Portugal national food. Features of Portuguese cuisine: an emigrant's view

15.10.2023

The colorful, original and incredibly tasty cuisine of Portugal will make any vacation wonderful. After a hard day's work, eating traditional dishes is a really good way to unwind and enjoy it for a long time to come.

The article will tell you about the features of the national cuisine of Portugal and dishes that can be prepared at home. Despite the radically different preferences of each person, traditional Portuguese food has never left anyone indifferent, so it truly deserves respect.

Features of Portuguese cuisine

Some people mistakenly claim that Portugal's local dishes are derived from Spanish ones. In fact, this cuisine shows the influence of many different nationalities. For example, hot pepper came here from African countries, and Italian traditions brought garlic and pasta.

Portuguese cuisine is popular thanks to the locals, who know how to use spices well and love to use them. They give dishes different flavors. Therefore, two identical servings can be radically different from each other if they are seasoned with different spices.

Among the main features of Portuguese cuisine, it is worth noting the fact that it is dominated by seafood and fish dishes. This is explained by the fact that the state itself is located on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, and therefore all residents have access to these products. Thanks to this feature of Portugal's cuisine, the country has long been considered the first in terms of seafood consumption. In addition, it is generally accepted that each local resident is able to cook exactly 365 cod dishes (according to the number of days in a year).

Unique delicacies from Portugal combine dietary and high-calorie components. They are real kaleidoscopes of tastes and are prepared according to both elementary and difficult-to-find recipes for the majority of the population.

What's served on the mainland

The cuisine of Portugal, or rather its continental part, is famous for its cod dishes, called bacalhau. Cooks prepare it with sausages and legumes, and often add it to pies as a filling. In addition, there are even fish cakes that delight all tourists.

On All Saints' Day in Porto it is customary to cook sardines. Every person who finds himself in that area should definitely try tripash - a delicious stew made from offal. Thanks to him, the inhabitants of this part of the country began to be called tripeiros, which literally means “trash lovers.”

People were forced to cook food from offal due to hunger. Back in the middle of the 15th century, the famous ruler Don Enrique decided to expand his possessions and slaughter the livestock that the townspeople had. Because of this, the residents of Porto had to survive in any way possible, so the dishes were prepared from what was on hand and what was left over from the military. This is exactly how a dish of tripe with vegetables appeared. Even though it became famous more than 5 centuries ago, today its taste is highly appreciated by both local residents and tourists.

The formation of the national cuisine of Portugal for a long time occurred under the influence of certain factors:

isolation from other states;
not a very large selection of ingredients, which is why simple cooking technologies were held in high esteem;
poverty did not allow them to buy expensive products, so the diet was based on fish caught independently.

Tourists often wonder what to try from the national Portuguese cuisine. It is impossible to give a clear answer here, since each region has its own special dishes. They are called the culinary pride of a certain part of the state and are very rarely found in any other places.

The Portuguese always end every meal with dessert. If we talk about the number of sweets, then this country is superior in this indicator to many countries in modern Europe. You can find it on almost every corner. For example, in the capital's Belem district there is a bakery where everyone has the chance to taste delicious cakes. Not only local residents, but also tourists from neighboring countries come here to eat.

Dishes of the Azores

One of the archipelagos that attracts tourists is the Azores. The cuisine here is very similar to that which prevails in the continental part, but there are also unique dishes. A great example would be cozido dash furnas. It is prepared in the very mouth of the volcano, where a container with chicken meat and vegetables descends. In addition, on the islands you can try delicious bread and various types of honey. This kind of food is the basis of the daily diet of local residents.

Food on Madeira Island

If you have any doubts about what to try from Portuguese cuisine while on the island of Madeira, you should immediately make a choice in favor of French fries, corn and legumes. All this is served as a side dish for meat and fish dishes. As a rule, beef or pork is used to prepare the former. The main courses have virtually no major specialties, but the accompaniments are always excellent.

What to try in Portugal

When traveling to a Western country, you definitely need to learn more about the cuisine of Portugal. It is filled with a range of different flavors, as well as light flavor shades. Each category of dishes contains several real culinary masterpieces that are truly worthy of attention.

First meal

The names of the dishes of the national cuisine of Portugal always seem strange to tourists, although remembering them is not so difficult. When you go to a local cafe, you definitely need to try some soup. The most popular are:

"Captain Vidal's Crying Fish." The dish is named after a simple fisherman who makes a living by catching and selling fish. When the crew of one ship lost food, the captain decided to cook fish soup. The broth was made from live fish, so the sailors thought it was crying. As a result, the ship returned home without a catch, but brought with it a new recipe for soup made from vegetables, cod and spices. Today you can try the soup in any establishment in Portugal, but preparing it yourself will be problematic, since chefs do not reveal their secrets.
Caldo verde. The famous puree soup can easily compete with Russian cabbage soup. It is made from cabbage, olive oil, smoked sausage and paprika. The finished dish has a rather delicate taste.

