• Breakfast — pequeno almoço
• Lunch – almoço
• Snack — lanche or merenda
• Dinner or supper – jantar or seia

In 2011, a panel of judges selected the "Seven wonders of (Portuguese) gastronomy" from an initial list of 70 nominations, later whittled down to 21 finalists. The winners, all covered in greater detail later in this article, were:

• Alheira de Mirandela
• Arroz de marisco
• Caldo verde
• Leitão da Bairrada
• Pastel de Belém
• Queijo Serra da Estrela
• Sardinha assada

For many years, Portuguese people emigrated to resettle in foreign lands, seeking better opportunities to support their families. These immigrants brought recipes from home. Many opened restaurants and grocery stores.

Canada has several Portuguese communities, including:

• Alberta: Calgary
• British Columbia: Vancouver
• Ontario: Brampton, Hamilton, Kitchener, London, Mississauga, Toronto
• Quebec: Montreal

In the United States, Portuguese communities can be found in many coastal states, including:

• California: Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose
• Hawaii: Honolulu
• Massachusetts: Fall River, New Bedford, Provincetown
• New Jersey: Elizabeth, Kearney, Newark
• New York State: Long Island has several communities, New York City has a sizable community dwarfed by other nationalities, Westchester County has several communities
• Rhode Island: East Providence, Pawtucket, Providence

The United Kingdom features some Portuguese communities, the best-known being Vauxhall neighborhood of the London borough of Lambeth.

Andorra, France, and Luxembourg have sizable Portuguese communities.

Nando's is a noted South Africa-based chain featuring Portuguese–Southern African dishes, specializing in "peri-peri" grilled chicken. It has restaurants on five continents, with many in Australia, South Africa, and the United Kingdom.

Piri-piri peppers (often spelled "peri-peri" in English) originated in Africa and were cultivated by Portuguese settlers in Mozambique. The pepper is used to produce a hot sauce, used to flavour chicken and meat.

The Portuguese "discovered" many spices in India and brought these home to improve the flavour of their food.

The Chinese introduced chá (tea) to Portuguese priests and merchants, who brought the commodity to Europe.

Portugal left a culinary mark on its trading posts and colonies during the height of its power. The use of vinegar in many Goan curries such as pork vindaloo, in contrast to other parts of India where other souring agents are used, comes from the state's Portuguese colonial heritage. The small soft bread roll pav, which is an essential component of many Mumbai street food dishes including pav bhaji and vada pav, is based on the Portuguese pão.

Portuguese missionaries and merchants from the region of Alentejo introduced the tempura cooking technique to the Japanese city of Nagasaki.

Feijoada, a stew of beans with pork or beef, became popular in Brazil and other former colonies.

In Macau, the local Macanese cuisine is a unique fusion of Cantonese Chinese and Portuguese culinary traditions, along with influences from Portugal's other colonies. Some unique Macanese dishes include galinha à africana, galinha à portuguesa and pato de cabidela. Perhaps the most famous local adaptation of Portuguese food is the Macanese egg tart, which was inspired by the pastel de nata.

The Eurasian community in Malacca is a result of the city's Portuguese colonial period, when many Portuguese settlers married the local Malays, and their cuisine reflects a mix of European and local culinary influences. The signature dish of this community is the fiery devil's curry.

Catherine of Braganza, the Portuguese-born queen consort of Charles II, introduced tea and quince jam (marmelade, from the local name marmelada) to the British in the 1660s.

Carne de porco (pork) and frango or galinha (chicken) are the most abundant types of meat in Portugal. Carne de ovelha (lamb or mutton) and carne de cabra (goat) are also used as a source of meat. Carne de vaca (beef) was historically shunned due to expense and poor quality, but it's better and more prevalent nowadays.

Sausages such as chouriço and linguiça can be eaten alone (usually with bread) or incorporated into various recipes.

Presunto is a dry-cured ham, similar to Italian prosciutto crudo or Spanish jamón.

