Eating in Portugal can be either wonderful or disappointing depending on what and where you eat. It also depends on how you eat.
We’ve eaten a lot of Portuguese food since we moved to the Iberian country in 2019 and we’ve learned more than a few things along the way. These are our top tips on how to eat well whether you’re planning a trip for a few days, a few weeks or even longer:
1. Learn a Few Key Portuguese Phrases
Learning the Portuguese language, a latin-based idiom filled with phonic challenges, is a worthwhile project that takes both time and effort. Luckily for travelers, most Portuguese people speak English at either a basic or advanced level. This is especially the case with those who work in the hospitality industry.
That being said, while mastering Portuguese isn’t feasible in a couple weeks or months, it’s certainly possible to learn some key phrases to use at restaurants. Here are a few to get you started:
You will find the following word translations helpful as well:
Pro Tip
Check out Practice Portuguese if you want learn Portuguese in a meaningful way. It’s the best way to learn the European language regardless of where you’re located in the world.
2. Make Restaurant Reservations
We get the desire to be spontaneous while on vacation. Making plans is something we expect to do while working, not playing.
However, after decades of travel, we also know that better European restaurants require reservations, particularly on weekends and during busy travel seasons. Portugal is no exception to this rule especially in Lisbon and Porto.
Pro Tip
Don’t expect to walk into a restaurant that told you it’s “full”. When a Portuguese restaurant is full, it’s really full.
To be clear: You should make reservations at restaurants where you really want to eat in Portugal. Otherwise, you may end up eating at McDonald’s, Burger King or a local kebab shop. And, FYI, those two American fast food chains are far better in their homeland.
Pro Tip
It’s not too soon to make reservations at Portugal’s 37 Michelin-starred restaurants. Most take online reservations or you can also call. We recommend using a Skype account for international calls. It’s an inexpensive way to call restaurants directly if you don’t have international phone service.
