Roast veal has been a staple of Fafe cuisine throughout the country since at least the 19th century. There are other dishes, of course, but the most typical and appreciated is, without a doubt, “roast veal in the Fafe style”, in defense and promotion of which a gastronomic brotherhood was created in 2013. In the last quarter of the 20th century, the most popular dish was “roast veal in the Fafe style”. In the 19th century, José Augusto Vieira wrote that “Fafe veal is famous”, noting that in this place “the slaughter of calves is widespread compared to other municipalities, and that they are even exported, due to their fame, to other locations”. The author of “O Minho Pittoresco” praises, more than once, the “delicious veal, which makes Fafe a celebrity among lovers of tender, white meat”.

The city’s best restaurants serve this appetizing delicacy, baked in a wood-fired oven and served in pieces, accompanied by potatoes and washed down with the region’s famous green wine. It is the typical dish at the street markets in May and on Wednesdays. In this context, the “Pensão Zé da Menina” stood out in the last century, on Avenida 5 de Outubro, “queen of roast veal in the Fafe style” and an authentic living legend in the history of Fafe gastronomy, having received several national and international awards.

Illustrious figures from the world of entertainment, culture and politics, passed through the “cathedral of Fafe gastronomy”, tasting the best veal in Fafe, especially at a time when the train stopped right next to the restaurant.