The francesinha is a twentieth-century creation attributed to Daniel David de Silva who, upon returning to Portugal from time spent in France and Belgium, tried to adapt the croque-monsieur to Portuguese tastes. In 1953, he introduced a sandwich with local meats and a custom beer-and-tomato sauce at A Regaleira, a restaurant in Rua do Bonjardim in Porto. The francesinha quickly became a popular dish, and while it remains associated with the city, it can now be found throughout Portugal.

Dec. 6, 2024, 1:49 p.m.