With a distinctive (and delicious) food culture and locals keen to introduce you to their favorite national dishes, Portugal is a foodie’s dream come true. Be sure to try these culinary delights, along with carafes of local wine and pasteis de nata (Portuguese custard tarts) for dessert!
Bacalhau
Bacalhau is dried and salted cod and can be found on the menu in most traditional Portuguese tavernas. There are many ways to serve this tender, flaky and flavorful fish, but we recommend trying Bacalhau e Grão de Bico (salt cod with chickpeas) for a hearty and warming dinner.
Sandes de Leitão
Move over pulled pork, and say hello to sandes de leitão! This mouth-watering sandwich is stuffed with the most tender, juicy pork you can imagine, and served with a peppery gravy and crispy crackling. Be warned, it might appear on the English menu as ‘piglet sandwich’!
Chicken Piri-Piri
You can’t leave Portugal without trying chicken piri-piri. This spicy, flame-grilled chicken has its origins in Portugal’s colonization of Angola and is now one of the country’s national dishes. Head south to the Algarve for the tastiest chicken piri-piri, and debate the locals over which churrasqueira (Portugese BBQ restaurant) is the best!