Fish delicacies

The national cuisine of Portugal is famous for its colorful fish dishes, as well as food with seafood. The townspeople do an excellent job with these ingredients, so they can enjoy culinary masterpieces every day. They typically grill or fry the food to create a richer flavor.

The Portuguese have many recipes for cooking cod. The most popular is salting fish. This recipe was also used by fishermen to deliver fresh catch to the shore. Before starting the procedure, the fish must be soaked in water for a day. Now you can already buy salted carcasses in local stores, although not so long ago this was problematic.

The Portuguese pay special attention to the following dishes:

Grilled fish. Any fish is prepared this way. Most often on weekends, citizens set up grills on their balconies and cook delicious dishes, the aroma of which spreads throughout all the streets. Cafes and restaurants serve fairly large portions with rice or fresh vegetables.
Angler. This exotic dish, recommended to all tourists, is prepared using a special technology that only specialists know. Here the fish is cut into portions and mixed with various vegetables and spices. This dish is often prepared for dinner. And in restaurants specializing specifically in seafood cuisine, similar dishes are prepared from shellfish and octopus.
Alentejo. The pork dish can please the taste buds of every picky taster. No lover of seafood and meat can pass by. Alentejo takes quite a long time to prepare, as it requires marinating the meat in a sauce and frying it, which takes a lot of time. It is most often eaten with potatoes, since in its pure form the dish is not entirely filling.

Sweets

For dessert in Portugal it is customary to serve pastries, cakes and puddings. Most of the recipes were taken from the nuns' notes.

Local residents and visiting guests always enjoy dishes such as:

Pastel de nata. The unique puff pastry cakes have a creamy egg filling, which is what attracts consumers. They are served in many restaurants and cafes. Some chefs supplement them with cinnamon, which gives them an improved taste and aroma. These cakes even form a breakfast staple along with a cup of espresso.
Egg dish from Aveiro. A creative dessert with a delicate egg filling, wrapped in a waffle tube. It literally melts in your mouth, making you feel all the delights of the taste of the simplest ingredients used every day to prepare a wide variety of foods.
Pao de lo. The sponge cake served in every Portuguese bakery is made using a special technology and consumed in combination with ice cream.

Recipes

People who do not have the opportunity to visit a Western country are looking for Portuguese cuisine recipes in order to get at least a little familiar with the splendor of the taste of these dishes. The most popular dishes are, of course, fish. Fortunately, the ingredients for them can be easily purchased at your local store. Although the taste of Portuguese food cannot be replicated exactly, it is still possible to get a little closer. Thanks to the recipes, everyone who tries such dishes will definitely have a desire to go to Portugal and try food from local culinary masters.

Arosh de marisco

The first thing to consider is the Portuguese paella - aroche de marisca. For it you will need to take the following ingredients:

250 g of fish and any seafood;
a glass of rice;
a couple of glasses of fish broth;
two cloves of garlic;
one onion;
a couple of tomatoes;
2 tablespoons olive oil;
ground pepper and salt.

The cooking process consists of only four steps:

Chop onion, garlic, tomatoes and fry in olive oil until golden brown.
Combine the vegetable mixture with seafood, and pour broth on top of it all, without removing from the heat.
When the liquid boils, pour in the rice and add spices to taste.
Stir and simmer until tender, covered.

Before serving, you can diversify the dish with herbs and lemon juice. This will give it not only a more presentable appearance, but also a significantly improved taste.

Caldo verde

When talking about what to try from Portuguese cuisine, we should mention caldo verde soup. It will require:

potatoes - 5 pieces;
sweet paprika - a teaspoon;
- bundle;
chicken broth - 2.5 liters;
smoked hot sausage - 280 grams;
bulb;
vegetable oil - a couple of tablespoons;
ground black pepper - half a teaspoon;
cayenne pepper - 1/4 teaspoon.

The dish is prepared as follows:

Grind potatoes and sausage.
Fry the second cut component for two minutes in oil, remove from the container.
Sauté the chopped onion in the remaining fat.
Combine it with paprika, sulfur pepper, salt and cayenne pepper.
Pour in the potatoes and pour in the broth.
Cook until the potatoes are ready.
Remove the container from the heat and puree the contents.
Peel and chop the kale.
Combine all ingredients together and simmer for 10 minutes.

Before serving the dish, you can garnish it with dill. In addition, bread crumbs go perfectly with it.

