The Prince and The Hawker

Porto is a bustling northern Portuguese city that is becoming increasingly popular with tourists. As you meander through the city’s historic buildings and hilly streets, you can really work up an appetite.

One of the city’s popular destinations is the Mercado do Bolhão, a local market dating back to 1839. Visiting the impressive two-storey structure will reveal countless vendors of produce, meat, fish, flowers, and various wares. Along the perimeter of the market are also a few restaurants.

When I visited, I was killing time before meeting a friend for a late lunch. I was feeling a bit peckish so I decided to stop by Bolhão Wine House for a snack. Their stall is near the middle of the lower level of the market. They were one of the many stalls featuring walls and walls of colourful canned sardines, mackeral, and other seafood. As someone who loves seafood, it was too enticing to resist.

Canned sardines have over a century and a half of history in Portugal. Canning sardines became a popular preservation method in the latter half of the 19th century. Production intensified throughout the two world wars. In modern times, canned sardines and other seafood have become a symbol of Portuguese art and delicacy.

Time to Eat

One of the friendly servers behind the counter saw me looking at the myriad cans and asked if I was looking to eat or drink something. He drew my attention to the menu and explained the different tasting combinations they had. Each tasting had a selection of different seafood. Alternatively, you could pick any can (and there were dozens of flavours) and have them prepare it for you. There was also an extensive wine selection.

Since I was meeting a friend for lunch later, I decided to have the smallest of the tastings, which was prepared quickly. Two portions each of sardine, mackerel, and horse mackerel were served on crackers along with any drink you wished to order. The mood was relaxed and fun with various parties stood around the stall nibbling, drinking and chatting.

Even though I chose the smallest selection, there was a good variety of flavours. The sardine, being a staple and of fame in Porto, was fishy in a good way, as expected. The mackeral tasted very fresh with the squeeze of lemon the server put on. Lastly, the horse mackeral tasted a bit more savoury than the others and with a hint of spice.

Final Thoughts

Bolhão Wine House is the perfect pit stop while exploring the Mercado do Bolhão. They have endless varieties of canned seafood in attractive arrays, and different combinations of tastings to satiate any level of appetite.

For me, the smallest tasting menu was perfect since I was heading to a late lunch after. At €6, I felt it was great value given the variety served. I even picked up a few cans as souvenirs for friends back home.