What to bring back from Lisbon? Tinned fish, a bottle of Port or Madeira, Portuguese olive oil, a small cheese, cured black pork, a jar of jam, and coffee or Azores tea. All of it is easy to find in the city, most of it travels well, and none of it tastes like a souvenir stand.
This is the list we give friends who stop by the shop in Graça on their last afternoon, with a few tips on getting it home in one piece.
Tinned fish, the first thing everyone buys
Start here. Portuguese conservas are light, sealed and keep for a long time, and the fish inside is proper food: sardines, mackerel, tuna belly, cod, in olive oil or with lemon, spice or tomato. The Conserveira de Lisboa opened on Rua dos Bacalhoeiros in 1930 and has sold only tinned fish since 1942, under its Tricana, Minor and Prata do Mar labels.
Our pick for a first tin is the Tricana Sardines with Lemon. Open it at room temperature and pour the oil over warm bread. That is the whole recipe. For mackerel and tuna too, have a look at our olive oil and tinned fish shelf.
Olive oil: buy small, compare
Portugal makes olive oil from the north down to the Algarve, and several regions have a protected designation of origin (DOP). Some oils are green and peppery, others round and soft. A big bottle is heavy and a risk in a suitcase, so we would rather you buy small and taste the difference at home.
The Portugal in Tube Olive Oil DOP Trás-os-Montes comes in a tube that fits in any bag. Beira Baixa and Norte Alentejano versions exist too, so buy two and compare on toast.
Port and Madeira, the bottles that last
If you only have room for one bottle, make it a fortified wine. Most aged Ports and Madeiras keep for weeks once open, so one bottle gives you many evenings instead of one dinner.
| Style | What it tastes like | Good to know |
|---|---|---|
| Ruby Port | Young, red fruit | Easy and affordable, good with chocolate |
| Tawny Port (10, 20, 30, 40 years) | Dried fruit, nuts, caramel | Aged in wood, keeps well once open |
| White Port | Fresh and citrusy when young, nutty with age | Young ones for Port and tonic, old ones for sipping |
| Vintage Port | Dark fruit, firm, deep | From one exceptional year, made to age in bottle |
| Madeira | High acidity, toast, citrus peel | Dry (Sercial) to sweet (Malvasia), lives for decades |
Two bottles we often wrap as gifts. The Vieira de Sousa 20 Year Old White Port is for anyone who thinks white Port only goes in a Port and tonic: it will change their mind. The Barbeito Rainwater Reserva Madeira is lighter and medium dry, and we like it chilled as an aperitif. Not sure? Ask to taste before you buy.
A cheese and some black pork
Most visitors only find out how good Portuguese cheese is once they are here. Queijo de Azeitão DOP comes from the Setúbal Peninsula, just south of Lisbon. It is a sheep's milk cheese curdled with thistle flower, which gives it a soft, spoonable heart and a slightly bitter finish. The small Vitor Fernandes Queijo de Azeitão DOP is the size we would carry home. If your trip back is long, go for something firmer: aged São Jorge from the Azores and the hard sheep and goat cheeses travel better. See our Portuguese cheese collection.
For charcuterie, look for cured meat from the Alentejo black pig. The Casa do Porco Preto Acorn-Fed Presunto de Bolota is hand cut and sold in flat 100 g packs that slide into a suitcase pocket.
Marmelada and jam
Marmelada is Portuguese quince paste, firm and amber. You eat it in slices with cheese, and it is one of the simplest and most Portuguese things you can bring home. Portuguese jams go well past strawberry: pumpkin, tomato, pear, bitter orange. Our favourite is the Convento dos Cardaes Bitter Orange Jam next to a sharp cheese. Add some chocolate or a bag of Algarve almonds from the sweets shelf and you have a small basket.
Lisbon coffee, Azores tea
Lisbon runs on short, strong coffee. Flor da Selva has roasted in the city since 1950, over wood, which gives a round and slightly smoky cup. The Flor da Selva Traditional Coffee is the blend closest to what you drink standing at the counter of a Lisbon café.
Fewer people know Portugal grows tea. On São Miguel, in the Azores, the Gorreana plantation has been producing since 1883 and is often called the oldest surviving tea plantation in Europe. The Gorreana Green Tea with Lemongrass is light and fresh. It is our answer for the person who already has everything.
Shopping for several people?
Our gift boxes put several Portuguese products in one package. In the shop, tell us who it is for and how much room you have left, and we will put something together with you.
How to pack bottles and food for the flight
- Bottles go in checked luggage. Wine, Port and olive oil count as liquids, so normal bottle sizes are not allowed through cabin security.
- Wrap, bag, centre. Roll each bottle in clothes, put it in a sealed plastic bag in case it leaks, and place it in the middle of the suitcase, away from the edges.
- Buy soft cheese last. Pick up an Azeitão on your final day and keep it cool. Hard and aged cheeses are less fussy.
- Choose sealed meat. Vacuum packs of sliced presunto keep better than a whole piece.
- Check the rules first. Each airline sets its own baggage and alcohol limits, and each country decides what travellers may bring in. Inside the European Union, meat and dairy usually move freely. Outside it, many countries restrict or ban them, so look at your destination's official customs page before you buy.
Taste it in Lisbon
Come and see this kind of food and wine at POP, Rua da Senhora do Monte 38C, in Graça. We are open Sunday to Wednesday from 14:00 to 21:00 and Thursday to Saturday from 14:00 to 22:00, and the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte is 30 metres from the door. You can taste wines and Ports at the bar before you choose. If you want a proper sit-down session, our guided tastings are on www.lisbon-wine-tasting.com, and for anything else you can get in touch.
Questions we get asked
What is the most typical food to bring back from Lisbon?
Tinned fish. Sardines, mackerel and tuna in olive oil are sold in printed tins all over Lisbon, and they are light, sealed and keep for a long time.
Can I bring Port wine in my hand luggage?
Usually not in a normal bottle size, because cabin rules limit liquids. Pack it in checked luggage, wrapped and padded, or check with your airline and departure airport before buying after security.
Can I take Portuguese cheese and ham home?
Within the European Union, generally yes. Outside the EU, many countries restrict or ban meat and dairy brought in by travellers, so check your destination's official customs website first.
What is a good gift from Portugal for a wine lover?
An aged tawny or white Port, a Madeira, or a Moscatel de Setúbal. They are typically Portuguese, keep well once opened, and the older ones are not always easy to find abroad.
Is Portuguese olive oil a good gift?
Yes. Several Portuguese regions have protected olive oils with different styles, and small tubes or tins are easy to carry and let people compare.
What is marmelada?
Marmelada is a firm quince paste, eaten in slices with cheese. You will find it in grocery shops all over Lisbon.