Folar de Ollan

Small pies served as dessert are especially attractive to little tasters. They have unique taste properties, as they are complemented with unusual ingredients. To prepare you will need to take:

350 grams of flour;
a couple of tablespoons of melted honey and orange juice;
260 grams of cane sugar;
80 grams of soft butter;
beaten egg;
5 grams of sea salt;
80 ml milk;
half a teaspoon of cinnamon and ground

The cooking method is as follows:

Mix 60 grams of cane sugar, 30 grams of butter, egg, sea salt, flour and half of the orange juice.
Having brought the mass to homogeneity, you need to slowly pour the milk into it, constantly kneading the dough.
When it becomes dense and smooth, it should be left for 15 minutes, covered with a towel.
Roll out a layer of dough no more than half a centimeter wide.
Combine 50 grams of sugar and spices and sprinkle the resulting mixture onto the dough.
Grease the layer evenly with butter and roll it into a roll.
Cut the resulting mixture into 6 pieces and place on a baking sheet previously covered with parchment.
Mix the remaining sugar with honey and orange juice.
Bring the glaze to a boil and pour it over the dough.
Place the baking sheet in an oven preheated to 180 degrees for 40 minutes.

During the baking process, the baked goods need to be greased periodically. When finished, the dish should be slightly browned and puffed up. If the filling spreads, there is no need to worry, as the taste and juiciness will not go away because of this.

These buns are usually eaten with milk. They are great as an addition to any meal. Despite the high calorie content, this dish never allows girls who are watching their own figure to pass them by.

The popularity of Portugal as a country for tourism is gaining momentum. At the same time, few people know Portuguese cuisine in Russia. We will talk about what the Portuguese eat, what culinary traditions they adhere to, and about the most delicious dishes with a person who is familiar with the peculiarities of the national cuisine first-hand.

Igor Parkhomenko moved from Ukraine to Portugal in 2001, worked as an assistant chef in the restaurant of the Pestana Alvor Praia 5* hotel in the south of Portugal, traveled a lot around the country and appreciated not only restaurant dishes, but also authentic home cooking.

Igor, tell us why Portugal attracted you and why you decided to stay and live here?

Firstly, Portugal is the calmest country, nothing happens here, you can choose your favorite business, develop with it, and as they say: “Live and not bother.” Secondly, it is easy to obtain a residence permit and subsequently obtain citizenship.

Do you remember what impression Portuguese cuisine made on you?

Grilled dishes are very popular in Portugal. In every restaurant, in every yard there are barbecues on which meat and fish are fried. Restaurants often include grilled dishes in their "prato do día" menu (author's note - similar to our business lunch). They consider such food healthy and wholesome. Coals are most often used for grilling, but in good restaurants they cook over wood, which gives the dish a special aroma.

In the post-Soviet space, various marinades are used when preparing kebabs. Moreover, each family has its own recipe. Do the Portuguese marinate meat? And if so, how?

Yes, the Portuguese always marinate any meat 1-2 days before grilling. Typically, white wine, wine vinegar, lemon sauce, garlic and pepper are used for the marinade. In this case, the meat is not completely immersed in the solution. They dip each piece in the marinade, place it on a baking sheet and put it in the refrigerator.

What are the main dishes of Portuguese cuisine?

Residents of Russia or Ukraine may think that Portugal is a small country, only 600 km from north to south. However, Portuguese cuisine differs by region. In the south of Portugal, the Algarve is dominated by seafood: fish, shrimp, clams and mussels. One of the most popular dishes of Algarvian cuisine is rice with stewed vegetables and seafood ( arroz de mariscos).

Meat dishes and sausages are common in the Alentejo region. The main dish is "Alentejan-style pork" ( carne do porco a Alentejana) is meat and shellfish stewed in wine; olives and cubes of fried potatoes are added at the end of cooking.

Alentejans also love duck with rice (). Boiled poultry meat is baked in the oven along with rice and raw smoked sausages “chouriço”. By the way, the variety of sausages from the Alentejo region is amazing! The Portuguese often fry them on the grill or in special cast-iron pans.

In the central region of Portugal, the signature dish, causing genuine delight among local residents, is considered to be roast suckling pig (leitão assado). The suckling pig is baked whole in a mold over wood and served with a special sauce. There is even a special area near Coimbra with restaurants serving leitão asada.

Among the most common dishes in Portugal's second largest city, Porto, is feijoada (). This thick stew of beans, beef and pork is traditionally served with steamed rice.

The real “bomb” of Portuguese cuisine is the very tasty Cusido a Portuguesa hodgepodge ( Cozido á Portuguesa). The main components of the dish are stewed beef, pork, 2-3 types of sausages, cabbage, boiled potatoes or rice. In good restaurants, the height of the dish can reach 20 cm! Sometimes I ask for another plate so I can deal with everything they put in front of me.

