If there’s one thing Porto never lacks, it’s quality food and excellent drinks to go with it. But the culinary repertoire of Porto and the surrounding region is far from being limited to just the classic francesinha. In the world of sweets and pastries, there are plenty of reasons to be proud—and to gain a few extra kilos as well—such as the Croissant à Moda do Porto.
For the second consecutive year, this delicacy was the focus of a special contest to crown the best of the best in the Porto Metropolitan Area. After a preliminary round and a blind tasting among ten finalists, the title of grand winner went to Nougat Pâtisserie, in Paços de Ferreira, which had placed second in 2025.
The results, recently announced at a final held in Maia, also highlighted Crescente Padaria Artesanal, from Santa Maria da Feira, and Maison do Couto, in Vila Nova de Gaia, which took second and third place, respectively.
An Alternative to Industrial Production
Founded in 2017 by Pastry Chef Daniel Leal and visual artist and cake designer Juliana Couto, Nougat Pâtisserie presents itself as an alternative to industrial production. And this may well be one of the “secret” ingredients of its success. After all, here, the focus is on artisanal processes and the use of carefully selected ingredients.
A “Croissant à Moda do Porto”
The “Croissant à Moda do Porto” has special characteristics. What does that mean? In practice, and unlike other similar products made in Portugal, this delicacy from the Porto Metropolitan Area stands out for its use of brioche dough, which gives it a softer texture and a delicious flavor.
However, the details don’t end there. To top it all off, the Croissant à Moda do Porto can be finished with a glossy sugar glaze and , at times, flavored with Port wine. All of this results in a product that’s unique nationwide.
The ten finalists of 2026
Given its ingredients and special preparation, not everyone can aspire to enter this contest. In fact, the 2nd edition of “The Best Porto-Style Croissant” has prerequisites that must be met by those wishing to participate, namely:
- Belonging to the Porto Metropolitan Area
- Made in-house
- And the exclusive use of butter in the dough
Once these conditions are met, establishments can submit their entries, followed by a qualifying round and the grand finale, where ten establishments were selected (listed here in random order):
- Allegro Confeitarias (Porto)
- Bolos do Folheta (Póvoa de Varzim)
- Confeitaria Nova Real (Porto)
- Crescente Artisan Bakery (Santa Maria da Feira)
- Doce Alto (various locations in Porto, Ermesinde, and Vila Nova de Gaia)
- Doce Mar by Nova Real (Porto)
- Fariña (Matosinhos)
- Maison do Couto (Vila Nova de Gaia)
- Nougat Pâtisserie (Paços de Ferreira)
- O Pasteleiro (Vila do Conde).
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