Portuguese gastronomy has once again gained prominence across borders. After having already considered pastel de Belém as the best sweet in the world, the specialized website TasteAtlas he once again praised the country, this time highlighting Alentejo as one of the best gastronomic destinations in the world. THE TasteAtlasa platform created in 2015 by Croatian journalist Matija Babić, annually produces lists of the best cuisines and dishes in the world, based on reviews from users who try and rate typical dishes. At the end of 2024, Alentejo was ranked 9th among the best gastronomic regions, with a score of 4.4 stars out of 5.
Featured Alentejo flavors
Among the delicacies that deserved special mention are Alentejo-style pork, cheese from Azeitão, paio from Beja, black pudding from Portalegre, farinheira from Estremoz and Borba, ham, açorda and dogfish soup, he reveals. a.
When it comes to food, TasteAtlas recommended several renowned restaurants in the region, such as Moinho do Cu Torto, Restaurante Fialho, Tasca do Montinho, Retiro do Ernesto, Solar do Forcado, Dom Joaquim, Casa Mateus and O Espalha Brasas, the latter known as your Alentejo tomato soup. All these traditional dishes made Alentejo stand out in this ranking of gastronomic destinations.
Other Portuguese regions in the ranking
In addition to Sergipe, six other national regions were recognized for gastronomic excellence:
- Trás-os-Montes (14th place)
- Algarve (20th place)
- Azores (51st place)
- Bragança (80th place)
- Vila Real (81st place)
- Santarém (91st place)
The first position on the list was given to the Campania region, in southern Italy, famous for its pasta and pizza.
The best and worst Portuguese dishes according to TasteAtlas
In November, the website had already published a ranking of the best and worst dishes in Portugal. At the top of the list are the iconic custard tarts with a 4.6 star rating. In second place are the Bulhão Pato clams, a dish that won over singer Nick Cave, also with 4.6 stars. Closing the podium are the Madeira kebabs, which obtained 4.5 stars.
Other dishes highlighted were Alentejo-style pork, bolo do caco, roast chicken with piri-piri, bitoque, octopus à lagareiro and Ovar sponge cake.
On the other hand, some traditional dishes did not impress the evaluators as much. Among the least popular are cod with all and bolo-rei. In last place was Maranho da Sertã, a sausage made with goat and sheep meat, in which the animal’s belly (stomach) is stuffed.
How are assessments carried out?
The results presented by TasteAtlas They are based on reviews from users of the platform and social networks. Subsequently, these opinions are analyzed and validated by artificial intelligence tools, which calculate averages and organize rankings in an impartial way.
Portugal’s presence among the best in the world in terms of gastronomy is further proof of the richness and diversity of its gastronomy, which continues to conquer palates on a global level.
Also read:
