Maria Sardinha is a modern concept of a grocery store that sells the good old products of Portugal. In this shop you can find cheeses, traditional sausages, biscuits, jams, wines and many other delicacies from Portuguese producers. Beside those, you can also find original handicraft objects that make the perfect souvenir to take home.
This 100% Portuguese grocery has become a dream come true for local designers Rosário Rocha and Sara Alves and they made a clear bet on the greatness of the products from the North of Portugal. They believed in the quality of the traditional and managed to put up a store that reports to ancient times with a twist of modernity.
The name “Maria Sardinha” is itself a kind of curtsy to old habits that complete the Portuguese tradition. “Maria” (Mary) is a very common name in the country and “Sardinha” (Sardine) is a tribute to the fish that marks the most traditional festivities dedicated to the Popular Saints.
Right in Porto city heart Maria Sardinha offers a range of brands that are known just by a few old ones, like the Paupério cookies, the handmade beer Sovina, the jams from Casa de Juste or the artisanal chocolate from Mestre Cacau. Along these real historic items, there’s also some of the most appreciated serra cheese, olive oil, small bottles of Port Wine, Moscatel and Licor Beirão, a local blended liquor particularly appreciated in Portugal.
Maria Sardinha grocery store, Porto
In the handicraft section you will find the Barcelos Roosters (probably the most known icon of Portuguese craftwork), photos of the ancient Porto, embroidery and laces, and even handmade baskets. Or, dare yourself, and enjoy your senses through some other fantastic stuff, like the donkey milk soaps, whose sells helps to preserve the “donkey mirandês” (specie from the Miranda do Douro region that is in danger of extinction).
Maria Sardinha also has a cake design service. The grocery store opens Mondays to Thursdays and Saturdays from 11am to 7 pm. On Fridays it only opens from 11 am to 12 am.