Portuguese Food: What to expect

Nice and Spice

Portuguese cuisine is similar to food found around most of the Mediterranean. Dishes often feature flavors including vanilla, black pepper, garlic, and chili. Spicy chilies are a staple in a lot of Portuguese food, and the piri piri chili is king in Portugal; it's small with a big kick so watch out. Strong flavors play an important part of Portuguese food so don't go out expecting a bland dish or an unseasoned steak.

Under the Sea: Cod, Prawns, and Mussels

Portugal is the biggest fish eating nation in Europe so expect plenty of seafood option wherever you choose to dine. Cod is a favorite ingredient in Portuguese food; also expect to see a lot of sardines, prawns, clams, and mussels. Each café and restaurant has its own specialty seafood dish. You can choose to have you fish grilled, steamed, poached, or pan-fried. Whichever you choose it is guaranteed to be fresh and delicious. Locals who love fish dine at Gambrinus.

Delightful Delicacies

Like any good European nation, Portugal makes its own cheeses. The most common cheeses found in Portuguese food are cheeses made form goat's or sheep's milk, like Queijo de Azeitao and Queijo de Castelo Branco. Traditionally, a sausage called Chourico, very similar to its Spanish counterpart can be served with any meal, as an appetizer or incorporated into a main meal.

Sweet Sensations

For breakfast, a sweet snack, or a dessert, the Portuguese turn to pastries. Every street and neighborhood in Lisbon has its own pastry shop which sells things like custard tarts, and marzipan cakes. Most desserts include a lot of eggs and sugar, and at least a sprinkling or vanilla, or cinnamon. Try the leite-creme, a set egg custard, and arroz doce, rice pudding, which are two of the most popular pastaries in Portugal. Sweet and delicious, these baked goods make the perfect treat any time of day.

When to Eat

As in most Mediterranean countries, breakfast in Portugal is a brief affair, usually only involving a bread roll with jam and a huge amount of coffee. Lunch takes a little longer, an hour at least but more commonly, two. Lunch is likely to be some cold cuts and cheeses served with fresh salad and will almost always stretch to at least one glass of wine. Lunch can be served at any time between 12 noon and 4 pm.

Dinner is when you can really get to stretch your legs and sample the delights of Portuguese food. Dinner is eaten late, when the sun has gone down. Restaurants don't start to fill up until around 8pm and dining can go on until as late as midnight. Children are welcome late in restaurants and eat with the adults.

Now that you know what to expect from Portuguese food, check out some excellent Lisbon restaurants.