Treze % opened in 2013, run by the brothers Miguel and Filipe, who set out to cook the traditional Portuguese food people want. It is on Rua da Cerca, close to the Mercado da Foz.
Its listing says it welcomes children, with high chairs and a children's menu.
Sources
- The host's own recommendationsTiago Martins · Beach Family House · 2026 · Told to us directly, 11 September 2026
“Another great lunch spot. Cabrito.”
The recommendation on this page is his, first-hand, as a resident rather than a visitor — which is the only basis on which this site recommends anywhere at all. What he vouches for is that this is a great place for lunch, and his dish: the cabrito. Everything else on this page — hours, prices, what the place says about itself — is sourced separately and marked.
- Treze % · Google Business Profile · 2026
The business's own listing, read 11 September 2026, and the source for the hours, the reservation policy and the facilities for children — and, in the business's own description on the listing, its opening in 2013 under the brothers Miguel and Filipe and its traditional Portuguese cooking. It links trezeporcentorestaurante.pt as its website; the restaurant also keeps a menu site at trezeporcento.eatbu.com. Hours are what the business publishes about itself. The star rating is not cited.
Mercado da Foz
Tiago's pick for Friday-afternoon drinks and something light to eat, with the family — his order is the pizza at Péco no Mercado. The Mercado da Foz, on Rua de Diu, is a local market of fruit and vegetable stalls, florists and casual places to eat.
- From Beach Family House
- 55 min walk · 11 min driveon Rua Brito Capelo in Matosinhos
- Address
- Rua de Diu, 4150-276 Porto
- Best for
- Friday-afternoon drinks and something light, with the family
- Worth knowing
- The market is closed on Sunday and shuts at 17h on Monday; from Tuesday to Saturday its listing gives 7h to 23h. The stalls keep their own hours: Péco is closed on Sunday and Monday, opens at noon, and lists itself as open until 1h on Friday and Saturday. It does not take bookings.
Tiago's pick for the end of the week: a drink and something light on a Friday afternoon, with the children along. He calls it great for families, and his order is the pizza at Péco no Mercado, the pizza stall at number 32.
A neighbourhood market
It is the local market of Foz do Douro: fruit and vegetable stalls, florists, and casual places to eat and drink under one roof, with concerts in season. Among the stalls are a café, an açaí bar, an ice-cream counter, a Portuguese restaurant and a shoe repairer.
Sources
- The host's own recommendationsTiago Martins · Beach Family House · 2026 · Told to us directly, 11 September 2026
“Great place for friday afternoon drinks and lite bites. Great for families. I like peco pizza.”
The recommendation on this page is his, first-hand, as a resident rather than a visitor — which is the only basis on which this site recommends anywhere at all. What he vouches for is that this is a good place for Friday-afternoon drinks and light food, and that it suits families — and his stall, Péco, for the pizza. Everything else on this page — hours, prices, what the place says about itself — is sourced separately and marked.
- Mercado da Foz do Douro · Google Business Profile · 2026
The business's own listing, read 11 September 2026, and the source for the hours and the kinds of stalls inside — the stalls and their separate hours are listed as their own entries at the same address. Hours are what the business publishes about itself. The star rating is not cited.
- Péco no Mercado · Google Business Profile · 2026
The stall's own listing, read 11 September 2026: the source for its name and spelling, its place at stall 32 of the Mercado, and its hours — closed Sunday and Monday, open from noon, until 1h on Friday and Saturday, no reservations. It lists later hours than the Mercado's own listing; both are reported as listed. The star rating is not cited.
World of Discoveries
Tiago's pick for a rainy morning or afternoon with children in Porto — his is a Sunday morning. World of Discoveries, on Rua de Miragaia a few metres from the Douro, is an interactive museum about the Portuguese navigators, with a boat ride along a water channel through the routes they sailed.
- From Beach Family House
- 122 min walk · 23 min driveon Rua Brito Capelo in Matosinhos
- Best for
- A rainy morning or afternoon with children
- Worth knowing
- Closed on Monday, and on 25 December and 1 January. The last entry is 17h30 Tuesday to Friday and 18h30 at weekends, and it closes half an hour after that. There is an admission fee; current prices are on its own site.
When it rains and there are children to occupy, this is one of the two places Tiago names — a morning or afternoon programme, in his words. His own time for it is a Sunday morning.
