🐟 Top 7 Fish and Seafood You Must Try in Portugal

Portugal’s soul lies by the sea. With one of Europe’s richest fishing traditions, the Portuguese have turned the ocean into art — grilling, salting, or stewing its bounty with simplicity and pride. From Porto’s smoky sardines to the Algarve’s octopus rice, here are the eight most iconic fish and seafood dishes every visitor should taste at least once.

🐠 Bacalhau – Codfish

Where it’s from: North Atlantic (Norway, Iceland, Newfoundland) — imported and salted in Portugal.

🍴 Taste & texture: Firm, salty-sweet, deeply savory once rehydrated.

💡 Fun fact: There are said to be over 1,000 recipes for bacalhau! It’s the national obsession.

🍽️ Typical dishes: Bacalhau à Brás, Bacalhau com Natas, Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá.

🐟 Sardinha – Sardine

Where it’s caught: Atlantic coast — Setúbal, Peniche, and Matosinhos.

🍴 Taste & texture: Oily, smoky, intensely flavorful when grilled over charcoal.

💡 Fun fact: Every June, during Santos Populares, entire cities smell like grilled sardines.

🍽️ Typical dish: Sardinhas assadas — served on bread, with peppers and cold beer.

🐟 Robalo – Sea Bass

Where it’s caught: Northern Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts.

🍴 Taste & texture: Delicate and buttery, slightly sweet, perfect for grilling whole.

💡 Fun fact: Considered a “noble fish” (peixe nobre) — often served in upscale restaurants.

🍽️ Typical dish: Robalo grelhado com limão e azeite — grilled with olive oil and lemon.

🐠 Dourada – Gilthead Bream

Where it’s caught: Southern and central coasts; Algarve and Setúbal.

🍴 Taste & texture: Mild, tender, clean ocean flavor — similar to sea bass.

💡 Fun fact: The “golden head” stripe gives this fish its royal name.

🍽️ Typical dish: Dourada grelhada — often served whole with salad and potatoes.

🐙 Polvo – Octopus

Where it’s caught: Northern Atlantic, often near the Azores and Algarve.

🍴 Taste & texture: Meaty and tender when cooked right, slightly sweet.

💡 Fun fact: Fishermen traditionally beat the octopus on the rocks to soften it — a ritual of patience and respect.

🍽️ Typical dishes: Polvo à Lagareiro (roasted octopus with garlic and olive oil), Arroz de Polvo (octopus rice).

🦐 Camarão – Shrimp / Prawns

Where it’s caught: Off the Algarve and Setúbal coasts.

🍴 Taste & texture: Sweet, juicy, and rich — especially the Carabineiro (red prawn) from the south.

💡 Fun fact: Camarão à Guilho (garlic shrimp) is a Portuguese bar classic — sizzling in olive oil with chili.

🍽️ Typical dishes: Camarão à Guilho, Arroz de Marisco (seafood rice), Amêijoas com camarão.

🦑 Lula – Squid

Where it’s caught: Coastal waters throughout Portugal.

🍴 Taste & texture: Tender when grilled or fried; mild flavor that soaks up olive oil and garlic beautifully.

💡 Fun fact: Squid fishing (pesca de lula) is a traditional night-time activity in many coastal villages.

🍽️ Typical dishes: Lulas grelhadas à Algarvia (grilled squid with garlic and lemon), Lulas recheadas (stuffed squid).

🌊 Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed discovering some of the main fish and seafood that make Portuguese cuisine so special. From the smoky sardines of summer to the tender octopus roasted in olive oil, each dish tells a story of the Atlantic and the people who live by it.

If you’d like to taste them for yourself, I’ve prepared a list of my favorite fish restaurants in Porto — places where you can experience these flavors exactly as locals do.