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7 Best Food Cities In Portugal

Discover seven tasty cities in Portugal and our favorite things to eat in each tasty Portuguese city.

Cured Meat at Taverna Os Templários in Monsarez Portugal
Image: ©2foodtrippers

Portugal has long been a popular destination for sun seekers and budget travelers. However, in the past, it wasn’t a hot spot for food travelers who concentrated on food focused countries like France, Italy and Greece instead.

Those days are over. Portugal has recently become a media darling in periodicals like The Guardian, Los Angeles Magazine and Lonely Planet. And, like bees to honey, travelers of all ages and income levels are now flocking to cities in Portugal to sample the country’s many delights.

Discover our top tips for eating in Portugal.

Fried Fish in Olhao Portugal
Spoiler Alert! Portugal has as much fresh fish as it has salt cod. We ate this seafood platter in Olhão. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Sadly, many of these delight-seeking travelers, even the food-astute ones, don’t know what to eat and drink once they arrive.

This confusion happens in bigger cities like Lisbon and Porto as well as in smaller towns and villages. The Algarve poses similar challenges although the coastal region’s seafood bounty is practically impossible to miss.

Fitapreta Vinhos Winery in the Alentejo Portugal
Drinking wine in Portugal is always an adventure. We enjoyed this particular wine adventure at the Fitapreta Vinhos Winery near Évora. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We can empathize.

During our initial Portugal trip in 2007, we managed to eat plenty of bacalhau (salt cod) and pasteis de nata but ended up at McDonalds when we hit a culinary dead end one night. Don’t judge us – it was our honeymoon after all. We also drank liters of vinho verde and even more ruby, tawny and white port wine as well as the occasional porto tonico cocktail.

Bacalhao and Salad at Jose Maria Da Fonseca in Azeitao Portugal
We’ve eaten bacalhau dishes all over Portugal. We paired this version with a fresh salad at the Wine Corner by José Maria da Fonseca. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Times have changed.

Since moving to Portugal in 2019, we’ve made it our personal mission to eat like Portuguese locals. This mission is easy to accomplish since we’re legal residents of the country and have a Lisbon home base.

Discover our Portuguese food favorites. Then read our guide showcasing the best Portuguese desserts and pastries.

Pastries at Pastelaria Cego in Azeitao Portugal
The variety of Portuguese pastries is seemingly endless. We found and ate these doce de moscatel at Pastelaria Cego. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We decided to add our dois cêntimos (two cents) about the tastiest Portuguese cities after reading seemingly sage advice written based on research instead of real life experience. Our goal is to steer our fellow food travelers in the right direction since life is too short to eat bad food in Portugal.

Check for updates as we visit and re-visit tasty cities in Portugal like Braga, Coimbra, Faro and Lagos.

Our Favorite Food Cities In Portugal

Wine Selfie at Taverna Os Templários in Monsarez Portugal
We toasted our good fortunes with local wine while eating lunch in Monsaraz. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Living in Portugal, we have numerous opportunities to travel the country and often visit Portuguese cities and regions multiple times. And, just like we seek out the best food in Asia when we’re in that part of the world, our Portugal travels always seem to focus on food.

Vines at Bacalhoa in Azeitao Portugal
We visited the Bacalhoa Winery as part of our ongoing exploration of Portugal’s 13 wine regions. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Lately, we’ve been fielding inquisitive calls, emails and messages asking our advice about where to travel within Portugal. With this elevated interest in mind, we’re now highlighting seven of the best cities in Portugal for inquisitive food travelers.

In other words, don’t skip the following cities when you plan a Portuguese food trip:

1. Porto

Acorda de Mariscos at Taberna Dos Mercadores in Porto
We adore dining on dishes like açorda de mariscos at restaurants like Taberna Dos Mercadores when we travel to Porto, the culinary hub of Northern Portugal. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We don’t know why the food scene in Porto is so excellent. Maybe it’s related to the city’s central role in the port wine industry. Or maybe the people in Porto just enjoy eating well.

The crazy thing is that Porto doesn’t just excel with one type of food. Porto’s food scene has many great options ranging from snack food to fine dining. On the top end, two restaurants in its metro region, Casa de Chá da Boa Nova and The Yeatman, have earned two Michelin stars.

Fun Fact
Portugal has 37 Michelin-starred restaurants. Seven have two stars while the other 30 have a single star.

Francesinha at Cafe Santiago in Porto
Porto’s decadent francesinha is so wrong that it’s right. We ate this sandwich at Cafe Santiago, a local institution that dates back to 1959. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Porto’s most famous dish, the francesinha, is a delicious heart attack on a plate. Most Porto joints smother the meaty, cheesy sandwich with a special tomato beef gravy and serve it with fried potatoes. But the francesinha isn’t the only sandwich worth eating in Porto.

