A portrait of Northern Portugal’s cuisine and culture as told through the stories and recipes of the women of Porto’s historic Bolhão Market, who have been selling produce and creating traditional artisan goods for generations.



Discover the culinary heart of Northern Portugal through the stories, food, and history of Bolhão.

Bolhão Market’s century-old walls are crumbling as its vendors and visitors wait for the restoration that will return it to its former glory. Though the deteriorating conditions have forced many vendors to leave, there are fishwives still singing their seductive pregão, bakers still hawking crusty broa baked in wood burning ovens, and butchers still offering up favos de mel for the city’s signature tripe stew. Bolhão still pulses with knowledge earned over generations and the rich culinary heritage of the region.

This book is about those vendors who remain, and their stories are for those who want to know what to do, see, and eat when they visit the North. Porto, nestled between the sea and the esteemed Douro Valley, is the heart of one of Europe’s premier—though often overlooked—food destinations. The people of Bolhão embody the spirit and tradition of this enchanting city. Your next culinary adventure starts here!