Alentejo: A Gourmet’s Travel Guide
By Tretanz

Alentejo comes from the Portuguese meaning, “beyond the Tejo”, referring to the Rio Tejo (Tagus River). Located in central and southern Portugal, the region covers about one third of Portugal and has some amazing sights, incredible landscape, some of the best food in Portugal as well as the kindest and welcoming people, the Alentejanos.
Stretching from the Atlantic coast to the Spanish border, from the Tagus River to Algarve, there are many Alentejos: Alto Alentejo (travel tips), Baixo Alentejo (travel tips), and Alentejo Litoral (travel tips). From more mountainous topography to the north, plains to the south and 170kms of stunning coastline on the west, each area is slightly different making it an amazing place for different food and ingredients. Alentejo is home to the famous Iberian black pig that roams in the oak forests (montados). Cattle, sheep and goats also graze about in the endless pastures. Wine is produced widely and in large quantities in Alentejo, especially the robust red wines. Along the coast, the cool Atlantic breezes are perfect for making crisp white wines that go down real easy and pair amazingly well with the seafood and fresh fish in the seaside villages. Olive oil is a staple, like in much of Portugal, but Alentejo has some particularly good oil made from Galega and Cobrançosa olive varieties. And even though you can’t eat it, cork oaks (Sobreiros) cover Alentejo from top to bottom, from which corks are made (among other things) from the bark of said oaks.
The breadbasket of Portugal, most Alentejanos worked off the land, in agriculture and mining, for centuries but hard economic times in the mid-20th century pushed many to the Lisbon and abroad in search of work and better living conditions. A sparsely populated region, those that stayed continue to work off the land like their ancestors before them, carrying on with old traditions and reviving forgotten ones, like the Cante Alentejano, choral folk music sung without instruments. Despite their rough and tough demeanour, Alentejanos are some of the nicest human beings you will ever encounter. On the onset, they may appear cold or even suspicious as they try to figure you out. Walk through any small village in the Alentejo and locals will literally stop everything they are doing to stare as you walk by; inquisitive looks and blank stares with eyes that follow your every move. But behind all of that, they are kind, sweet, and enjoy the simple pleasures of life: food, wine, football. They take things slowly – de vagarinho – no rush, no stress, it’s the Alentejano way.
Food is big deal in Alentejo, and even the pickiest traveler will find something that they’ll absolutely love in the Alentejano cuisine. Simple, wholesome food made from the best raw materials, Alentejanos know how to make the most of the ingredients they have, using them in imaginative ways and making sure nothing goes to waste.
Petiscos, those small shareable dishes, the Portuguese equivalent of tapas, are found in abundance in Alentejo and open up the appetite for the other dishes to come. Some typical Alentejano pesticos include torresmos (fried pork skin or pork belly), octopus salad, roasted mushrooms, pork ear, pork liver, chickpeas with bacalhau and many more little dishes to start you off.
There are fantastic cheeses to be found in Alentejo, made from goat and sheep milk and ranging from cured to creamy and everything in between. Three types of cheeses have DOP designation (strict production guidelines and location): Queijo Serpa, Queijo de Évora and Queijo de Nisa all of which you should definitely try.
Pão Alentejano, a dense wheat bread, accompanies every meal, is found on every table and sometimes is the main star of regional dishes such as the Açorda á Alentejana.
We can’t go on talking about Alentejo food without mentioning the black pig, porco preto. The king of all meats, it reigns supreme in Alentejo and even has DOP designation. Fed off acorns and roaming freely through the forests of the south, the tasty and fatty black pork is absolutely delicious. You’ll want to taste your way through all of the different cuts, like lombinhos (pork loin), secretos, plumas (cutlets), entremeada, lagartos and so much more. Other meat dishes found in Alentejo include lamb (Borrego), costeletas (lamb chops), and ensopado de Borrego (lamb stew), while beef also plays its part in the local cuisine. Game can also be found on the Alentejo table, especially during hunting season, this includes rabbit, partridge and javali (wild boar). These tasty meaty products are usually served with migas (breadcrumb mix) and seasonal vegetables like wild asparagus, mushrooms, cauliflower and tomatoes.
