The Most Delicious Food in Madeira: Madeiran Dishes You Must Not Miss

I have just returned from a fantastic trip to Madeira, a well-deserved week spent in the sunshine. One of my main goals for this trip was to try the local food in Madeira. I went to the island with a list of traditional Madeiran dishes that I really wanted to try. And guess what, I succeeded in tasting them all. Now I want to share them with you, and help you plan your perfect foodie trip to Madeira.

About the Madeiran Cuisine

The local cuisine in Madeira differs from where you actually are on the island. And this is quite interesting as Madeira is very small, with a population of only around 250,000, with most people living in the capital, Funchal.

As a small island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, Madeira’s cuisine was adapted to the fruits and vegetables that can be grown on the slopes of the tall mountains which dominate the landscape. During my stay I visited an organic farm where I learned about the rotation of the crops as well as the native plants and vegetables of the island. Because of its mild climate, Madeira has the perfect environment to grow exotic fruits and vegetables which are not indigenous, but have adapted very well to the island. 

Traditional Food in Madeira You Must Try 

The Madeiran cuisine is a blend of delicate fish and seafood dishes in the coastal areas, to hearty meat stews and soups inland. Whilst most of the food in Madeira is based on fish and meat, there are a few vegetarian options as well. The traditional sandwich of the island, the prego, can be made vegetarian. Most of the soups in Madeira are vegetarian as well.

For meat lovers, the beef espetadas are a must. The marinated pieces of beef served on a skewer are simply delicious and showcase the fragrant bay leaf aroma.

If you prefer fish, Madeira will make you very happy. The local fish – espada – is used in many different recipes. Seafood is abundant in Madeira as well, with limpets being one of the most famous appetisers on the island.

Bolo de Caco

Bolo de caco is without a doubt one of the most traditional foods in Madeira. This round-shaped, flat roll has quite a story. Back in the 15^th century, when Madeira was first discovered and inhabited, only the nobility had ovens. It was forbidden for the common people to own or build a furnace, but for a hefty fee, they were allowed to use the ones available on the island.

The bolo de caco was born by the ingenuity of the poor population, who found a way to adapt the bread recipe so that it didn’t need to be baked in an oven. They cooked it on a basalt stone over burning embers and called it “cake”.

Another issue on the island was the lack of wheat, so the locals decided to use sweet potatoes alongside flour. The sweet potatoes, which are abundant on the island, are still the main ingredient in bolo de caco.

Bolo de Caco with Garlic

When you order bread at a restaurant, the waiter will automatically assume that you want garlic bread, which is not a bad thing, as the bolo de caco with garlic is a proper delight for the taste buds. The bread is almost infused with melted butter, chopped parsley, and garlic which drips with every bite. It makes a great accompaniment to a sizzling pan of grilled limpets.

Prego

Prego is an institution. You will find it everywhere, from the most local cafes to the high-end restaurants. Also known as the Madeira sandwich, the prego is a bolo de caco cut in half, spread with that delicious garlic, butter and parsley spread, and filled with an entire beef steak. I highly recommend ordering the prego especial, which comes with extra ham, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, and a fried egg.

This delicious sandwich is huge, big enough to have for dinner, although you can order it for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The price for a prego especial is as little as less than 4 euros!

Sandes Frango

Sandes are sandwiches often served for breakfast. They are as delicious as the prego, but with different fillings. I ordered one alongside my coffee one morning and didn’t need to eat anything else until dinner time. The sandes frango was filled with a grilled chicken breast steak, tomato slices, lettuce, mayo, and cheese. It was served with a small portion of crisps.

Crostini

During a food tour of Funchal, I tried the crostini, accompanied by a glass of white wine. They are great snacks and reminded me of the Spanish tapas. Small round biscuits are topped with different ingredients, which are meant to be eaten in one or two bites. The ones I tried were fried scabbard fish with passion fruit on top, and a delicious vegetarian goat’s cheese, avocado and walnuts combination.

Milho Frito

Milho frito is a typical Mallorcan side dish, served with fish or meat. It consists of firm cubes made out of cornmeal, collard greens, garlic, water and lard. The cubes are deep-fried and have a texture similar to the Italian polenta. They taste very different though. 

Atlantic Fish Soup

I didn’t see the Atlantic fish soup on many menus in the restaurants in Madeira, so I was happy when I got the chance to order it. I loved that the soup contained so many different types of fish, as well as seafood, and still remained liquid and fresh. I discovered at least 2 different fish, as well as calamari and prawns. The taste was very refreshing, and it made a perfect light lunch. It was, of course, served with bolo de caco. 

Lapas

Lapas is another traditional Madeiran food, served all over the island. It is best to have lapas for lunch, as most of the chefs will source their limpets from the market, in the morning. Depending on how many people they have for lunch, they might run out of them early.

Lapas are limpets, a shellfish similar to barnacles. Their meat looks like large mussles, and tastes similar, but with a much meatier texture. They are cooked in a garlic and butter sauce and served with fresh lemon slices. If you like seafood, you will love lapas.

Grilled Espada

Espada is a deep-sea fish, very popular in Madeira. When you see it in the market, it looks terrifying. It is long, has black shiny skin with no scales, and has massive eyes and sharp teeth. However, when cooked, it’s much less fearful. It looks just like any other white, meaty fish.

The most common way to cook espada is on the flat grill. The fish is cut into pieces with the bones still in, grilled, and served with fries, salad, and lemon wedges. It tastes quite delicate and has a very soft texture, melting in your mouth. It has a subtle sweetness and doesn’t taste too “fishy”. The bones are big and can be removed quite easily.

Grilled Tuna

When in season, grilled tuna is another great dish to try in Madeira. The tuna steaks are seared and served with a choice of fries, rice, or boiled potatoes.

If you choose to go to a local restaurant in the old town of Funchal, you will be served up to three tuna steaks in one portion. These restaurants, even if they don’t look like much from the outside, serve the best fresh fish dishes in Funchal.

Espada with Banana and Maracuja

Espada with banana is the national dish of Madeira. The combination might sound strange, but it actually works really well because of the natural sweetness of the black scabbard fish. In this Madeiran recipe, the espada is seasoned with salt, garlic, and lemon juice, coated in an egg and flour batter, and then deep-fried.

The fish is served with fried Madeiran bananas, which are smaller and much firmer than normal bananas. The entire dish is finished with a zesty passion fruit sauce.

Espada Sandwich

Another great way to sample espada is in a sandwich. The fish is fileted and deep-fried, then put inside a bolo de caco, with lettuce leaves and garlic spread. It makes a great snack or food on the go. Locals usually go for an espada sandwich after a night out partying.

Tuna Picado

I didn’t know much about picado until it was served to me, as an on-the-house appetiser for our table of six. It is usually served on a large plate, surrounded by fries. But, as we had ordered lunch already, it came as a small appetiser.

The tuna was cooked in a garlic and white wine sauce and served hot with oregano sprinkled on top. We used toothpicks to pick the fish from the bowl. It was so good, and a nice taster to what food in Madeira is all about.

Carne de Vinha D’alhos

After having fish for a few days in row, I was happy to try the Carne de vinha D’alhos for dinner – a delicious Madeiran food consisting of pork loin marinated in garlic and white wine. The dish is extremely fragrant due to the other spices used during cooking, such as thyme, cloves and paprika.

Espetada

Espetada is the meat equivalent of the traditional fish Madeiran food. Most restaurants will serve espetada directly on the skewer it was cooked on, hanging vertically from a hook. Espetada is not a traditional food in Madeira, but it is very well-liked around Portugal, so it is popular on the island as well.

Usually, the espetada is made with beef tenderloin or chicken, but in Madeira you will find fish espetada as well. Traditionally, the meat is seasoned with salt, garlic and bay leaves. However, you will find different versions, where the meat is marinated in piri piri or a blend of garlic and chilli.

Desserts:

Bolo de Mel de Cana

The bolo de mel de cana is one of the most famous cakes on the island. You’ll find it in bakeries, as well as in the duty free if you want to take some home with you. This cake is mostly associated with Christmas and it is considered to be Madeira’s oldest dessert.

