I do like to bring some goodies home so, over the next three posts, I thought I’d share my favourite food shops in Lisbon for getting the good stuff.
All the places below are marked on my Google map.
One of the oldest grocery shops in the city is Manteigaria Silva at 1 Rua D. Antão de Almada, in Baixa just by Rossio metro station.
You can get top-quality acorn-fed (bolota) ham here and cured (secco) artisan cheeses.
Silva also has a saltcod shop (bacalhoaria) right next door.
I couldn’t leave without getting some of Portugal’s most famous food ingredient to make my favourite local dish, Bacalhau com Natas.
Their best quality Icelandic saltcod is sold by weight and cut by hand on request (I bought half a cod, about 1.5kg). Traditionally it’s wrapped in brown paper and string but it’s a good idea to get it vacuum packed for travel as it does have quite a strong smell.
Another good loja de presunto (ham shop) is Beher at 249 Rua da Prata in Baixa, where they let you have a taste before buying.
The best bolota that I’ve eaten in Portugal however is the Varanegra brand which I had at Solar dos Presuntos (see my coming Traditional Fine Dining post). The tiny flecks of white fat in the flesh are a sign of quality.
So where’s the tinned seafood, and the booze? I hear you say. They needed their own posts, coming next…