Fish also has a spot on the Alentejano table. Coastal Alentejo has some amazing seafood and fresh fish, red bream, stone bass, sea bass, mackerel and sardines. Try the percebes (barnacles), mussels and clams. Also popular are rice dishes, risotto-style, with prawns, cuttlefish, and clams or many fish soups and stews, like caldeirada, and sopa de cação (dogfish stew). Inland, you can try some of the freshwater fish and lamprey.
While we’re on the soups topics, Alentejanos love their soups! From light soups for summer and heavier going, hearty soups for the winter, it’s almost universal to have soup during a meal. Some of the most common include sopa de tomate (tomato soup), codfish soup with sausage, purslane soup, and Canja á Alentejana (chicken soup), and even an Alentejo Gaspacho.
Finally, no Alentejo table is complete without wine. The second largest wine producing region in Portugal, wine flows freely and easily, helping to wash down all the tasty porco preto. Red wines usually have deep color and lots of red fruits popping out of the glass. They are typically blends made from Aragonez (you may be familiar with its Spanish name, Tempranillo), Trincadeira, Alicante Bouschet and Castelão. White wines are also made in Alentejo, from Antão Vaz, Arinto, and Roupeiro grapes. There are also international varieties you can find in Alentejo with Syrah doing particularly well in this region.
For wine designations, there is Vinho Regional Alentejano and Vinho DOC Alentejo. The difference being that the DOC wines must come from 8 specific sub-regions of the Alentejo, and most follow certain criteria while Vinho Alentejano has different specifications. Both are equally good. Another cool thing to watch out for in Alentejo are vinhos de talha (clay pot wines/amphora wines). The Roman technique of storing wines in large clay pots is still an important tradition in Alentejo and has been maintained for thousands of years. Hundred year old amphorae can be found in adegas (wineries) of the Alentejo. Adega de José de Sousa in Reguengos de Monsaraz has the largest amphorae cellar (114 clay pots!) that are still used today. It’s a beautiful cellar that is open to visitors, well worth checking out.
Sweets, Pastries and Desserts
Alentejo has an abundance of sweet treats, known as doces conventuais, those that were made by nuns at the convents and usually consisting of egg yolks and sugar. Add to that some cinnamon, bread, milk, cheese, and almonds that are all plentiful in Alentejo and voila! you have the basis for many, many desserts. Here are some to try:
Alentejo is such a huge region and there are so many good restaurants, tascas (taverns), small little cafes and hidden gems from top to bottom. However, there are many small towns that do not have restaurants at all, only the local café that may serve a few snacks here and there. You have more options in the bigger cities such as Evora, Estremoz, Elvas, Beja and Portalegre, and Vidigueira. Evora is probably the best city to start your gastronomic adventures with tons of restaurants to choose from and different range of prices. There are also many wineries than have restaurants on their estates, such as the Michelin starred restaurant, L’And Vineyards, as well as Herdade da Malhadinha Nova, Herdade dos Grous, Ribafreixo and Quinta do Quetzal.
On the coast, seaside cities and towns like Sines and Vila Nova de Milfontes are great options for some fresh-caught fish. Comporta also has some amazing restaurants to match those beautiful views, serving up rice-based dishes and seafood.
Dining Etiquette
Time seems to stop in Alentejo and everything slows down. So much so that it feels like nothing has changed over the centuries and you can witness the cultural mosaic of visitors that once inhabited these lands: Romans, Visigoths, Muslims, Jews and Christians, the Portuguese of centuries before – the crown, the church, and everything in between. Each group of peoples left their mark in the architecture, gastronomy, culture and way of life. Roman ruins abound, Arabic gardens and patios, Jewish synagogues and quarters in many of the towns, and plenty of churches, chapels and castles dot the landscape.
Some places to include in your upcoming trip to Alentejo:
There are tons of options for accommodation in Alentejo, from luxury stays in 5-star hotels, villas and resorts, to quaint B&Bs in small villages and towns, agriturismos at large estates, glamping in some beautiful spots such as on the Vicentine Coast or inland at Montargil Lake.
Here are a few recommendations:
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