• Private Experience
• Carbon Neutral

Take a unique recipe of the classic 'Francesinha' home and bring back with you the local flavor of Porto! Join me in my kitchen for a private cooking workshop where I'll share with you my family's francesinha recipe. Eat what you created and let's share a nice time together!

Destination

Porto, Portugal

Category

Cooking Classes

Duration

3 hours

Cuisine

Portuguese

Available languages

English, Português, Français, Español

Included

• Meals
• wellcome Porto wine
• coffe or tea
• dessert

What you can expect

This is the plan

Check out the plan below to see what you'll get up to with your local host. Feel free to personalize this offer with Helena.

1. Meeting point

   Meet at approximately Praceta Engenheiro José Adriano Moreira dos Santos, Maia to start your culinary journey.

   View on Maps

2. Example menu

   This is what our dinner could look like, but it’s not set in stone! Once you book, you can chat directly with your host to make small tweaks to suit your preferences.

3. Small bites

   Local snacks & Porto wine

4. First course

   Cook and enjoy the typical Francesinha

5. Second course

   Tasty local dessert

6. Make it yours

   Want to tweak the menu? Book directly & chat afterwards with your host to adjust highlights, skip stops, or make small changes to fit your preferences.

   Book risk-free: Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund.

   Need something special? Personalize your experience for more time, alternative locations or a completely tailored plan.

I can personalize this tour for you

• Tell me your preferred date and group size
• Tell me your preferences and wishes so I can customize the tour for you
• Wait for my personal offer in your inbox!

Contact me

Flexible cancellation policy

• Feel confident booking

  Cancel within 24 hours for a full refund. Even up to 7 days before your experience, you’ll receive a refund, minus the service fee.

• Change of plans?

  Reschedule your experience to a date and time that works best for you.

• Loved by travelers worldwide

  Simple and flexible – your plans, your way.

Reviews from guests

Joanne🇺🇸 United States

17 December 2024

Helena was wonderful. She was very accommodating to our food preferences. She is a warm and welcoming person and was very easy to communicate with to set up the class. It was lovely to experience the cooking class in a local home. It is an experience you will enjoy while you are there and remember for a long time after. Wonderful Experience

Oana🇺🇸 United States

3 July 2023

We truly enjoyed our evening with Helena. First of all we would like to thank her for being so flexible. We had to change the date and time plus we don't eat meat!! We cooked together a very delicious rice with seafood. Helena shared with us some of her cooking secrets plus we enjoyed different appetizers, wines, deserts, fruits. We have no idea how the time flew so fast! Highly recommend her!Great cooking class and dinner with Helena

Dave🇫🇷 France

28 April 2023

We had an excellent time with Helena. She is an extremely warm and gracious host. She showed us all the steps and let us help out too. Being welcomed into someone’s home was a great experience. Highly recommend an evening with Helena!Wonderful time

Niek🇳🇱 Netherlands

12 April 2022

We hebben een hele leuke en gezellige middag gehad bij Helena thuis; we hebben heerlijk gekookt en zijn ook heel veel te weten gekomen over Portugal en de stad Porto! En uiteraard port geproefd :) Super leuk!Een hele toffe en leuke middag gehad!

isa🇳🇱 Netherlands

5 January 2022

We had a very pleasant evening with Helena. Everything was top notch and our wishes were taken into account. The contact in advance was also very good and pleasant. Helena is a very nice hostess and we definitely recommend a visit with her!Wonderful

Kelly🇺🇸 United States

14 September 2021

Helena is a good teacher! Very kind and charming lady. We made seafood rice that was delicious. The evening felt as though you lived in her home, complete with family members joining you for dinner and her dog, Xingu, is awesome. :)Cooking Class with Helena

Louis-David🇨🇦 Canada

17 July 2019

Helena nous a reçu chez elle avec beaucoup de gentillesse. Nous avons appris à faire un plat typique dans la simplicité et le partage. Une belle expérience et une hôte très généreuse! Merci Très belle expérience

Celine

6 July 2019

I loved to learn how to make the famous Francesinha! Helena welcomed us in her home as if we had been friends since childhood, so we spent a truly lovely evening, drinking some amazing wine and eating great portuguese apetizers. Highly recommend if ever in Porto!Friend in Porto

Clara

5 July 2019

What an amazing experience! Right as we arrived to Helena house, she received us with lots of amazing apeteziers and delicious Portuguese wine. As we started preparing the ingredients for the francesinha, Helena offered us more and more snacks and wine and everything was absolutely delicious. I loved that we got to get our "hands dirty" and cook the dish ourselves. It is a super known dish that you can find in a lot of restaurants in Porto so knowing how to make it, made me feel very special and a true portuense. Would totally recommend it to pass by Helena's place if you are ever in Porto because she is truly an amazing host and a lovely person :) One of the best experiences ever!