It’s a true sandwich city where you can eat a pernil com queijo or bifana sandwich any time of the day or night unless you’d rather eat a cachorrinho, Porto’s take on the hot dog. It’s also a city that embraces traditional Portuguese food as well as modern culinary trends like brunch and vegetarian food.

Discover more food favorites in Porto as well as the Porto restaurants and Porto coffee shops you don’t want to miss.

Port Tasting at Caves Calem in Porto
We tasted five different port wines at Caves Cálem for research purposes. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Most food travelers journey to Porto to drink port wine at the source.

While wine enthusiasts can drink port wine anywhere in the world, many dream of sipping the fortified elixir at port lodges in Vila Nova de Gaia. Just a short walk or drive from Porto over the Dom Luis I Bridge, Porto’s port lodges receive barrels of the exclusive wine from nearby Douro Valley before storing and aging it in massive wooden barrels.

Schedule a port tasting and tour at the prestigious Graham’s Port Lodge. We did this tour during our first visit to Porto and highly recommend it.

2. Lisbon

Swordfish Ceviche at Zunzum in Lisbon
Upscale Lisbon restaurants like Zunzum Gastrobar serve sophisticated culinary creations like this swordfish ceviche. We enjoyed the dish so much that we ordered it again during our second visit. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Although Porto stole our heart, we decided to live in Lisbon based on the capital city’s larger airport and more cosmopolitan lifestyle. But, make no mistake, Lisbon has a thriving food scene that keeps us hopping.

In some ways, the Lisbon food scene is more exciting due to its cultural diversity. This is a city where adventurous diners can eat dishes more typically served in countries like Brazil, Southern India and Africa in addition to global favorites like dim sum, pizza and sushi.

Feeling overwhelmed? Get your bearings during a Lisbon food & wine walking tour.

Porco Preto at Eleectrico do Chile in Lisbon Portugal
Traditional Portuguese food is easy to find in Lisbon. We found this plate topped with porco preto at Electrico do Chile in Lisbon’s Arroios neighborhood. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Food travelers who want to eat traditional Portuguese food won’t be challenged in Lisbon.

The city has thousands of casual tascas (taverns) serving dishes like arroz de pato (duck rice) and bacalhau à brás (cod with cream and potatoes) as well as upscale restaurants serving elevated versions of these same dishes. Food travelers limited on time can taste many at Lisbon’s Time Out Market, located near the Cais do Sodré ferry station, during just one visit.

Lisbon is also home to Portugal’s most iconic pastry, the pastel de nata. Invented by monks almost two centuries ago. Pasteis de nata are available at pastelarias (pastry shops) all over town. However, it’s just a quick bus or uber ride to sample the original egg tart recipe at Pastéis de Belém.

Discover our favorite pastel de nata shops in Lisbon.

Bifana at Bifanas do Afonso in Lisbon
The bifana is our Lisbon cheap eats favorite. We ate this bifana at Bifanas do Afonso in Baixa. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Those who want to splurge won’t be disappointed during a visit to Lisbon. The city has nine Michelin-starred restaurants, including two with two stars – Alma and Belcanto – plus a few more in nearby Praia do Guincho and Sintra.

However, Lisbon has plenty of tasty cheap eats including bifanas (braised pork sandwiches) and frango assado (grilled chicken). The key is to skip touristic restaurants and eat like a Lisbon local instead.

Discover our favorite Lisbon restaurants, pizzerias, ice cream shops and specialty coffee cafes.

3. Évora

Pork Dish at Taberna Típica Quarta Feira in Evora Portugal
Dining in Évora is typically a meat fest. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

A UNESCO world heritage city that dates back centuries, Évora is a popular Alentejo destination with Roman ruins still standing within its ancient walls and a chapel, Capela dos Ossos, literally built with human bones.

We toured these sites during our first visit and they’re awesome. However, we returned to Évora for two main reasons – the city’s hearty food and flowing wine.

Food in Évora is plentiful and rich. Most restaurants serve stick-to-your-ribs dishes involving generous amounts of meat and carbs. At first glance, Évora’s porky plates seem simple; however, it takes just a few bites to reveal cooking traditions passed through generations and superior locally grown ingredients.

Rice Dish at Taberna Típica Quarta Feira in Evora Portugal
Taberna Típica Quarta Feira serves some of the best food in Evora. We ate this dish during our first visit and returned two years later for a repeat performance. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

You won’t be disappointed if you plan ahead and make reservations at one or more of Évora’s best restaurants. Instead, you’ll eat a plethora of unique dishes like sopa de cação (dogfish soup) and migas, a savory bread pudding, until you wave a white flag in culinary surrender.