It was first made by nuns in the Convent of Santa Clara in Funchal, using spices from Europe and India to create it. The cake is not made with honey, walnuts and almonds, and it can be stored for a long time. It has a chewy, spongy texture. Traditionally, this cake is not cut. Locals usually tear pieces off with their hands. 

Chocolate

You might not think of Madeira as being a great destination for chocolate lovers. I was surprised to find a small chocolate shop in Funchal which is famous for its fruit pralines. UauCacau imports the chocolate from South America and processes it in Madeira. They fill the pralines with local fruits that grow on the island, such as banana, passion fruit, or guava.

I discovered this little shop during a food tour in Funchal. This is a great way to discover all about the local cuisine in Madeira, as well as have a taster of what the island has to offer to foodies. 

Pastel de Nata

Pastel de Nata is the most famous Portuguese dessert. You will find it everywhere around Madeira, and most of the coffee shops will serve it for breakfast. I had an excellent pastel de nata at Golden Gate Grand Café, the oldest coffee shop in Funchal. The coffee shop still looks exactly the same as it did when it first opened, and even though it’s more expensive than the other cafes in the area, it is worth having a coffee and a pastel de nata here. 

Queijada de Laranja

This small tart is a delight for the taste buds. It looks similar to the pastel de nata but the crust is more like shortbread rather than flaky. The filling is a delicious, sweet orange, with an interesting texture that reminded me of grated orange peel.  It might be small, but the cupcake is quite filling and because it is quite sweet, one is enough.

Passion Fruit Cheesecake

Cheesecake is a popular dessert among the restaurants on the island. I tried the passion fruit version and it was so delicious that my friends and I regretted sharing one and not getting one each. The cheesecake was quite jiggly, a bit like Panna cotta. The passion fruit topping was so refreshing, and it balanced the sweetness of the dessert. I highly recommend trying it as it was different from any cheesecake I have had before.

Local Exotic Fruits

Madeira is a haven for exotic fruit. Walking through the market is just like being in a lesson about the local cuisine of Madeira, as well as a quest trying to identify all those colourful fruits. The most popular fruit in Madeira is the local banana, which is sweet and has a great creamy texture. It is quite small and reminded me of the Asian dwarf bananas. Madeira also grows a unique type of banana, which is known as banana passionfruit. This is a very interesting fruit as it grows in a line on the vine, rather than in a bunch, and it tastes a lot like passionfruit.

Passion fruit is one of the most popular fruits on the island. It is so loved by everyone that it has been very well integrated into many of the traditional foods in Madeira.

A unique fruit that you must try in Madeira is the Delicioso. This long, green fruit tastes like a combination of pineapple, banana, and custard apple.

Drinks:

Madeira Wine

The Madeira Wine is famous all over the world. Right in the centre of Funchal you can have a tasting at Madeira Wine at one of the most famous producers on the island, Blandy’s. What makes this fortified wine special is the ageing process, in wooden casks, directly in the sun.

There are many different types of Madeira wine: dry – which is consumed as an aperitif, or sweet – which is consumed with a dessert.

Poncha

Every single evening I was in Madeira I went out in the evenings for a poncha. Or two. But never more than three, at the recommendation of the locals. Poncha is a cocktail made with 50% sugar cane rum made on the island, local honey and originally, with lemon juice.

When you go to a poncha bar you will notice that they have many different flavours, from the classic lemon to the deadly absinth. I did not try that one as I didn’t want to end my night abruptly, but I loved the passion fruit one. Poncha is an extremely powerful cocktail because it is sweet and tastes delicious, and you can’t really feel the alcohol in it. This is why the locals advise visitors not to drink more than three in one night.

The poncha bars have small tables directly on the street in front. You sit down, order the poncha you want, and receive a bowl of monkey peanuts and a bowl of Lupini beans.

Nikita

Nikita is a very interesting cocktail, typical to Madeira. It is made with white beer, white wine, pineapple juice and pineapple ice cream. It has a creamy texture and tastes very interesting, like a hoppy pineapple cream. Just like the poncha, it is a powerful drink as you can’t really feel the alcohol in it, and you could end up drinking much more than your body can take.

For more similar articles, check out my recommendations below:

• Epic things to do in Madeira
• The best hikes in Madeira

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