Along with bacalhau, pastel de nata is the most popular food in Portuguese cuisine.
Bacalhau, which translates to cod in English, is Portugal's national dish, a symbol of the country's identity, and one of the most popular foods in restaurants across the country. Bacalhau is such a go-to staple in Portuguese cuisine that it even has an endearing nickname: fiel amigo, or faithful friend.
Portuguese food doesn't have the same high profile as other European cuisines, with menus usually relying on a traditional repertoire of grilled fish and meat, hearty stews and casseroles, and the ubiquitous salted cod (bacalhau), nearly all served with the same trio of accompaniments – rice, potatoes and salad.
The most common items you'll find in a Portuguese breakfast are: bread, sliced cheese, sliced ham, bread, jam, and a milky coffee. Sometimes it's just toast without the ham and cheese, but the common denominators are almost always bread and a milky coffee like a galão or a meia de leite.
Typical Lunch in Portugal (12 p.m. to 2 p.m.)
These menus usually include a soup, prato do dia (dish of the day), dessert, and a coffee. If they're really in a rush, they'll order something quick at the counter like a soup and a bifana (pork sandwich).
Cozido refers to a classic Portuguese boiled meal. Cozido à portuguesa is a type of cozido made with a plethora of meats (chicken, pork, beef), smoked sausages (chourico, morcela), vegetables (cabbage, beans, potatoes), and other ingredients.
Generally speaking, typical Portuguese home-cooked food revolves around proteins such as pork, chicken and fish, legumes, vegetables (particularly leafy greens used in stews and soups which we explore further below, or simple preparations which will have them boiled or steamed), bread, cheese, and cold cuts (including ...
Licor Beirão
Simply known as Beirão, this national drink of Portugal is one you don't want to miss! Possibly the most popular Portuguese liqueur on the market, this drink originated in the Beiras region and is an excellent option for those with a sweet tooth.
In Portugal, restaurants open for lunch starting at 12:00 p.m. or 12:30 p.m. but don't usually fill up until around 1:00 p.m. Dinner is most commonly taken at 9:00 p.m. or 9:30 p.m., but restaurants do open as early as 7:00 p.m.
Many of the ingredients used in Portuguese dishes are healthy foods (fish, vegetables, fruits, herbs, grains, etc.), however, many of those healthy ingredients end up being fried rather than roasted or baked — plus, the Portuguese love a healthy dousing of olive oil!
Common verbal greetings include 'olá' ('hello'), 'bom dia' ('good day'), 'boa tarde' ('good afternoon') and 'boa noite' ('good evening' or 'good night').
What is Portugal famous for? Wine, for sure; this is where you'll find some of the oldest wine-growing regions in the world. In fact, two of Portugal's wine-growing regions, the Douro Valley and Pico Island in the Azores, are protected as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Amêndoa Amarga
It's produced in many regions of Portugal, but Amêndoa Amarga from the Algarve is, by far, the most desired. This liqueur is usually served after lunch or dinner, with a small lemon peel and ice, and it's a common alternative to Porto wine or Moscatel de Setúbal.
As in other Southern European cultures, coffee is Portugal's social beverage of choice (for half the time at least; the other half being saturated with vino). On average, a Portuguese adult consumes over 4kg of coffee beans a year.
Some of the most famous Portuguese dishes include piri piri chicken, francesinha, bacalhau, and pastel de nata. Portugal is also quite famous for its wines.
Many know Port wine, without a doubt, Portugal's most popular fortified wine. But, besides drinking the several varieties of existing Port wine as they are, did you know that we also tend to play around with Port for cocktail making?
Walking around Lisbon, particularly in the city centre and touristic areas, you'll see cafés advertising full cooked breakfast options, featuring pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausages and more.
But what do the Portuguese eat for breakfast? Normally the Portuguese eat toast with butter or a sandwich or croissant with a slice of ham or cheese. With this, they usually have Portuguese drinks such as drinking a milky coffee or freshly squeezed orange juice.
Conventional Portuguese Vegetables
Fava beans, red beans, white beans, black eyed beans, pumpkins, collards, kale, potatoes, onions, carrots, etc are all grown far and wide in Portugal.
#9 Bedtime
Even small kids go to bed the earliest around 9 PM because Portuguese usually have dinner around 8 PM or later. In Poland, bedtime is around 7–8 PM. People there start work at 8 AM and breakfast is a substantial meal so usually they get up around 6.30 AM.
"The siesta is the traditional daily sleep of the Southern region of Alentejo, in Portugal, known as sesta. It was adopted also by the Spanish and, through European influence, by Latin American countries and the Philippines."
Most Portuguese are proud of their cultural heritage, particularly the country's deep affiliations with the ocean. Political changes, especially through the construction and dismantling of the country's colonial empire, have significantly shaped Portugal.