The Portuguese have their own distinct style of cooking, which is totally different from their close neighbour, Spain, and the Algarve has its own regional specialities, based on both seafood and the wide variety of food produced in the rolling hills inland from the coast.

The main dish is often one based on fish, most notably sardines, tuna and shellfish, clams and cockles, since the proximity of the sea makes it possible to combine both diversity and quality. This is a region inhabited by fishermen, who every morning bring ashore fresh fish and seafood. Local cooks are highly skilled in the art of preparing tasty dishes from these ingredients. The cataplana provides one of the most traditional and also one of the most widely appreciated dishes in the Algarve. Its secret lies in its making, for these are clams cooked in a special copper pan that is of Arab origin.

Silver sardines, sea-bream or red mullet, grilled slowly over hot charcoal, soups made of fish, skate or shrimps, rice cooked and served with conger, razor clams or octopus, squid cooked in its ink, cuttlefish fried in its ink, bean-stew with whelks, fish-stew and a garlic-and-bread stew with seafood, these are just some examples of the appetising dishes that are available all along the Algarve coast.

Despite the popularity of fish, meat is also widely available and again there are many distinctive local dishes. The sautéed or grilled steak ("bife à Portuguesa"), very often cooked in a Port wine sauce, is served throughout the whole coast. Just as popular is the kebab ("espetadas"), marinated in wine and garlic that add their special relish to the meat as it cooks.

Pork meat is widely eaten in this region of Portugal. The pig enjoys the acorn and white truffles widely spread in the cork oak groves of the Alentejo. Do not miss the famous "carne de porco a alentejana", made with diced marinated pork meat with red peppers and clams or the roasted piglet ("Ieitão assado"), golden and crunchy as desired.

Free range chicken, turkey , duck, partridge and pigeon are all to be found on menus in the Algarve. “Piri Piri” chicken is an equally famous Portuguese speciality, originating from Portugal’s colonial past in Mozambique. Chicken is marinaded with chillies and barbequed to perfection. Many of the beach-front restaurants serve this mouthwatering dish, which should not be missed.

Portuguese wines have been produced for centuries and many are extremely good, particularly the red wines. Many people are surprised to learn that it is the sixth largest wine producing country in the world. Portugal produces its own unique light white wine, called Vinho Verde which makes ideal lunchtime drinking in the sun, without making you too drowsy. Whilst the wines produced in the Algarve are not particularly good, the next region to the north, the Alentajo, is now producing some wonderful wines, most of which are totally unknown outside Portugal. For more information on Portuguese wines click here .