WHY THE CAMINO PORTUGUESE COASTAL ROUTE:
If the stunning views and the coastal breeze aren’t enough to convince you, the amazing local food will win you over. What could be better than to walk along stunning coastline and eat all the most delicious food? May I introduce you to walking the Camino Portuguese Coastal Route, the most amazing travel foodie adventure!
Walking the Camino is something I’ve always wanted to do, but it was a distant thing, something I’d figure out at some point in the future. I was raised Catholic (and still am) and I’ve just always known about it. I’ve even been to a few religious pilgrimage sites during my travels such as, Our Lady of Lourdes in France, Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, and St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, so a pilgrimage was not out of the question.
But honestly, a month for the Camino Frances seemed daunting. I saw the Martin Sheen movie when it came out in 2010 and to be honest, it scared me off it for awhile. In the movie, someone dies in the Mountains, backpacks get stolen, and the sleeping arrangements look less than ideal. Last year, I learned about the Portuguese Coastal Route for the first time, when a fulltime traveler I follow on Instagram shared daily vlogs about her experience walking this route of the Camino and the scenery was stunning! Then I saw another woman vlog the Camino Frances, and another woman vlog the Camino Portuguese Interior Route. There’s something about seeing someone like you doing the hard thing that you only thought was possible in your dreams, that makes you think, ‘hey, I could do that too!”
I did some research in the chat rooms and someone said that the Portuguese Coastal Route had the best food. I trained as a chef in 2015 and have been working in restaurants and as a Private Chef for people in their homes ever since. One of the reason I travel is to connect with a place through it’s food culture, which is what led me to start this blog, to share my travel food experiences. So it just makes sense that my first Camino would be the one with the supposedly ‘best food’ according to a Camino chat room thread. For what it’s worth, I think they were correct.
DISHES TO TRY ON THE CAMINO PORTUGUESE COASTAL ROUTE:
SALT COD / BACALAU:
Salted cod is a mainstay of the Portuguese food culture, which may seem strange as cod is not found in the waters that border Portugal, but rather in the colder (and deeper) waters in the North Atlantic, from Greenland to Scandinavia. And because Portugal is historically an exploring nation, think Magellan and Vasco de Gama, the sailors needed to take food with them that would last for months at sea, and that is how cod, salted and preserved for a long sea voyage, became a mainstay of the Portuguese culinary history.
FRANCESINHA:
This is a traditional Portuguese sandwich from Porto, made with thick sliced bread, various meats, covered with melted cheese and drowned in a ‘spicy’ tomato-beer sauce, and can be topped with a fried egg. It is typically served with what Americans would call French fries. Legend has it that this Portuguese culinary delight takes it’s inspiration from the French classic, Croque Monsieur / Croque Madame, however, it really reminds me of the classic American comfort food of Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup, if you were to actually combine them into the same bowl. This dish is heavy, so you have to be in the mood for it. It absolutely HIT THE SPOT when I ate this in Esposende, Portugal after I finished walking for the day. I think it’s one of those dishes that you either love or hate, but it’s definitely worth a shot. And for what it’s worth, I absolutely adore it.
FRESH SEAFOOD:
I grew up not liking fish. I was made to eat very soggy fish sticks every Friday during Lent, so obviously, I hated it. Now, if I had grown up on the Portuguese coast eating fresh caught seafood, things may have been different. Lucky for me, I went to culinary school near the sea, and during that time, I developed a love of fresh seafood. Some of the amazing seafood I ate on the Camino Portuguese Coastal Route were: mussels, black swordfish, octopus, and sea bass (robalo). Below are two fantastic restaurants where I ate on the Portuguese Coastal Route (in Portugal) that I would HIGHLY recommend:
TASQUINHA DO SILVA:
All the best meals that I’ve had in my life now include seafood, this one included. My Camino journey was off to a rocky start, but even through the pain, Day 2 was AMAZING! I discovered my love of cold plunges and had the most amazing meal a block from my accommodation. The meal in question was at Tasquinha do Silva, in Agucadoura, Portugal. It started with a massive glass of vino verde, then a beautiful salad and the most delicious sea bass (robalo) and potatoes. The waitress suggested I smash the potatoes with my fork and then drizzle them with garlic oil. And oh my gosh, I LIVE for these kind of special instructions. When she served my coffee, she said the fruits were for energy for the Camino! The food and the service were just so special, it’s everything you could want in a meal.