And of course, you can’t ignore the famous Francezinha sandwich ( francesinha), which has become one of the symbols of Porto! Between the slices of bread, a thin piece of fried beef, sausage, bacon, cheese is laid out in layers, everything is baked in the oven or oven. Moreover, Francesinha turns out incomparably more delicious in a wood-burning oven. The sandwich size may vary. Sometimes in restaurants they compare it with the size of an apartment and write it - T1, T2 or T3. The higher the number, the larger the size. Francezinha is served with French fries and hot alcoholic sauce. The sauce recipe is the main secret of every restaurant.

In most guidebooks, when mentioning Portuguese cuisine, they write about bacalhau and pastel de nata. What can you say about these dishes?

Bacalhau (cod) is a traditional Portuguese dish and a must-have on the Christmas menu. Portugal buys dried cod from Norway, so it is not cheap. There is a huge variety of types of bacalhau, we can talk about this endlessly. Personally, my favorite is bacalhau with cream () - oven-baked cod with fried potatoes and cream sauce. Also very tasty bacalhau a bras ( bacalhau à bras) - cod with fried potatoes, onions and eggs, sprinkled with fresh parsley.

Pastel de nata is a puff pastry pastry filled with custard that the Portuguese usually eat for breakfast with a cup of coffee. You won't see a Portuguese who had dinner and then started eating pastel de nata. Although for breakfast, the Portuguese often choose not cake, but toast with butter.

What other desserts do the Portuguese prefer?

There are a lot of cakes in Portugal. Basically, the Portuguese love puff pastry products with various creams. In Aveiro, you should definitely try the dessert - ovush moles de Aveiro () - a small puff pastry with yolk cream. Sponge cakes are not common; for some reason the Portuguese do not like them.

As far as I noticed, in Portugal they drink mostly coffee. What kind of coffee do locals prefer?

Basically, this is espresso - small cups of very strong coffee. Not all emigrants immediately get used to such a dose - I turned it over, but it was already over... The Portuguese also drink meia de leite coffee (meia de leite - half milk/half coffee) and galau (galão - 1/4 coffee, the rest milk). Meia de leite must be served in ceramic cups, and galão in a glass glass.

And of course, we cannot ignore the main drink of Portugal - the legendary port. How do you feel about port wine? Do you have a favorite brand or type of port?

I love pink port (porto rose). It appeared less than 10 years ago, so it is not as common as “ruby” or “tawny”.

Firstly, it's a matter of taste. Secondly, here you need to look at the price category. I would recommend trying red wine (vinho tinto) from the Alentejo, Bairrada or Douro regions. If the bottle says "reserva" it means the wine has been aged in oak longer and is a higher quality wine.

What wines do locals prefer? Do they drink port?

The Portuguese drink port only on holidays as an aperitif. They usually drink red or white wine, less often strong alcoholic drinks.

And in conclusion, please name 5 dishes of Portuguese cuisine that every traveler to Portugal should definitely try.

Francesinha
feijoada
grilled sardines
rice with seafood (arroz de mariscos)
snacks in a good restaurant (entrada) - bread, olives, cheeses, sometimes cured meats.

If you want to try Portuguese cuisine, we invite you to our original group and individual travels around Portugal. Details on the link Author's tours to Portugal.

When leaving for Portugal, I naively believed that I would lose weight, because the country is seaside! “So I’ll have lunch with light dishes of fish and shellfish, and dinner with fruit and wine,” I thought. Who knew that here, in addition to seafood, a hundred varieties of cakes and puddings were insidiously waiting for me in every cafe window and hearty portions of meat dishes and potatoes in the restaurant? In general, the range of dishes turned out to be much wider and more multifaceted than I could have imagined.

Kitchen features

If I were asked to briefly describe Portuguese cuisine, I would say that it is simple and intricate, sweet and salty, healthy and unhealthy. In general, really contrasting. For example, dishes made from healthy boiled or baked sea fish with fatty and high-calorie stews of sausages, pork and beans are equally popular.

Another example is Portuguese puree soups. They take only 20 minutes to prepare and are much healthier than our cabbage soup or borscht. At the same time, another national dish, cod in cream sauce, takes more than a day to prepare! But calling this high-calorie fish and potatoes dish healthy is unlikely to be correct.

Portuguese cuisine is Mediterranean. It is based on wine, bread and olive oil. The Portuguese are proud of these products, and in any supermarket and at any price they will be of the highest quality.

The cuisine has been influenced by other countries over time. For example, during the famous Age of Discovery, tomatoes and potatoes were included. In addition, the Portuguese love Indian spices.

Most of all dishes, of course, are fish. The fish here is very tasty and fresh, it is prepared in different ways: in the oven, in a frying pan and on the grill. The most beloved fish among the people is cod. There are so many options for its preparation that in Portugal they say that you can cook cod every day for a year without ever repeating it. I don’t think even the Portuguese know exactly how many options there are for preparing it.

