
A gastronomic guide to Portugal —
From the freshest seafood to its golden olive oil, Portuguese food may be the most underrated cuisine in Europe. Even better, the seaside nation boasts a wide range of wines to go with its dishes.

Going with the grain —
For a nation that consumes the most rice in Europe, Portugual's arroz is unjustly neglected.

Lisbon's gourmet awakening —
A modern interpretation of Portuguese food by Lisbon's star chef Jose Avillez.

Belcanto —
Avillez's Lisbon restaurant Belcanto is the first in Portugal to be awarded two Michelin stars.

Liquid gold —
Less famed than other European counterparts, Portugal produces many award-winning olive oils.

Saintly sardines —
During sardine season (May to October), whiffs of sardine-grilling can be detected at many Portuguese events. Outside the season, they're best sampled from a can.

Say queijo —
Some of the best cheeses (or queijo) in Portugal include amarelo da Beira Baixa -- a herby goat-and-sheep-milk mix that was once judged the world's greatest cheese -- and the creamy Serra da Estrela from the milk of ewes.

Pastel de nata —
The cinnamon-sprinkled custard tarts invented by monks in Lisbon's Belem district may be the country's most iconic pastries.

Nata's rivals —
Nata asides, there is more to Portuguese pastries than just custard tarts.

Piscivore perfection —
Spanish superstar chef Ferran Adria once declared that Portugal's Atlantic waters have the best seafood.

Bifana vs. prego —
The crispy and juicy Portuguese pork sandwich (bifana) and steak sandwich (prego) are Portugal's snacks of preference.

A festival of fruit —
The sun-drenched climate gifts Portugal a cornucopia of naturally ripened, locally grown fruit that's reassuringly blemished, oddly shaped and utterly delicious.

The national boiled dinner —
If there is one dish that unites the country, it's cozido.

King cod —
Dried and salted cod, or bacalhau in Portuguese, is one of the nation's most popular fish dishes.