What to eat in Portugal? Great question. Food is such an important part of travel for us. Long luxurious meals help us soak in culture and relax after a long day of touristing. Asking what Portuguese foods you should try is just as important a question as asking what sights you’ll see. We went with a list of foods to eat in Portugal and we tried them all. Keep reading for all of the must-try foods in Portugal, plus suggestions for the best places to try them.
Bachalau
Bachalau, or salted cod fish, is the most popular food in Portugal. It is on virtually every menu in Portugal. And it’s no surprise seeing as how Portugal has miles of coastline and fishing has been a way of life for generations. However, bachalau was developed to preserve the fish for long voyages after fishing in northern waters. So bachalau, the most popular Portuguese ingredient, is actually an import.
Today, you’ll find bachalau on the menu several ways. However, the most popular dishes are bacalhau à brás and bolinhos de bacalhau. Bacalhau à brás (pictured above on left) is a potato and fish dish that often includes olives (especially in the north) and scrambled eggs. Bolinhos de bacalhau is a fried fish patty typically served as an appetizer.
Where to try it: Literally anywhere. I was not a big fan of bachalau so I wouldn’t go out of my way to find the “best”. However, I liked it better in the north with the extra salty olives added into the casserole like dishes.
Sardines
Sardines strangely make the list of what to eat in Portugal. You may be thinking of canned tiny sardines, and we talk about those next. However, we’re talking about fresh sardines. This fish are typically grilled whole, aka sardinhas assadas, and served in small portions as a starter. They often have a lot of salt or a light batter on them as well. You eat the whole fish, bones, scales, and fins included (though I do like to take out the spines and not eat those). If you’ve ever had a smelt fry in the midwest, these fish are similar.
Where to try it: We were not a fan of these. We had them once in Lisbon and were not inclined to try more. If you have any recommendations, please leave them in the comments below.
Conservas
Additionally, you can get canned sardines everywhere. Lots of lunch spots will sell bread and canned sardines. These make a great mid-day snack. In addition to canned sardines, you can find canned octopus, muscles and additional seafood canned in oils and seasonings.
Where to try it: It’s super touristy but we loved a visit to the Fantastic World of Portuguese Sardines. Here you can buy tinned sardines in many flavors and pair it with some bread from a local bakery. This makes a great snack or lunch. Additionally, Miss Can, in Lisbon helps you make a meal out of canned seafood, serving it with wine and bread.
Octopus
With the seas surrounding Portugal, it’s no surprise that another seafood dish makes its way onto the list of foods to try in Portugal. We’ve never had fresher octopus in our lives than in Portugal! We had it many times during the course of our stay. It is cooked in many different ways, however, the most common is grilled along with a side of potatoes.
Where to try it: everywhere! We had octopus as least 3 times in Portugal and they were all equally good. And if you can’t get good octopus at home (like us), you really should order this everywhere 😉
Arroz
When you eat in Portugal, you’ll likely come across several rice, or arroz, dishes on the menu. The most popular rice dishes are arroz de marisco (seafood rice) and arroz de pato (duck rice). Both of these dishes involve cooking rice and meat in a large dish with meat stock, onions, garlic and seasonings. It’s a very hearty dish with lots of flavor.
Where to try it: We just loved Porto’s take on Portugal’s hearty foods. We found amazing duck rice at a small cafe in a back alley in Porto but you’ll find good rice dishes on almost every Portuguese menu.
Chouriço á Bombeiro
This was so much fun to eat! Flaming sausage! I am a sucker for any food that is lit on fire at my table. The sausage is a thick and dense sausage that is cooked over a liquor fueled fire at your table. It cooks for several minutes, typically with your server coming by to flip it once or twice.
Where to try it: Anywhere where they set it on fire at your table. Make sure the menu or server specifies that they set it on fire at your table – some restaurants cook it in the kitchen – BORING. And while the sausage is good (we ordered it 4 times), the real treat is the fire at your table.
Iberian Black Pork
Black pigs – names due to their darker size – are free roaming pigs that feed on a hearty diet of nuts. The pigs have been in Portugal for centuries and likely are interbred domestic pigs with wild boars. This gives the pork a nutty and more gamey flavor. We really liked the black pork which reminded us more of a dry red meat – like grass fed beef or elk. You’ll even find black pork burgers on menus that greatly resemble beef burgers.
You’ll see it a lot of appetizer platters in charcuterie form. However, make sure you try a hot slow-cooked version at a sit down restaurant to really note the difference in texture from regular pork.
Where to try it: Lisbon or further south are the best locations to try Iberian black pork. You’ll see it on many menus in various forms. Try a dish that sounds best to you but make sure to at least give it a try.
Francesinha
This is our favorite food to eat in Portugal! The sandwich is the ultimate hangover food. It is a sandwich with ham, steak, and sausage smothered in a slightly spicy tomato soup-ish sauce and then topped with melted cheese and a fried egg. There are different toppings and innards in different regions but the ingredients I listed are the original. Whatever you eat in Portugal, make sure to try this at least once! Be warned the sandwich is HUGE and super filling. Plan accordingly.
Where to try it: Porto is the place to try a francesinha. A Regaleira is the claimed birthplace of the tasty treat. However, the best one we tried was at Gazela – we thought it had the best sauce. Plus we loved that Gazela will split the sandwich for you and put an egg on both halves.
Cachorrinhos
They call this a hot dog. It in no way resembles a hot dog in the American sense. It’s more like a smooshed sausage. It’s very flavorful and typically served on a toasted baguette.
Where to try it: Gazela! Yup, the same place that the Francesinha should be purchased from. A standard order at Gazela for two (and our recommendation) is one order of cachorrinnos, two Super Bock beers, and one split francesinha with egg. It was one of the best (and cheapest) meals we had in Portugal.
Bifana
This is another meaty Portuguese sandwich that is amazing! The pork steak sandwich is extra seasoned and the pork is typically thin sliced and includes some pork drippings (think French dip but with pork). Normally these come in small portions and are super cheap.
Where to try it: O Trevo in Lisbon. This is a common breakfast sandwich here with locals and tourists alike. We had ours with cheese and it was under 5 euro.
Quijo (Cheese)
Quijo de Azeitao and Serra da Estrela sheep’s milk soft cheeses. They are amazing. You typically eat it on crackers. Depending on the age it can be soft to semi-soft. The flavor is similar to a less strong Romano with the nutty and rich flavor. We liked the softest texture which comes in a rind, like brie, that you cut the top off of and scoop the cheese out of.
Where to try it: From the market. Grab yourself some cheese and crackers from a shop and take it back to your digs for a late night snack, paired well with some Portuguese wine.
Pastel de Nata
Pastel de nata is THE food to eat in Portugal. It is the tastiest and the most prolific. These egg custard tarts were first made by monks in Jerónimos Monastery. Egg whites were used to starch clothing and the monks developed these tarts as a way to use up the egg yolks.
Today, these treats are sold all over Portugal. They make a great mid-morning or afternoon snack (or breakfast dessert, or lunch dessert, or late night snack, or road trip snack, etc.). Sure, we listed our favorites below. However, a great idea would be to try them all. They are small and generally under 1 euro.
Where to try it: First, you must try the pastel de nata at Fábrica de Pastéis de Belém. They are said to still be made with the original and secret recipe developed by those Jerónimos Monastery monks. Second, you must try Mangeteria – these were our favorites. The chain shop has locations throughout Portugal. However, there is good reason. They only make pastel de nata and they make them right!
Travesseiro
Travesseiro is another custard treat. This one is a pastry roll filled with egg yolk custard and almond cream (top left in photo). Travesseiro means pillow because the treats are light and fluffy and shaped like a pillow.
Where to try it: The travesseiro was developed at Piriquita in the town of Sintra and they still bake great ones there today.
Are Those Snack Free? – Couvert
Lots of restaurants will bring out appetizers to the table when you sit down. These are typically things like olives, bread, oil and sometimes cheeses. They are call couvert. It may seem like these are free because they bring them to you right away – but they aren’t. They are always listed on the menu for a price, typically around 5 euro. However, if you don’t want them you just say “no thanks” when the server brings them out and they’ll take them back and won’t charge you.
What To Drink In Portugal
Wine.
Wine in Portugal is so incredibly cheap. You can often get a bottle of wine at a restaurant for around 10 euro. And it’s good wine. Order the house wines too! Small restaurants often make their own house wine and some of the best wines we tried were house wines. You can typically order red, white or green house wine.
Vinho Verde
Vinho verde translates to green wine. It doesn’t necessarily come from green grapes. Instead, the wine is made from young grapes. The color of the wine can have a slight green tinge. However, it’s more likely the color of a white wine as pictured above.
Vinho verde is produced in northern Portugal. Lots of them have a slight fizz feeling when drinking from those young grapes. They are generally light, citrusy, dry and lower in alcohol content.
Port Wine
Port wine is a sweet and highly alcoholic spirit fortified wine. In order for wine to be officially port, it must be produced in the Douro region of Portugal. Wines are produced in the Douro Valley before being shipped to Porto where they are aged along the river before being shipped world wide.
Port wines come in tawny, ruby and white varietals. They are all sweet but to varying degrees. Port wine is traditionally served after dinner with dessert in very small portions.
If you’re looking to learn more about port wine, consider doing a tour of the Douro Valley – it was one of our favorite Portugal experiences.
Ginja
Ginja is a popular Portuguese liquor made from sour cherries. It winds up being sweet tasting with a strong cherry flavor – like really tasty cough syrup. Ginja is typically served in a small shot glass with a cherry in it. However, most people sip it instead of shooting it.
Moscatel
Portuguese mostcatel wine is a sweet muscat varietal wine. This is another popular wine made in the Douro Valley and is a great option for sweet wine lovers. It’s made from grapes that taste a lot like grapes you eat for a snack and is a popular way to start a meal in Portugal.
Tap Water
Tap water is drinkable in Portugal – and pretty good in our opinion. However, it’s not free at restaurants. Make sure to fill up your reusable water bottles so you can sip on those throughout the day.
Food FAQs
Is food expensive in Portugal?
Food in Portugal is super cheap compared with other western countries. In the heart of tourist areas, expect to pay around €25/person for a sit down meal. If you are looking for meals outside of the touristy areas expect to pay €15/person for meals at sit down restaurants. Bottles of table wine were typically €10, desserts were around €5, and mains were under €20 at almost every restaurant we went to.
Is food is Portugal good?
Yes. Portugal has really embraced the comfort foods and seafoods. So while there are people who shy away from seafood, we think those people will be happy to find familiar ingredients and flavors in sandwich and stew style dishes. Additionally, for the seafood lovers, the seafood here is some of the best we’ve ever had.
Should I tip in Portugal?
Tipping in Portugal is not common or expected. However, it is common to round up your bill at a restaurant to the nearest round number. Additionally, don’t be surprised if you are expecting a small bit of change and your server never brings it back to you.
We hope this has helped you to know what you can expect to eat in Portugal and create your own list of things to eat in Portugal while on vacation. For vacation planning tips and inspiration, check out all of our Portugal trip planning advice here. If you have any recommendations to share with readers on foods to eat in Portugal, please leave it in the comments section below.
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