2024 Food Festival Guide: Best Gastronomic Events in Portugal
From celebrating sausages and sweet potatoes to Michelin-starred chefs cooking with fire, Portugal honours its rich gastronomic heritage with dozens of food festivals, wine fairs and events. Food is closely intertwined with culture in Portugal so it’s no surprise the small country puts on more than its fair share of food events. Each village has […]
My Guide to the Best San Sebastián Pintxo Bars
The glitz and the glamour! Old-fashioned fun and new-fashioned bites! San Sebastián is so much fun if you love to eat. This small coastal city has the air of 20th-century grandeur with an expansive bay ripe for a seaside promenade, an old town filled with pinxto bars, and more Michelin stars per capita than anywhere […]
Where to find the best Portuguese street food and snacks in Lisbon
There’s nothing more comforting than knowing you can get a snack at any hour. From hot sandwiches like bifanas and pregos, to petiscos (tapas) of snails and prawns and an overwhelming range of eggy treats, Lisbon is not short of snacks. Hell, there’s even an entire 5pm meal, dedicated to hoeing down a sweet treat […]
Where to eat in Viana do Castelo
One thing I love about dining in Portugal is how each city, town and village offers something new. Same ingredients, a whole new world of food. I recently visited Viana do Castelo for the annual Romaria de Nossa Senhora d’Agonia festival, but I have to say I was as excited about the hearty Minho food […]
It’s worth a flight to Madeira just to eat these espetadas
The best espetadas on Madeira Island? Not where we expected to find them. Forget the famous spots in Câmara de Lobos. Next time we land in Madeira we’ll be returning straight to this local espetada spot – which we visited twice on our first trip. Guest post by Jorge Branco. Meat and fire. Sometimes that’s […]
Where to eat in Coimbra
At the centre of Central Portugal lies Coimbra, an ancient city with a young student heart. The food scene in Coimbra covers it all, from fine dining and chic restaurants to rooftop bars and late-night kebab shops. There are half a dozen must-try regional sweets, plus hearty local specialities like chanfana (rich goat stew) and […]
Where to eat in Guimarães: the best restaurants and taverns
When it comes to where to eat in medieval Guimarães, the answer feels like it should be snacks at a tavern, a homely bistro or an old-man bar. This surprising smaller Portuguese city serves up all three, along with a few dining gems, from a chic French-inspired bistro to a Michelin-starred diner. Eating out in […]
What to eat and drink in Madeira: the best local dishes to try
The beauty of travelling around Portugal is eating through the huge variety of regional dishes, local sweets and unusual. From the north to the south, and out to the remote islands there are so many unique things to try. Here’s a round-up of the best Madeira dishes, foods and drinks you should try while exploring […]
Where to eat and drink in Madeira
Bolo de caco. Milho frito. Peixe espada. Lapas. Maracujá. Madeira Island might be part of Portugal, but this sub-tropical drop in the Atlantic has its own strong identity – and most importantly, unique dishes and foods to try. We spent nine days exploring Madeira from east to west, seeking out the best restaurants, snack bars, […]