• Bacalhau (dried-salted cod) is extremely popular in Portuguese cooking, though most of this fish nowadays originates from Norway. Local lore says that there are at least 365 ways to prepare cod, so you can eat it every day of the year without repeating a recipe. In Norwegian this ingredient is called klippfisk as it was originally salted and dried on cliffs (fish dried in cold wind without salt is called stockfish).
• Carapau (mackerel) is a widely-available fish, often grilled.
• Polvo (octopus) is a favoured octopod offering versatility as a main ingredient or in combination with other seafood.
• Sardinha (sardine) is a delicious fresh fish popularly grilled at cookouts and festivals. It's also available in the tiny canned version.

Queijo (cheese) is usually unfussy and unpretentious in Portugal. It is typically made of cow's milk, but you will also find sheep and goat milk cheeses.

• Queijo de Azeitão comes from Setúbal.
• Queijo São Jorge, from the Açores (Azores) archipelago, is a firm, yellowish, hard or semi-hard cow's milk cheese. It's aged at least three months and has a minimum of 45% fat content.
• Queijo Serpa is a cured, buttery, semi-soft sheep's milk cheese from the Alentejo region.
• Queijo Serra da Estrela is an artisanal sheep's milk cheese from mainland Portugal's highest mountain range. This white or slightly yellow cheese is very soft semi-liquid when young and soft but sliceable solid when older. It has a smooth, thin rind and traditionally came bound in cloth.
• Requeijão is a spreadable, ricotta-like cheese.

• Tremoços (lupini beans) are kept in salted water and are served as a starter or as a bar snack.

• Ameixas (plums) are tangy and juicy.
• Azeitonas (olives) are indeed fruits. Portuguese olives are usually black, indicating ripeness. They are used as a garnish and eaten as a bar snack.
• Castanhas (chestnuts) make a popular roasted treat in the autumn, especially for Dia de São Martinho (Saint Martin's day on 11 November).
• Pêra Rocha (rock pear) has a hard, firm, crunchy, juicy, and sweet pulp, with a fine, smooth skin mottled in yellow and green, with some russeting. This delicious fruit is grown mostly in the Oeste region and gets exported to several continents.
• Uvas (grapes) are used not only for winemaking, but are also a popular, juicy, sweet treat to enjoy fresh from the vine.

• Alho (garlic) and cebola (onion) enhance the flavour of many savoury dishes.
• Azeite (olive oil) is both widely produced and consumed in Portugal. It is used to add flavour and mouthfeel to food. Salad dressing is often just olive oil, vinegar, salt, pepper, and perhaps other herbs and spices. Traditional Portuguese cooking eschews heavy, creamy dressings.
• Colorau (paprika) is a popular spice used for flavouring and for colour.
• Cravinho (cloves) helps to kick up the taste in many dishes.
• Louro (bay leaf) seasons various savoury dishes, particularly meats.

• Pastéis de bacalhau (codfish pastries), despite the name, are savory fried fritters of cod, potatoes, eggs, parsley, and onion. The best ones are slightly crunchy on the outside with a smooth, creamy interior.
• Rissóis de camarão (shrimp turnovers) are smallish, savory, fried half-moon dough pockets stuffed with shrimp in a creamy sauce.

• Broa de milho is a hearty, round cornbread. Unlike American cornbread, it is not sweet.

• Caldo verde (green broth), originating from the Minho province, is a simple soup of finely-chopped couve-galega (similar to collard greens, though kale is sometimes substituted) and chunks of potato, typically with slices of chouriço or linguiça sausages added.
• Canja de galinha or simply canja (chicken congee) is a soup of shredded chicken with small pasta or rice. It is a comfort food, often eaten when ill with cold or flu, or used as a starter before the main course.
• Sopa de legumes is a vegetable based soup often featured as sopa do dia (soup of day) in restaurants.

