Discover the local kitchen of Madeira

Local products

Madeira's cuisine is characterized by the use of mostly local products. Fish is the most common dish you will see on the menu in almost every restaurant, with some being even more elaborate than others.

Although the banana is not the most commonly used ingredient in a kitchen, the banana trees on Madeira provide beautiful pictures. The local bananas taste really sweet!

Madeira's specialities

Espada

Black swordfish fished deep in the ocean off Madeira and served in a variety of ways. One restaurant serves it with banana (espada con banana), another with passion fruit sauce and another breadcrumbs the fish. Either way, if you like fish, the espada is not to be missed when you are visiting Madeira.

Vinho da Madeira

Madeira wine (vinho da Madeira) is characterized by a nice balance between fresh and sweet. With an alcohol content of about 20%, it is a wine that is fine to drink cold. The wine usually pairs well with a tasty dessert.

Poncha

Rather not have wine or beer? There's also poncha! A combination of island-distilled white rum (from sugar cane) and citrus juice (orange and lemon): poncha. A distinct flavor combination at first glance, but this traditional drink is definitely something you must have tried. After all, once you've had one, you'll probably want to have one more!

Bolo do Caco

All products with bolo in the name are made with dough. The most famous local specialty with "bolo" is the bolo do caco. The bread is baked on a caco (a flat plate of basalt) with garlic and olive oil. Very tasteful and thus a perfect appetizer!

Pastry, pastry and even more pastry!

Luckily, there are more bolos in Madeira than just the bolo do caco. For example, Madeiran bakers have their own version of the Berliner bol: bola de Berlim. Another bolo is the bolo de arroz: a tall cake consisting of rice flour including a crunchy sugar coating.

Ideal for getting some sugars after a long hike.

Pasteis de Nata

This Portuguese pastry is officially from Bélem, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't eat it if you're in Madeira. In fact, this delicacy can be found across the entire country of Portugal. And yes, I surely understand why the Portuguese like this delicacy so much. The small puff pastry filled with custard/cinnamon is a surprisingly tasty treat.

Bacalhau

Similar to the pasteís de nata, bacalhau (cod) is not something typically Portuguese that originated in Madeira. However, local chefs have copied the recipe well from the mainland, as the breaded cod is in fact a real treat!

Peixes!

Not only espada and bacalhau are recommended while in Madeira. Because the island is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, people know fish. All the way from octopus to crab and lobster. I have rarely eaten fish (peixes) as delicious as I have in Madeira.

Good to know!

If you order a beer, for example the local beer Coral; then it's almost standard to be served something tasty with it. Some serve nuts, but the most common are the Tremoços (lupine beans). They are hard to come by in the Netherlands, so I didn't know them beforehand either. Now I am back in the Netherlands I am surprised that I don't get them when I order a beer :-)