Traditional dishes on the continent

Traditional Portuguese dishes are widely known, if not throughout the world, then certainly in Europe. This, of course, is cod, which here is called bacalhau, in hundreds of its culinary incarnations, stews with beans, giblets and sausages, cod pies, paste de nata cakes.”

However, I advise you to take into account that different regions of Portugal have their own special dishes. Honestly, for me, traditional food is a good way to learn about the history and culture of the Portuguese people. For example, the love for grilled sardines in the capital of Portugal, Lisbon, was not born by chance.

The preparation of this fish is a special tradition on All Saints' Day, Santos Populares. And the most famous dish in the city - a stew of pork and beef offal tripash - gave its name to the entire city population. Residents of the northern capital are called “tripeirush”, that is, “lovers of tripe”.

Baked cod bacalhau

As I already said, this is the most typical fish for Portuguese cuisine and its symbol. Unlike, for example, Japanese sushi, which, contrary to stereotypes, is not the everyday food of the Japanese, cod is a truly folk fish. I understood this immediately when I entered the first Lisbon supermarket. In a place of honor in any Portuguese “supermercado” hang huge salted cod carcasses, which people eagerly take apart.

By the way, the tradition of preserving fish in this way comes from ancient times, when fishermen salted their catch in order to bring it to the continent as edible. Before cooking, the fish must be soaked in water for a day.

Some of the most popular types of cod are cod in creamy bacalhau de nata sauce, cod with cornbread, cod a brasse with potatoes and olives, and cod Braga.

Grilled fish

Another popular dish, grilled fish is loved throughout Portugal. However, as I have already said, Lisbon residents have a special love for this fish. It was a rare summer day in the center of Lisbon without one of my neighbors frying this fish on an electric grill or coals.

In the article we will tell you how to eat in Portugal, the culinary preferences of Portuguese chefs.

Portuguese cuisine is characterized by a variety of hearty meat and vegetable dishes, but let's not forget that Portugal is a coastal country, so, of course, the basis of this country's gastronomy is fish and seafood dishes.

The territory of Portugal also includes several islands, the largest of which, Madeira, is located in the Atlantic Ocean, a thousand kilometers from the mainland of the country. The geographical location of the island explains the prevalence of fish dishes in its cuisine. The use of local spices and fruits gives Madeira cuisine a special flavor. The most famous seafood in Madeira is swordfish, the local chefs know an incredible variety of ways to prepare it. Be careful! Pregnant women should not eat swordfish.

The wines of Portugal are widely known - red, white and so-called green (young and slightly carbonated). But the country's main alcoholic drink is port, which literally means "wine from Porto" in German. This fortified wine also comes in white and red: the first usually serves as an aperitif, and the second as a digestif, that is, consumed after a meal.

10 Best Portuguese Dishes You Must Try

Piri-piri chicken (Frango piri-piri)

Any Portuguese will tell you with confidence that you have never eaten real chicken in your life if you have not tried piri-piri chicken. It would seem that what’s wrong with this, since frying chicken meat is not particularly difficult? But the whole secret, of course, is in the carefully selected combination of local spices, which make the aroma of fried chicken unique and unforgettable. Portions of Frango piri-piri in Portuguese restaurants are small; the meat is served with salad, fresh vegetables and homemade chips.

Fried sardines

In any place in Portugal, be it a beach on the ocean, the center of a large city or a mountain village, fried sardines are considered a typical summer dish, which both locals and visitors order for lunch. The fish are grilled and served with fresh tomatoes and potatoes - tasty and low in calories. The native Portuguese do not use cutlery when ordering fried sardines: they take the fish with their hands and put it on a piece of bread, so as not to leave the most delicious thing on the plate, and then eat it like a sandwich. A glass of cold sparkling “green” wine goes very well with this dish.

Bacalhau (salted cod)

The basis of fish dishes in Portugal is also cod. They say that the Portuguese can cook cod every day for a year and never repeat the recipe. In this country, salted fish is very popular; in general, salting is considered an alternative to freezing as a method of storing food. Salted fatty cod with a rich taste and smell of spices is very popular among locals, so bacalhau can be called a traditional dish of Portuguese cuisine.

Monkfish with rice

This predatory fish actually has a different name - anglerfish, and it was called monkfish because of its not the most attractive appearance. However, monkfish meat is very tasty - dense, white, almost boneless. Cooks chop the fish into large pieces and cook it with vegetables, herbs, rice and seasonings. Monkfish is also very beneficial for the body, because it is rich in various vitamins, protein and amino acids, and contains very little fat. You can try the dish in any Portuguese restaurant.

