The Romans were the first outside influence to enrich Portuguese cuisine, giving the Lusitania colony such integral culinary components as garlic (alho), grapes (uvas), and olives (azeitonas). Portuguese cuisine as we know it today began to take shape beginning in the 14th and 15th centuries. Portugal has always been a seafaring nation, but the 14th and 15th centuries opened up so many doors to the Portuguese that their cuisine was forever impacted.

Portugal is famous for its fishing and seafood industries. Only three countries in the world eat more fish (peixe) per capita than Portugal, and no other country in Europe can best their consumption either. The national dish is bacalhau, dried salt cod; explorers who visited Newfoundland learned about drying and curing fish to make it last longer and brought these innovations back to Europe. Today, there are many variations on traditional bacalhau and there is no way to eat at a Portuguese restaurant on your trip and not have many options of bacalhau presented to you, even in inland areas.

When the Age of Portuguese Discovery began, Henry the Navigator ordered all explorers to bring back samples of seeds, nuts, fruits, and vegetables they see while on their journeys. As a result, Portuguese colonies abroad introduced new flavors and ingredients to the national diet: Pineapples (abacaxis) and coffee (café) beans arrived from Brazil, piri-piri chili peppers and cashews (cajus) came from Angola and Mozambique respectively, and cinnamon and curry powder arrived via the spice trade from Goa, as did sweet oranges (laranjas doces). Tea (chá) became a popular drink for millions of Portuguese after the consumer market was flooded with Macau's cash crop. The Andalusians, the people living to the east of the Algarve in what is now Spain, also influenced Portuguese cuisine, particularly in desserts where ingredients such as almonds (amêndoas) and honey (mel) are common.

Portugal is famous for its cheeses (queijos), wines (vinhos), and olive oil (azeite), being a world leader in all three categories. The most popular wines are port wine, from the Douro Valley, and Madeira wine, produced on Madeira Island. Pair these wines with popular cheeses such as queijo da Serra da Estrela and queijo de Azeitão. Each region is home to a variety of olive oils that range in acidic quality. Cooking-grade olive oil has a lower acidity reading (1.5) than olive oil used to accent dishes (higher on the acidity scale at 0.5-1.0).

Must-Savor Specialties: Bacalhau, piri-piri chili peppers, Mozambique cashews, almonds (amêndoas) and honey (mel), sweet oranges (laranjas doces), queijo da Serra da Estrela, queijo de Azeitão, Portuguese olive oils (azeite), port wine, Madeira wine

Lisbon

Lisbon has been home to a deliciously diverse food scene for decades, but the capital was lesser-visited when compared to other European capitals, so it wasn't until the 21st century when a lot of American tourists were turned on to Portugal, and in turn, Lisbon. Lisbon is known for two varieties of bacalhau: Bacalhau à brás, shredded salt cod with potatoes, onions, and olives; and meia-desfeita, shredded salt cod with chickpeas, onions, potatoes, and eggs. You can try these dishes at Café Lisboa (Largo de São Carlos 23). Lisbon is also well-known for the delicious pastry treat pasteis de nata (egg custard tarts sprinkled with cinnamon, pictured). These treats were first baked by the nuns at the Igreja Santa Maria de Belém (Praça do Império) in the 18th century; the tarts that are officially sanctioned by the church and use their secret recipe are called pasteis de Belém. The capital region is also well-known for its sheep's milk cheese queijo Saiolo Regional.

As the capital of Portugal and the city with the largest food scene, it's no surprise that you can taste "the best of the best" in Portuguese cuisine here. Lisbon can boast restaurants that serve the best frango assado com piri piri (charcoal-grilled chicken with a glaze of piri piri spicy chili sauce), sardinhas assadas (grilled sardines seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil), bolo rei (a King cake, popular at Christmastime), prego (sirloin steak infused with garlic, cooked on a grill and served on a Portuguese roll), açorda (a soup/stew with bread, garlic, and eggs, popularly served with shrimp, camarão, or bacalhau), caldo verde (a soup comprised of leafy greens, potatoes, and olive oil), and arroz doce (rice pudding, flavored with cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon zest), just to name a few! Now, where to go? To try pasteis de nata, visit Manteigaria (Rua do Loreto 2). The best frango assado com piri piri can be found at Restaurante Bonjardim (Travessa de Santo Antão 11). To try prego, visit Cervejaria Ramiro (Avenida Almirante Reis 1). The best açorda can be found at Pap'Açôrda (Avenida 24 de Julho 49). To taste sardinhas assadas, be sure to try Páteo 13 (Calçadinha de Santo Estêvão 13). Finally, hands-down the best bacalhau in the capital can be had by going to Laurentina - O Rei do Bacalhau (Avenida Conde Valbom 71A). There are 25 Michelin-starred restaurants in Lisbon; the go-to favorite for contemporary Portuguese cuisine is Tágide (Largo da Academic Nacional de Belas Artes 18-20).

