Foodie’s Guide to Portugal: Unmissable Dishes to Indulge In

Every country has one or a few dishes that have somehow become synonymous with the country. Widely promoted as “must try”. The locals produce them in large quantities and every tourist makes it a point to try them. Go to any market and you will find them greeting you upon entry. Two items on my must try food in Portugal list are Grilled Sardines and Pastel de Nata. They are everywhere. I have never seen so many decorative sardine cans in my life and I’d be just fine if I never saw that many again. A short description:

What you should really try

Now that we’ve gotten that out of our system, let’s talk about what foods you should really try when in Portugal. You will do yourself a disservice if you do not try some of the freshest fish you will ever taste. Portugal sits right on the Atlantic ocean and here seafood reigns king. Sure, you can find fish/seafood almost anywhere in the world. But the artisans working the grill at many of the restaurants in Portugal have a certain finesse that is hard to deny. I use the term “restaurant” loosely as you will find some really great seafood right where the ocean meets the sand. The fisherman catch and cook fish fresh right from the boat. Let’s narrow this down a bit for you

Chef’s Top Picks

First, let’s start with oysters. We must have had oysters at every meal and even in between meals. There was something about the flavors that these waters are able to create that made them delightful. Most importantly, the price point fits right into my ‘bougie on a budget’ dining scheme. It was easy to find oysters for around 2 Euro each definitely making them a must try food in Portugal.

Next, grilled Mediterranean red snapper. Make a stop in the small seaside village of Ericieria and while you’re there grab a seat at Esplanade Furnas. They don’t mask the flavors of the fish with different seasonings or extra dollops of oil. Here you get a less complicated dish. Grilled whole, sprinkled with a little salt and finished with a squeeze of lemon. They must have something special in the fire that powers the grill to bring out such rich flavors. And the view of the waves crashing against the cliff from the dining room is enough to put you in a trance.

Finally, we had our fill of Sapateira Recheada better known as stuffed crab. They take all the deliciousness of the crab meat and briny roe then mix it with mayonnaise, mustard and in some cases beer to create an incredible dip. The shell becomes the serving vessel and it is served with the most garlicky garlic bread outside of Italy. I could not get enough of this dish. We tried it at the very popular Cervajeria Ramiro in Lisbon. Plan ahead as I hear the line can be out the door.

One other place…

Ok, this one doesn’t go on any notable must try food in Portugal list. I happened upon it at TimeOut Market. One bite and I was hooked. Two days later, I set my gps to the nearest Crush just to get another bite of the delicious donuts. I don’t know where this artisans are from but they make donuts that are a feast for the eyes and the mouth. They have a few outposts in Lisbon. If you are wandering around for the day and happen to stumble across one do yourself a favor and make a stop.

One last place…

Landau. Don’t ask questions just go! I had what I would consider the best cup of hot chocolate EVER at this spot. No fuss, just chocolate. And while you are there, indulge in a slice of their award winning chocolate cake. There are a few locations throughout Lisbon so you should have no problem finding them.

Where else?

This is by far not a fully inclusive list. Certainly, I dined at some really fabulous places during my time in Portugal. Check out some of the related blogs about Portugal to discover more amazing places to dine.