Portuguese cuisine shines on the global stage, with four dishes earning places among the top 100 dishes in the world, based on over 367,000 ratings from food enthusiasts at TasteAtlas. Also, a sheep’s cheese from Quinta do Pomar has clinched the coveted title of the world’s best cheese.
18th: Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato
This timeless meal, named after 19th-century poet Raimundo António de Bulhão Pato, features clams in a fragrant sauce of olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, and coriander, often enhanced with white wine. Best paired with crusty bread, it’s a simple celebration of coastal Portugal. Fancy trying your hand at cooking this dish? Click here.
39th: Carne de porco à Alentejana
This hearty dish blends marinated pork and clams in a savoury, wine-infused sauce with a hint of spice. Though named after the region of Alentejo, its origins trace to Algarve, where it gained fame. Garnished with coriander and served alongside sautéed potatoes, bread, and lemon wedges, it’s a must-try. Not difficult to make, click here for the recipe.
85th: Frango assado com piri piri
Chicken piri-piri, with roots in African culinary traditions, is a favourite in Algarve. Grilled, this flavourful dish is served with chips, rice, and tomato salad, complemented by a fiery piri-piri sauce. For more information on this well-known dish along with a recipe click here.
86th: Bolo do caco
Madeira’s iconic bread, bolo do caco, combines wheat flour and sweet potatoes for a rustic flavour. Traditionally baked on basalt slabs, it’s enjoyed warm with garlic butter or as a sandwich.
Butter-Soft Excellence
Competing against nearly 4,800 entries from 47 countries, a velvety cheese from Queijaria Quinta do Pomar won the top award at the 2024 World Cheese Awards.
Crafted with raw sheep’s milk and vegetarian thistle rennet, the cheese pleased the palates of 240 judges spanning 40 nations.
Renowned for its smooth texture, this cheese is almost a liquid paste, best savoured by scooping out from the top. The unique use of thistle rennet, a departure from conventional methods, underscores its distinction and regional authenticity, hailing from the central Portuguese region.
The World Cheese Awards, hosted for the 36th year in Viseu, northern Portugal, marks a historic occasion for Portuguese cheesemakers.