Food in the Azores is based on Portuguese cuisine but with a strong local flavor. Limpets, crayfish and rabbit stews are specialties as is Octopus stewed in wine found on São Miguel and the beef stew on Terceira. Fish chowders are rich and tasty, and the fresh catch of the day can be found on most menus too.
There’s no shortage of cows, grazing here so the Azores offer fine beef, served in numerous ways including grilled and roasted in a wine sauce. And, the Portuguese staple of salted codfish is everywhere too - with some unusual local recipes.
For a spicy treat, try this local speciality – a take on the Portuguese cozido (meat stew) cooked underground at a steamy volcanic hot spring.
There are also a number of excellent cheeses across the Azores, even if most attention goes to the São Jorge cheese.In mainland Portugal it is simply known as ‘queijo da ilha’ - island cheese. There is a large variety of local cheeses, mostly made from cow's milk. São Miguel, Pico, and Faial also produce some tasty cheese too - try them on any of the many local breads, from the sweet ones, to the flat breads of Pico, or the levedo muffins of São Miguel.
Caldeira das Furnas - São Miguel Island, photo by Associação de Turismo dos Açores
And for those of you with a sweet tooth, there’s a vast array of pastries and cakes available in The Azores too. Try grilled pineapple, Dona Amelia cakes, or the cheese cakes from either Graciosa or Vila Franca on São Miguel.
The local pineapple is quite different here in The Azores - with a small crown, and an intense flavor. Plus, it’s grown year-round. And while there is no shortage of table wines from the mainland, fine wines, liqueurs and brandies are distilled on the islands too. Be sure to try the wines made from the lava soil of Pico, the excellent vintages of Graciosa, and wine from the north coast or Terceira. Exotic fruits are also made into liqueurs and potent brandies, and Especial, the local beer, is an excellent lager too..
Of the wines, special mention must go to the Verdelho, the best-known of which is produced in Pico in a manmade landscape that has gained World Heritage recognition. The wine of Biscoitos, on Terceira, should also be sampled.
ATOP members: Destination Portugal, Keytel International
