Food · Algarve · Portugal
What to eat in Algarve
The dishes, drinks and food experiences that define Algarve, and where locals actually eat them.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Vitor Oliveira from Torres Vedras, PORTUGAL, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Quick answer
Start with Cataplana, Grilled sardines and Piri-piri chicken. Eat charcoal-grilled sardines and salad at the simple grills by the old bridge over the Arade river. Bread, olives and pâté brought before you order are charged if eaten; send them back if you don't want them.
Key facts
- Signature dish
- Cataplana
- Vegetarian-friendly picks
- 4
- Tipping
- Tipping is modest: around 5–10% in restaurants for good service, or round up the bill.
- Food experiences
- 4
10 foods to try
Dish
1.Cataplana
A seafood stew of clams, prawns, fish and sometimes pork, cooked with tomato, onion, garlic and wine in a clam-shaped copper pan that is opened at the table. It is usually ordered for two.
Where: Seafood restaurants across the region, especially around Olhão, Portimão and the old towns of Lagos and Faro.
Dish
2.Grilled sardines (Sardinhas assadas)
Fresh sardines grilled whole over charcoal and eaten with boiled potatoes, salad of tomato and peppers, and bread. They are best in summer, when the fish are fattest.
Where: Riverside grills by the old bridge in Portimão are the classic spot; seasonal sardine festivals take place in summer.
Dish
3.Piri-piri chicken (Frango piri-piri)
Spatchcocked chicken grilled over charcoal and basted with a chilli oil sauce made with piri-piri peppers, served with fries and salad. The small town of Guia, near Albufeira, is known for it.
Where: Churrasqueiras (grill houses) in Guia and across the region; ask for the sauce on the side if you prefer less heat.
Dish
4.Octopus (Polvo)
Octopus caught in traditional clay pots is cooked as a salad, grilled with olive oil and garlic (polvo à lagareiro) or stewed with rice.
Where: Santa Luzia near Tavira calls itself the octopus capital of Portugal, with many restaurants on its waterfront.
Dish
5.Clams with garlic and coriander (Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato)
Clams from the Ria Formosa steamed open with olive oil, garlic, coriander and lemon, served with bread to soak up the juices.
Where: Seafood restaurants around Olhão, Faro and Tavira, near where the clams are farmed.
Dish
6.Goose barnacles (Percebes)
Harvested by hand from wave-battered rocks on the west coast, these barnacles are boiled in salted water and eaten by twisting off the tough skin to reach the sweet flesh.
Where: Seafood restaurants in Sagres and along the Costa Vicentina, when sea conditions allow harvesting.
Dessert · Vegetarian
7.Almond and fig sweets (Doces de amêndoa)
Marzipan made with Algarve almonds is moulded and painted into tiny fruits, fish and animals; figs are dried or pressed with almonds into rolls.
Where: Pastry shops in Loulé, Faro and Tavira, and stalls at Loulé Market.
Dessert · Vegetarian
8.Dom Rodrigo
A rich sweet of egg-yolk threads cooked in sugar syrup with almonds and cinnamon, wrapped in colourful foil. It is associated especially with Lagos.
Where: Pastry shops in Lagos and across the western Algarve.
Drink · Vegetarian
9.Medronho
A strong spirit distilled from the red fruit of the strawberry tree, which grows wild in the Monchique and Caldeirão hills. It is traditionally drunk as a digestif.
Where: Monchique's shops and bars, and many traditional restaurants as an after-dinner shot.
Dessert · Vegetarian
10.Custard tart (Pastel de nata)
Portugal's flaky custard tart with a scorched top, eaten warm with a sprinkle of cinnamon and a bica (espresso).
Where: Pastelarias in every Algarve town; buy them fresh in the morning.
Food experiences
Sardines by the river in Portimão
Eat charcoal-grilled sardines and salad at the simple grills by the old bridge over the Arade river.
Olhão market
The twin red-brick market halls on Olhão's waterfront, one for fish and one for fruit and vegetables, are busiest on Saturday mornings.
Octopus in Santa Luzia
Order octopus salad, grilled octopus or octopus rice in the fishing village near Tavira that is known for it.
Algarve wine tasting
A growing number of wineries around Lagoa, Silves and Lagos offer tastings of Algarve reds, whites and rosés.
Vegetarian options
Of the 10 foods in this guide, 4 are usually vegetarian: Almond and fig sweets, Dom Rodrigo, Medronho and Custard tart. Check preparation with staff, as stocks and fats vary.
Eating out: tips and etiquette
- Bread, olives and pâté brought before you order are charged if eaten; send them back if you don't want them.
- Fresh fish is often priced by the kilo; ask for an estimate before your fish is grilled.
- Lunch runs from about 12:30pm to 3pm and dinner from around 7pm, though resort restaurants serve all day.
- Many beach restaurants close in winter; in the off-season, eat in towns rather than at the beach.
- Restaurants a street or two back from the seafront are usually better value.
Tipping
Tipping is modest: around 5–10% in restaurants for good service, or round up the bill. Small change is fine in cafés and taxis.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bom dia | Good morning |
| Obrigado / Obrigada | Thank you (said by a man / a woman) |
| A conta, por favor | The bill, please |
| Uma imperial | A small draught beer (south of Portugal) |
| Quanto custa? | How much is it? |
Questions travellers ask
+What food is Algarve famous for?
Cataplana, Grilled sardines, Piri-piri chicken and Octopus. A seafood stew of clams, prawns, fish and sometimes pork, cooked with tomato, onion, garlic and wine in a clam-shaped copper pan that is opened at the table.
+Is Algarve good for vegetarians?
Several local staples are meat-free, including Almond and fig sweets, Dom Rodrigo and Medronho.
+Do you tip in restaurants in Algarve?
Tipping is modest: around 5–10% in restaurants for good service, or round up the bill. Small change is fine in cafés and taxis.