Stewed cabbage with pork

This dish is considered rural, provincial. They cook it without haste, so that all the food has time to be saturated with the aromas of meat and vegetables. It is also customary to enjoy stewed cabbage with pork slowly, enjoying every bite. Therefore, the dish is considered a Sunday dish and appears on the menu on Sundays: on a day off you have nowhere to rush, so you can have a sedate and thorough lunch.

Feijoada (bean and meat stew)

This is a traditional dish of Portugal, as well as Latin American countries where Portuguese is spoken. There are many varieties of feijoada, but the classic recipe for this dish includes pork, sausage, cabbage and beans. When in the Algarve, a region in the southern part of the country, try feijoada elderfish with shellfish or feijoada choco with cuttlefish. Whatever type of feijoada you order, you are guaranteed to receive a tasty, healthy and satisfying lunch.

Caldeirada (fish stew)

The dish is prepared from different types of fish with the addition of shellfish, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and onions. In order for the aromatic caldeirada to be a success, it is necessary to strictly follow the sequence in which the ingredients are laid out - then all layers of the dish will be equally well saturated with aromas. At the end of cooking, white wine and a lot of herbs are added to the stew, after which it is served in the same container in which it was cooked. Caldeirada is a typical dish from the south of Portugal and is very popular in the Algarve.

Shrimps

There are many ways to prepare shrimp in Portugal. They are served boiled and fried, with or without heads, with various seasonings, marinades and the like. Grilled tiger prawns are a must-try.

Custard cakes

After a hearty lunch, it would be a shame not to enjoy a traditional Portuguese dessert. The most favorite delicacy of the Portuguese are tiny custard cakes with cream and caramel. The “correct” choux pastry should be made from a light and flaky dough, and the sweet cream for it should be egg. You will find this sweet in any pastry shop in Portugal, but, according to numerous confessions of indigenous residents and tourists, the most delicious custard pies are sold in the pastry shop of the Lisbon district of Santa Maria de Belem.

Marzipan

The Portuguese are also very fond of edible figures made from almond paste - marzipan. Most often they are made in the shape of fruits, but you can also find sweet images of people or animals. By the way, marzipans are great not only as a dessert, but also as a souvenir from Portugal.

Where to dine on a budget in Lisbon?

You can always have a quick, satisfying and inexpensive lunch in Portugal in small cafes that operate near shopping centers. In addition to traditional dishes of local cuisine, you can always have a snack here with “pan-European” food - burgers, sandwiches, cakes and coffee.

Lunch time in Portugal is considered to be between noon and 15.00. In the southern regions of the country, for example, in the Algarve, in the summer almost all establishments are open around the clock. You don’t have to strive to dine in a large and expensive restaurant - in small budget Portuguese cafes the dishes are no worse. Tipping is not an obligation here, but you can always reward the waiter or taxi driver for good service with the traditional 10 percent “bonus” of the bill.

As in any other country, Portugal has a number of catering establishments aimed primarily at tourists. Here visitors can expect inadequate prices, which visitors are not yet very familiar with, a meager choice of dishes on the menu and not the best preparation. Therefore, try to refrain from visiting cafes and restaurants in places where tourists congregate, near popular attractions, try to watch the locals - where will they go for lunch? However, there is one caveat: in establishments not intended for tourists, the menu will only be in Portuguese, without translation into English. As for prices, they are, of course, higher in large cities, and lower in the periphery. An average lunch per person can cost between 10 and 30 euros.

Pizzeria "Casanova"

This establishment belongs to the category of family restaurants; couples with children often come here for a meal. You can have lunch with pizza for an average of 8-10 euros. Since the cafe is family-run, it does not serve alcohol; you can be offered coffee or a non-alcoholic cocktail as a drink.

Address: Av. Infante Dom Henrique Loja 7.

"Petiscaria Ideal"

In appearance, this is an unremarkable, ordinary restaurant, but it is always full of Lisbon residents. Visitors love the establishment thanks to the non-standard food system adopted by the local chefs. The portions served here are small, but you can try everything at once: in one meal you can taste fried octopus, goat cheese, wine-soaked pear, nuts and much more. For a dozen small portions of different dishes, you will pay no more than for one standard portion of food (about 10 euros), but you will be able to try a lot of things. Address: Rua da Esperanca, 100.

"Bella Lisa Rossio"

This is a restaurant with a tourist focus, but since it is located away from the central streets of the city, the prices here are quite reasonable. The menu is extensive and varied, with plenty of meat and fish dishes. The interior is pleasant, the staff is friendly. Depending on the dishes ordered, the bill per person can be either 10 or 30 euros.

Address: Av. Visc. de Valmor 65A.

