The Best Portuguese Foods You Must Try

Portugal is a country where food is taken seriously — not in a fancy, Michelin-starred way (though there's plenty of that too), but in the way a grandmother cooks for her family: generous portions, honest ingredients, and flavours that have been perfected over centuries. If you're planning a trip to Portugal, your taste buds are in for an unforgettable journey.

Pastéis de Nata

Let's start with the most iconic Portuguese treat. These custard tarts feature a crispy, flaky pastry shell filled with a creamy egg custard that's slightly caramelised on top. The original recipe comes from the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos in Belém, where monks created them before 1837. Today, every bakery in Portugal makes them, but the ones from Belém remain legendary. Dust them with cinnamon and powdered sugar, and enjoy them warm.

You'll find the best Pastéis de Nata in Lisbon's Belém neighbourhood. Our Lisbon Half Day Tour takes you right past the famous bakery — your guide knows exactly when to stop for a fresh batch.

Bacalhau — The King of Portuguese Cuisine

The Portuguese say there are 365 ways to cook bacalhau (salted cod) — one for every day of the year. Some say there are over a thousand. Whatever the number, this dried and salted fish has been a cornerstone of Portuguese cooking since the Age of Discovery, when fishermen needed a way to preserve their catch on long voyages. Today, you'll find it baked, grilled, fried, stewed, and even raw in salads. Some of the most popular preparations include Bacalhau à Brás (shredded cod with scrambled eggs and crispy potatoes), Bacalhau com Natas (a rich, creamy baked dish), and Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá (layered with potatoes, onions, and olives).

Francesinha

Porto's answer to the French croque-monsieur, the Francesinha is a towering sandwich filled with layers of cured meats, fresh sausage, and steak, all covered in melted cheese and drenched in a spicy beer and tomato sauce. It's indulgent, messy, and absolutely delicious. Every restaurant in Porto has its own secret sauce recipe, and locals will passionately debate which one is the best. One thing is certain: you cannot visit Porto without trying one.

Discover Porto's food scene with our Porto Full Day Tour — your local guide will take you to a restaurant where tourists never go for the best Francesinha in the city.

Cozido à Portuguesa

This is Portugal's ultimate comfort food — a massive stew that brings together a variety of meats (pork, beef, chicken, chorizo, blood sausage), vegetables (cabbage, carrots, turnips, potatoes), and rice, all slow-cooked together until every ingredient absorbs the rich, meaty broth. It's traditionally a winter dish, served family-style at the centre of the table, and it represents the Portuguese philosophy of cooking: nothing goes to waste, and everything tastes better when shared.

Polvo à Lagareiro

Octopus is incredibly popular in Portugal, and Polvo à Lagareiro is perhaps the most celebrated way to prepare it. The octopus is roasted in the oven with plenty of olive oil, garlic, and small roasted potatoes until the tentacles are tender on the inside and slightly crispy on the edges. The dish is simple, letting the quality of the ingredients speak for themselves — which is very much the Portuguese way.

Sardinhas Assadas

During the summer months, especially around the Santo António festival in Lisbon (June 12-13), the smell of grilled sardines fills the streets. Fresh sardines are simply seasoned with coarse sea salt and grilled over charcoal until the skin is blistered and the flesh is perfectly moist. They're served on a slice of bread that soaks up all the delicious juices, often with a fresh salad and boiled potatoes on the side. It's street food at its finest.

Experience authentic Lisbon street food and culture on our Lisbon Full Day Tour. Your guide knows the best spots away from the tourist traps.

Queijadas de Sintra

These small cheese tarts have been made in Sintra since at least the 13th century. Made with fresh cheese, sugar, eggs, and a touch of cinnamon in a thin, crispy pastry shell, they're the perfect sweet treat after exploring Sintra's fairytale palaces. The traditional recipe is closely guarded by a handful of family-owned bakeries in the historic centre of Sintra.

On our Sintra Half Day Tour, your guide will make sure you stop at one of the original bakeries to try Queijadas and Travesseiros fresh from the oven.

Cataplana de Marisco

Originally from the Algarve, this seafood stew is cooked in a distinctive copper, clam-shaped pot called a cataplana. Inside, you'll find a rich mix of clams, prawns, mussels, fish, tomatoes, onions, garlic, white wine, and fresh herbs, all steamed together so the flavours meld beautifully. The moment the cataplana is opened at the table, the aroma is absolutely intoxicating. It's one of those dishes that perfectly captures the essence of coastal Portuguese cooking.

Taste the freshest seafood the Algarve has to offer on our Algarve Full Day Tour. We'll take you to a local restaurant where the fish was caught that same morning.

Arroz de Marisco

Similar in spirit to the cataplana but different in execution, Arroz de Marisco is a soupy seafood rice dish loaded with prawns, clams, crab, and lobster. The rice absorbs the rich shellfish broth, creating a dish that's somewhere between a risotto and a stew. It's typically made for two or more people and served in a large clay pot at the centre of the table. Along the coast, especially in Setúbal and Comporta, this dish reaches extraordinary heights.

Our Setúbal & Azeitão Wine Tour includes a stop for the freshest seafood by the coast — the perfect chance to try an authentic Arroz de Marisco.

Alheira

This unusual sausage has a fascinating origin story. During the Portuguese Inquisition, Jewish families who had been forced to convert to Christianity needed a way to appear as though they were eating pork (a Christian staple) without actually consuming it. They created Alheira — a sausage made with bread, garlic, and a mix of poultry and game meats. Today, some versions do include pork, but the traditional recipe from Trás-os-Montes remains pork-free. It's typically deep-fried until the casing is golden and crispy, then served with a fried egg and chips.

Where to Eat Like a Local

The secret to eating well in Portugal is simple: avoid restaurants with menus in six languages and photos of the food outside. Instead, look for small, family-run places where the menu changes daily, the portions are enormous, and the bill is surprisingly modest. Your private guide will know exactly where to take you.

On all our private tours, your local guide recommends authentic restaurants where the food is real and the prices are fair — no tourist traps, guaranteed.

Want to experience Portugal's incredible food scene with a local who knows all the best spots? Send us a message on WhatsApp and let's plan your perfect food journey.