Portuguese Food – 22 Classic Dishes You Must Try

Writer: Helena Bergström

Portuguese food is rustic, flavorful and steeped in tradition. Fresh seafood is paired with slow-cooked, grilled meats, sweet pastries and world-famous wines. In this guide, we take a look at what to eat in Portugal – and list 22 classic Portuguese specialties you don’t want to miss.

What do you eat in Portugal? – a quick overview

Portugal may be best known for its fish and seafood, but Portuguese cuisine has much more to offer than that. Here are some typical examples of Portuguese food and drink:

• Fish and seafood: Bacalhau, sardines and squid
• Grilled meat: Piri piri chicken and pork dishes
• Soups and stews: Caldo verde and cataplana
• Sweets: Cream cake
• Drinks: Port wine and vinho verde

Portuguese food culture may not be as well known as Spanish, but the food can often be delicious in its simplicity. When we traveled in Portugal With our camper van, we mainly appreciated the fresh fish, the green wine and the sunny outdoor seating.

Typical Portuguese food – 22 classic dishes and specialties

Here we list Portuguese dishes that are interesting to try, including desserts, sweets and drinks.

1. Cod

Dried and salted cod is perhaps Portugal’s most iconic ingredient. There are said to be hundreds of different recipes for bacalhau, and the fish is served in many different ways. When we traveled in Portugal, we saw bacalhau all the time – in grocery stores, at markets, in restaurants, and in pictures in food magazines.

2. Cod in Bras

Bacalhau à Brás is one of the most popular bacalhau dishes. Here, the salted cod is mixed with potato strips, onions and scrambled eggs, often topped with parsley and black olives.

3. Grilled sardines

Grilled sardines are strongly associated with Portugal, especially during the summer festivals in Lisbon. The sardines are often served simply with bread, olive oil and perhaps a little salad.

4. Green soup

Caldo verde is a classic Portuguese soup made with the Portuguese cabbage variety couve galega (can be substituted with kale), potatoes, and chorizo-like sausage. This is simple comfort food, which can be especially popular on cooler evenings.

5. Piri piri chicken

Grilled chicken with spicy piri piri sauce is a real favorite in Portugal. The flavor is often hot, sour and smoky at the same time.

6. Polvo à lagareiro

Polvo à lagareiro is a popular octopus dish where the octopus is baked or grilled with olive oil, garlic and potatoes. This dish is typical of Portuguese coastal cuisine. However, we never tried it ourselves, as octopus is simply not one of our favorites.

7. Ameijoas à Bulhão Pato

This dish consists of mussels cooked with garlic, coriander, olive oil and white wine. This is a classic along the coast and goes perfectly with bread for dipping in the sauce. We love mussels and often make similar dishes at home in the camper, but sometimes also with smaller varieties of mussels.

8. Seafood

Mariscada is a classic Portuguese seafood platter with shrimp, mussels, crab and sometimes lobster. Sometimes the platter is served with potatoes, lemon and various sauces. Very fresh and delicious!

9. Seafood rice

Arroz de marisco is a creamy seafood rice stew, often filled with shrimp, mussels, and crab. The dish is similar to paella but has a more soup-like consistency.

10. Cataplana

Cataplana is a traditional stew from the Algarve, cooked in a special copper pot of the same name. It often uses fish and shellfish along with tomatoes, garlic and herbs. We thought it was delicious!

11. Grilled fish

Grilled fish is very common in Portugal, especially along the coast. The fish is often served simply with boiled potatoes, vegetables and olive oil, which allows the ingredients to take centre stage. Since we were travelling in a camper van, we often bought fresh fish and grilled it ourselves. Camarão grelhado – grilled shrimp – is also common.

12. Portuguese stew

Cozido à portuguesa is a rustic stew with various types of meat, sausages and vegetables. This is a classic home-cooked dish that varies depending on the region.

13. Francesinha

Porto's most famous sandwich is certainly not an easy meal. It is filled with various types of meat and covered with melted cheese and a spicy tomato and beer sauce. It is often served with fries.

14. Bifana

Bifana is a simple but very popular sandwich with thinly sliced pork on bread. It is often sold as fast food and is perfect for a cheap lunch or late night meal.

15. Chouriço

Chouriço is a Portuguese sausage that is often smoked and well-seasoned. The sausage can be eaten both cold and hot, and is sometimes served flambéed.

16. Serra Cheese

Queijo da Serra is one of Portugal's most famous cheeses, made from sheep's milk. The consistency is often very creamy and the flavor is quite strong.

17. Cream puff pastry

Pastel de nata is undoubtedly Portugal's most famous pastry. These little vanilla tartlets with a crispy shell and creamy filling can be found almost everywhere in the country.

18. Berlin Ball

Bola de Berlim is a Portuguese version of the Berliner doughnut, often filled with vanilla cream. On the beaches, they are sometimes sold by vendors walking around between the sun loungers.

19. Queijadas

Queijadas are small sweet pastries made with cheese or cream cheese. They come in several regional variations and are common in cafes around Portugal.

20. Port wine

Portugal is world-famous for its port wine, which comes primarily from the Douro Valley. The drink comes in many different styles – from sweet ruby ports to nuttier tawny varieties.

21. Green wine

The so-called ”green wine” comes from northern Portugal. The wine is often light, fresh and almost slightly bubbly, making it perfect for hot summer days. When we traveled around Portugal, this quickly became a favorite.

22. Ginjinha

Ginjinha is a sweet cherry liqueur that is particularly popular in Lisbon and Óbidos. It is often served in small glasses, sometimes with a cherry at the bottom.

Portuguese food culture and traditions

The food in Portugal is very much about simplicity and good ingredients.

• Fish and seafood play a big role
• Many dishes are based on traditional family recipes
• Olive oil, garlic and coriander are widely used
• Meals are often long and social

Eating out is also relatively affordable compared to many other countries in Western Europe.

Food in different regions of Portugal

Portuguese cuisine varies a lot between different parts of the country.

• Lisbon: Bacalhau, sardines and pastel de nata
• Porto and Northern Portugal: Francesinha and vinho verde
• Algarve: Fish and seafood
• Douro Valley: Port wine and wine production

Traveling around Portugal therefore also means many different food experiences.

More about food in other countries

Here you can find more stories about food in different countries:

• Spanish food - 25 Spanish dishes
• French cuisine - 25 French dishes
• Greek food - 25 Greek dishes
• Italian food - 25 Italian dishes
• Croatian food - 20 Croatian specialities