If there is one thing that you can find with abundance all around Porto, that thing is roast chicken restaurants. Pedro dos Frangos is a reference for those who just love to devour our little feathered friends, a house with history and, more importantly, delicious food.
My father grew up going to this place a lot. He still remembers when it was only a simple small restaurant. Now with another extension just in front of it (Pedro dos Frangos 2), this barbecue joint is a non-stop machine of roasting chicken, serving starving youngsters, family dinners, old folk and what not: it’s a people place, with no time to be fancy about it.
The roast chicken is done “na brasa”, on a skewer and not cut open, which is more usual in this type of cooking. Open since 1951, and always managed by the same family, Pedro dos Frangos is a true icon and greatly responsible for the current popularity of “frango no churrasco” that so many people praise.
If barbecued chicken is not something that you might enjoy, there is a wide choice of “petiscos” and traditional Portuguese dishes, like “cozido à Portuguesa” (Portuguese stew) or “Tripas à moda do Porto” (Tripe done in Porto style), all done with the knowledgeable hands.
Near the City Hall, more central would be practically impossible. Don’t expect a tastefully decorated place, or a gourmet treatment: Pedro dos Frangos is how we like it: good, tasty and genuine.