A golden Pudim Abade de Priscos, wobbling with the fat of a hundred egg yolks and a splash of port. A plate of bacalhau à Braga, salted cod fried and buried under a mountain of onions. A glossy, rich pica no chão (or arroz de cabidela), chicken blood rice that would scare off most tourists.
While Portugal’s religious capital might be filled with baroque churches and traditional restaurants, don’t mistake it for dull. Braga’s ever-changing energy is seeing some genuinely cool food and drink projects popping up alongside the old-school tascas that have been doing things the same way for decades.
Here’s my list of the best places I’ve eaten in Braga (plus some extras on my to-eat down below).
Read next…. 48 hours in Braga: best things to do in Portugal’s third city
Tasquinha Dom Ferreira
“It’s closed,” I said to my partner Jorge, pointing to the closed bright red doors of the historic Tasquinha Dom Ferreira. I’d been looking at the short chalkboard menu outside, but behind the lace curtains it appeared dark. “Are you sure?” he replied, pushing one door open to reveal the dimly lit counter of this Minho tavern, open since 1951. We passed through to reach the restaurant, where, between rough stone walls, adorned with antiques and souvenirs, sat about a dozen tables draped with red checkered tablecloths.
We pulled up our wooden stools, snacked on a couple of pataniscas (cod pancakes) and debated the mains. I’d been wanting to try bacalhau à Braga (Braga-style codfish), and I’d heard the duck rice was the house specialty, so despite knowing how generous the servings would be, we went for both with the house red, then sat back to take in the room. Around us, regulars were tucking into giant servings of meat, fish and tripe, plated in old-school terracotta dishes. This is a top spot in Braga to try traditional Portuguese and Minho region food.
💰 Price: €€
🍴 Food: duck rice, cod à Braga, oven-roasted suckling pig ribs, pica no chão (or arroz de cabidela – chicken blood rice), cozido à portuguesa (a Portuguese stew)
📍 Address: Rua de São Vicente 35, Braga
🗓️ Reservations: Call ahead, if you can. Only 30 seats.
O Filho da Mãe
In the heart of Braga, O Filho da Mãe is a cool spot for a date night with a South American twist. Braga local Eurico Silva left a life of art and architecture for the gastronomic world, opening this space (named in honour of his mum) that reflects the flavours of his travels.
The menu is short but exciting, taking influence from places like Peru, Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela and Argentina, with the odd Asian or Spanish touch. We opted for the fun-sounding snacks, rather than bigger main dishes, to maximise what we could try. The two I’d choose to order again and again were the pani puri, stuffed with a mix of white fish, green apple, ginger, red onion, mint and wasabi, and the veal tartare with a quail egg and cassava crisps.
💰 Price: €€-€€€
🍴 Food: South American-inspired – lots of ceviche-like dishes, fun flavours
📍 Address: R. Dom Afonso Henriques 25, Braga
Instagram
🗓️ Reservations: Online, recommended!
Taberna Belga
Taberna Belga has an almost mythical status among the Portuguese. This tavern, set under a residential building on the outskirts of Braga, is best known for its francesinhas. This heart-attack of a sandwich is famously connected to the city of Porto, not Braga, so perhaps curiosity led people here and quality made them return.
The story of Taberna Belga started in 2008, when owner Sérgio Mota wanted to open a brewhouse with a wide range of Belgian and specialty beers. Funnily enough, it’s the signature francesinha sauce that draws a crowd. The sauce recipe is a secret, but it’s different to what you’ll find in Porto – some say it’s the added cream. It’s poured over a sandwich that uses premium ingredients – black pork sausage and entrecôte from Uruguay might make a difference too.
Tip: If you can, book a table for lunch Mon-Thu. On a Saturday, our friend was already in a “this-feels-like-Disneyland” queue at 11.40am (they open at 12noon). We arrived at midday to find a line of maybe 200 customers stretching around the block.
💰 Price: €-€€
🍴 Food: Francesinhas and beer
📍 Address: R. Cónego Luciano Afonso dos Santos 2, Braga
Website
🗓️ Reservations: Only possible at lunch, Mon-Thu, via phone. Otherwise, go early or late! There are two locations now.
