Best Portuguese Restaurants in London

Before you read any further, forget about Nando's.

They do not have any traditional meal on the menu. Grilled chicken with piri-piri is just not exciting enough!

I recommend you to click play on the music link of Mariza and enjoy some high quality fado with my page!

In this picture, Francesinha com camarao.

Everyone knows there are loads of restaurants in London, not everyone knows about the delicious Portuguese cuisine and what it has to offer.

AND IF YOU ARE FAR AWAY WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR? COME TO LONDON NOW!

1 THE FOOD IS TASTY

2 THEY ARE CHEAP EATS

3 IT IS HEALTHY AND PORTIONS ARE HUGE

There are thousands of Portuguese people in London, according to Wikipedia 40000. 27000 of those live in Lambeth, the Little Portugal of the situation.

Portuguese cafes are scattered all around London and can be easily recognized because of their logos and furniture (e.g Delta Cafe, Cafe Camelo...) although between Vauxhall and Brixton there is a constellation of Portuguese Bars and cafes.

Portuguese also have their own magazines and newspapers published in the UK, including PortuBrazil, AsNoticias plus local newspapers written in Portuguese which can be found and picked up for free in several bars, particularly Black Rose in Clapham Road (yes, that's a bar attached to the off licence and pound shop!). So if you are planning to learn do not hesitate as you might as well be able to practice your Portuguese skills!

Portuguese do not make a big fuss about formalities and appearance (namely the presentation of the dish), but this is no novelle cuisine! Your plate will be big, what am I saying, huge, and loaded and the bill will make you happy too! So what are you waiting for? Try this new exciting culinary experience as soon as you can! You could even get some ideas for cooking your own versions of the dishes you have tasted in the restaurants!

Many dishes have bacalhau, marinated cod, which is really tasty but a bit salty. Recommended are bacalhau á braz (cod with onions, potatoes, eggs and black olives), bacalhau com tudo (literally ' cod with everything'). Many restaurants offer clams (ameijoas) as well as squid stew (lulas estufadas).:If you are a meat lover go for francesinha, (a triple dicker sandwich with 4 to 6 different types of meat), prego no prato (beef steak), prego no pao (beef steak sandwich) or pica pau (Woody Woodpecker, it's difficult to explain, just try it!).

Eat natas, pata de viado/cavalo or bolo de Berlin for breakfast in Sintra (148 Stockwell road) or Madeira (130 Stockwell Road), or Delicatessen (1,Lansdowne Way, next to the Art Gallery).

Desserts you should try include Molotov (my favourite, with loads of caramel and whisked egg whites - it reminds me of the French Ile flottante), pudim, bolo de bolaichas (biscuit cake).

ESTRELA (115, South Lambeth Road), GRELHA DE OURO (151 South Lambeth Road), MOINHO (355A Wandsworth Road) and O' FADO in Knightsbridge (54 Beauchamp Place, recommended for a candlelight evening. This restaurant often plays fado, a traditional kind of Portuguese music, usually melancholic lyrics with guitar... beware it could be very romantic).

For a great espresso (average price is 80p, much cheaper and tastier than Starbucks or Nero), visit Centro Desportivo Cultural Portuguese (7, Lansdowne Way) or Campino, also in Lansdowne Way. However, Cultural is much better and highly recommended because of the fantastic vintage feel (including trophies and photos of football teams) their friendly staff members, particularly Mr.Silva, as opposed to Campino where people can sometimes be quite rude.

Delicatessen in Lansdowne way on the corner with Clapham road is perfect both if you are shopping for delicious food (maybe you want to try some speciality cheese or Monte Velho red wine) and if you are simply taking a rest and you want a coffee with a strong taste or a delicious sandwich.

You can go to Golfinhos or Cafe Oceano in Wandsworth Road if you want a loaded sandwich in the morning, the best being British with a twist! Ask for a bacon and egg in the "roll" bread, a type of Portuguese bread. You will never be able to have a bacon and eggs sandwich in sliced bread again!

If you are far away from Lambeth and you happen to be in posh Chelsea for example, there is a Portuguese spot nestled behind the World's End Tavern on Kings Road, inside the one and only World's end. Or perhaps you are in Willesden Junction (?! What could you possibly be doing there?) then you can visit Os Amigos in 25 Park Parade.

Cafe Castelo in Tulse Hill (369 Norwood Road SE27 9BQ) offers great value full English breakfast, it tastes fresh and delicious! Try it!

Algarve in Trinity Road, it is very pricy and the food is not that great.

A Toca in Wandsworth Road can be tricky.

Costa do Estoril in Wandsworth road (the waiter forgot my sandwich in the toaster and when I called him he blamed me for not reminding him earlier!)

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