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Among the cuisines of Europe, Portuguese cuisine occupies a special position. Where else on the continent are ingredients such as cumin and fresh coriander considered standard? The fact that the Portuguese cook with such flavors (which seem exotic to other Europeans) has to do with their past as seafarers. In fact, they were the ones who sailed the world's oceans on their galeãos centuries ago and spread spices across the globe. These included the chili, which originated in Central America and is known locally as piri piri. Today it can be found in dishes all over the world.

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One person who knows Portuguese cuisine and its history like no other is the host and chef José Avillez. He's omnipresent in his home city of Lisbon, running half a dozen other restaurants in addition to his double award-winning flagship restaurant Belcanto. He even runs his own food court, the Bairro do Avillez. It's located in Chiado, the vibrant nightlife district, boasting numerous bars and restaurants. It's the ideal place to get an idea of what characterizes the local cuisine.

Henrique Isidoro

A few months ago, however, top chef João Rodrigues opened his restaurant Canalha in the Lower Town, which attracted a lot of media attention. Here, unlike in the past, he is not dedicated to creative cuisine, but to Portuguese home cooking. However, he subtly reinterprets his creations - such as grilled octopus with sheep's butter, wild mushrooms with egg yolk and pork cheek or tortilla with fried shrimps and onions.

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A Portuguese menu must include a dish with cod. The cod must be dried and salted and is considered the national fish. It can be prepared in hundreds of different ways. In the Canalha, for example, it's served as a starter in the form of crispy croquettes.

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As you would expect, the close connection to the sea that the Portuguese have had for centuries is also expressed in their love of fresh fish and seafood. One of the best places to understand this is definitely the legendary and always busy Cervejaria Ramiro. The name Cervejaria stands for a simple beer bar and indicates that the focus here is not on the trappings, but on the huge selection of excellent fish, mussels, crustaceans and shellfish that make the Ramiro one of the best addresses for seafood in the whole of Europe.