Top Foods to Try in São Miguel Island, Azores
What can you expect from the traditional cuisine of the Azores? Have you ever wondered what to eat on São Miguel Island in the Azores? Make the most of your stay in São Miguel Island with our helpful guide! We provide all the details you need to have a wonderful experience.
Here’s a list of São Miguel's best food that you should try during your trip to the Azores:
1. Azores Pineapple
The Azores pineapple is a perennial plant that only produces 1 single fruit every 2-3 years. After about 6 months of growth, the seedlings will undergo special fertilization: fumigation by smoke! The origin of using smoke to cause fertilization seems to have originated as a fluke, as producers discovered the smoke caused the plants to bloom more quickly and efficiently after a fire. While in Ponta Delgada city in São Miguel, Azores, make sure you don’t skip a visit to one of the iconic pineapple plantations of the Azores Islands, the only place in Portugal where it is produced.
- Where to eat:
You can eat the delicious Azores’ pineapple at almost every restaurant in São Miguel Island, but for a truly different and authentic experience, we would recommend that you visit the Pineapple Plantations and Greenhouses! Only a select few are open to the public, including Ananás Arruda, Plantação de Ananás dos Açores, and Ananás de Santo António.
2. Bife à Regional (Regional Beef Steak)
Like the happy dairy cows you’ll find on all the Azores Islands, Azorean cows destined for the plate lead idyllic lives grazing on green grass, which means you can get some delicious grass-fed beef on the islands. Have your steak with roasted garlic gloves, sautéed red peppers, and French fries (Bife á Regional) and you will be dying for more.
- Where to eat:
We recommend this restaurant because it is the original ‘’life à regional’’ steak house, meaning this beef dish of the island was born here. Make sure you book a table at Alcides restaurant in downtown Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island. For other options, we also suggest: Restaurante da Associação Agrícola, A Tasca, and O Galego.
3. Queijadas da Vila
These delicious round-shaped queijadas will have your tastebuds dancing, and coming back for more and more, so make sure you buy a whole box at least! Originally from Vila Franca do Campo in São Miguel Island you can visit the factory and sit at the local cafe for a sweet taste of São Miguel and the Azores Islands overall.
- Where to eat:
Queijadas da Vila, a local delicacy, is readily available across numerous cafes and restaurants. For a fresh experience, consider purchasing them from supermarkets or visit the factory in Vila Franca do Campo to savor them right where they are made.
4. Cozido das Furnas
A longstanding tradition among the locals, this beloved popular dish is a Portuguese stew (cozido) cooked in holes known as fumaroles that are dug in the hot volcanic soil in Furnas. The stew consists of a carefully layered pot of pork, beef, chicken, sausages, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and kale that is cooked slowly in the ground for around 6 hours. Every restaurant in the town of Furnas serves its variation of this dish, so there is no shortage of places for you to try it! Just be sure to call ahead and make a reservation 24 hours in advance of your visit.
- Where to eat:
Hotel Terra Nostra Restaurant: Indulge in a luxurious setting where Cozido das Furnas is served with elegance, complemented by the stunning views of the Terra Nostra Garden.
Restaurant Tony's: A favorite among locals and tourists alike, this restaurant offers an authentic and heartwarming Cozido das Furnas experience, priding itself on its rich flavors and traditional cooking methods.
Vale das Furnas Restaurant: Nestled in the scenic Furnas Camping Park, this restaurant provides a rustic and cozy ambiance to enjoy the earthy and robust flavors of Cozido das Furnas, making it a perfect retreat for nature and food lovers.
5. Local & Regional Tea
The Azores Islands are known for their breathtaking natural beauty, unique volcanic properties, delicious food, and endless potential for adventure. Though tea has been grown here for almost 200 years, the Azores have quietly reigned as Europe's secret tea capital. In the middle of the Atlantic, roughly 900 miles from the coast of mainland Portugal, you'll find Europe's only two commercial tea plantations sprawling along the hillsides of São Miguel Island's north coast.
