Portugal becomes more and more popular for tourists. The warm climate, rich history, never ending oceanic beaches enslave the hearts of travellers from the first sight. The North of the country is ancient castles and monasteries. People lived and fight here. If you like history, stay to live in Porto, at the sea, a short hand to get to Guimaraes – the first capital of the country where Portugal started many centuries ago.
If you like surfing – central beaches of Portugal are waiting for you. The Peniche Peninsular attracts surfers from all over the world in summer and winter. This is the best surf resort in the world, indeed. Of course, Lisbon is also attractive as the city of White Walls and fado. Go to hire a car in Lisbon and listen to romantic stories at every next corner. Lisbon is not like any other city. It is better to come and see. Ok, what about the cuisine of this beautiful city? All guide books tell that Portuguese cuisine is plain but substantial: seafood, meat, fish. What if you are vegan?
Ask For Soup!
You can ask for vegetable soup for dinner in 99% of Lisbon cafes and restaurants. It is cheap and mostly vegetarian.
Ask For Bread and Olives!
Portugal restaurants offer such useful thing as entradas – small dishes to start your dinner. The waiter serves entradas before your dinner even if you did not ask. Of course, you can refuse and not to eat offered snacks. You have to pay them later. Traditionally, entradas are pieces of buns or aromatic bread, olives and plate of butter and cheese. You should try fresh bread and olives!
Ask For Salad and French Fries!
Portuguese like eating potato in the restaurants. The chefs of different restaurants cook potato in different way to compete: with rice, vegetables, meat. You should order batata frita, if you are not afraid of much oil and salt. If you are really hungry, potato is the right thing to feel better. You may also try traditional Portuguese salad – it is also good for vegans: green salad, tomato, onion, cucumber, carrots, with much olive oil. Traditional Portugal salad is called salada or salada verde, or salada mista (more vegetables).
Never Ask For Sweets!
If you are vegan, you will never eat Portugal sweets. The pastry is mostly made of eggs. The popular Portugal dessert pastel de nata is made of eggs with sugar and phyllo pastry. It is very tasty but not dietic. If you do not eat eggs, you will never eat local pastry. So, what would you do if you are vegan and like to eat sweets. There is way out. You should ask for vegetarian restaurant. There are two secret places in Lisbon for vegans. One of them is popular of its vegan cakes, the second is popular of vegan ice-cream. You can try any of them. Anyway, the idea to find the cafe for vegetarians is not bad.
Eat At Home
Where do you stay in Lisbon? Do you stay in the hotel or private villa? Do you prefer to stay in the hostel? Anyway, if you hire the apartments or live in the hostel, you have a good opportunity to use kitchen and eat at home. Travelling in Portugal, you meet such a great event as fruittario – small fruit full of different cheap fruits for sale. You can fund then at every corner in the big cities and in the small towns. Go in and buy anything you want according to your taste. The prices are cheap.
Of course, if you want to cook something serious, you need a supermarket food. If you need to find the nearest supermarket, get in your car and go shopping. There is a good new: Portuguese like beans, so, you can find a lot of canned beans in the shop for cheap. All you need is prepare beans with rice and vegetables. You can also buy milk, different kinds of cheese, soya yogurts and other alternative products. Bone appetite!
Go to Visit secret Places!
Finally, if you are vegetarian, you have to follow the list of secret places in Lisbon. They are:
Tao
This is a small macrobiotic cafe that works just in weekdays for lunch. The food is usually for vegans. You can try fish on Wednesday. The cafe is good and popular because you can try tasty food for 4 EUR. This is a good chance to have dinner in the center of the city for cheap!
Jardim das Cerejas
Welcome to vegetarian buffet! You can eat much for good price here. It is considered to be the best in the city eating place for vegans. You should try local dessert! The cakes are more amazing. If you prefer meat to desserts, you should still try. All food is plant food.
Celeiro
This is a chain of shops that trade healthy food. Everyone can stay here and eat: plant meat and milk, gluten-free bread, rice bread, chia seeds. You can also try fresh buns and pie with mushroom and sea plants, vegetables and lens. All shops are equipped with cafe zones. The tasty dinner and cheap soup are always waiting for you there.
Fragoleto
Are you surprised? This is Italian cafeteria! Nevertheless, you can visit this place because you can buy not only usual ice cream there but fruit ice and vegans ice cream. It is different tastes and flavors. It is what you need in hot Portugal!
Remember: you cannot leave Portugal if you have not visited Cabo da Roca! This is the Western part of Portugal and European continent. It is said that this place is the end of the world. You can see the thousands of miles of open water. This is the right place to think of your life, past mistakes and new friends. You can make wishes and get inspiration for future. Portugal welcomes you with any food preferences.