"Casa Chinesa"

Based on the name of the cafe, you might think that this is an eatery serving Chinese cuisine. But you won't find anything like it here. The establishment specializes in coffee and fresh pastries, so locals love to have breakfast here. It is better for tourists to visit the cafe closer to lunch, when it is freer. For a cup of coffee you will pay less than a euro, and the entire meal will not cost more than 5 euros per person.

Address: R. Áurea 274.

The most popular places in Lisbon

Solar dos Presuntos

The "trick" of this establishment is the service. As its owners say, all visitors are their personal guests, so they look after the guests rather than serve them. As for dishes, the restaurant's cuisine is predominantly fish. The establishment is popular, so you need to reserve a table in advance to avoid a half-hour queue at the entrance.

Address: R. Portas de Santo Antão 150.

Belcanto

This is a restaurant of haute cuisine created by chef Jose Avileza. Thanks to his efforts, the establishment has already earned two Michelin stars. Belcanto's hospitable staff will be happy to tell you about each dish on the menu and help you make a choice. The culmination of Jose Avileza's experiments is a dish of pigeon meat and a dessert called "Mandarin".

Address: Largo de São Carlos 10.

Cais da Ribeira

The owners of this restaurant also focused on fish and seafood dishes. Lovers of light fish cuisine will appreciate local dishes prepared in strict accordance with unique ancient recipes. Here you can enjoy not only food, but also wonderful views of the waves of the Tagus River.

Address: Cais do sodré 2.

Pasteis de Belem

A very popular pastry shop. It is famous for its unique creamy cakes, the recipe of which has been kept secret by local chefs for many years.

Address: R. Belém, 1300-085 Lisboa

Atmospheric restaurants and bars in Lisbon

One of the most famous restaurants in the city, which has a wonderful location - at the highest point of the Eduardo VII Park. At this site, the international hotel giant Hilton Corporation intended to build another chain hotel, but a group of eleven influential Lisbon residents prevented these plans, as a result of which a restaurant called Eleven appeared in this picturesque corner of the city. One of the 11 founders of the establishment is chef Joachim Körper, awarded two Michelin stars (one of which was won at the Eleven restaurant), an unsurpassed master of Mediterranean cuisine. That’s why everything in this restaurant is wonderful: the food, the interior, and the views from the windows.

Address: Rua Marquês de Fronteira, Jardim Amalia Rodrigues, Lisbon

A Travessa

The restaurant is located in a historical building built more than 4 centuries ago. Once there was a monastery here, and now it is a catering establishment with a village flavor. It has its own bakery, and visitors are treated to hot, freshly baked bread. Noteworthy items on A Travessa's menu include meat dishes, mushroom dishes and scrambled eggs, as well as a variety of desserts.

Address: Travessa do Convento das Bernardas, 12, Bairro da Madragoa – Santo, Lisbon

Phone: 351-213-902-034; 213-940-800

A very colorful and unusual restaurant. The fact is that it is located in the same building as the circus school, so circus performers come here to have lunch - jugglers, acrobats, clowns, trainers, who, saving time, do not change clothes or remove makeup. By evening, the circus crowd is diluted with ordinary visitors, but the relaxed atmosphere in the restaurant remains. The restaurant's menu is designed to suit the diverse preferences of a wide range of guests. The most frequently ordered dishes include duck breast in orange sauce and grilled octopus.

Address: Rua da Costa do Castelo, 7, Alfama, Lisbon

Cravo E Canelo

This cozy bar-restaurant always plays soft jazz music. In the evening, all the tables here are usually occupied, since this stylish establishment is very popular with local youth. The menu is varied and contains echoes of many cuisines from around the world. The restaurant's signature dish is duck with pepper and champagne.

Address: Rua da Barroca, 70, Bairro Alto, Lisbon

Phone: 351-213-431-858

Next to the river is another iconic Lisbon bar and restaurant. More than a hundred years ago, this building was used as an industrial warehouse, and a successful design decision was to preserve its original decoration - antique brick, chains, pulleys. The interior came out very stylish and atmospheric. Inside, Kais is divided into two rooms: in the upper one you can dine on international cuisine, and downstairs you will be treated to traditional Portuguese dishes.

Address: Cais da Viscondessa, Lisbon

During the daytime, this establishment operates as an ordinary cozy cafe, and when darkness falls, it turns into a noisy, crowded bar, where music and laughter of dancing visitors can be heard until the morning. The restaurant's cuisine features high-quality dishes, which is not typical for this type of entertainment establishment. The menu also offers an extensive selection of alcoholic drinks.

Portugal is the westernmost continental country. The Mediterranean climate creates ideal conditions for relaxation at almost any time of the year.

