Portuguese Food That You Have to Try!
Francesinha (Price 7 - 12 euro)
First on the list would be the Francesinha, this sandwich is highly recommended by the locals.
It’s a sandwich wrapped covered with melted cheese with all kinds of meat on the inside. It has roast beef, steak, ham and different kind of sausages.
They will serve with either beer sauce or thick spiced tomato. At some places they also serve it with an egg on top.
I would recommend to find a place that is known to make a good Francesinha, like Cafe Santiago
Pastel de nata (Price 0,22 - 1,20)
Go find a local bakery and you will get these small wonders for just 0,22 cents.
Pastel de nata is a combination of cake and custard tart. The pastel de nata is about 300 years and it’s origin is a little more religious than most people expect. The monks and nuns around that time used egg white to starch their clothing which meant that there was a lot of left over egg yolk. That’s when they decided to make Pastel de nata. Selling the pastel de nata became a income stream to support the monastery.
With this in mind I would recommend to buy from local small bakeries, not only because they are much cheaper but this way the small bakeries will stay around longer and not be taken over by big corporations.
Polvo à la Lagareiro
Polvo à la Lagareiro is another delicious seafood dish that you should try when in Portugal. Polvo à la Lagareiro is a dish made with octopus that has been grilled or roasted. It is a very simple dish but it’s very tasty.
The octopus is usually served with boiled potatoes and olive oil.
Bacalhau or Portuguese Cod Fish
Bacalhau or Portuguese Cod Fish is another must-try dish when visiting Portugal. Bacalhau is salted cod that has been dried for weeks or even months.
It can be cooked in many different ways but the most popular way to eat it, is by frying it and then serving with boiled potatoes and scrambled eggs
Caldo Verde
Caldo Verde is a soup that is made with kale, potatoes, garlic and chorizo. It’s a very hearty soup and it’s perfect for a cold winter day.
Try all these traditional foods at local restaurants and bakery’s for the best taste. And who knows, maybe you’ll find your new favorite dish! Thanks for reading.
