A land of hard-working and friendly people, traditions and history, Braga (Green Coast) knows how to welcome its visitors offering them the typical cooking of the region, which is a product of the collective talent of Minho.

According to the Portuguese writer Fialho de Almeida (19th century) “nobody created that style of cooking, but it was rather invented by everybody”. The diversity of the natural landscape and the influences brought on by other cultures make up the elements that create a festival of subtle flavors and scents in Minho’s cuisine.

Minho is mostly fond of codfish in bits cooked in different ways, holding the names of restaurants which cook it: “Margarida da Praça”; “Mira Penha”; “Miquelina”, “Narcisa”.

In Braga there is something very typical, though copied everywhere: duck rice, rice boiled in water where the duck was previously cooked. Then everything is roasted in the oven with smoked sausage (chouriço) and slices of ham. In the city of the Archbishops, the “sarrabulho” has a special touch. It is fundamental to go with the “sarrabulho” and “rojões”, stiffened meat in marinade; the “farinhotes”, filled with pork’s blood and maize flour; the “belouras”(hog’s casings with flour), or floured, filled only with flour and seasoning; the livers and the “green” (boiled blood) with garlic. Exclusively from Braga, are the “frigideiras”, big puff pastries stuffed with beef and pork, quoted as “divine” by Júlio Dinis (Portuguese writer from the 19th century) and used by José Fistula in his gastronomy.

Braga reaches the highest level of originality and refinement in confectionary, with sweets such as: Abade de Priscos pudding, the “toucinho do céu”(bacon from heavan), the “Vieiras”, the “Bolo Rei”, the pilgrimage sweets and Braga’s “fidalguinhos”, dry biscuits to eat with tea, as well as other specialties enriched by a long and popular tradition in confectionary.