Taste the delicious flavors of Lisbon with these must-try local dishes! Whether you’re enjoying traditional meals or sweet treats, Portugal’s food scene offers an unique experience.
If you haven’t already, check out my other blogs about pre-travel tips & advice and full itinerary & expense breakdown to make the most of your time in Lisbon.
🍹 Drinks
- Ginjinha: A traditional Portuguese liqueur made from sour cherries. Often served in chocolate cups.
- Port Wine: While port wine is more associated with Porto.
- Vinho Verde: A crisp and refreshing white wine from northern Portugal.
🥭 Fruits
- Pêra Rocha: A type of pear native to Portugal, prized for its crisp texture and sweet flavor.
- Figs: Portugal produces delicious figs.
- Oranges: Portugal is known for its sweet and juicy oranges.
🍲 Dishes
- Bacalhau (Salted Cod): Portugal’s national dish. Prepared in various ways, such as Bacalhau à Brás (shredded cod with onions, potatoes, and eggs), Bacalhau com Natas (cod with cream), or Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá (codfish casserole).
- Pastel de Bacalhau: Also known as “salt cod fritters” or “salt cod croquettes”. Made with salted cod, potatoes, eggs, and parsley, they are deep-fried to perfection and best enjoyed piping hot.
- Sardinhas Assadas (Grilled Sardines): A summertime favorite in Lisbon, especially during the popular Festas de Lisboa (Lisbon Festivals) in June. Enjoy them with a squeeze of lemon and a side of crusty bread.
- Francesinha: A Portuguese sandwich originating from Porto, typically consists of layers of cured meats, steak, and sausage, covered with melted cheese and spicy tomato and beer sauce. Often served with french fries.
- Piri Piri Chicken: Marinated in a spicy sauce made from Piri Piri peppers, also known as African Bird’s Eye chili peppers.
- Prego no Pão: A Portuguese steak sandwich features thinly sliced beef marinated in garlic and spices, served on a crusty roll with mustard, sometimes topped with a fried egg.
- Pão com Chouriço: Marinated beef steak or slices of chouriço sausages in a Portuguese roll, baked until golden brown.
- Bifana: Thinly sliced pork marinated in garlic and spices, served in a bread roll.
- Seafood Rice (Arroz de Marisco): Featuring a flavorful broth infused with fresh seafood like shrimp, clams, mussels, and squid, served over aromatic rice.
- Caldo Verde: A comforting Portuguese soup made with potatoes, collard greens, and slices of chouriço (sausage).
🍰 Snacks & Desserts
- Pastéis de Nata (Custard Tarts): Portugal’s iconic pastry, dusted with cinnamon and powdered sugar.
- Bolo de Arroz: Rice muffin flavored with lemon zest.
- Queijo de Azeitão: A creamy and flavorful sheep’s milk cheese produced in the Azeitão region near Lisbon. Pair it with crusty bread, honey, or fruit for a delightful snack or appetizer.
- Queijo e Presunto (Cheese and Ham): A platter of queijo (cheese) and presunto (cured ham), accompanied by crusty bread and olives, for a simple yet satisfying snack.
- Arroz Doce: Portuguese rice pudding flavored with cinnamon and lemon zest, served warm or chilled.
- Pastéis de Bacalhau: Codfish cakes, made with salted cod, potatoes, onions, and parsley, and deep-fried until crispy and golden.
Download Your Travel Planner Template
To make your trip planning even easier, I’ve created a comprehensive Notion travel planner template for Lisbon. This planner includes travel tips, flight schedule templates, packing lists, transportation tips, must-see attractions, recommended eats, an expense tracker, and an embedded Google Map Itinerary with all the essential location pins.
Get Your Planner Here: 🚃 Lisbon, Portugal 5-Day Travel Itinerary Planner
Enjoy every bite of Portugal’s culinary delights as you explore Lisbon. This wraps up my Lisbon travel guide. Until next time, enjoy your trip! 🇵🇹
