Where the souvenir street is
The densest run is the calçada from Senado up towards St. Paul’s, plus the avenue itself; Rua do Cunha in Taipa is the second line. Shops are packed tight with near-identical signage, tasting is the norm, and buying blind usually disappoints.
Order of operations: taste, compare, buy last
Taste on day one and note which shop you liked; buy on the way out on the last day. You avoid carrying it all trip and avoid leaving jerky in a hot rucksack. Before paying, ask about shelf life and whether anything needs refrigeration.
Whether you can take it home
Meat products such as jerky and pork floss face import restrictions in many places, rules differ between air and land arrivals, and they get revised. Check your destination’s current rules yourself rather than relying on a shop assistant. Liquids and bulky packs also run into hand-baggage limits.
Local prices and tourist prices
To see how residents shop, walk Red Market and Three Lamps, where dried goods, snacks and everyday items sit at ground-level prices. Gift shops in resort lobbies are convenient and dear — fine for topping up one or two things, wrong for the whole haul.