Garagem 33
Fire. Quality produce. Good wine. Gathering at the table. Garagem 33 is a traditional Portuguese spot focused on these four things. Owner David Cunha recalls watching his grandmother cooking over fire in a big pot. He started to learn from her, and soon they were inviting people over to the garage every Friday night for a dinner party. Friends wanted to bring friends, and soon the humble project from Vila Verde, about 15km from Braga, grew legs – and stepped beyond the garage.
There’s nothing humble about Garagem 33 now – but the love for good meat, good vinho and good chat remains. Enter through two large doors into an entrance hall with chandeliers where a dry-aging fridge displays local beef carcasses, while other walls are filled with fancy bottles of red. Upstairs in the main dining room, a small army of waiters keeps everyone fed and watered with a smile, while diners sit tucked into comfy chairs beneath wooden rafters. When you book a table (essential), you’ll receive an extensive menu – note that most dishes require pre-ordering to be oven-roasted for the whole day before you arrive.
💰 Price: €€€-€€€€
🍴 Food: wood-oven baked meats, rice dishes, fish etc.
📍 Address: Rua do Moinho 17, Vila Verde
Instagram
🗓️ Reservations: Essential – you will likely order your main dish ahead too.
Smash Club
If you’re a fan of smash burgers or New York-style cookies, this fast-casual spot near the Arco da Porta Nova in downtown Braga is good for a quick meal. The classic smash burgers feature a couple of those thin-pressed beef patties, crushed until the edges have that crispy caramelised crust, topped with cheese and wedged into a soft potato bun. Add a side of regular or sweet potato fries and round it out with a milkshake or cookie.
💰 Price: €
🍴 Food: smash burgers and cookies
📍 Address: R. Dom Diogo de Sousa 23, Braga
Instagram
🗓️ Reservations: Not needed
Bira dos Namorados
Namorados – the hand-embroidered handkerchiefs that a girl would make and gift to her beloved, and he would wear to show off – are one of the cute Minho traditions that inspired the styling of this cute and colourful cafe-restaurant. While the vibe is influenced by the traditions of the Minho region, the Portuguese menu leans more modern with a casual mix of snacks, hamburgers, wraps, salads and poke bowls.
We tried the bolinhas de alheira (sausage croquettes) with mustard and a salmon poke bowl for a healthy hit.
💰 Price: €-€€
🍴 Food: hamburgers, wraps, salads and poke bowls
📍 Address: R. Dom Gonçalo Pereira 58, Braga
Website
🗓️ Reservations: Possible online, but the space is huge, so walk-ins should be easy
Best historic cafés & traditional sweets to try in Braga
Every Portuguese town has traditional sweets linked to convents and monasteries… and as “Portuguese Rome”, Braga had plenty of religious orders who mixed sugar, egg yolks, almonds, lemon, flour and cinnamon into dozens of different treats.
The most famous Braga sweet is Pudim Abade de Priscos, a sweet set flan made with a touch of bacon fat (toucinho) that gives it a heavy richness. It’s dense, lush, and I absolutely love it. The best place to try it would be Doçaria Cruz de Pedra, whose recipe is closest to the original. This bakery was founded in 1922 by confectioner António Xavier Martins and has passed through four generations of the same family. Here, a slice comes with a tiny shot of aguadente, which works surprisingly well!
Other Braga sweets to look out for:
- Tíbias da Braga – similar to an éclair, but the pastry is ridged, making it crispier. Tíbias de Braga is the best spot to try different flavours.
- Viúvas – brought back from extinction
- Moletinhos – little soft buns
- Rebuçados do Senhor – colourful wrapped candies
- Bolo Folhado – tart with large chocolate flakes on top
- Fidalguinhos – long butter biscuits
- Frigideiras de Braga – savoury veal puff pastry pie, sold since 1796 at Frigideiras do Cantinho in Braga.
Traditional bakeries and cafés to visit in Braga:
- Doçaria de S. Vicente – for almost 200 years, this bakery has served local Braga specialties such as moletinhos (sweet buns), sameirinhos (eggy boats) and viúvas (pastry of egg, sugar, cinnamon, almonds).
- Café Vianna – a vintage cafe on the central square, open since 1858. Drop in for a coffee or beer with a side of people watching.
