15 Traditional Portuguese Foods and Drinks To Try on Your Next Trip

This classic dish can be found across the mainland and islands, with each location showcasing its favorite recipe. However, it’s said to have originated in Portugal’s lush, green north—Minho. The plate consists of collard greens shredded and cooked in a garlic-infused broth, and you can often find a slice of chouriço (sausage) inside for even more flavor. However, if you can't make it to Minho, sample it on this Porto food tour instead.

After a day of exploring Portugal, this tender pork sandwich hits the spot. Alentejo is home to the original recipe—and you can sample it on a local food tour—but you're likely to find bifana anywhere you go in the country. Made up of marinated pork cutlets infused with heaps of garlic and white wine served in a bread roll, this affordable snack is just as satisfying for your wallet as it is in your stomach.

For something hearty and home-cooked, feijoada à transmontana is a traditional bean stew from the rural northeast that’s both filling and comforting. It features kidney beans, pork meat, sausages, carrots, and cabbage, seasoned with garlic, cumin, and paprika and although it's best sampled in someone's home, you can also learn to make it for yourself.

The best place to try Port wine is in its namesake Porto, as the city boasts endless cellars where you can spend a weekend sampling the different kinds. Tawny, ruby, or white—each category packs a delicious punch, and thank to the fruity and strong flavor profile, Port makes for a perfect aperitif. It can also be enjoyed as a soothing nightcap or used to complement a meal.

Cataplana de marisco, or seafood stew, is named after the special steamer used to make the dish. Shaped like a clam, the cataplana is a copper pot that locks shut to prevent air from escaping. In the Algarve, a traditional seafood cataplana recipe features clams, shrimp, bite-sized pieces of meaty finfish, bell peppers, and either cilantro or parsley in a white wine-based broth. Order it overlooking the sea, or sample it as part of an Algarve food (and wine) excursion.

Insider tip: Order a glass of white wine from Alentejo or vinho verde from Minho to enjoy with your meal.

Summertime means sardine time in Portugal, and on Lisbon's narrow streets, you can follow the billows of scented smoke to a nearby sardine-covered grill. Visit Lisbon in June for its Santos Populares festival, and you'll find grilled sardines—a delicious oily fish that you can also enjoy tinned—on every street. Want to look like a local while doing so? Order a sardine on a slice of cornbread and try eating it without utensils. (Just be careful of the bones.)

Portugal's other favorite fish is bacalhau (salted cod), and locals love to boast that there are more recipes for this fish than days in a year. One that sits well with both locals and visitors alike is bacalhau com natas. The dish includes onions, fried potatoes, and spices such as nutmeg, all soaked in a cream sauce. It's a bit of work to cook, but it’s especially delicious in many central Portuguese cities like Viseu. And, of course, Lisbon always has you covered.

When thinking of Portugal, people often think of its famous pastéis de nata. These pastries ooze creamy filling with each bite and you'll find them countrywide, but the recipe originates from the Jerónimos Monastery in Lisbon's Belem district. The Pastéis de Belém Café is right beside the monastery, and still serves the traditional secret recipe that (supposedly) makes these pastéis different from any others in the world. Or, learn to make them yourself and enjoy them whenever you want.

Francesinha means "little French girl" in English, but there’s nothing little about this dish. Or French, for that matter. Make sure to bring your appetite for a Porto food tour including francesinhas, because this baked sandwich is stuffed to the brim with different sausages, ham, and steak. On the outside, the sandwich is drenched in cheese and a blanket of spiced sauce before being baked in an oven. If that weren’t enough, some restaurants add a fried egg on top, too.

Insider tip: Vegetarians can also partake in the francesinha, since Porto is home to many restaurants that offer meatless versions.

Alheira, a type of Portuguese sausage, is one of the country's best-kept culinary secrets. Dating back to the 15th century, it was developed by the country's Jewish community who needed to blend in with Christians while still avoiding pork-based products. Today, it may contain pork, but alheira was once made with poultry or rabbit and bread. The dish is famous around the Trás-os-Montes region, but locals will tell you to try it in the city of Mirandela.

A dish comprised of boiled meat and vegetables, this stew is a staple in the Iberian Peninsula. In Portugal, however, you’ll want to try the dish in the village of Furnas on São Miguel island in the Azores. Part of the reason this hearty plate is so unique is thanks to the area’s volcanic environment, which influences the cooking method. That's because the cozido das Furnas—made with potatoes, carrots, cabbage, pork cuts, and sausages—is lowered into the ground and left to cook naturally by the activity of the geysers.

Insider tip: Cozido cooks for hours underground, so many popular restaurants require orders at least a day in advance.

Bolo de caco is a type of flatbread from the island of Madeira that’s made with sweet potato. It looks like a large English muffin, and you can order it lightly toasted with a spread of butter on top. It’s also served with cheese, but a popular way to eat bolo de caco is as part of a sandwich. When craving something savory with a cool drink, consider ordering a prego no bolo do caco, which is a beef sandwich on flatbread.

Açorda is a bread soup that dates to the 8th century and has origins in North Africa. A staple in hard-hit villages with few resources, the original recipe used any readily available ingredients. Traditional açorda is broth filled with garlic, cilantro, mint, bread, and sometimes poached eggs. In Alentejo, açorda contains more broth, while in other parts of the country, it’s thicker. Today, chefs love spicing up the recipe by adding seafood and fish.

Queijo Serra da Estrela is for anyone who loves strong cheese. Made in the Serra da Estrela mountain range, this is a creamy cheese made with sheep milk and shaped like a wheel. Cut the wheel in half, and the inside will ooze out like melted butter. You can also cut a hole into the top and scoop the cheese out with a spoon or bread. Either way, you won't be disappointed.

This might be just what the doctor ordered—especially if you were to travel back through time. During the 19th century, this aromatic drink created with a variety of spices and herbs was sold for medicinal reasons. Today, it's one of Portugal's favorite drinks—sample it on a Lisbon food tour, a beach break in Faro, or anywhere around the country. Try it neat to fully appreciate its blend of flavors, including—perhaps surprisingly—cinnamon and lavender.