This article covers central Portugal’s Nazaré that offers visitors a diverse diet that includes intense seafood dishes and less heavy courses. Its cuisine is therefore greatly inclined towards the sea which makes it a food paradise. Now, this guide comes in handy when defining ten dishes that embody this beautiful town – Nazaré, a county specializing in delicious cuisine.
Exploring Local Gastronomy
Nazaré cannot be included among the most famous Portuguese resort cities; however, the city possesses many advantages, one of which is the exquisite food. The main product of the town is varied local food which involves simple and complex meals. Being situated in a coastal region, seafood is the most abundant food item in the region; thus, the high quality of available food products is justified.
For individuals that need a nice seafood soup, or grilled fish, Nazaré is really going to be a true culinary delight. This center prepares traditional meals and the ingredients that go into preparing the meals will always be fresh a thing that makes each meal a new discovery.
Ten Foods to Eat in Nazaré
Portuguese food is highly famous due to its various options combined with extreme taste, and this place is not an exception either. Below are ten types of food that every tourist to this coastal wonder ought to taste.
1. Caldeirada
Caldeirada is a thick fish-based dish that forms part and parcel of the Portuguese staple dishes. This versatile collection of different sorts of fish and fish-related products, typically suggesting octopus, boiled with new potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and green pepper. Frequently all these ingredients are boiled until the stew becomes thick or possesses the right texture of a stew.
Caldeirada has its origins in preparation which fishermen used to use in preparation of this dish with the fish readily available. Today, this variety enjoys tremendous popularity among the population of restaurants of the mentioned regions, reflecting the concept of consuming fresh seafood products. The soup which is made from freshly blended seafood, vegetables, and spices forms the pivot round which the dish can be taken at any time or on any occasion.
2. Grilled Sardines (Sardinhas Assadas)
Grilled sardines more popularly known as Sardinhas Assadas is one of the most coveted dishes in Portuguese culinary and definitely is a local favorite in Nazaré. Sardines are baked with salt, which enriches more their taste. The end product is properly moist fish seasoned with scanty grill and smoky attributes.
Served with rice or new bread and a vegetable salad, grilled sardines are preferable in summer and for entertainments. This dish is presented in the most basic way possible and this, in my opinion, the best way of showcasing the superb freshness of the sardines which is the main attraction in any restaurant that is located in or around Nazaré.
3. Bacalhau à Brás (Cod à Brás)
Bacalhau à Brás is said to be the traditional dish from Portugal and this really forms part of the culinary identity in Nazaré. This dish comprises the finely chopped fried codfish, beaten eggs, chopped onions, and fried potatoes, all stir-fried until they intermingle and blend very well with each other then garnished with parsley and black green olives.
The dish retains a golden-brown color and has a crispy surface, thus bacalhau à brás constantly remains a truly in-demand meal in the region of Nazaré. It is usually prepared in cafes and restaurants and allows to try Portuguese cuisine.
4. Arroz Tamboril (Monkfish Rice)
Tamboril, is Arroz de Tamboril or Monkfish Rice dish which is created using rice and pieces of monkfish and has a seafood touch. He pan fries fresh fish and incorporates seafood sauce, rice, tomatoes, onions, and bell peppers into the mixture to make a vitamin-packed dish. The component of prawns and other kinds of seafood takes the culinary value of this dish to another level.
It is a delicious dish that has high local acceptance due to its creamy texture and strong flavor that tourists also like. It is a colorful preparation widely appreciated for its intense taste which gives an extra touch to the gastronomy of Nazaré.
5. Queijadas
Queijadas is also another type of pastry that most people familiar with Nazaré’s cuisine would crave. These small round sweets are cheesecakes with a moist crumb of fresh cheese, sugar, eggs with a hint of lemon or cinnamon to them. Once baked them they are dusted with powdered sugar.
These pastries can be bought almost any pastry shop in the surrounding of Nazaré and are best eaten while discovering the town. Due to their simplicity in preparation and their appeal to the palate, the locals as well as the tourists love them.
6. Clams Bulhão Pato Style (Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato)
Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato is one of the most traditional and famous Portuguese dishes and it is clams sauteed in garlic, white wine and cilantro. This delicious and easy to make dish is known as being from the Bulhão Pato, a poet from the nineteenth century and is typical in the fisher folk areas like Nazaré.
Frozen clams are added to boil and as soon as they open, they soak up the elegant sauce. This dish is usually taken with bread where one soaks in the gravy to ease down as it’s an appetizer or light meal.
7. Polvo à Lagareiro (Lagareiro-style Octopus)
Polvo à Lagareiro is a famous Portuguese recipe of an octopus that is prepared with oil, garlic as well as potatoes. My experience of octopus is that it is very soft in texture and tasty and the gravy prepared is usually accompanied with extra olive oil and parsley.