Deniz

4 July 2019

The francesinha is undoubtly the most known dish in Porto (you can find it in most restaurants downtown) and leaving the city knowing that we can make our own, makes me feel as if I was a try Portuense! Helena is such an inspiring, independent woman and a nice host!Francesinha cooking class

Maria

3 July 2019

What a fantastic night! We cooked, drank some exceptional wine, talked for hours and, of course, had the delicious francesinha! We were very happy to have chosen Helena’s cooking class for our last night in Porto. It was the best night of our vacation and an incredible way to say goodbye to this awesome city. Thank you so much, Helena!Thank you Helena!

Maxine

2 July 2019

Once we got to her home, she welcomed us with amazing apetizers and wine, while she told us all about the city she’s so clearly so passionate about! After Helena taught us all about the francesinha, how to prepare all the ingredients and assemble it, we had a lovely meal that truly felt like home. What a wonderful trip thanks to our host! Home away from home

Marion 🇩🇪 Germany

28 March 2019

Wir hatten einen schönen und geselligen Abend zuhause bei Helena. Die Franceshina sind gut gelungen und haben sehr lecker geschmeckt. Vielen Dank Helena, du bist eine tolle Gastgeberin, wir haben uns sehr wohl bei dir gefühlt :-)Classic Francesinha Cooking Class with Secret Recipe

Nadine 🇺🇸 United States

27 March 2019

Helena welcomed me and my family into her home for a delightful evening. She is a warm and friendly woman who puts you at ease as soon as you come into her home. The famous Franchesinha sandwich/dinner was a true gastronomic feast of meats , sausage and cheese. I would recommend an evening with Helena!Warm and welcoming!

John🇺🇸 United States

1 January 2019

We just left the above booking without being able to eat. It was a private cooking demonstration and dinner with the host. Her idea of kitchen and personal hygiene leaves much to be desired. It was downright disturbing. Our host was eating olives and licking off her fingers in her mouth and then continuing to cook. She never washed her hands from the very beginning, repeatedly touched her mouth, was scratching her hair through out talking, and scratched her stomach under her shirt while handling food. Her utensils and pans were filthy. She scraped stuff off the pan and then put in sausages. The final straw was when she pulled out her sandwich press and it was crusted with old burnt cheese. We had to point it out to her that it was dirty and she grabbed a dirty dish rag and started scrubbing it. We simply could not eat there. Her kitchen wasn’t even clean nor was the house. Her sister was in the other room watching television who was apparently going to join us for dinner. I would like a full refund of the down payment I made. This woman should not be doing cooking classes in her home. John TurnbullAvoid unless you love germs

Richard

13 November 2018

Lovely evening unlocking the secret of a great Francesinha. Thanks also for your kind support when Uber let us down. Hope to see you if you make it to BrightonA taste of Porto

Angel🇬🇧 United Kingdom

23 October 2018

Helena was such a wonderful host. Both me and my husband had a great night in her wonderful kitchen. He was jolly pleased to finally learn the secret about the sauce of Francesinha! finally learn how to cook Francesinha

Melanie🇺🇸 United States

11 October 2018

Our evening with Helena was awesome. We had a wonderful meal, great wine and learned allot. She is a lovely hostess and fun to be with. Anyone who enjoys cooking will appreciate this experience! MelanieArroz de Marisco

Gail🇨🇦 Canada

10 October 2018

Helena is a lovely lady that welcomed us to her home & prepared Portugal’s classic Francesinha‼️ We thoroughly enjoyed the evening & of course the meal Warmest regards Guy & Gail Canada 🇨🇦🇨🇦🇨🇦Enjoyable

Nina🇺🇸 United States

5 October 2018

We began cooking our seafood Marisca and the power went out in the entire neighborhood ! We lit candles and used our cell phone lights and made a most delicious dish! Only at dessert, Helena’s homemade jams and fresh cheese, did the power come back on! We are US Southern Belles and extremely resourceful! Helena is a great cook and we were honored to be guests in her home!Lovely evening !