You can spend a very long time exploring the sights of this amazing country: these are the famous ones, and the Belem Tower, which has become a symbol, and the Alto Douro wine region, and the Vasco da Gama Bridge... But sooner or later, even the most tireless traveler will get hungry and he will be faced with the question: what is worth trying?

Food in Portugal

The dishes of the national Portuguese cuisine are simple and tasty; this hearty meal is perfect for a tourist who wants to have a thorough meal before further sightseeing. But those who are more interested in Portuguese cuisine than local beauty and antiquities will not be disappointed.

This cuisine was created by peasants and fishermen, its main ingredients are vegetables, fish, and seafood. But it would be a mistake to think that the cuisine of Portugal will not offer you anything else. You can try unusual meat dishes, various types of cheeses, and a huge number of puddings and cakes. But that's not all: did you know that Portugal is the birthplace of port wine? He's great there.

Wine, bread and olive oil are the other three pillars of Portuguese cooking. The Mediterranean is the Mediterranean.

The Portuguese themselves are especially fond of cod dishes: there are several hundred recipes for preparing this fish. Local residents claim that you can cook cod every day for a year and never have it happen again.

Top 10 Portuguese dishes

The word “bacalhau” itself means “cod” in Portuguese. It is also used to refer to dried and salted cod, which is an ingredient in a huge number of Portuguese dishes. One of these dishes is baked cod bacalau.

There is no cod found off the coast of Portugal; all this fish is imported. At the same time, every resident of the country eats about one and a half dozen kilograms of cod annually - such a culinary paradox.

Grilled fish

This dish can be tried in any restaurant and is served in large portions. The traditional side dish for this fish is vegetables and rice; you will also be served olive oil. Residents of Lisbon, the capital of Portugal, have a special love for grilled fish. They often prepare this dish right on the balconies of their houses, while the appetizing smell of baked fish spreads throughout all the surrounding streets.

This is a stew that includes stewed beans, rice, cabbage, peppers, smoked meat, and various types of sausage. In different cities of Portugal, the nuances of preparing this dish differ, and therefore the taste of feijoada in Lisbon is not similar to the taste of this stew in or. Try it and see for yourself.

Beef offal tripash

This dish comes from the city of Porto, the northern capital of Portugal. Its ingredients are offal, pig ears, cow hooves. It doesn't sound very appetizing, but the people of Porto love this dish so much that they even got the nickname "trepeiros", which means "tripe lovers" in Portuguese.

This is pureed cabbage soup. It is seasoned with paprika and olive oil. Potatoes and smoked Portuguese sausage are also added to this soup. The last ingredient is sometimes served separately; you can throw the sausage into the soup or eat it as a snack. If you are a vegetarian, you can try not adding sausage to the cream of soup... although the result will be a completely different dish. You can call calda verde the Portuguese equivalent of Russian cabbage soup.

Cheese "Queijo de Serra"

This is a soft type of cheese. It is so soft that you can spread it on a piece of bread, although the Portuguese never do this. We usually perceive cheese as an ingredient in some dish, but the people of Portugal consume this product separately, without adding it anywhere, or wash it down with wine. "Queijo de Serra" has a light sour-milk aroma and has a hard crust.

Here are a few more varieties of Portuguese cheeses:

"Queijo de Castelo Branco";

"Queijo Sant Jorge";

"Fresh cheese"

Portugal has a centuries-old cheese-making tradition. Some gourmets believe that local cheeses are not inferior to French and Italian ones.

These are puff pastry cakes loved by all Portuguese. Locals love to eat them for breakfast. Creamy egg cream gives this dish a piquant taste. If desired, you can ask for the brownies to be sprinkled with cinnamon. Pastel de nata goes well with coffee. You can try this delicacy in any Lisbon pastelaria - that’s the name of the local cafes. Sit back on the terrace or patio of this pastelaria and enjoy the sweets.

King Cake

The Portuguese usually eat it with their family on Christmas Eve. But nothing prevents you from enjoying it at any other time of the year in one of the Portuguese restaurants or cafes. The pie is made from butter dough and decorated with candied fruits and nuts. One of the distinctive features of the pie is the round hole in the middle. Local residents believe that the recipe for this dish comes from, which does not stop them from being proud of the king's cake as one of the most delicious dishes of Portuguese national cuisine.

A yellow-brown roll filled with egg cream. Moderately sweet and very tender, it will appeal not only to those with a sweet tooth, but also to those who are looking for a suitable snack for Portuguese port.

Cozido das furnas

The most exotic dish of all ten. The people of the Azores love him very much. This dish is prepared like this: a large pot of vegetables, pork and chicken is lowered on strong cables into a volcanic crater, where the food is stewed on the hot ground. During the preparation of this dish, many tourists with cameras always gather around the cooks. As a result, travelers get both delicious food and interesting photographs.