Recommended food and restaurants along the Central Portuguese

[astridrosekiwi]

Starting the Central route from Porto to Santiago in September. Am a foodie and looking for recommendations of great cafes, bars and restaurants along the way. Thank you!

 

[Mikel Olivares]

Any food and any restaurant in Portugal is good.
Enjoy Portugal.

 

[xin loi]

The thing I recall from the Portuguese Camino was the dufficulty in finding a place open for coffee in the morning. Why do so many cafes on the Portuguese not open until 0900?

 

[lt56ny]

The thing I recall from the Portuguese Camino was the dufficulty in finding a place open for coffee in the morning. Why do so many cafes on the Portuguese not open until 0900?

Because people are mellow there. Some of the warmest and kindest people anywhere. My memory may be fading (well it is haha) but I do not remember having problems having coffee or a snack on the CP in 2017. I guess if you are on the Camino now and the temps are really hot people are getting a really early start. When I can't find coffee early I just have a banana or something in my bag, forget about it and start walking. Before I know it I have either found a place or I just remind myself how lucky I am to be on the Camino and just say f*%k it something will appear sooner or later.
When It comes to food just ask for a recommendation or point to something someone else is eating that looks good or interesting.

 

[Oliviao]

Oysters in Arcade, peppers in Padron. Bacalhau (salt cod) anywhere and everywhere. Caldo gallego (traditional galician green soup), empanadas (pies) in Pontevedra. Pulpo (octopus) in Padron (think it was a Saturday market where we found a number of pulperias- the like of which we had not experienced before...)

 

[Rebekah Scott]

roast kid wherever/whenever you can find it.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Starting the Central route from Porto to Santiago in September. Am a foodie and looking for recommendations of great cafes, bars and restaurants along the way. Thank you!

I don't have the Camino but I do have two Portuguese cities, Lisbon and O Porto.
For Lisbon see: https://goo.gl/maps/2J6PmWqLijFaLvtj7
For O Porto see: https://goo.gl/maps/qHnmHLTTUcdZwEbXA

The lists are mixed with accommodation and food recommendations.

Whenever I am visiting my Portuguese friends they are always keen to have me sample Portuguese pastries. They swear that they are the best in the World.

 

[Suzanne H]

Yes! to fresh seafood in Arcade, and Padron peppers (anywhere!). I believe we may have eaten at Avenida in Arcade -- we were there when they opened and they gave us spectacular service. Very charming.

 

[brian560]

The restaurant over the road from the albergue in Vila Do Conde has good food and the best chocolate mousse in the Iberian peninsula. The bar almost next door and on the same side of the street to the albergue does a good pilgrim's meal.

 

[Rita Flower]

The thing I recall from the Portuguese Camino was the dufficulty in finding a place open for coffee in the morning. Why do so many cafes on the Portuguese not open until 0900?

To make us appreciate it all the more.

 

[Rita Flower]

I can’t remember where but I had the best octopus, interesting and tasty tiny snails, and all kinds of fish. There was one fish that became my favourite but I’m sorry I can’t recall it’s name.
Don’t recall having one bad meal and many amazing ones. We just turned up.
And of course Pastéis de Nata.

 

[trecile]

roast kid wherever/whenever you can find it.

I'm glad that I looked that up, because, well, you know

 

[KariC]

Starting the Central route from Porto to Santiago in September. Am a foodie and looking for recommendations of great cafes, bars and restaurants along the way. Thank you!

Order the pilgrims meal and "un vino tinto" and just go with the flow of what you are served!

 

[roshiyal]

That sounds like an amazing journey you're embarking on from Porto to Santiago! And the idea of ordering the pilgrim's meal and "un vino tinto" is just perfect – embracing the local flavors and going with the flow

 

[roshiyal]

That sounds like an amazing journey you're embarking on from Porto to Santiago! And the idea of ordering the pilgrim's meal and "un vino tinto" is just perfect – embracing the local flavors and going with the flow.

As you're a foodie, do you have any must-try spots or hidden gems along the way? Also, if you come across any great brunch near me during your travels, feel free to share the love!