Local cuisine is one small part of the whole culture of the country. If you try to analyze the world cuisine, you will see that the food that each country prefers speaks of its history, culture and traditions. Lisbon, as the capital of Portugal, is not an exception. It offers a big variety of dishes and drinks for everyone who wants to taste what it’s like to be Portuguese.
So imagine you go to a restaurant to finally grab a bite after the tiring day of sightseeing, you take the menu and try to read it. There is a long list with dishes you have never heard of. Which one to take? Here are a few suggestions to prepare you for the big choice.
The country is surrounded by water almost from all sides. Therefore, I’m pretty sure you already know the top first dish you have to try. Seafood! If you live away from the ocean, you can be sure that you haven’t tried real seafood. Lisbon has some great restaurants serving even greater fish, shrimp, shellfish (you can never escape from this one) and so on. You can even smell the ocean from the plate. In a word, a total must for everyone, at least once during your trip. Seafood is usually served in soups or with rice. You can choose in accordance with your preferences, but remember, the nastier the fish looks, the more interesting memories you will have from that meal.
If you find the name “Bacalhau a Lagareiro” in the menu, definitely give it a try. It’s baked cod with potatoes. The dish is so big it’ll be enough for the whole day. Sounds like a good way of saving some money. Particularly unique are the grilled sardines, horse mackerel and cuttlefish.
The overwhelming part of the Portuguese dishes exclude the usage of cheese. While the French get picky on which type of cheese to eat with their meal, Portuguese serve it either before or after the meal. If you are a cheese-fan, make sure to order some, as it most likely won’t be included in your meal.
Desserts are quite humble. I find it hard to single out a true traditional dessert, which you can find in the majority of cafes. It’s the same variety of cupcakes, chocolate puddings and mousses, ice creams, as everywhere else in the modern world.
Portugal has the 10th position in the World Wine Production list (as of 2010). This is of course not a top result, but it’s still a heavy reason to taste Portuguese wines.
If you want good wine, you will have to pay a lot, but there’s always beer to get busy with. The most popular Portuguese bear brands are Super Bock and Sagres. They are quite affordable, no more than €4.
As for shots, ginjinha is the most Portuguese drink you can ever think of. It tastes like cherry brandy and is very cheap, around €1. It’s available in almost all bars and cafes.
And of course, I can’t say good bye without directing you to one of my favorite districts in Lisbon, Alfama, a great place for accommodation, attraction search, and, most importantly, food. Each cafe is most likely to offer traditional cuisine, no matter how small the cafe looks like.