Must-Savor Specialties: Bacalhau à brás, meia-desfeita, pasteis de nata, pasteis de Belém, queijo Saiolo Regional, frango assado com piri piri, bolo rei, sardinhas assadas, prego, açorda, caldo verde, arroz doce

The Alentejo and Alentejo Coast (Evora, Estremoz, Beja, Sines)

Évora is a hub of life and activity in the Alentejo region of interior Portugal, and the city is known for a sizable number of regional foodstuffs such as Alentejan olive oil (azeite do Alentejo Interior), Alentejan honey (mel do Alentejo), Montemor-o-Novo white lamb (borrego de Montemor-o-Novo), and queijo de Évora sheep's milk cheese. Pão de rala is a popular dessert that originated in the city, a sweet bread made with almond flour and filled with a mixture of jam, egg yolks and sugar. You can try this dessert at the bakery Pastelaria Conventual Pão de Rala (Rua de Cicioso 47). An Alentejan spin on tomato soup (sopa de tomate alentejana) includes eggs, garlic, onions, and sometimes potatoes and peppers in addition to the main ingredient of tomatoes. Adega do Alentejano (Rua Gabriel Victor do Monte Pereira 21) serves this dish with a side of Alentejan sausages (chouriço alentejano). The Alentejan twist on açorda, açorda à Alentejana, asks for cooks to soak the pieces of bread in olive oil, cilantro, and/or mint before serving. Try it at Moinho do Cu Torto (Rua de Santo André 2). Another dish that's one of the most famous at Moinho do Cu Torto is sopa de cação, a flour-based soup with shark, garlic, cilantro, bay leaves, vinegar, and paprika.

Estremoz is well-known for its variety of sausages (chouriços), and over half a dozen are widely available for you to try from such restaurants as Howard's Folly restaurant and vintner (Rua General Norton de Matos), A Cadeia Quinhentista (inside Estremoz Castle), and Bifanas Estremoz Petisqueira (Rossio Marquês de Pombal 62). Beja is known for its own type of smoked sausage, Paio de Beja, made of lean Alentejan pork with a 10% fat content. Beja is also renowned for its local ham (presunto do Alentejo), cheese (queijo Serpa), beef (Carnalentejana), and olive oil (azeite de Moura). Sines, on the Alentejo Coast, is a great place to try delicious seafood dishes such as fried cuttlefish with razor clam rice (arroz de lingueirão com choco frito), and squid-and-shrimp skewers (espetada de lulas com gambas), which you can order at the Michelin Guide-recommended Cais da Estação (Avenida General Humberto Delgado 16).

Must-Savor Specialties: Alentejan olive oil, Alentejan honey, Montemor-o-Novo white lamb, queijo de Évora, pão de rala, sopa de tomate alentejana, chouriço alentejano, açorda à Alentejana, sopa de cação, Paio de Beja sausage, presunto do Alentejo, queijo Serpa, Carnalentejana beef, azeite de Moura, arroz de lingueirão com choco frito, espetada de lulas com gambas

The Algarve

Faro and Albufeira are the two largest cities in The Algarve and they have the largest food scenes, although you can find delicious restaurants in any of the small towns along the coast. In Faro, you will find the restaurants are clustered in the six-block radius between Avenida da República and the Jardim da Praça de Ferreira de Almeida. In Albufeira a lot of restaurants are clustered on The Strip, also called Avenida Francisco Sá Carneiro. The Algarve is known for such dishes as cataplana (seafood fried in olive oil, including shrimp, mussels, and clams), caracois à Algarvia (snails boiled with water and herbs), bacalhau à Algarvia (fried salt cod served with sautéed onions, garlic, and potatoes), xarém (corn porridge cooked with ham, bacon, or pork, pictured here with bacalhau à Algarvia), queijo de Figo (sliced fig-and-almond cake flavored with brandy), queijinhos de amêndoa (sugar-coated almond-and-egg treats), Dom Rodrigo (confectionery made with sugar, eggs, almonds, and egg threads called fios de ovos), and pudim de laranja (an orange-flavored flan). You can taste all of these dishes and more while you are in Faro. Albufeira is also noted for its bife à Portuguesa (beef steak, brown gravy, a fried egg, and potatoes) and lamb shoulder in almond sauce (cordeiro cozido em molho de amêndoa escura). One final fact: The popular dish carne de porco à Alentejana, made with pork from Alentejo cows, was actually invented in The Algarve! It is served nationwide and you will of course be able to try some while you are in the Algarve.