Melanie

4 October 2018

A most wondweful experience! Helena is awesome! We made the most wondderful homemade dish! Helena is an amazing host, we had a great experience in her kitchen!Classic Francesinha Cooking Class with Secret Recipe

Suzanna🇭🇺 Hungary

27 July 2018

We had a great time and delicious eats with Helena! We felt at home and like part of her family. It was very interesting to see her neighborhood and not just the touristy areas of Porto and she lives just a short bus ride from the City Hall. The meal was delicious and we learned some great tricks to make the perfect francesinha and the perfect sauce for it! Her home made jams with fresh cheese for dessert were the best! We highly recommend her!Helena’s Francesinha

Patricia🇪🇸 Spain

26 July 2018

A wonderful evening with Helena in her kitchen making Francesinha. Enjoyed getting my "hands dirty" and making the dish myself. Helena was personable and answered many questions about Portugal and her life. I recommend taking her cooking class!Classic Francesinha Cooking Class with Secret Recipe

Marie-Andrée🇨🇦 Canada

10 July 2018

Nous avons eu la chance avec nos enfants de cuisiner un repas typique de Porto avec Helena. Helena est une personne vraiment accueillante et qui sait nous mettre à l’aise. Elle a été très compréhensive avec nos enfants en « jet-lag » et nous a fait sentir comme des membres de sa famille. Nos échanges nous ont permis de mieux connaître la culture portugaise et nous garderons un excellent souvenir de cette soirée. Obridaga!Une magnifique soirée en bonne compagnie

Sylvana🇨🇭 Switzerland

27 May 2018

Wir haben das erste mal über withlocals etwas gebucht. Helena war hat uns überzeugt dies mehr zu machen! Sie war sehr freundlich und hat sich wirklich Zeit genommen um uns die Portugisische Kultur etwas näher zu bringen. Das Esser war toll & auch die Weinauswahl die sie getroffen hat! Ich kann Helena nur weiter empfehlen und wünsche Ihr alles Gute! Tolle Erfahrung!

Robert 🇺🇸 United States

12 February 2025

I always say "food is the best way to a countries heart" this tour was nothing but the best, Helena was super friendly, energetic and motherly.(I will explained what I mean about this) The tour began learning some history of Portugal and walking on one of the street known for its shopping amount locals. We visited our 1st stop where we got to try a robust flavor of tuna and sardine from a tin. And yes I can see most asking ew from a tin. But this were no ordinary tuna and sardines. They are soaked in olive oil and other herbs. Truly amazing taste, with a side of white wine. HELENA asked if we ate sardines before and if we were ok with the bones. My wife was wiery about it but Helena even offered to debone them for us cause she use to do thay for her kids (motherly) We got to explore tomorrow of the city and made our way to try PORTUGALS cheese at the Bolhao market. To then try some pastel de nata and finally the cachorrinhos. Super delicious!!! I would definitely recommend this tour with Helena !! Best way to begin exploring Porto

mss🇺🇸 United States

26 January 2025

Helena did a food tour with my wife and me showing us the highlights of different foods in Porto. She did a great job of describing the area as well as showcasing different foods. Having a private tour is great and Helena does a wonderful job. She is well known among the different food stores and vendors! Overall great tastings. Great food tour

Isabelle

29 December 2024

Quelle belle façon que de découvrir Porto avec Helena! Nous étions un groupe de 8 incluant des adolescents et tout le monde a adoré! Helena nous a fait découvrir les spécialités de la région tant culturellement que culinairement! Je la recommmande fortement!Un incontournable

Bryan

18 December 2024

Helena did an amazing job and we had a delightful experience. Even our daughters who are picky eaters said that this tour was one of the best we had on our trip. She communicated very well before the trip to make sure she could tailor the tour to the dietary needs of our group. She has tons of ideas and options and can make sure everyone is taken care of. Would highly recommend and will share with friends who are coming over. Helena is awesome

Sandy🇺🇸 United States

29 November 2024

There were two of us on this taste of Porto food tour. Helena was so informative and pleasant. We felt as if we spent the afternoon with a longtime friend. She provided us insights not only of the food culture but also of the history as well as traditions of the Portuguese people. Truly enjoyable experience and I will look her up if I return to this beautiful country. Excellent food tour with Helena

Jon🇺🇸 United States

25 November 2024

We had wonderful Sunday tour. The market was closed on Sunday, but Helena took us to a number of small cafes and shops. The tour was very informative and we enjoyed very pleasant conversations about Porto, the history, food , and our families. It was well worth the price.Wonderful Sunday Tour

