12 Portuguese Dishes So Good, You'll Want To Book a Flight Just To Eat

From the historic streets of Lisbon and the beautiful architecture of Sintra to the pristine beaches of the Algarve and world-class wines from the Douro Valley, Portugal is known for many things. However, it could be said that everyone’s favorite part of Portugal is its food.

Influenced by Mediterranean cuisine, Portuguese food is fresh, rich, and varied, offering some of the world’s most unique dishes. There are arguably too many delicious dishes to choose from. With that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of 12 Portuguese dishes you need to try in different parts of the country. Stick around for mouthwateringly tasty dishes.

Table of Contents

Traditional Bacalhau, Lisbon

Let’s kick this list of delicious dishes off with Portugal’s national dish. Despite being the national dish, bacalhau is a surprisingly varied dish. People believe there are more than 365 ways to make it, while others think there are over 1,000. However, if you want to stick to tradition, you’ll have it the old-fashioned way.

Created by an innkeeper in Lisbon’s Bairro Alto neighborhood, bacalhau is a salted cod dish that begins with soaking the cod overnight to remove the salt. Then, the fish is flaked and mixed with hard-boiled eggs, potatoes, onions, olive oil, and spices. Many restaurants also include olives. The result is a hearty fish dish with rich, salty, and tangy flavors.

Pastel de Nata, Lisbon

Bacalhau may be the national dish, but pastel de nata is arguably the most iconic dish in Portugal. Also invented in Lisbon, pastel de nata is a pastry dessert with a creamy egg custard filling. However, due to their popularity, you can find this sweet treat across Portugal, Europe, and parts of Asia and South America.

This one-of-a-kind pastry uses simple pantry ingredients, such as flour, egg yolks, and cinnamon. As tasty as pastel de nata are, it’s the story of how they came to be that we love most. This custardy pastry can be traced back to the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon. After using the egg whites to clean their clothes, nuns would bake the sweet treats with leftover egg yolks.

Calo Verde, Braga

Originating from the north of Portugal in the Minho Province, calo verde is a comforting soup made with onions, shredded kale, potatoes, garlic, and chorizo. Salt and pepper can enhance the soup’s flavor. It’s prevalent in winter but is also commonly served throughout the year.

Like pastel de nata, calo verde is a widespread dish enjoyed around the world. However, it’s best enjoyed in Braga, the largest city in Minho province. This dish can also be made vegetarian for those who want to enjoy it without the chorizo. To top things off, calo verde is usually served with a lovely piece of traditional Portuguese cornbread for dipping purposes.

Peixinhos da Horta, Porto

Another traditional dish you should try during your trip to Porto is peixinhos da Horta. Although most Portuguese dishes rely heavily on meat and seafood, this one is a delicious vegetarian-friendly snack you don’t want to miss. In English, peixinhos da horta translates to “Little Fish from the Vegetable Garden.”

It takes this name because it looks like small pieces of deep-fried fish. However, it’s a green bean recipe that involves coating the green bean in a wheat flour-based batter and deep-frying it. Bell peppers and squash can also be used to make this snack. It’s believed this dish gave rise to tempura because Portuguese sailors introduced it to Japan in the 16th century.

Sopa da Pedra, Almeirim

One of Portugal’s most famous traditional dishes was born in the small city of Almeirim, in the Santarém District, Central Portugal. That dish is sopa da pedra, a soul-warming soup dish jam-packed with authentic flavors and rich ingredients. This popular recipe was once considered the soup of people experiencing poverty. However, it’s now common in homes and restaurants nationwide.

Cured meat, often sausage and bacon, red kidney beans, and potatoes are the main ingredients for this comforting bowl of yummy goodness. Onions, garlic, salt, and pepper add extra flavor. Sopa da pedra is usually served with fresh bread and Queijo da Nisa cheese.

Bifana, Vendas Novas

Bifana is a simple yet impactful traditional pork sandwich recipe. The exact origin of this sandwich recipe is up for debate, but it’s widely accepted that it was first made in Vendas Novas, a small town approximately an hour east of Lisbon. While it’s nice to try traditional dishes where they were made, you can grab this sandwich in most Portuguese cities and towns.