Not only does the city have fantastic pastries like its iconic queijadas, but it also has access to a range of wines produced in its home region of Alentejo. A dry, arid region notable for its olive groves, cork trees and grape vines, Alentejo produces more wine than any other Portuguese region including Dão and the Douro Valley.

Sliced Queijinho do Ceu at Pastelaria Violeta in Evora
Our lives were sweeter when we ate this Queijinho do Ceu pastry at Pastelaria Violeta. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Drinking Alentejo wine is reason enough to plan an overnight visit to Évora. Renting a car is a must if you want to tour nearby wineries like Cartuxa as well as others like Ervideira and Sovibor in towns like Borba and Monsaraz. Trust us, you do.

However, you don’t need a car to enjoy a big bottle of red wine at one of Evora’s best restaurants. For that, you just need a credit card and a bed to roll into after dinner.

4. Funchal (Madeira)

Madeira Church
Funchal looks like a Portuguese city despite its Atlantic Ocean locale. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Although Funchal is Portugal’s sixth most populated city in population and is famous around the world for its natural beauty and the production of Madeira’s self-named fortified wine, most people don’t include Funchal in their Portugal itineraries. There’s a good reason for this omission…

Funchal is located in Madeira – in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean – approximately 600 miles or 1,000 kilometers from Lisbon. All travelers must fly to Madeira whether via a two hour flight from Lisbon or a multi hour flight from another city like London or Dusseldorf. Flights from the USA typically require connections.

Make no mistake. Traveling to Funchal is worth the extra effort.

Madeira Bananas
Call us bananas but we really love the bananas grown on Madeira. We found these particular bunches at Mercado dos Lavradores in downtown Funchal. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Visitors to Funchal can easily access Madeira’s black beaches, mountain trails and natural pools. Additionally, many of the city’s hotels offer epic views. Its markets sell a range of exotic fruits as well as some of the best bananas in the world.

We’re not kidding about those bananas which grow in different colors. Small and sweet, they’re ideal snacks between meals which often feature grilled meat skewers called espetada and black scabbard fish served topped with…you guessed it…bananas..

Lapas in Madeira
Eating Lapas in Funchal is fun. We ate these slippery devils at Regional Flavours in the heart of the city. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Lapas, also known as limpets, may be Funchal’s most popular seafood for travelers to taste. The bottom feeders, which reminded us of miniature abalone, are usually served with a buttery lemon-garlic sauce.

Interestingly, while fortified Madeira wine is famous around the world, it’s not the only drink to imbibe in Funchal. Locals love drinking poncha, a bright fruity tipple, when they’re not drinking local Coral beer. Visitors love drinking poncha too.

Discover our favorite things to eat and drink in Madeira.

5. Olhão

Cataplana in Olhao Portugal
Eating seafood in Olhão is both a pleasure and a necessity. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

A popular holiday destination, the Algarve is far from a hidden Portugal gem. While beach bums swarm to Algarve cities like Albufeira, Faro, Lagos and Tavira, many mistakenly skip Olhão.

Located six miles from Faro, Olhão is just a boat ride away from several stunning beaches. It also has the Algarve’s largest fishing port, numerous seafood restaurants and the region’s most impressive seafood market.

Fish Market in Olhao Portugal
Shopping for seafood in Olhão is almost as fun as eating seafood in Olhão. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Olhão’s two municipal markets are culinary treasure troves during the week. The fruit and vegetable market displays a wide variety of farm products and meats while the seafood market sells a stunning array of fresh catches including some of the largest prawns we’ve ever seen.

However, locals and savvy food travelers know that Saturday is the very best day to shop at Olhão’s markets. This is the day when the fish market has the best selection of sardines, octopus and clams. It’s also the only day of the week when Olhão’s massive outdoor market comes alive with a rainbow of local produce and chocolate-dipped churros fried to order.

Fish Fry in Olhao Portugal
Our friend Brian fried up this fish hours after we bought it at the Olhão fish market. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

We recommend spending a long weekend in Olhão. You’ll have ample time to explore the town, shop at its markets, dine at a few seafood restaurants and lounge on a nearby beach.

We also recommend staying at an apartment with a kitchen. Following this approach will enable you to fry up some fish and eat like an Algarvian local. However, we’ll understand if you leave the fish frying to the professionals.

6. Setúbal

Choco Frito Lunch in Setubal Portugal
We traveled to Setúbal to eat this plate of choco frito for lunch. It was worth it. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Located just 19 miles from Lisbon, Setúbal is an easy day trip to plan whether you want to drive or take public transportation. It’s also a destination that warrants deeper exploration for those who like to pair natural beauty with world class cuisine.

Setúbal’s natural beauty is hard to miss. Top spots include Galapinhos Beach, Portinho da Arrábida Beach, Praia dos Coelhos and the protected Arrábida Natural Park. But what about the food?

