Restaurant
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.
Cervejaria Gazela
A tiny counter bar near Batalha, open since 1962, famous for its cachorrinho: spicy sausage and melted cheese in crisp bread, cut into bites and served with cold beer.
At a glance
- Type
- Cachorrinho hot dogs
- Area
- Batalha, Porto, Portugal
- Price
- $ · Budget
- Opening
- Open 6 days a week (closed Sunday) · 12:00–22:30
- Official site
- cervejariagazela.pt
Good to know
- Counter seating
- Takeaway
- Three branches
Why we recommend it
Cervejaria Gazela opened in 1962 in a narrow space on Travessa Cimo de Vila, just off Praça da Batalha and close to the Teatro Nacional São João. It has built a following far beyond the neighbourhood thanks to one snack, the cachorrinho, a Porto take on the hot dog. The owner has worked behind the counter since 1970, and the place still feels like a neighbourhood beer house rather than a tourist stop.
The cachorrinho is made with a spicy fresh sausage and melted cheese inside narrow bread, toasted on the griddle until crisp and then cut into bite-sized pieces. The traditional accompaniment is a cold draught beer, and the combination of hot, salty snack and cold beer is the whole point of the place. The steak sandwich is the other dish regulars recommend. Portions are snack-sized, so many people order a second round.
Gazela has collected recognition over the years. The American chef Anthony Bourdain filmed part of his Parts Unknown episode on Portugal here in 2017, and in 2019 it was a finalist in the House Special category of the World Restaurant Awards. The attention brought queues, and the business has since opened branches on Rua de Entreparedes and Rua de Alexandre Herculano, but the original counter remains the one to visit.
Seating at the original is mostly at the counter, where you can watch the cooks at work, so it suits solo travellers and pairs better than large groups. Service is fast and prices are low. The original opens Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 22:30 and is closed on Sundays. Expect a wait at lunchtime and early evening; mid-afternoon is quieter. Takeaway orders are possible, and the branches can be quieter when the original is full.
Praça da Batalha is a short walk uphill from São Bento station, and Rua de Santa Catarina begins just beyond it. The Teatro Nacional São João and the Church of Santo Ildefonso, with its tiled façade, are a couple of minutes away, so Gazela makes a good quick stop between sights. Euskalduna Studio is also nearby on Rua de Santo Ildefonso for anyone combining street food at lunch with a tasting menu at dinner.
Cervejaria Gazela FAQs
What is a cachorrinho?
A Porto-style hot dog of spicy fresh sausage and melted cheese in crisp toasted bread, cut into bite-sized pieces.
When did Gazela open?
In 1962.
What are the opening hours?
Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 22:30; closed on Sundays.
Did Anthony Bourdain visit?
Yes, he filmed part of a Parts Unknown episode there in 2017.
Are there other branches?
Yes, on Rua de Entreparedes and Rua de Alexandre Herculano.
Is there seating?
The original has mostly counter seating, so it suits small groups.
What should I drink with it?
A cold draught beer is the traditional pairing.
Where is it?
On Travessa Cimo de Vila, off Praça da Batalha near the Teatro Nacional São João.