Portugal is a true seafood lover’s paradise — with over 800 kilometers of Atlantic coastline, it’s no surprise that seafood is at the heart of Portuguese cuisine. From grilled fish to rich rice stews, shellfish platters to simple but unforgettable preparations, Portugal offers a dazzling array of flavors that reflect the country’s deep connection to the ocean.
Here’s a list of the best and most iconic seafood dishes in Portugal, perfect to try on your next visit — and even better when enjoyed in a seaside village or at a traditional tasca.
🐟 Best Seafood Dishes in Portugal – Must-Try Ocean Flavors
🐙 1. Polvo à Lagareiro (Octopus with Olive Oil & Garlic)
A beloved classic, this dish features tender roasted octopus, often grilled, served with potatoes that are lightly smashed and roasted, then drenched in garlic-infused olive oil. It’s rustic, rich, and full of character.
📍 Best enjoyed in: Douro Valley, Lisbon, or Alentejo regions.
🦐 2. Arroz de Marisco (Seafood Rice Stew)
Portugal’s answer to paella — but saucier, spicier, and bolder. This hearty dish is made with a mix of shrimp, mussels, clams, and crab, cooked in a tomato-garlic broth with rice and herbs. Comforting and deeply flavorful.
📍 Best enjoyed in: Coastal towns like Nazaré, Aveiro, or Setúbal.
🐟 3. Bacalhau (Salt Cod) – 1,000 Recipes, 1 National Love
Bacalhau isn’t fresh seafood, but it’s essential in Portuguese cuisine. The most famous versions include:
Bacalhau à Brás – shredded cod with egg and potato
Bacalhau com Natas – creamy baked cod casserole
Bacalhau à Lagareiro – roasted with garlic, olive oil, and potatoes
📍 Best enjoyed everywhere — it’s Portugal’s national obsession.
🦞 4. Açorda de Marisco (Seafood Bread Stew)
This traditional dish from the Alentejo uses rustic bread to create a creamy stew, flavored with garlic, coriander, olive oil, and seafood like shrimp and clams. Served steaming hot with a poached egg on top.
📍 Best enjoyed in: Évora, Comporta, or Lisbon.
🐠 5. Grilled Sardines (Sardinhas Assadas)
A summer staple, especially during the June festivals. Sardines are grilled over charcoal, served with boiled potatoes, roasted peppers, and a glass of chilled vinho verde. Simple, smoky, and perfect.
📍 Best enjoyed in: Lisbon (Alfama during the Festas), Setúbal, or Algarve in summer.
🐚 6. Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato (Clams in Garlic & Cilantro)
A light, flavorful dish of fresh clams cooked in white wine, garlic, olive oil, and coriander, often served as a starter with crusty bread. Named after the 19th-century poet Bulhão Pato.
📍 Best enjoyed in: Lisbon, Cascais, and along the Alentejo coast.
🐟 7. Cataplana de Marisco (Algarve Seafood Stew)
Cooked in a traditional clamshell-shaped copper pot, cataplana is a fragrant stew of shellfish, white fish, tomatoes, peppers, and herbs, often with white wine and piri-piri. A signature from the Algarve.
📍 Best enjoyed in: Algarve (especially in Tavira, Lagos, or Alvor).
🐚 8. Lapas Grelhadas (Grilled Limpets – Azores Specialty)
Found mostly in the Azores and Madeira, grilled limpets are cooked with garlic, butter, and lemon — simple but intensely flavorful, often served as a snack or starter.
📍 Best enjoyed in: Azores Islands or Madeira.
🦀 9. Percebes (Goose Barnacles)
One of Portugal’s most exotic delicacies, percebes are strange-looking but incredibly tender and briny, harvested from wave-battered cliffs. Usually served steamed with sea salt.
📍 Best enjoyed in: Vila do Bispo (Algarve), Peniche, or Zambujeira do Mar.
🐠 10. Caldeirada de Peixe (Portuguese Fish Stew)
This fisherman’s stew features a mix of fish like monkfish, sea bass, and eel, slow-cooked with onions, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and herbs. Every region has its version — and every grandmother has her secret.
📍 Best enjoyed in: Ericeira, Nazaré, or fishing villages along the west coast.
✨ Taste These Dishes on Tour with Portugal Magik
At Portugal Magik Private Tours, we specialize in designing private food & culture tours across Portugal — always in luxury Mercedes-Benz vehicles, guided by local English-speaking driver-guides who know exactly where to find the best seafood experiences.
Whether you want a seafood lunch overlooking the Douro River, a clifftop dinner in Nazaré, or a cataplana feast in the Algarve, we’ll take care of every detail.
📩 Book your private food tour by filling the form below, 📲 Or contact us via WhatsApp or call (844) 923-2100 (US Toll-Free).
Most of our guests enjoy multi-day private trips through Lisbon, Sintra, Porto, Douro Valley, Nazaré, Algarve, and more — always built around your taste and pace.
