Porto's central market, Mercado do Bolhão, occupies a two-storey iron-and-stone building near the Bolhão metro station that has been feeding the city since 1914. A major restoration returned it to use in 2022 after a long closure — the iron galleries and the open central courtyard were preserved, the stalls were modernised, and the whole thing now operates as both a working food market and a tourist destination.
The ground floor stalls sell fresh fish, vegetables, fruit, cheese, and cured meat. Upstairs are restaurants and speciality food shops. The morning is the best time to visit, when the fish stalls are freshest and the market has its most authentic atmosphere. Porto's famous bacalhau — dried and salted cod — comes in dozens of varieties here, and the vendors will explain the differences.