It’s so popular that McDonald’s even serves the McBifana in Portugal. Traditional bifana sandwiches contain sliced pork, a bread roll, garlic, paprika, and white wine. However, many restaurants put their spin on things, adding extra ingredients, such as tomatoes, bell peppers, cheese, and onions.

Cataplana de Marisco, Faro

Save this

We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later.

Cataplana de marisco is a symbol of the Algarve, Southern Portugal cuisine. It’s believed this tagine or paella-like dish originated in the Algarve in the 8th century during the Moorish occupation. Today, it’s found in most cities and towns in the region, including Faro. It gets its name from the copper pan, a cataplana, in which it’s cooked.

Cataplana de marisco is a seafood feast cooked in tomato sauce and white wine with garlic, onions, and peppers. The main proteins used in the dish are usually whole prawns, clams, and chorizo. Although, it’s not uncommon for restaurants to use other seafood as well. Some restaurants will use mussels, crayfish, and white fish. As you would expect, this dish typically serves a whole table.

Arroz de Marisco, Marinha Grande

Another traditional Portuguese dish often served to the entire table is arroz de marisco, which translates to seafood rice. Admittedly, it’s hard to put a finger on the origins of this dish because there are so many variations. However, it’s believed the dish originates in Praia da Vieira, in Marinha Grande.

We must admit, though, that we’ve had gorgeous seafood rice overlooking the sea in nearby Ericeira. A whole host of fishy friends can make their way into seafood rice, including prawns, mussels, squid, cuttlefish, and crab. Regarding veggies, expect to find peas, peppers, and onions swimming in the fragrant seafood broth. It’s also not uncommon to see this dish served as a risotto instead of a paella-esque table dish.

Prego Roll, Lisbon

If you’re looking for a quick, authentic, and filling bite to eat in the capital, look no further than the prego roll. A super simple but incredibly delicious dish, the prego roll is a traditional sandwich recipe made with high-quality ingredients. You’ll find them in most cafes, delis, and food markets.

This white roll sandwich is filled with juicy grilled steak, sweet, umami, and irresistibly charred grilled onions, cheese, and mustard. Some prego rolls also include ham. The steak can be anything from rare to well-done, depending on where you buy your sandwich. Prego rolls are usually a midday meal, but they’re often served all day.

Francesinha, Porto

Francesinha is a food icon in Porto, so make sure you try it during your trip to the “Unvanquished City.” This sandwich is like a messier and tastier version of the French Croque Monsieur, but don’t let anyone from France hear us say that. It’s a hearty sandwich dish with rich flavors, exciting textures, and beautiful ingredients.

Not your ordinary sandwich, this francesinha is made by filling two thick slices of bread to the brim with ham, steak, and sausage. As if that wasn’t enough, the sandwich is slathered in melted cheese and tomato sauce and topped with a gooey egg. We don’t know about you, but this monster sandwich makes us hungry.

Lapas, São Miguel Island

Portuguese Dishes_Lapas, São Miguel Island — © S-aznar / Adobe Stock

The penultimate dish on our list is lapas, a simple limpet dish commonly found in the Azores and Madeira, two of Portugal’s most iconic archipelagos. As such, São Miguel Island, the largest island in the Azores, is an excellent place to sample this Portuguese delicacy. Lapas can be found at most beachside bars and seafood restaurants.

So, what can you expect? Azorean-style lapas are typically grilled with butter and garlic and served in their shells with a few slices of lemon. They taste a lot like clams but have a chewier texture. They go down quickly with a crisp glass of wine and ocean views.

Queijada, Sintra

After exploring the fairytale town of Sintra in southern Portugal, treat yourself to a queijada as a reward for all your walking. Queijada is a beautiful, sweet treat from Sintra, not too dissimilar to a pastel de nata. They’re made using simple ingredients and go down a treat.

The simple pantry ingredients for queijada are sugar, cheese, eggs, flour, and cinnamon. These ingredients make a mini cheesecake-like snack or dessert that satisfies even the sweetest sweet tooths. If you love sweet foods like us, we recommend purchasing two or three queijada for when you crave another one later. Don’t panic when you’ve left Sintra, as you’ll likely find queijada in most shops across Portugal.