Raul🇺🇸 United States

6 November 2024

This is NOT a review of a tour with Helena but an opinion of Helena as a person. On the morning of our scheduled tour I had a medical emergency that required an ambulance ride to a local hospital. Helena could have walked out right there since the tour wasn't going to take place. Yet she didn't do that. She took the time to contact my son back home in NY and told him what had happened and what hospital I was being taken to. She was there when the ambulance took me away and later spoke with my son inquiring about my health status. She made a stressful situation less so and for that I'm so grateful and so is my family. Thanks Helena!!!AWESOME PERSON HAS TO BE A GREAT GUIDE.

Michel

31 October 2024

Rencontre agréable, Déroulement de la visite très intéressante et utile Très bonne connaissance des points d'intérêts.Visite à Porto

MARTIN🇺🇸 United States

28 October 2024

Helena was a perfect guide for us! She was relaxed, very comfortable to be with, and gave us an excellent tour. She easily answered all of our questions, and made us feel quite at home during our tour. She is definitely a foodie, and we had some wonderful snacks along the way that we might not otherwise have had. we were very happy with the time that we spend with her, and we would definitely use her again to return to Porto. Thank you HelenaBest Guide

Miet

23 October 2024

Helena was a great tour guide. It was a very pleasant contact both in advance and during the tour. We traveled with 16 entrepreneurs and despite the large group, the tour still felt very personal. Helana waited for us in the hotel lobby and customized the tour according to the interests of the participants. We visited unique places, tasted delicious specialties and learned about the local culture, in short: a great experience!Really fun group trip!

Maureen🇺🇸 United States

17 October 2024

We thoroughly entire our walking tour with Helena. She was so friendly and fun and knew her stuff. We had 2 people with 3 different allergies and Helena was able to adjust our tour to accommodate their needs. She is a wonderful person. We you can’t go wrong spending 3 hours with her. We wish we could have spent more with her. Helena is the BEST!

dennrik🇺🇸 United States

8 October 2024

Helena did a fantastic job curating the foods and drinks that Porto has to offer. From the Pastel, Bolinho, tinned Sardines, the pace and locations were very well thought out. Helena added personal touches to the history of Porto and provided context to important events in Porto and Portugal. The walk around the city was leisurely and the food plenty. Helena is a superb guide. Everyone should book time with her. To not do this experience would be a big loss on your trip.Best tasting tour Porto with a Local!

Sarah

4 October 2024

We are both vegetarian and Helena tailored the tour to us. We tried some great delicacies and learnt a lot about Porto HIghly recommend.We found out that Helena taught cooking and we would definitely come back and try that.Helena made this walking tour very memorable

Sirri

21 September 2024

We loved our food tour with Helena. She is a really warm, special person who felt a bit like family by the end of the tour. She very much wanted to tailor the tour to our tastes and interests. We enjoyed all of our stops but especially our stop at Mercado do Bolhão where we tried various cheeses and beverages, discussed Portuguese cuisine, and my teenage son even stopped to play the piano there. Helena’s knowledge of food, Porto, and the history of Portugal was extensive. We learned so much! We enjoyed every food and beverage we tried. She did a wonderful job of including our (football/soccer-loving) teenage sons, and even ended our tour at a place that not only had wonderful food, but that was also a living shrine to FC Porto. We cannot recommend Helena more highly! Really wonderful walking food tour

Mark🇺🇸 United States

27 August 2024

If you are looking for a real local experice, look no furthrr as Helana is wonderful. We has a fantastic afternoon with Helena, as all 8 of us strolled the streets of Porto with Helena, stopping at various local shops to taste some the local nuts, fruits, fish, cheese, spreads, pastries, hams and bread. Helena catered to our every need, including the picky eaters, providing stories and information as we made our way through the streets.and side streets on our simply walk. We had our 8 month old grandson along in his stroller and I was on crutches, so a simple walk was really a simple walk. Helena took her time ro get to know each of us individually as we walked and talked, sharing information about out families and our lives, making sure that each of us were.enjoying ourselves and learning what we liked and didn't like about the food we were trying. Out grandson, also tried everything including the caned sardines, which he loved. Don't miss out on this simple fun food tour, with the amazing and.womderful Helena. You will enjoy the food and.make a new friend! Local food, with a new family friemd!

