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Lisbon’s cuisine: the tradition served in snacks
Try new sensations of the typical cuisine, taste the traditional delicacies, know the gastronomy, feel new palates or simply eat... 5 different ways of saying something so important; something that may be what most encourages a tourist to travel - especially to Lisbon, the city of flavors. But how to characterize Lisbon’s cuisine, after all?
Influenced by the palates that end up being transversal to the whole country, the typical gastronomy of Lisbon is based on a Mediterranean diet, which is marked by the variety of ingredients, aromas, and textures, so unique and passionate. Curiously, are the "snacks” or the "appetizers” the dishes that most characterize the city.
Of a wide range of snacks, which are easily found in the streets of Lisbon, there are 5 that deserve to be included in an obligatory list. Is your mouth already watering?
Which are the specialties that most characterized Lisbon’s cuisine?
Lisbon raivas (Lisbon cinnamon butter cookies)
Cookies that you will eat and ask for more! The lisbon raivas are a tasty cinnamon butter cookie made traditionally in the capital. Once again, the simplicity of a snack is enough to last in time and pass down from generation to generation. Only with sugar, butter, eggs, flour, and cinnamon, these cookies are a tradition that deserves to be tasted and devoured by all the lovers of Lisbon’s cuisine!
Sardinhas assadas (Portuguese-style grilled sardines)
A planted seaside country must have sardines as a typical snack, although they can also be part of the main course. The best time to eat grilled sardines is in June, a special month in which the Popular Marches and the Popular Saint’s Festivals bring life, colour, and joy to the city. On these days, the aroma of sardines are breathed all over the city: bigger or smaller, with or without bread, it does not matter. What does matter is taste them and fall in love with their flavour.
Peixinhos da Horta (fried green beans)
A delightful snack very appreciated in Lisbon’s cuisine: these are the fried green beans. According to culinary experts, this snack is the original recipe of "tempura”, a typical dish of Portuguese gastronomy that was introduced in Japan by the Portuguese missionaries and became popular with the Japanese dissemination. Small in size, but big enough to leave an incredible taste in your mouth, the fried green beans are easily and quickly cooked with the classic green beans. That’s why this recipe can be both a snack or a regular meal.
Pastéis de bacalhau (codfish pastries)
Codfish is one of the most traditional fish in the city and serves as a basic ingredient for countless tasty dishes. In fact, it is so rooted in the Portuguese culture that, in a typical Lisbon house, is lord and owner of a Christmas dinner. Therefore, with no surprise, the codfish pastries have to be part of this delicious list. As well as the previous delicacy, these snacks are very easy to cook and much easier to eat and are usually found in the traditional restaurants in the city. It is also very common to ask for them in a good pastry shop.
Pastéis de Belém (Belém pastries)
The Belém pastries are the ex-libris of Lisbon’s cuisine. Also known as the best cream pastries in the capital, they are a specialty of Belém, hand-made prepared with a careful choice of ingredients. The production of this delicacy dates back to 1837 and began with an old recipe from the Jerónimos Monastery (National Monument of the city of Lisbon), which remains unchanged until today. It is said that this recipe is secret and only the masters confectioners have the knowledge to cook it with the traditional method. And perhaps that’s why the fame of these pastries runs the world for decades.
The traditional snacks of Lisbon's cuisine are one of the reasons that take millions of people every year to visit Lisbon. In a pub, in a pastry shop or in a typical Portuguese restaurant, the snacks are the main attractions. And any visitor, whether Portuguese or foreign, who experiences the delicacies of the capital, immediately realizes why the gastronomy in Lisbon is so unique and special.
However, if you are one of those who prefers a different diet, for health reasons or personal choice, you must know that Lisbon has many suitable places where you can have your meals if you are vegan, vegetarian or a paleo diet follower. In order to everyone feel that can fully enjoy the city, all visitors have at their disposal a variety of gastronomic experiences that cover all tastes and needs; and that’s why you should book a trip to the beautiful city of Lisbon as soon as possible.
