The small island of Madeira is known for many things. From sea to the mountains, the scenery looks stunning, and highly treasured. Famous for its walking trails, getting to know Madeira is a rewarding adventure: either along the 2,000+ km hiking trails in the wilderness, or strolling through the towns and villages, discovering centuries of culture and traditions. But nevertheless, dining is a big affair. For foodies, and not only, Madeira gastronomy offers some unique local flavours, that you must try while you are on the island.

These are our top selections, not necessarily in this order.

Castanhas assadas (roasted chestnuts)

Organized by Casa do Povo do Curral das Freiras, the Chestnut Festival is an opportunity for all visitors to try the delicious Madeiran chestnuts, and other delicacies. But if it’s not happening to be there at the beginning of November, you can always try the freshly roasted chestnuts along the waterfront in Funchal, the capital of Madeira. The street vendors certainly know their job, roasting the chestnuts to perfection!

Bolo de caco

Very amused when I first heard this name, this is nothing to laugh at! Bolo de caco is a traditional bread from Madeira. It is a round, flat bread (approximatively 3 cm thick and 10 cm in diameter) made with sweet potato, flour, sugar and yeast. Traditional cooking is done on a piece of stone or ceramic previously heated to a high temperature, but this is probably baked much faster in large ovens, until it acquires a thin, lightly roasted crust on both sides. They are usually eaten fresh, while still hot. Generally, they are served as a starter for a meal, cut in half, and smeared with garlic butter, but I also noticed them at the street vendors, used as bread when making sandwiches. The soft texture inside and the baked crust outside make bolo de caco one of the best type of bread I’ve ever tried.

Frutas Tropicais (Tropical fruits)

Tropical fruits growing on the islands can undoubtedly have a special sweetness. The farmer market and the street vendors have a wide variety of fruits that I never knew could exist. Our local guide in Funchal told us that a number of these fruits are the result of a mixing seeds from two other similar species. However, some of them were brought by the Portuguese merchants from their travels, such as Anona or Custard Apple from the Andes, Guava from the Americas, or the Passion fruit from Brazil. Bananas were first introduced to the Madeira archipelago in the 16^th century, and grow easily in Madeira until now. We visited few banana plantations on the island, and noticed that Madeiran bananas are smaller than the ones we are used to (from other countries), sweeter and more flavored.

Polvo a Lagareiro (Octopus)

Although octopus is not typically Madeiran, it is a very popular dish across the island. It can be served as an appetizer, or main course. Since the freezers in the main grocery store in Santana were full of frozen octopus, we definitely wanted to try a locally cooked Lagareiro style. Meaning that the octopus is cooked in a lot of olive oil, garlic, onion, and with many other fried vegetables. I never knew octopus could be so delicious!

Read more: Top 10 drinks you need to try in Madeira

Bife de atum (Tuna steak)

Tuna is one of the most popular dishes in Madeira, and it comes in the form of a steak on a hot stone. Tuna fish is abundant in the seas around the island, and represents a main component in Madeiran cuisine.

Lapas (Limpets)

Another Madeiran specialty is the limpets “Lapas”. If you like seafood, you need to try them. Cooked upwards in a frying pan, and splashed with fresh lemon juice and butter, they pair well with white wine, or dark beer. Not every restaurant had them in Machico when we visited, but worth the try looking for them.

Filete de Espada (Scabbard Filet)

The most typical fish from Madeira is the scabbard fish “Espada”. With a fearsome appearance, you might not want to see what this deep-sea fish looks like, when seen in the market. However, prepared in the Madeiran way, with a slice of banana on top, becomes a very delicious dish.

Espetada Madeirense (Madeiran beef skewers)

Espetada, made with beef cubes and grilled on wood or charcoal is another popular Madeiran dish that all restaurants offer across the island. After being cut in cubes, the meat is seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic and bay leaves. Traditionally, a bay stick is actually used as a skewer, and many restaurants still use that.

Pasteis de Nata (Portuguese custard tarts)

Although this is not a Madeiran dish, the Portuguese custard tarts are worth to be mentioned. Famous around the world, Pasteis de Nata have a long history in the culinary records. It is said they date back from before the 18^th century, and they were created by monks at the Hieronymites Monastery in the parish od Saint Many of Bethlehem, in Lisbon. At the time, convents and monasteries used large quantities of egg white for starching the clothes, and it was very common to use the egg yolk to make cakes and pastries. One of the classic and probably the most popular desert, the Portugese custard tarts have won their fame. Although they are the generic term for this amazing desert, the original recipe seems to be Pasteis de Belem, who bought the original recipe from the monks after 1834, when the monastery was closed.

Madeiran sweets

The grocery stores in Madeira have a huge variety of sweets. Most of them use candied fruits, or nuts, which the island has in abundance. Bolo de mel-de-cana caught my attention in one of these shops, as this cake is considered to be Madeira’s oldest dessert. First noted in the 15^th century, using spices from Europe and India, it was first created by nuns in the Convent of Santa Clara, in Funchal. But my favourite was Cidra cristalizada da Madeira. The crystallized cider is a unique product, with a great tradition especially in Madeira, because it is used in the production of delicious sugarcane honey cake and many other sweets. This was the most flavoured sweet and sour dessert I had, straight from the source😊

~ visited in December 2023