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Café Santiago
A long-running Baixa café, officially founded in 1959, where queues form for its francesinha, Porto's layered meat sandwich under melted cheese and a secret sauce.
At a glance
- Type
- Francesinha
- Area
- Baixa, Porto, Portugal
- Price
- $ · Budget
- Opening
- Open 6 days a week (closed Sunday) · 12:00–22:45
- Official site
- cafesantiago.pt
Good to know
- Walk-in
- Two sister branches nearby
Why we recommend it
If there is one dish that belongs to Porto, it is the francesinha, and Café Santiago on Rua Passos Manuel is where many people go to try it for the first time. The café was officially founded in 1959, although it may have begun life earlier as a simple eatery and bar in the 1930s. The current owners, Fernando Pereira and Isabel Ferreira, started out running the tobacco counter inside in 1978 and bought the whole business in 1993.
The francesinha is a substantial sandwich, and Santiago builds its version with care. Slices of tin-loaf bread enclose a thin layer of mortadella, fresh sausage and linguiça grilled to order, a beef steak and ham. Cheese goes on top and melts over the whole stack, an egg fried without oil is added, and the plate is finished with the house sauce, a family recipe the café calls Essência Santiago. Chips are the usual side, useful for the sauce, and a cold beer is the classic partner. It is a filling meal, so one per person is plenty.
The café itself is a straightforward, busy dining room rather than a historic interior. Service is quick and the menu is short, with the francesinha at its centre. Prices are modest by any measure, which together with the fame of the dish explains the queue that builds outside at lunch and dinner time. Arriving soon after noon or in the middle of the afternoon is the best way to reduce the wait.
Demand led the owners to open two more branches close by. Santiago F opened in 2011 on the same street, across from the Coliseu do Porto concert hall, and serves a version called the Francesinha Santiago TOP. Santiago da Praça opened in 2017 on Praça dos Poveiros, about 25 metres from the original, and has its own exclusive version. If the line at number 226 is long, check the others.
The Porto branches open Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 22:45 and are closed on Sundays. Rua Passos Manuel runs between Rua de Santa Catarina and Praça D. João I, so the café is a few minutes' walk from the Bolhão market and Bolhão metro station, and close to the Coliseu. It suits budget travellers, groups of friends and anyone curious about the city's best-known comfort food.
Café Santiago FAQs
What is Café Santiago known for?
Its francesinha, a layered meat sandwich covered in melted cheese and the house sauce.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 22:45; closed on Sundays.
When was Café Santiago founded?
It was officially founded in 1959, with origins possibly going back to the 1930s.
Is there a queue?
Often, especially at lunch and dinner; arrive soon after noon or mid-afternoon to wait less.
What is in the francesinha?
Bread, mortadella, fresh sausage, linguiça, beef steak, ham, melted cheese, a fried egg and the house sauce.
Are there other branches?
Yes, Santiago F at Rua Passos Manuel 198 and Santiago da Praça at Praça dos Poveiros 88.
Is it expensive?
No, it is one of the more affordable sit-down meals in central Porto.
How do I get there?
It is a few minutes' walk from Bolhão metro station and the Coliseu do Porto.