Eating In Aveiro: Typical Dishes And Places To Try Them

The Portuguese city of Aveiro is in the center of the country, 55 kilometers from Coimbra. Considered the “Venice of Portugal” due to its canals and famous for its beautiful Beira Mar neighborhood, we will tell you what you can eat in Aveiro, among its traditional houses and warehouses next to the estuary.

Where to eat in Aveiro

The local gastronomy is clearly made up of seafood: cod, clams, fish. .. everything that can be found in the Mercado do Peixe (fish market). And, to accompany it, nothing better than a white wine.

Keep in mind that, as in most Portuguese restaurants, when you sit at a table, they will bring you various appetizers such as olives, cheeses, etc. If you consume those appetizers they charge you along with the rest, but if you don’t want to and set them aside, they don’t include it in the bill. 

Another aspect that you should take into account when you want to eat in Aveiro is that it is a very touristy town. Therefore, there are many places to choose from, but prices can be somewhat higher in areas with the highest visitor traffic.

1. Or Telheiro

It is a typical Portuguese restaurant, no matter where you look at it. It has a main dining room accessed after passing through the bar and a narrow hallway. Perhaps the service can be a bit “slow”, so take your time to enjoy the experience.

The dishes are so generous that you can share without problems or even order half a portion. The star of the menu is the cod as cream with potatoes, onion, milk, cheese and cream gratin in a wood oven. Other options are lulas grelhadas (grilled squid), prawns and grilled octopus. The desserts are very varied and the wine list is quite extensive.

2. Adega Evaristo

It is close to the Aveiro canals and has a bar with fixed stools where you can have a quick bite to eat. They have full menus that include wine, dessert, and coffee, plus the portions are large (to share or order half). Before you go, try a glass of local liquor … it’s delicious.

3. Club de Vela de Costa Nova

Many travelers choose this beautiful place on the beach of Costa Nova, one of the most beautiful areas of Aveiro. On the main avenue you will come across a colorful construction, one of those wooden beach houses where people change their swimsuits… But it’s a restaurant!

It belongs to the sailing club and its menu is very varied. The clams from the estuary with Bulhao Pato sauce are recommended; the grelhadas lulas; garlic prawns and grilled cod. Soupy rice dishes are the specialty of the house (you can order with mussels, octopus, prawns, etc.), as well as caldeiradas (a fish-based stew).

4. Batista do Bacalhau

We follow this gastronomic tour of Aveiro to reach a place where they specialize, as its name indicates, in cod. The establishment is very nice, although the prices can be a bit higher.

5. Seafood restaurant Costa Nova

Continuing along the main avenue of Costa Nova, this seafood restaurant is very easy to distinguish due to its banquet rooms and its outdoor terraces on the ground and upper floors. The decoration is marine and they serve typical food from the Portuguese coast.

You can try the great seafood platter, ideal for couples, varied and abundant, steamed. Other menu options are bacalao a lagareiro (with olive oil, potatoes and onion), house style cod (similar to the previous one but also with pepper and aioli) and seafood rice.

6. Pizzarte

If you are tired of so many prawns and cod, you can opt for this establishment dedicated to pizzas. It can also be an option for those travelers with a less bulky budget. It is located next to the Hotel As Américas and the pizzas can be large (for one person) or small (if you want to try two different tastes). They also have pastas, calzones, and sandwiches.

7. Or Batel

And to finish our tour of the best places to eat in Aveiro, we return to the places dedicated to seafood. Although it is located in a dark alley near Carrer do Tenente Rezende, it is worth visiting. Its decoration emulates the interior of a boat and you can try the clams from the estuary, grilled wild sea bream and various dishes with cod.