Are you in Porto for the holidays? Would you like to live a Portuguese xmas? Food is an important part of it. Below are some of our suggestions.
Portugal is a small country with a very rich gastronomy, quite different from region to region. Xmas is no exception. If you are planning a Portuguese holiday and are at Porto, read on about what you should eat and drink to have a genuine Porto Xmas.
Xmas Main Course
Photo by: oportoblog
In Portugal, there are two big Xmas meals: Christmas Eve dinner and Christmas Day lunch. On the 24th we traditionally eat fish. The king of Portuguese Christmas is the codfish or Bacalhau. This fish is actually the king of Portuguese food in general, but it takes a special role over the holidays. The tradition is to eat boiled codfish with boiled potatoes, eggs, Portuguese cabbage and carrots. It may sound simple, but that’s the beauty of it. It’s served with olive oil (in generous amounts) and crushed raw garlic. Some families may replace the codfish with an octopus rice stew.
Photo by: oportoblog
The lunch of the 25th is usually for a roast. Roast pork, lamb, turkey or even rooster, with rice and roasted potatoes. Some families still keep up a very popular tradition of Porto and the north of Portugal: roupa velha. This name literally translates to “old clothes”. It’s made with the leftovers of the night before: codfish, potatoes, cabbage, eggs, all ripped and mixed together in a pan, with garlic, olive oil and olives. Everything accompanied with a good baked Portuguese bread.
There are several restaurants that offer these dishes or a slight variation of them, especially the meat options. We leave you with a couple suggestions, for good and affordable options: Abadia do Porto and Taberna Santo António.
Xmas Desserts
Photo by: oportoblog
If you have an aversion to fried food, you’re a little out of luck on the desert front. Desserts tend to be almost all fried, well seasoned with a lot of cinnamon and sugar. If you’re planning a Porto Christmas you need to try “rabanadas”. Rabanadas are a kind of french toast: thick slices of bread marinated in egg and milk, then fried, with sugar, cinnamon, raisins on top and sometimes a few drops of Port. A good place to try this dessert on a cold afternoon is the iconic Café Majestic, for around 4€ or at Padaria Cristo Rei, for around 2€.
Photo by: oportoblog
Another must try are the “sonhos”, which means “dreams” and are truly little delicious dough balls, hollow and very light. The dough (flour, eggs and drops of lemon) has a few secrets and a more or less complicated baking process in its making. You may find these around bakeries during the holidays.
Photo by: oportoblog
‘Aletria’ is another Portuguese dessert you must try. It’s going to look to you almost like pasta and you’re not far off. It’s made with a dried kind of wheat pasta, milk, lemon zest, cinnamon stick, sugar and egg yolks. Some places serve it creamier, others less, but it’s always served with cinnamon on top. For around 3 or 4€ a plate you can try it, as a dessert, at Casa Nanda or Casa Inês.
The other king of the portuguese Christmas is the ‘bolo-rei’: a crown shaped cake. Named after the Three Wise Men. It includes nuts, dried and crystallized fruits. Nowadays there’s also the chocolate version and the ‘bolo-rainha’, with just nuts.
You can find the best and most famous bolos-reis in Porto at Confeitaria Petúlia and Confeitaria Cunha. The average price for this cake is 7-12€ or less, but it depends on the place, and you can always buy it by the slice.
Xmas Drinks
Photo by: oportoblog
There’s no specific drink to pinpoint when it comes to Christmas, but a glass of Port wine is always a good idea. Every restaurant, coffee shop and bar can serve you a glass of Port as the cherry on top of your Christmas meal or dessert.
READ ALSO: Top 3 Port wine tasting experiences of Porto
Are you planning a Porto Christmas? What are you most excited to try?
