Top Portuguese Food: What And Where To Taste Them

The culinary secret to great Portuguese food is to bring out top flavors by using fresh local produce. Just a handful of ingredients is enough to bring out the powerful flavors and make the traditional Portuguese dishes shine. From salty to sweet, from pungent to bold flavors, this country has it all. If you’re visiting Portugal and wondering what food to eat, here’s a complete guide to the must try Portuguese dishes and where to find them.

10 Amazing Savory And Sweet Portuguese Food To Try

Portuguese use a lot of dry fish, seafood, pork, herbs and olive oil in their food. Some of the iconic dishes are made using these simple ingredients. Let’s take a look at some of the must-try dishes.

1. Bacalhau à Brás – A National Obsession

Bacalhau is one of the most comforting and popular Portuguese foods that has been in use since the 15^th century. It is basically codfish that is salted and dried in order to preserve them for many days. This national obsession is used in more than 1000 recipes, with Bacalhau à Brás being the most famous of them all. Bacalhau à Brás is a savory dish made with shredded codfish, onions, potatoes, eggs and olives. Its intense salty flavor is very addictive, you just cannot stop with one bite.

Best Places To Try: 

O Rei do Bacalhau – Lisbon

Cantina 32 – Porto

A Casa do Bacalhau – Lisbon

2. Sardinhas Assadas – Staple Food

Sardinhas Assadas is a traditional and beloved Portuguese food dishes made by grilling sardines over an open flame. Locals just love the taste of sardines while the summer months have the smell of freshly grilled sardines filling the air. This simple yet delicious dish has been a staple of the locals for centuries. Fresh sardines are grilled over charcoal and served with slices of rustic bread, olives, tomatoes and boiled potatoes. Almost every restaurant serves this popular food as it is a staple among many.

Best Places To Try: 

Casa da Sardinha – Lisbon

Adega São Pedro – Cascais

O Ténis – Portimão

3. Bifana – Traditional Pork Sandwich

The bifana is a popular sandwich that is packed with authentic flavors. The simple yet flavorful ingredients like white wine, garlic, and paprika concoction makes it absolutely irresistible. All of this is rubbed into tender slices of pork and fried in a lardy sauce. When done it is placed between your choice of bread and served with mustard or piri-piri sauce. This traditional Portuguese food is a favorite among both locals and travelers. 

Best Places To Try: 

O Trevo – Lisbon

Conga – Porto

Casa das Bifanas – Lisbon

4. Caldo Verde – Comfort Food

Caldo Verde is a simple yet delicious soup made of kale, potatoes, onions, garlic, olive oil and smoked sausages. This green soup which is packed with nutrition’s is mostly prepared during the colder months, festivals and family gatherings. There are particular ways to chop kale, so that the faint smoky flavor is absorbed well by the greens. Though this comfort food is made mostly at home, it has also taken a place on restaurant menus all over the country. The texture, earthy taste and freshness makes Caldo Verde one of the much-loved local dishes.

Best Places To Try: 

Zé dos Cornos – Lisbon

Os Pipos – Porto

Casa da Horta – Porto

5. Arroz de Marisco – Seafood Bounty

Arroz De Mariscos or seafood rice is a dish where rice is cooked with a variety of seafood like lobster, clams, mussels and shrimps in a tomato/garlic based sauce. This dish is loaded with varied ocean goodness from the Atlantic. The hearty bowl filled with the freshest seafood is one of the extremely popular dishes not just at homes but in many restaurants too. Arroz De Mariscos is Portugal’s answer to Spain’s paella. 

Best Places To Try: 

Marisqueira Rui – Silves

Mar à Vista – Ericeira

Taberna dos Mercadores – Porto

6. Polvo à Lagareiro – Grilled Octopus Dish

It’s hard to find that perfectly cooked octopus anywhere else in the world like the way the Portuguese cook it. Polvo a lagareiro is one of Portuguese favorite foods made by grilling octopus and serving alongside slow-baked potatoes, garlic and olive oil. This dish is believed to have originated in the central Portuguese region where octopus is the most favorite seafood ingredient. The secret behind such soft meat is to deep freeze the octopus before cooking them.

Best Places To Try: 

Cervejaria Ramiro – Lisbon

Santo Andre – Alfama

Restaurante Noélia – Algarve

7. Francesinha – Heart-Stopping Sandwich

This “Little Frenchie,” a must-try local delicacy, is the pride of Porto. Francesinha is a Portuguese sandwich made with ham, pork sausage, and steak or roast beef. All of the above is stuffed in between two beads. It’s then covered with melted cheese and placed on a thick tomato and beer sauce. This decadent sandwich is generally served with a generous helping of French fries. Make sure to come on an empty stomach as there is a lot going into making this mouthwatering sandwich.

Best Places To Try: 

Café Santiago – Porto

Cervejaria Brasão – Porto

Lado B – Porto

8. Alheira de Mirandela – Mixed Meat Boil

This unique Portuguese sausage was invented in the late 15th century by the Portuguese Jews. Ingredients that go into making these smoked sausages are meat (chicken, duck, pork, veal) and bread for texture. However the Jews avoided pork in their sausages as it is a forbidden food for them. The final mix is smoked over oak wood the traditional way. Finally it is served with a fried egg on top and some veggies and French fries. Apart from restaurants, good quality Alheira de Mirandela can be purchased from the supermarkets too.

Best Places To Try: 

Carvalho Restaurante – Mirandela

Restaurante o Gres – Mirandela

Flor do Duque – Lisbon

9. Pastéis de Nata – Iconic Custard Tart

Any Portuguese food list is incomplete without the inclusion of this mouth-watering Portuguese custard tart called Pastéis de nata. The history of this sweet dish dates back to the 18th century, a time when monks and nuns used the white of eggs to starch their clothes. The leftover yolks were used to make the iconic custard tarts. The sprinkle of cinnamon or powdered sugar on the caramelized tarts before serving is what makes them so yummy.

Best Places To Try: 

Pastéis de Belém – Lisbon 

Manteigaria – Porto

Fábrica da Nata – Lisbon

10. Port Wine – Famed Wine

Grapes grown in the Douro Valley in northern Portugal are used to make this rich and sweet wine. From red wine to white wine, from rose wine to aged wine, there are several types of Port wine to please your pallet. Going on a port wine tasting tour will take you through blending, bottling, and exporting of these wines. You also get to taste two wines at the end of the tour.

Best Places To Try: 

Vila Nova de Gaia – Porto

Sandeman – Portugal

Graham’s Port Winery – Douro Valley

Also Read: 12 Enchanting Places To Visit In Portugal

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