Famous for its Port wine, Porto is a city with a sweet side. After all, Port is a dessert wine.
Delicia do PortoFrom traditional pastries to artisanal chocolates, this pretty riverside city is full of indulgences. Here are a few of our favorite places to enjoy something sweet.
Mercado do Bolhão: Traditional Sweets With a Story
Mercado do BolhãoHistoric Mercado do Bolhão is one of Porto’s most beloved foodie havens. During our time living in the city, I often wandered its aisles for groceries, but my favorite stops were always for something sweet. Among the stalls, you’ll find plenty of temptations—from traditional Léria cookies (a personal obsession I still need to recreate at home) to confections unique to Porto.
My most memorable discovery was the Delícia do Porto, a heart-shaped pastry created in honor of D. Pedro IV, the former King of Portugal. Its shape is more than a bit of whimsy. D. Pedro left his heart to the city (literally), and today it rests in a nearby church, which we also had the chance to visit. Sampling the treat felt like tasting a sweet bite of local history.
A deli sandwich, a potato ball, and a couple of Léria cookies I purchased at Mercado do Bolhão and brought home for lunch.Address: Rua de Fernandes Tomás 506 (primary entrance address) 4000-214 Porto, Portugal
Hours: Monday to Friday 08:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.; Saturday 8:00 A.M. to 6:00 P.M.; closed Sundays and holidays
Website: mercadobolhao.pt
Mercado do Bolhão is also an excellent spot for a quick lunch. Read Our Favorite Breakfasts, Brunches & Lunches in Porto.
Confeitaria do Bolhão: A Local Bakery With History
Founded in 1896, according to their site, Confeitaria do Bolhão is where the well-heeled residents of Porto ate their breakfast before shopping at nearby Mercado do Bolhão. Its entrance is unassuming apart from the various traditional treats in the window.
Bolo Rei King Cake, a traditional cake served during the holidays, typically between Christmas Day (Dec. 25th) and the Epiphany King’s Day (Jan. 6th).On our visit, we went to buy King’s Cake (Bolo Rei), a traditional holiday sweet. Since we lived there, we were able to enjoy it over a few days with our morning coffee. The service was kind and the cake was delicious.
If you’re heading to Mercado do Bolhão, consider adding this nearby bakery to your stop.
Address: R. Formosa 339, 4000-252 Porto, Portugal
Hours: Monday to Friday 6:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M., Saturday 6:00 A.M. to 7:00 P.M., Closed on Sundays.
Website: confeitariadobolhao.com
Manteigaria: Porto’s Pastel de Nata Hot Spot
No trip to Portugal is complete without trying at least one Pastel de Nata. A pastel de nata is a traditional Portuguese pastry with a flaky crust and a rich, creamy custard filling, and is lightly browned on top. Sometimes a couple of spots on top will look burned, but don’t worry. It’ll still be delicious.
At Manteigaria and most pastry shops that sell the sweet treat, there are canisters of cinnamon and powdered sugar for you to sprinkle a dusting of each on top of your pastel de nata. Be careful! Sometimes the cinnamon comes out quite fast. A friend of mine and I had a cinnamon incident when we first went to Manteigaria.
Proof of our cinnamon incident. Our Pasteis de Nata were still delicious.We do recommend pairing a Pastel de Nata with an espresso.
Address: Rua dos Clérigos nº37, 4050-205 Porto, Portugal (for the one near Clerigos Tower). There is another location on Santa Catarina near Mercado do Bolhao: R. de Santa Catarina 357, 4000-446 Porto, Portugal.
Hours: Daily 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 A.M. at the Clerigos location. 8:00 A.M. to 10:00 P.M. at the Santa Catarina location.
Website: manteigaria.com
Heading to Lisbon? Best Pastel de Nata in Lisbon: Where to Try This Iconic Treat.
Vinte Vinte: Chocolate Across the Douro
Inside Porto’s WOW cultural district (located in Vila Nova de Gaia), the Chocolate Story museum ends with a sweet finale — a visit to Vinte Vinte, where the bars are made right on site. Sometimes, you can watch the chocolatiers at work. The biggest challenge at Vinte Vinte was choosing which chocolate to try. In the end, I went with white chocolate. It turned out to be a good choice: creamy, smooth, and rich without being overly sweet. Chris opted for dark, and it was delicious.
Vinte Vinte also has a location on Rua das Flores. Remembering how delicious their white chocolate is, I went there with a friend to pick up white chocolate for making my white chocolate mocha at home the next morning. While we were there, we decided to try some Port served inside adorable little chocolate cups. The atmosphere is super fun with pops of color.
Addresses: Vinte Vinte Gaia – Rua Guilherme Braga, 31 4400-174 Vila Nova de Gaia. Vinte Vinte Flores – R. das Flores 206, 4050-263 Porto
Hours: Vinte Vinte Gaia – Sunday to Thursday 10:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M., Saturday and Holiday Eves 10:00 A.M. to 9:00 P.M. Vinte Vinte Flores Daily 9:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M.
Website: vintevintechocolate.pt
Dubon Chocolate Bar: Artisanal Chocolates with a Side of Port
Tucked on a quiet street not far from Porto’s busiest dining areas, Dubon Chocolate Bar is part artisan chocolate shop, part intimate wine bar. You can smell its delectable flavors as you walk through the door – each chocolate is handmade in-house. Their chocolates pair beautifully with Port.
You don’t need a reservation to indulge here. Stop in, select chocolates from their case, and try them there or take some along, better yet, do both. They also offer Port wine and chocolate tastings on their menu. The pairing elevates both the wine and the sweets.
Address: Rua dos Mártires da Liberdade 100, 4050-359 Porto, Portugal
Hours: Daily 11:00 A.M. to 7:30 P.M.
Website: They do not have an official website, but they are on Instagram at @dubonchocolates.
The History Behind Portugal’s Sweets
As you try sweets throughout Portugal, you’ll likely notice that many have stories to go with them. The Pastel de Nata was created as a way for monks to use leftover egg yolks from starching their clothes with the whites in the 1800s. Lérias date back to the 14th century. They were made by nuns in need of funds in Amarante, Portugal. Speaking of Amarante, this conservative town a little north of Porto is famous for its phallic cakes. There is a story to go with it. You can learn more about it in our post, Douro Valley Day Trip: Wine, Views, and History.
A few sweet Portuguese words to know:
If you’re scanning a menu or peeking into bakery windows in Porto, these words will come in handy:
Padaria is a bakery.
Confeitaria is where you’ll find pastries (and usually a coffee to go with them).
Pastelaria can refer to either a pastry itself or the shop selling them.
Bolo means cake.
Manteigaria means butter. You probably won’t need this one, but when I put two and two together while we were living in Porto and realized that my favorite place to pick up a Pastel de Nata was named after one of the best ingredients :-) I was delighted.
Doce means “sweet.”
Chocolate needs no translation. It’s chocolate.
More Porto Foodie Inspiration:
Date Night in Porto: 7 Romantic Restaurants for Couples
Our Favorite Breakfasts, Brunches & Lunches in Porto
Where to Drink Port in Porto: Our Favorite Spots
Prefer to skip the research and have someone build the perfect trip for you? I’m also a luxury travel advisor specializing in Portugal — let’s plan your trip together →
Connect with us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest for more travel and food inspiration.