Jenny🇦🇺 Australia

16 August 2024

Amazing opportunity to sample the culinary delights of Porto interwoven with interesting historical insights into the origin of the various foods. We can highly recommend Helena.Passionate local foodie

Brent🇺🇸 United States

2 August 2024

We were super apprehensive about having dinner with a stranger…in their home….as I think most ‘normal’ people would be. It was such an enjoyable experience and I feel like we made a friend in the process! The meal was amazing (I am also a chef in the US) and it was pleasant to have local cuisine in a relaxed atmosphere. Our 10 year old daughter is still speaking about the food and the experience!Amazing Dinner!

Wouter🇳🇱 Netherlands

24 July 2024

Vol passie nam je ons mee in het warme (zelfs voor jullie Portugezen was het extreem vertelde je) Porto. We hebben genoten uiteraard van het eten en drinken, maar zeker ook van de verhalen die erbij horen. Verhaal achter het eten in Porto

Margaret🇺🇸 United States

23 July 2024

My husband had a fly fishing trip planned with a local guide a bit north so I had the opportunity to spend a day in Porto solo. I booked Helena for a Tastes of Porto walking tour but got so much more! Helena was happy to accommodate my love of shopping with food, the shopping of course, and some history of Portugal. I had a truly wonderful day and highly recommend booking Helena for your experience. She was very warm, friendly and so knowledgeable. Lovely Day!

Xenia

22 July 2024

Wir hatten das große Vergnügen, Helena als unsere Tourguide für eine Foodtour in Porto zu haben und können sie uneingeschränkt weiterempfehlen! Helena war nicht nur extrem kenntnisreich und leidenschaftlich über die kulinarischen Schätze Portos, sondern auch unglaublich herzlich und engagiert. Während der Tour führte uns Helena zu einer beeindruckenden Auswahl an lokalen Restaurants und Cafés, wo wir einige der besten regionalen Gerichte und Getränke probieren konnten. Jeder Stopp war sorgfältig ausgewählt und bot eine wunderbare Mischung, die uns das echte Porto näherbrachte. Besonders beeindruckend war Helenas Fähigkeit, uns mit zusätzlichen Empfehlungen und Insidertipps zu versorgen. Ob es um weitere Restaurants, kulturelle Sehenswürdigkeiten oder versteckte Juwelen der Stadt ging – Helena hatte stets großartige Vorschläge parat, die unseren Aufenthalt in Porto bereicherten. Vielen Dank, Helena!Perfekter Start in Porto!

Jeffrey🇺🇸 United States

17 July 2024

Helena is a tour guide and chef. She’s a local to Porto and knows her stuff. She took us to some fun and tasty locations to try the delicious foods of Porto. The pacing of the tour was perfect and each of the foods we tried were great. This was the perfect way to start our time exploring this city. Excellent food tour!

b9ycfbp2pm🇺🇸 United States

10 July 2024

If you are in search of a truly authentic, local dining experience just outside the center of Porto, book a home dinner experience with Helena. Helena was simply delightful and a pleasure to meet. We were a group of four, two of whom had a variety of dietary restrictions including gluten allergy and lactose intolerance. Helena went out of her way to provide gluten-free options such as gluten-free bread and chorizo, and altered the recipe of her fantastic crème brûlée to ensure it was lactose free. We enjoyed a variety of port wines. Her appetizers included two cheeses, olives and bread and traditional Portuguese comfort food for dinner. Helena was born and raised in Porto and offers a genuine local experience. Authentic Local Dining

tham🇬🇧 United Kingdom

9 July 2024

With Helena, the three of us (my wife and my 3 years old son) felt like we met a friend in Porto. She was friendly, superb with my son. We requested a customised programme as to cater to a toddler with toddler and it was fantastic. My son was so sad as he bade farewell to her. This was our first time withlocals, and I believe, in Porto, you can never go wrong with engaging a local guide. As represented by Helena, and multiple generous and kind people we met along the way. Friend in Porto

Brian🇺🇸 United States

9 July 2024

We had the nicest evening with our very welcoming hostess Helena. We started with engaging conversation over a variety of appetizers including cheese, olives, breads, and ham.. along with a very nice white port! Dinner focused on the best arroz de marisco either of us had ever had.. accompanied by a nice Vinho Verde! A very unique experience.. highly recommended!. Wonderful evening with Helena!

Ruth🇺🇸 United States

30 June 2024

Love the experience. Helena was a great host and food was delish. Great dining experience