Café
Majestic Café
Porto's grandest historic café, opened on Rua de Santa Catarina in 1921, with carved wood, mirrors and plaster ceilings in Belle Époque and Art Nouveau style.
Leitaria da Quinta do Paço
A dairy business founded in 1920 whose shop on Praça de Guilherme Gomes Fernandes is known for éclairs filled with fresh whipped cream.
At a glance
- Type
- Éclair and pastry shop
- Area
- Baixa, Porto, Portugal
- Price
- $ · Budget
- Official site
- leitariadaquintadopaco.com
Good to know
- Seating
- Takeaway
- Several branches
Why we recommend it
Leitaria da Quinta do Paço began as a dairy, not a café. It was founded in 1920 in Paços de Ferreira, north-east of Porto, producing milk, butter and cheese, and it was the first company in the north of Portugal to distribute pasteurised milk in glass bottles. The name, which means the dairy of the Quinta do Paço, still reflects those origins.
The shop on Praça de Guilherme Gomes Fernandes opened in the 1950s, and in the following decade the founder, Alexandre Furtado Mendonça, brought an éclair recipe back from Switzerland and began making it in Porto. The éclair became the house speciality and has since been registered by the company as a sweet of Porto. Each is filled with fresh chantilly, or sweetened whipped cream, which is what sets it apart from versions filled with custard.
Today the menu includes the classic éclair with chocolate, a crunchy version, and flavours such as caramel and lemon, alongside the Bola de Berlim, a sugared doughnut filled with whipped cream, and smaller pastries. The dairy roots continue in butter, cheese, yoghurt and other dairy desserts. Production is made fresh every day in limited quantities, so popular flavours can sell out later in the day. Orders can also be placed in advance for collection.
The original shop has tables for sitting down with a coffee, and a counter for takeaway boxes. Prices are low, and an éclair and a coffee make an easy afternoon stop. Opening hours are long, but they vary by day, with later closing at the end of the week; check before going in the evening. It suits families, anyone with a sweet tooth and visitors looking for a Porto speciality that is less well known than the custard tart.
The square is in the heart of the Baixa, a few minutes' walk from the Clérigos Tower, Livraria Lello and Avenida dos Aliados. The company also has counters in the Mercado do Bolhão and the Mercado Bom Sucesso, among other locations, but the original shop is the one with the most history. A walk to the square fits easily into a morning around the Carmo and Clérigos area.
Leitaria da Quinta do Paço FAQs
What is Leitaria da Quinta do Paço known for?
Éclairs filled with fresh whipped cream.
When was it founded?
In 1920, as a dairy in Paços de Ferreira.
Where did the éclair recipe come from?
The founder brought it back from Switzerland in the decade after the Porto shop opened in the 1950s.
Which flavours are available?
The classic chocolate éclair plus versions such as crunchy, caramel and lemon.
Can I sit in?
Yes, the original shop has tables as well as a takeaway counter.
Do flavours sell out?
Production is daily and limited, so some flavours can run out later in the day.
Are there other branches?
Yes, including counters in the Mercado do Bolhão and the Mercado Bom Sucesso.
Where is the original shop?
On Praça de Guilherme Gomes Fernandes, near the Clérigos Tower and Livraria Lello.