This Is the 1 Dish Every Traveler to Portugal Should Try

The tiny pastel de nata sure does get a lot of love. Before I moved to Lisbon about four years ago, I heard time and time again, “You’re going to love the pastel de nata.” And you know what? People aren’t wrong about the tiny egg tarts. First produced in the 18th century by Catholic monks in the Jeronimos Monastery, these treats should be an absolute staple of any trip to Portugal. However, as a local, I want to steer you in the direction of the main course first before heading into dessert. Because, as I’ve learned as a newish local, the most important thing you can eat in Portugal is any kind of fish dish. 

The Portuguese have perfected the art of catching and cooking fish. You cannot fight me on this. It’s essentially science. According to one 2022 study, Portugal is the second-highest consumer of fish in the European Union, with about 134 pounds of “live-weight per capita consumed annually.” And that fish usually comes out in the form of a dish known as Bacalhau à Brás. 

“Three flavors tell Portugal’s story,” Alvaro Diez Diaz, a Portugal experience designer at Butterfield & Robinson, said. “In summer, grilled sardines eaten outdoors are pure joy. Bacalhau à Brás, salted cod with eggs, potatoes, and parsley, is comfort food with centuries of history.”

It’s a dish that Daniel Ponce, the founder of Yes, You Deserve!, a boutique tour company based in Sintra, Portugal, agreed that travelers need to try. 

“If I had to pick just one dish, I’d say bacalhau, especially Bacalhau à Brás, is the most iconic and meaningful to try in Portugal,” Ponce shared. “It’s more than just food; it tells a story. Portugal has over 365 ways to prepare codfish, but this version with shredded cod, onions, straw fries, eggs, and olives strikes the perfect balance between tradition and comfort.”

Ponce, however, noted that food in Portugal varies region by region, which is why he always suggests travelers “explore beyond Lisbon and sample local specialties, like travesseiros (a type of puff pastry) in Sintra and sardinhas assadas (grilled sardines) in coastal towns during summer.” 

João Carvalho, a Portugal experience designer at Butterfield & Robinson, also thinks people should explore beyond the usual suspects in Portugal.

“I want to give more visibility to Portuguese soups. If travelers want to eat like locals, they should try asking for a soup to start a meal,” he explained. “It might not always appear on menus in touristy restaurants, but anywhere catering to locals will have one simmering away. It’s our favorite way to ‘eat your greens’ in a cuisine that can sometimes feel hearty.”

Carvalho added that here in Portugal, soup is a daily staple. “In fact, if you have kids, a doctor will almost always ask if they’re eating their soup every day,” he said.

And if you want something to go with that soup, Carvalho suggests you try a rissol (a deep-fried pastry). “You’ll find them at pastelarias and snack counters all over the country, tucked into glass cases and often eaten warm. These little half-moon pastries, coated in crisp breadcrumbs, come with all sorts of fillings—shrimp, cod, and pork are the most common. For a light, quintessentially Portuguese meal, a soup and a rissol is hard to beat.” 

Still, Diaz also noted that “no visit is complete without a warm pastel de nata, its flaky crust and custard centre dusted with cinnamon.”

So yes, go ahead. Get one. Or two. Or three. And then get a pack to take home with you on the flight. You will miss having access to them, I promise.