This dish well illustrates the functioning of what might be called a “lagareiro” technique, which is the prolific liberal application of olive oil in the preparation of dishes, which allows the flavors of the ingredients used to come to the fore. This one is a must recommend to anyone especially if you are a seafood aficionado traveling to Nazaré.
8. Chouriço Assado (Grilled Chorizo)
Chouriço Assado is a traditional Portuguese recipe and belongs to appetizers and it is prepared out of chorizo sausage which is grilled on charcoal. The sausage is cut, then accompanied by the bread: thus, everyone can appreciate its smoked spiciness.
This dish which is traditionally grilled is prepared at the table with a small clay grill and has quite an elaborate preparation method. It is tasty and an engaging way of starting a meal in the town of Nazaré.
9. Caldo Verde
Caldo Verde is a soup recipe from Portugal prepared using kale, potatoes, chorizo and onions. This delicious and nurturing soup is perhaps one of the most traditional soups of the Portuguese population and is quite famous in the region of Nazaré.
The soup is normally taken with a slice of cornbread or freshly baked/artisan bread, thus making it a filling dish. This recipe with potatoes is simple, tasty and merged into the annals of the city’s history of Nazaré.
10. Pastéis de Nata
Pastéis de Nata or the famous custard tarts of Portugal are famous all over Portugal and a must-try specialty in Nazaré. Coming from the French word meaning ‘paste,’ tart is a pastry crust that has a filling of thick custard, topped with cinnamon or powdered sugar.
Most of them are ideal to be served hot directly from the oven accompanied by a hot cup of strong Portoguese coffee. It is ‘bestsellers’ as a bread hence Pastéis de Nata fits perfectly well to be eaten during breakfast, as a desert, or in the afternoon.
Embrace the Culinary Journey
Regarding the food offer that Nazaré has to offer, it gives visitors a great variety of fresh fish and seafood delicacies as well as typical meals of the country. Every creation is a message, a message of the area, the people, and of the culture local to that area. Over and above the five traditional dishes mentioned above there are a host of activities one can engage in as far as food is concerned in this sea side town.
Fresh Seafood Markets
If one wants to taste the best seafood in town one should go to the local seafood markets in Nazaré. Of these markets, three of them offer fresh fish and seafood, crustaceans, squids, and octopus and the likes. Observing local fishermen when they are returning from the sea and going through the fish markets in the morning is quite pleasant and original.
Live seafood for home preparation is readily available or one can grab a bite at any of the restaurants that source their food from the market. This methodology of direct purchasing from the market and delivering it directly to the restaurant table is undoubtedly very effective in terms of providing fresh and delicious seafood dishes in Nazaré.
Local Wine Tasting
You increase the appetizing of the meals you are going enjoy in Nazaré through taking wine that is produced in the region. Portugal especially the southern part has made headlines in the world due to production of wines and among them is the Nazaré wines. It is quite interesting to try regional wines both in a wine bar in a city or at a tasting in a winery.
The perfect wine for your meal be it white wine, rosé or red enhances every meal you take thus making it more enjoyable. As for drinks, wines produced in the given region will go perfectly with fish and such meals as rice with fish, mashed potatoes with fish, or fish in a tomato-based sauce.
Pastry Shops and Cafés
Apart from Queijadas other sweets produced in this town are also worth trying; these include Pastel de Nata, Travesseiros de Nata and Ovos Moles. Other sweet items known as Pastéis de Nata and the famous Portuguese custard tart are a delicacy that one has to taste while in Nazaré. These pastries are best served with a cup of strong Portuguese coffee and therefore best to be consumed in the mid-morning or afternoon.
One can enjoy a lot of local sweets and other goodies bought in pastry shops and cafes which are prevailingly located in the city of Nazaré. These are among the finest places to take a pause from sightseeing and take something to eat.
Conclusion: A Rock on the Edge of the Sea
Although it might not be anywhere near famous when it comes to foods in Portugal, foods in Nazaré are diverse and rich, particularly those prepared from sea foods. Whether it is a hearty caldeirada or grilled sardines, or the cheese sweet Queijadas, each gives a different experience because of the town’s flavor.
Dessert is served and it is imperative to mention that tasty Portuguese food can be enjoyed in this great town of Nazaré. It is due to the qualitative synthesis of antique and contemporary methods, the combination of country and city approaches, and the unity of the countryside and citified simplicity with sophistication in the kitchen of the mouth-watering dishes of the cuisine of Nazaré that the food lovers will definitely be eager for more.
So, do not miss the chance to discover the food of Nazaré and get ready to make a great feast to your tongue. Enjoy every bite and let the magic of the kitchen in Nazaré make you dizzy.