The Francesinha in Porto: What It Is and Where We Ate It

By Kimberly Williams | 03/15/2026
Francesinha sandwich cut open showing layers of meat, sausage and melted cheese with gravy at O Afonso restaurant in Porto Portugal

A francesinha (pronounced frahn-seh-ZHEEN-yah, and meaning “little French girl”) is the opposite of a light snack. It is Porto’s over-the-top take on the French croque monsieur: thick bread layered with wet-cured ham, linguiça sausage, steak or roast meat and a blanket of melted cheese, all swimming in a hot, thick sauce made from beer and…

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