Fish Market in Setubal Portugal
Shopping at Setúbal’s Mercado do Livramento is fun whether you buy something or not. It’s one of the best markets in Portugal. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Setúbal’s cuisine may be less famous than its beaches and parks but don’t count it out.

Food travelers will want to start their Setúbal exploration at the Mercado do Livramento Market. Dating back to the 19th century, Setúbal’s central market has been a fixture in its current location since 1930. It’s a great spot to shop for local fruits, veggies, meats and cheeses. However, in our opinion, observing stacks of freshly caught seafood is this market’s real draw.

Eating choco frito (fried cuttlefish) at a local restaurant is another must. Despite a name that evokes visions of chocolate, the hyper-local dish features fried finger-sized chunks of cuttlefish served with fried potatoes, fresh lemon and various condiments. We like to pair choco frito with local white wine. However dry white wine isn’t the best thing to drink in Setúbal…

Moscatel at Jose Maria Da Fonseca in Azeitao Portugal
Azeitão wineries produce Moscatel de Setúbal, a fortified dessert wine that rivals more famous fortified wines produced in Porto and Madeira. We drank these glasses of moscatel at the Wine Corner by José Maria da Fonseca. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

While we were already familiar with the creamy, funky sheep’s milk cheese produced in Setúbal’s Azeitão, we were literally and figuratively knocked off our feet when we first visited an Azeitão winery. That initial visit was the first time we sampled fortified moscatel but it wasn’t our last.

Simultaneously sweet and potent, Portugal’s lesser known fortified wine is justification enough for to visit Setúbal in general and Azeitão in particular. It’s also a reason to return again and again.

7. Óbidos

Obidos Scenery
Óbidos is a charming Portuguese city notable for its regal past and literary present. It’s also the best place to drink Portugal’s ginjinha liqueur. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

UNESCO recognized Óbidos in 2015 as a part of its Creative Cities Network for good reason. Not only is Óbidos the home of Portugal’s largest bookstore located inside a church, but the Portuguese city also has a literary-themed hotel plus more bookstores spread around its cobblestone streets.

Beyond its many bookstores, the walled city is filled with a rich royal history that dates back to the 12th century. Dating back even further to the 8th century, Óbidos’ castle is considered to be one of the seven wonders of Portugal. Visitors can stay inside the regal landmark which now operates as a pousada (i.e. historic hotel).

Food travelers have good reasons to visit Óbidos too. And the first reason is the city’s famous liqueur.

Ginjinha and Chocolate Cups in Obidos
Drinking ginjinha in miniature chocolate cups is a must every time we visit Óbidos. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

Óbidos’ ginjinha (also known as ginja) is a popular after-dinner digestive imbibed throughout Portugal. Many, if not most, tascas throughout the country serve shots of the sour cherry liqueur to end meals and most locals have a bottle or two in their cabinets.

Shops in Óbidos take the ginjinha experience to the next level by serving the liquid elixir at stands along tourist-friendly Rua Direita, often poured into miniature chocolate cups. Typically priced at a single euro, these shots are as difficult to resist as they are fun to drink.

Pork Cheeks at JamonJamon in Obidos
This braised pork cheeks dish was a delightful surprise at Óbidos’ JamonJamon. As a bonus, it paired brilliantly with our bottle of Portuguese red wine. | Image: ©2foodtrippers

While ginjinha may be Óbidos’ primary claim to Portuguese culinary fame, the city has enough options to satisfy food lovers for a night or two. Highlights include hearth-baked breads stuffed with chouriço and soul-satisfying tapas meals. However, those like us who plan spring visits can also enjoy the city’s world-famous chocolate festival.

Not your typical festival, this annual event includes chocolate themed workshops and classes as well as chocolate tastings and samples. The entire city transforms into a fun chocolate theme park that you have to see to believe. You can also visit Óbidos in December when the city becomes a Christmas village.

Planning Checklist

Check out our guide to eating in Portugal as well as our picks for the best Portuguese foods and the best Portuguese desserts before your trip.

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About The Authors

About The Authors

Daryl & Mindi Hirsch

Saveur Magazine’s BEST TRAVEL BLOG award winners Daryl and Mindi Hirsch share their culinary travel experiences and recipes on the 2foodtrippers website. Since launching the site in 2012, they’ve traveled to over 40 countries in their quest to bring readers their unique taste of the world.

Disclosures

Article Updates
We update our articles regularly. Some updates are major while others are minor link changes and spelling corrections. Let us know if you see anything that needs to be updated in this article.

Funding
We purchased and ate the food featured in this article.

Original Publication Date: October 31, 2021

Clinton

Monday 21st of March 2022

Great article! My wife and I just returned from seven days in Portugal (Leiria and Lisbon). She's crazy about octopus, ate it 3 or 4 times. Can't wait to go back. Next time: Evora!

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