“Conga” Was started in 1976 and has always been in the same family. Sr. Manuel Oliveira spent 30 years in Angola (ex-Portuguese colony) and he brought back the “piri piri” chilli and created the recipe of the “bifana” sauce here in Portugal. The chilli used to be imported but now they are grown here. His son “Sergio Oliveira” now runs the place; he has reinvested in expanding “Conga” and has doubled the space as well as employees, while still trying to maintain his father’s original concept alive and as authentic as possible.
“Conga” were the pioneers of the “bifana” because it used to be just one pork steak in a bread, but conga cut up this steak into little pieces and stewed it for several hours in a spicy “piri piri” sauce and served it in a fresh bread with plenty of sauce. The reason this place became so famous in the 70’s was because in the olden days before the independence from fascism, the kitchen used to be hidden in the back of the establishment where no one could see it, conga was the first place to cook their food at its window front for everyone to see, it became so popular that in the first day it opened they sold all the stock of meat they had in 2-3 hours and the next day was the same; there were so many people that a policeman was stationed outside the door because people would get into fights because the queue was so big.
The specialities include the “bifana” slow stewed pork meat sandwich and the “codorniz” a slow stewed Quail both are slightly spicy with the special “piri piri” recipe, they both cost €2.00. I would suggest you order a “bifana” and a Quail with a large beer and a side of fries, be ready to eat with your hands and get them pretty dirty, for me the tastiest food is when your hands get dirty. “Conga” deserves credit for being the first place in Porto to alter the traditional “bifana” and give the people what they wanted; now many places in the city try to copy their way of making it. Be prepared to sweat, get your hands dirty and taste one of the best sandwiches of Porto.
Address: Rua do Bonjardim, 314 – 318, 4440-452 Porto – Portugal
Tel.: 220 420 444, 969 637 441
Email: info@conga.pt
Opening Times: Sunday: 11:30-24:00, Monday – Tuesday : 09:00-24:00, Wenesday – Saturday: 9:00 – 2:00.
Location: Gmaps