What you do there
The museum puts it in its own words: relive the conquest of Ceuta, face the Adamastor, explore the inside of a ship, and let the smell of the spices inspire you. The centrepiece is a boat ride along a water channel that follows the routes of the Portuguese discoveries, with interactive exhibits and scenes of life aboard a ship around it.
It calls itself fun and educational at once, and pitches itself at families and school groups, with audio guides and content in several languages.
Where it is
On Rua de Miragaia, a few metres from the Douro and the Alfândega do Porto.
Sources
- The host's own recommendationsTiago Martins · Beach Family House · 2026 · Told to us directly, 11 September 2026
“Fun morning or afternoon programme with kids. When raining. Sunday morning.”
The recommendation on this page is his, first-hand, as a resident rather than a visitor — which is the only basis on which this site recommends anywhere at all. What he vouches for is that this is a morning or afternoon programme worth doing with children when it rains. Everything else on this page — hours, prices, what the place says about itself — is sourced separately and marked.
- World of Discoveries · www.worldofdiscoveries.com · 2026
The business describing itself, read 11 September 2026 — the source for what the visit involves, its location by the Douro and the Alfândega, and the opening and last-entry times — which are more precise than its Google listing, where the times given as closing are the last-entry times. It establishes what the place says it offers, not how good it is; that part is Tiago's.
- World of Discoveries · Google Business Profile · 2026
The business's own listing, read 11 September 2026, and the source for the hours. It gives 17h30 and 18h30 as closing times; the museum's own site gives those as the last entry and closes half an hour later, and that is what this page uses. Hours are what the business publishes about itself. The star rating is not cited.
SEA LIFE Porto
Tiago's other pick for a rainy day with children. SEA LIFE Porto is an aquarium at Castelo do Queijo, at the end of the seafront walk from Matosinhos, with Humboldt penguins, an underwater tunnel, daily feeding talks and a play area inside.
- From Beach Family House
- 23 min walk · 8 min driveon Rua Brito Capelo in Matosinhos
- Best for
- A rainy day with children
- Worth knowing
- Open every day: 10h to 18h on weekdays and 10h to 19h at weekends. Its own site gives the last weekday entry as 17h15. Tickets can be bought online, and there is an annual pass.
The second of the two places Tiago names for a wet day with children.
What is inside
It has Humboldt penguins, and around them a series of zones — rivers and streams, rock pools, a sunken boat, the Kingdom of Salacia and a coral nursery — and an underwater tunnel.
There are feeding sessions and talks every day, an immersive room, and an app, SEA SCAN, that turns the visit into something to explore and play. Its listing adds a play area, a café and a gift shop, and lists it as good for children's birthdays.
Where it is
At Castelo do Queijo, where the seafront walk from Matosinhos ends. Its listing notes free parking on the street as well as a paid car park.
Sources
- The host's own recommendationsTiago Martins · Beach Family House · 2026 · Told to us directly, 11 September 2026
“If its raining, great programme for kids as well.”
The recommendation on this page is his, first-hand, as a resident rather than a visitor — which is the only basis on which this site recommends anywhere at all. What he vouches for is that this is a good programme for children when it rains. Everything else on this page — hours, prices, what the place says about itself — is sourced separately and marked.
- SEA LIFE Porto · www.visitsealife.com · 2026
The business describing itself, read 11 September 2026 — the source for the animals and zones it names, the daily feeding talks, the underwater tunnel, online tickets, the annual pass and the weekday last entry. It establishes what the place says it offers, not how good it is; that part is Tiago's.
- SEA LIFE Porto · Google Business Profile · 2026
The business's own listing, read 11 September 2026, and the source for the hours, the play area, café, gift shop and parking. Hours are what the business publishes about itself. The star rating is not cited.
Sources
- The host's own list of Porto recommendationsTiago Martins · Beach Family House · 2026 · Told to us directly, 11 September 2026
“Cafe Santiago. Best francesinha IMO. World of Discoveries. Fun morning or afternoon programme with kids. When raining. Sea Life. If its raining, great programme for kids as well.”
The selection is his: six places in Porto he recommends first-hand, as someone who lives next to it rather than visits it. What he vouches for is that these are the places he sends people. Each place page carries its own sources for hours, prices and what the business says about itself.