Must-Savor Specialties: Cataplana, xarém, caracois à Algarvia, bacalhau à Algarvia, queijinhos de amêndoa, Dom Rodrigo, pudim de laranja, bife à Portuguesa, lamb shoulder in almond sauce, carne de porco à Alentejana

Leiria and the Silver Coast

Leiria is well-known for a few delicious dishes, such as arroz de pato (rice, sausage, duck, cooked in a broth with herbs and vegetables), arroz de marisco (thicker than paella, but nonetheless cooked with seafood, rice, tomatoes, and other vegetables), and brisas do lis (a baked good consisting of egg yolks, sugar, and ground almonds, first baked by the nuns of Santana de Leiria, pictured). Leiria is also renowned for having the best snack sandwich pão com chouriço (sausage roll) in Portugal, at Casinha Velha (Rua Professor Portélas 23), which also has great arroz de pato and other common Leiria dishes. Go to Pastelaria LuziClara (Rua Barão de Viamonte 49) if you want to try brisas do lis. As far as fresh fruits are concerned, Leiria is famous for its Rocha do Oeste pears.

The towns of the Silver Coast offer many delicious dishes of their own, such as vegetarian or pescatarian migas (bread crumbs soaked in fat and fried with garlic and chili powder) in Nazaré, caldeirada de enguias (eel stew in a saffron broth) and ovos moles (egg yolk and sugar wafers, typically crafted into shapes such as fish or shells) in Aveiro, and chanfana (goat or lamb stew braised in red wine) in Figueira da Foz.

Must-Savor Specialties: Arroz de pato, arroz de marisco, brisas do lis, pão com chouriço, Rocha do Oeste pears, migas, caldeirada de enguias, ovos moles de Aveiro, chanfana

Porto and the Douro Valley

Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal and naturally it has the second-largest food scene, with ten restaurants making the Portugal Michelin Guide. Porto is forever tied to port wine, and you will see many boats with cases and barrels of wine floating down the Douro to and from Vila Nova de Gaia, where many wineries have cellars and tasting rooms. Porto is also synonymous with the Francesinha (pictured), a toasted sandwich with multiple meats and cheese covered in a tomato sauce infused with beer. It is typically served with French fries and is a lunchtime favorite. You can make a mini-food tour out of the top places in the world to sink your teeth into a Francesinha: Café Santiago (Rua de Passos Manuel 226), Restaurante Bufete Fase (Rua de Santa Catarina 1147), and Restaurante Capa Negra II (Rua do Campo Alegre 191) have all received rave reviews for Porto's signature dish. As for bacalhau, Porto is known for two variations: Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá (salt cod cooked with potatoes, onions, and eggs), and bacalhau à Zé do Pipo (a salt cod casserole featuring mashed potatoes, milk, mayonnaise, and onions, and garnished with olives). You can try these variants at Restaurante Abadia do Porto (Rua do Ateneu Comercial do Porto 22).

The Douro Valley (second picture) is one of the leading wine-producing regions in Europe, and produces all kinds of wines, including various types of port such as vintage, ruby, and tawny. Touriga Franca grapes find their way into all port wines and many other Douro red wines, while Touriga Nacional grapes are used in the most expensive wines. These can be paired with a nice bifana (grilled pork sandwich) and such famous cheeses as the queijo da Serra da Estrela, one of the most popular cheeses in the country. The queijo Terrincho sheep's milk cheese is native to Vila Real, and nearby in Torre de Moncorvo they are renowned for their peeled and flavored almond confectionery, amêndoa coberta de Moncorvo. The award-winning olive oil produced here is azeite da Beira Interior; the olive groves in the Douro Valley also produce azeitona de conserva Negrinha de Freixo, olives pickled in brine and canned for personal consumption.

Must-Savor Specialties: Port wine, Francesinha, bacalhau à Gomes de Sá, bacalhau à Zé do Pipo, Douro Valley wines (made with Touriga Franca and Touriga Nacional grapes), bifana, queijo da Serra da Estrela, queijo Terrincho, amêndoa coberta de Moncorvo, azeite da Beira Interior, azeitona de conserva Negrinha de Freixo