It seems that the Chinese have a habit of sucking on fried stones. But here we also have our own delicious dishes. In fact, howabout an itinerary dedicated to the best summer snacks? Enjoy it with a cold imperial.
All you need is a good terrace and your best company.
Then, order snack after snack and you’ re guaranteed a day well spent.
Many of these snacks are served in series in any café, restaurant or terrace, especially in summer.
So it won’t be difficult to find one of these places in Lisbon to enjoy one or more saucers of these delicious delicacies.
Table Of Contents
Snails
Snails are one of the Portuguese’s favorite summer snacks .
Present on saucers and platters all over the country, in the months without an “r”, in May, June, July and August, this delicacy is a delight at the end of the afternoon, after a great day at the beach.
And these are our favorite places in Lisbon where the snail is king.
Percebes
There’s no better seafood to get a real taste of the sea than percebes, one of the most popular snacks at this time of year.
Although more expensive than any other snack on this list, we guarantee it’ s well worth a taste of the ocean.
Octopus or squid salad
To the traditional Octopus Salad, much appreciated by all lovers of a good summer delicacy, we decided to add squid cooked in white with onion, parsley and pepper and vinegar to taste.
It’s delicious! In Spain they call them puntillitas, and they make them fried… which are also spectacular.
Bulhão Pato style clams
Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato must be the most traditional summer dish in Portugal.
Who hasn’t tasted the delight that is a good frying pan full of clams with coriander, garlic, olive oil, lemon, salt and pepper?
And when they arrive at the table, accompanied by the freshest imperials you can find, you can see everyone “attacking” the platter as if the clams were going to run away.
Shrimp from the coast
A good platter of boiled shrimp from the coast with a few pebbles of coarse salt on top is the ideal feast on any self-respecting terrace.
Add two or three imperials to finish off another summer’s day in style.
Fried fish
Whether it’s horse mackerel, petingas or shrimp from one day to the next, this snack is one of our favorites, preferably fried in cornmeal.
Hummm, they’re delicious! And, of course, a slice of homemade bread and imperials to taste make up what is, for us, a true summer delicacy.
Pica Pau
For meat lovers, a dose of Pica Pau is at the top of the list of tavern snacks.
But what we like best is the sauce, made from a wonderful mixture of white wine, bay leaves, garlic, butter, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.
Every time we order this snack, we immediately order two baskets of bread. Who hasn’t?
Fried cuttlefish
It originated in Setúbal, but the truth is that fried cuttlefish is increasingly eaten in many places in Lisbon.
One of our favorites is in Penha de França, Choco Frrito (with two “r’s”, in true Setubal fashion), which offers a short list of delicious options with this delicacy.
If you stop by, you have to try the “chroqrrettes”, a kind of cuttlefish croquette marinated and chopped with ink.
Alimados horse mackerel
It‘s not on sale in many places in Lisbon, but it’s one of the most spectacular and delicious snacks you can find at this time of year, especially in the Algarve.
And if you’re like us, you’ll never be satisfied with just one serving of this fresh and tasty delicacy .
Lupins and sprouts
All of the above snacks are delicious at this time of year, but there’s one treat that stays with us all year round: lupins and seeds.
These seeds are undoubtedly one of the snacks most consumed by all Portuguese and, in the summer, sitting on a terrace, they’ re the best way to accompany half a dozen fresh imperials.
