Enjoy Portugal’s specialties with the locals

When visiting Portugal, you can appreciate an extensive diversity of delicacies, wines, and local beverages, that please all palates. However, restaurants are not the only place to enjoy them. To have the real experience, you must go where locals go to get it. You’re better off focusing on the cafés, the “tascas” (tavern), “pastelarias” (pastry shops), wine bars, markets and during some festivities and outdoor events in the so-called food trucks. 

You can taste traditional sandwiches like the bifana (pork sandwich), prego (beef sandwich), pão com chouriço (chorizo bread), Porto's famous Francesinha sandwich, or the sandes de Leitão (roasted suckling pig sandwich) that always tastes better with the refreshing sparkling wine from Bairrada. You can also taste salgados (savory treats) in all the Portuguese cafés, like pastéis de bacalhau (codfish cakes), the rissóis de camarão (Portuguese shrimp turnovers) and the croquetes (croquettes). 


Bifana Vendas Novas_©shutterstock_ AT_GV_Natalia Mylova

During the Popular Saints’ Festivals, you must try, especially in Lisbon or Porto older neighbourhoods, the grilled sardines eaten on a piece of bread, with caldo verde soup, with wine or beer… it´s a must!

Caldo Verde ©shutterstock_GV_Natalia Mylov

Summer in Portugal always calls for the so called petiscos (a variety of small dishes that are made to share), like salada de polvo (octopus salad), ameijôas à Bulhão Pato (clams), Pica-pau (little chunks of meat marinated in garlic), choco frito (fried cuttlefish), and last but not least, perhaps the more quirky one, caracóis. Caracóis (small snails) and caracoletas (larger snails) are served swimming in a savoury herby broth, that is quite tasty, and usually complemented with slices of toasted bread with butter. 


Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato_©VisitCascais

Also, during the summer, in the beach you will hear a vendor shouting “olh’á a bolinha”(The Berliner is here). They are selling the so call Bolas de Berlim that are Berliner doughnuts, stuffed with confectioner's custard. They are simply delicious! During the traditional festivities of every little town, you will also find a food truck selling yummy farturas, that taste like doughnuts and are worth a try.

But of course, Portugal’s most iconic sweet treat is the pastel de nata (custard tarts), which you can find in almost every corner, and that the Portuguese usually take with a delicious coffee, which is traditionally drank in the form of an espresso. 


Pasteis Nata © shutterstock_GV_homydesign

Another tradition during the fall months, and especially during São Martinho Festival, is the unmistakable smell of roasted chestnuts on the streets. Look around for the street vendor and grab yourself a bag: they are delicious. 

Also try the traditional city’s markets, like Mercado da Ribeira in Lisbon, Mercado do Bolhão in Porto, Mercado Municipal de Loulé in Algarve or the Mercado dos Lavradores in Funchal, which have been able to reinvent themselves. Besides selling fresh fish, fruit, flowers or vegetables, they offer food stalls selling a variety of Portuguese food, sweets, and drinks, like the Ginjinha (preferably drunk from a small chocolate cup) or Poncha, typical of Madeira Island, prepared from sugar cane brandy together with with honey and lemon.


Poncha ©Nuno Andrade

For the Portuguese it´s important that each dish is matched to the right wine, and being Portugal a great wine producer country, it´s not difficult to find a perfect pair for your meals. Port and Madeira wines are the most famous, but in the Douro Valley or in the Alentejo region you will find many other table wines that are no less superior. 

Ilha Deserta, Algarve ©PWT_Jose Sarmento Matos

Therefore, next time you visit the country, enjoy the hospitality and pleasure in welcoming others to the table. Portuguese are proud of their products and unique cuisine, which is so full of character, so come along… and enjoy Portugal!