- Where to drink:
You can savor the Azores tea at every spot on every Azores Island, but the places where you can have the ultimate authentic Tea O’clock experience in the Azores are only 2: Gorreana Tea Factory and Porto Formoso Tea Factory in São Miguel Island!
6. Sour Cheese from Furnas
This cheese is made exclusively in a small, family-run factory that first started as just a tiny dairy farm. The family's young, entrepreneurial-minded teenage daughter saw an opportunity to innovate a new cheese product using locally sourced Furnas ‘’sour waters’’ for a unique brine and flavor, and the rest is delicious history. The Queijo do Vale is made by hand, and the milk used to fuel its distinct flavor comes straight from the family dairy farm in Furnas, where the cows graze freely and happily amid the lush Lagoa Seca Valley.
- Where to eat:
For a perfect combination, of culinary adventure, you can book an Azorean cheese & wine experience in magical São Miguel Island! If you’re on a visit to Furnas, make sure you stop at Queijaria Furnense to taste all of their cheese varieties.
7. Bolos Lêvedos
Versatile, slightly sweet Portuguese-style English muffins originally from Furnas – you can have them with jam, cheese, or burgers.
- Where to eat:
Originally from Furnas, you can buy those at every shop in the village, or any other supermarket and restaurant.
8. Tuna Steak and Lots of Fresh Fish
If you love fish, then the Azores is the place for you. With abundant marine life, you can sample a variety of fresh fish on your visit to the islands. From jack-guelly, grouper, and forkbeard to eel, barracuda, and tuna, you will surely find your perfect tasty catch of the day. Make sure you try a delicious tuna steak. The tuna from the Azores is so good, it’s shipped to the famous fish market in Tokyo.
- Where to eat:
Caloura Bar is a cool ambiance restaurant by the sea in one of the most exquisite areas of São Miguel Island - Caloura. Fresh fish is their specialty, so make sure you book a table there to try the Azores’ amazing tuna steak! Additionally, Cais 20 is a great option, especially notable for its late closing hours. If you find yourself arriving in São Miguel Island when most places are closed, seize the opportunity to enjoy some exquisite seafood and fish dishes at Cais 20 restaurant.
9. Limpets (and Lots of Seafood)
Not surprisingly, the Azores islands surrounded by cool Atlantic waters haul in a lot of seafood. Make sure you try the lapas (limpets) that are usually served grilled in butter, garlic, and spicy red pepper sauce, or just have them raw with some lemon. Also try a type of barnacle known as cracas, which can easily be mistaken for chunks of rocks. These are boiled in seawater and served chilled. A local variety of lobster is the cavaco- very delicate and tender.
- Where to eat:
In Caloura Bar you’ll find all the great options of seafood to have a full idea of the Azores sea cuisine, but every other restaurant on the island serves this treat. Our advice: a meal, no matter what kind, always tastes better with a sea view! For a truly beach-vibe while enjoying your meal we recommend you go to TukaTulá restaurant-bar.
10. Local Sprits
The island's several microclimates make it just perfect. For kids, locally produced fruit juices such as Kima Maracuká (passion-fruit flavor) and Laranjada (orange flavor) are options that won’t disappoint.
In conclusion, São Miguel Island in the Azores offers a culinary journey as rich and varied as its stunning landscapes. From the earthy, volcanic-infused flavors of Cozido das Furnas to the fresh, ocean-kissed seafood, the island's cuisine is a testament to its unique terroir and cultural heritage. Whether you're indulging in a meal at a high-end restaurant or savoring a dish in a cozy local eatery, the flavors of São Miguel Island are sure to leave a lasting impression, making your visit an unforgettable gastronomic adventure.
Are you already in love with the Azores? Please take a look at our stress-free packages that allow you to book your ultimate island adventure. All our packages are carefully curated by our team of local Azorean Experts so that you don’t need to worry about any details – just enjoy your trip!
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