CASA PRIMAVERA, TABERNA SOARES:
Besides the above meal which I had solo, all my favorite meals were when sharing food and exchanging stories with other pilgrims I met while walking the Camino. I met two of my favorite pilgrim friends on my Day 3 and then we were all staying tne next night in Viana do Costello. Their guesthouse recommended this restaurant and it was a true gem. I joined them on a busy night, so the waiter was a bit overwhelmed, but their stories of how effervescent he had been the previous night, the amazing dishes and wine we shared made it an experience I will savor. This place had a family run vibe and you would tell you were eating amongst locals, or at least people from Portugal. We had vino verde, tomato salad, mussels, black swordfish (a first for me!) and octopus (a travel favorite of mine)
PIZZA:
It’s not what you would typically think of for Portugal cuisine, but I had two pizza meals and both were delicious. Also lots of carbo loading energy for all the effort expending during the day walking.
HAMILTON PIZZARIA FRANGARIA:
My toughest day of the Camino…and a stop at the ocean and a pizza dinner totally redeemed the day. The restaurant was Italian, with lots of DOP and DOC ingredients on the menu, which instantly transported me back to the year I lived in Rome. I ordered the eponymous pizza, because if a restaurant has a dish named after itself, it only makes sense to order it. And it was FANTASTIC! I was transported to Italy (one of my favorite places) for an hour, out of the horrible guesthouse I was staying in, I almost forgot about my swollen feet, and I didn’t think about the walk I had to do the next day. I was taken out of my immediate surroundings, and that’s what the best food (and hospitality) does, it connects you to a place, even if it’s not the place that you’re in. Shoutout to the hostess (and the servers were fantastic too!). I arrived before service began, without a reservation, very willing to just give up and walk away. She explained that they had two seatings, the first to begin in 30 minutes, and yes, they had room for a single diner. It didn’t take much convincing to walk the few blocks to stare at the ocean until my reservation. Once seated, I felt very cared for and the delicious food was just the icing on the cake.
BRIOCHE PIZZA POCKET:
Brioche is a really big deal in Portugal. Portugal is historical the biggest producer of chicken and therefore eggs. Egg whites have been used for such things as starching clothes (and the habits of nuns), making communion hosts, and clarifying wine, thankfully leaving the yolks for baking and pastries. And what better way than to bake pizza toppings into a brioche pocket. I bought this for a quick and tasty lunch at the grocery in Viana do Costello.
PASTEIS DE NATA:
A must have in every city and town in Portugal. The best ones are right out of the oven, but even if they’re not baked on site, they are still amazing. And they’re small enough, that you’ll never regret indulging in them.
SIDONIOS:
I LOVE a good Nata, but also couldn’t resist this little snack when I saw it at the bakery. It has a sweet dough crust with an egg yolk and almond flour filling. Highly recommend.
WHAT TO DRINK ON THE CAMINO PORTUGESE IN PORTUGAL:
VINHO VERDE:
Vinho verde translates to green wine, and is not a grape varietal but from the historical Minho region in Northern Portugal. And it actually refers to it’s age as a young wine. Vinho verde can be white, red, or rose. Some even have a little bit of effervescence, which is my favorite kind. I find it incredibly drinkable, or as my Irish friends like to say, quaffable. One of my favorite varietals is Alvarinho, so definitely give that one a try.
PORTO TONICO:
I went out for dinner with three Europeans (a cyclist from Spain, a walker from Czechia, and a walker from Croatia) from my hostel in Esposende, Portugal. I ordered a Porto Tonico and none of them knew what it was! I love sharing my food discoveries with other travelers (hello food travel blog) so was happy to explain that it’s white port wine plus tonic water. If you like gin and tonic, then you’ll love this drink.
NORDES GIN AND TONIC:
Speaking of gin and tonic, it’s my go to drink, so no wonder it makes an appearance on this food guide. Nordes gin is actually from Galicia, the region of Spain that the second half of the Camino Portuguese Coastal Route goes through. This was an insanely tasty gin and tonic and will try to find this at home in New York. I would have brought some home with me but I had one more flight in Europe before returning home. And I had the below aperitivo setup at Hamilton Pizzaria in Moledo, Portugal
CITRUS SODA:
I have not consistently been a soda drinker since my college dining hall had Dr Pepper on tap! But, hot weather changes everything, and since I spent February and March in Mexico, I am guzzling (almost daily) sodas, and mostly Coca-Cola. I’m not a soda snob, but I’m not gonna waste my time with Pepsi. So when, the lunch cafe we stopped in didn’t have Coca-Cola, I discovered this delicious drink. I never found it again, but I remember vividly how tasty it was. So if you come across it, you just gotta try it!
And for part two of this adventure, after you cross the border into Galicia, Spain:
What to Eat in Galicia, Spain while walking the Camino de Santiago Portuguese Coastal Route
Come along with me as I walked the Portuguese Coastal Route solo in April 2024 and created Daily Vlogs:
