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Food

A Taste of Gastronomy in Portugal

Portugal has a wealth of diverse cuisine to sample and with Penha Longa, home to one of our most popular summer resorts, only a 20-minute drive away from Lisbon city centre and located in the stunning Sintra-Cascais Natural Park, it’s the perfect place to get away, relax, and enjoy the sun.


Seafood is abundant in Portugal and the region offers a wide variety of it that is usually cooked fresh to order. The classic favourites are grilled sardines and mackerel. Catalan is a traditional fish and seafood stew. It’s a firm favourite at Penha Longa’s AQUA restaurant. The dish is one of the restaurant´s specialties and is served steaming hot in a special, hooded copper pot. Or for fine dining try LAB by Sergi Arola, Penha Longa’s Michelin-starred restaurant. It’s guaranteed to be a memorable meal. Contact our concierge service in advance and we can have a table pre booked for you, as well as baby-sitting if required.

Aqua

If you fancy a day trip out with the children then grab a cab to Lisbon (less than an hour away) to visit the famous square of Praca de Figueira that often plays host to a food market. Serving everything from fine dried meats, such as chorizo and black pudding, to freshly made bread rolls, it’s a authentic local market not to be missed. Let’s not forget the Portuguese are renowned for their sweet, rich and perfectly crisp custard tarts. Make sure you buy extra and pack them in your hand luggage!

Another food market that we suggest all clients try and get to is the transformed traditional farmers market as Cais do Sodre. There is an array of different stands serving local produce and fresh fish but the other half of the market has been taken over by quality restaurants, which we recommend you try. Go to your chosen stand, grab the food you wish to eat before sitting down at a table, which you may share with the friendly locals.

Restaurant Loco

If you fancy something a little less causal, which gives you a good reason to dress up, then head to Lisbon’s Restaurant Loco, founded by Estrela Basilica, whose chef is Alexandre Silva. The space has an open kitchen with only a few tables and an olive tree suspended in the foyer. The olive theme continues throughout the two fun tasting menus, which are made up of small dishes and snacks, such as crunchy gazpacho that bursts when you bite into them, a cod cake ‘chip’ and egg as well as deserts that include a green curry and celery mousse.


To find out more about travelling to Portugal with Powder Byrne contact one of the expert Travel Consultants on 0203 6511 965.