- A Brasileira – a charming historic cafe, open since 1907. You used to have to wear a tie to enter. A good spot to try mazagran (iced coffee with sugar and lemon) in summer and cafe de saco (filter coffee) in winter.
- Queijaria Central – small cafe and pastry shop with traditional grocery items, open since 1952.
- Pastelaria A Favorita – this bakery is all about salgados (savoury pastries). Since 1935, it has produced its croquettes and bolinhos de bacalhau (cod croquettes) in-house.
Cool coffee shops & bakeries in Braga
Braga might be very traditional, when compared to Lisbon and Porto, but it still has a few cool new projects.
- Guria! Coffee Spot – specialty coffee shop with sweets. They run lots of workshops and community events too. A great place to connect!
- Nórdico Coffee Shop • Specialty Coffee • Brunch – the owners of this brunch spot and specialty coffee shop lived in London for five years before returning to Braga.
- Padaria Mãe na Massa – artisanal bakery using organic flours and sourdough starter to create slow-ferment breads.
- Padaria Nørre – artisanal bakery with sourdough breads plus pastries like cinnamon buns and croissants. Go early or order ahead – they’d sold out when I visited!
- Gelataria Pappa’Lab – Italian-style gelato spot. Made with fresh milk and fruits the artisanal way.
- Corriqueijo – I also want to highlight this cheese shop! You can drop in to buy or taste cheese with wine.
More top restaurants, tascas and cafes to try in Braga
I can’t eat everywhere, but it’s on my list. My research goes deep, so here’s where else I’d love to eat on my next trips to Braga…
- Arcoense – a classic Braga institution with more than 30 years of history. The traditional menu uses the best quality produce – including pigs and chickens bred at the family’s farm. Goat baked in the oven over a tray of rice, served with potatoes and grelos (spinach), is a signature dish.
- Inato Bistrô – higher-end modern spot that has earnt a mention in many guides – Michelin Bib Gourmand, Repsol, TimeOut. Choose from a la carte or a degustation menu.
- Tasquinha do Fujacal – a bom e barato (good and cheap) traditional tasca with a solid daily lunch menu.
- Águas de Bacalhau – modern Portuguese spot with a chef who adds his personal touch to Portuguese cuisine and makes a lot of unusual things from scratch.
- Taberna do Lebre – tasca with regional snacks, high quality and good prices. A short drive out of the city.
- Restaurante Tabique – modern tavern with a fresh share-plate menu of Portuguese and international dishes.
- Churrasqueira Cabana do Leão – the “cabin” across from the market with homely, old-school avó (grandmother) cooking. Best for grilled meats.
- Palatial – Michelin-starred restaurant (choose à la carte or from two tasting menus) on the outskirts of town. There are 7 suites, so you can stay the night too.
- Casa Garrafinha (Jeremias) – a traditional Portuguese restaurant with a wine cellar and barrels filled with vinho verde tinto. Founded in 1989 by Lucinda and Jeremias. She does the food – try the bacalhau à Braga (Braga-style cod), pica no chão (chicken and blood rice) or papas de sarrabulho (pork and blood porridge), while he chooses the perfect wines.
- Bem-me-quer – another old-school restaurant, open since 1953, known for its Braga-style cod. The original owner and chef, Joaquina, had to go to some lengths to secure a lease as a woman back then. Try the pudim de Abade Prisco for dessert here.
- Retrokitchen – relaxed spot with comforting homestyle dishes, a daily changing menu and great lunch specials.
- Omakase – hybrid Japanese omakase experience with very good reviews.
- TABERNA SHAKAI – popular spot for Japanese dishes and sushi. There’s a good-value lunch menu.
- Shoyu Noodle Bar – funky, modern Japanese street food and noodle bar. I’m curious about the Asian carbonara…
Read next…
- 48 hours in Braga
- 48 hours in Guimarães
- 48 hours in Porto
- Where to eat in Guimarães
- Where to eat in Viana do Castelo
- 22 most beautiful castles in Portugal
- 16 most beautiful villages and small towns in Portugal
- Where to eat in Coimbra
- Best Festivals & Events in Portugal
- Guide to the best Douro Valley winery tours
- Portugal Road Trip: Where to stop between Lisbon and the Douro Valley
- The Independent Guide to the Douro Valley