• Alheira de Mirandela (Mirandela sausage) are stuffed with meat and bread, often with garlic (alho, hence the name). Originally made by Portuguese Jews using veal, duck, chicken, quail or rabbit, they can now contain pork.
• Carne de porco à alentejana, from the Alentejo region, combines fried pork with clams and a side of fries.
• The Francesinha hails from Porto. It is a sandwich containing ham, linguiça sausage, steak, or roast meat, covered with melted cheese and spiced tomato and beer sauce. Exact ingredients vary by chef. It usually comes with fries (chips). The sandwich was inspired by France's croque-monsieur, and the name translates as "litte French girl".
• Leitão da Bairrada or Leitão assado à Bairrada (Bairrada-style roasted piglet) is a pig aged 1–1½ months, seasoned with salt and pepper and spit-roasted for two hours in a wood-burning stove. The skin comes out crispy and golden.
• Papas de sarrabulho is a stew of pork and lamb organs and blood with bread from Porto.
• Tripas à moda do Porto (Porto-style tripe) is a stew of cow's stomach lining with various meats, sausages, and beans.

• Bolo de mel (honey cake) comes from Madeira and can be made with molasses instead of honey. It often contains walnuts and almonds and is flavoured with clove, cinnamon, black pepper, anise seeds, and allspice.
• Cavacas das Caldas, from Caldas da Rainha, are a small-bowl-sized, concave confection of flour and eggs, with a crunchy sugar coating. Beijinhos das Caldas ("little kisses") are similar, but smaller and spherical.
• Pastéis de Fátima are custard tarts in the shape of a heart, dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary.
• Queijadas de Sintra are small cheesecake tarts.
• Travesseiros, a pillow-shaped puff pastry with egg, almond, and sugar.

Although sources disagree on the country's exact rank, Portugal is one of the world's top nations in per capita wine consumption. It produces many varieties of vinho (wine) in various regions throughout the country. Beyond the famous Port wine houses, the brands that have made the biggest splash abroad are Lancers and Mateus, both known for their distinctive bottles and TV ads of yesteryear.

• Vinho do Porto (Port wine) is Portugal's most renowned export. The grapes are grown and processed in the Douro Valley. The wine is stored in wooden barrels and it was traditionally shipped down the Douro river to Vila Nova de Gaia, across from Porto, where it is aged in a wine lodge (cellar). Port is typically a sweet red wine, often served as a dessert wine, although it also comes in dry, semi-dry, and white varieties.
• Vinho da Madeira (Madeira wine) originates from Portugal's subtropical Atlantic archipelago of Madeira. The varieties of this fortified wine range from dry wines which can be consumed on their own as an aperitif to sweet wines usually consumed with dessert.
• Vinho Verde ("green" wine), a young slightly sparkling wine, comes in red, white, or rosé. It originates from the old Minho province and is known for being light and refreshing.
• Moscatel de Setúbal is a wood-aged fortified wine made from muscat grapes.

The Portuguese love their wine, but they don't toss aside their cerveja (beer). The country produces several brands.

• Coral comes from Madeira and is available in lager, stout, and non-alcoholic varieties.
• Sagres, a 5.0% abv pale lager, is also available in several other varieties. It is widely exported to expatriate communities.
• Superbock is the country's leading beer brand. It is also popular elsewhere in Europe and in other Portuguese-speaking countries.

• Aguardente, literally "burning water", is a strong moonshine-like liqueur. It's 50–80% alcohol by volume and will likely leave a burning sensation in your throat. It is added to café com cheirinho, for coffee with a kick. The most popular brand is Macieira.
• Ginjinha or Ginja is a sour-cherry liqueur available in Lisbon, Alcobaça, Óbidos, the Algarve, and Serra da Estrela. It is served as a shot with a piece of fruit. Sometimes, the "glass" is made of chocolate.
• Licor Beirão comes from the Lousã in the former province of Beira in Central Portugal. Originating in the 19th century, it is the most consumed alcoholic spirit in Portugal. It's flavoured with seeds and herbs, including mint, cinnamon, cardamom, and lavender and is 22% alcohol by volume.

The Portuguese introduced chá (tea) to the English, but nowadays café (coffee) is more popular here.

In addition to cafés, you can get your coffee fix at a pastelaria (pastry shop) or a restaurant. While visiting Portugal, you'll want to ignore Starbucks, Costa, McCafé, or any other chains that you know from home. Your taste buds will thank you for patronizing local, independent cafés. You'll often find coffee producer logos on café signs and awnings. The coffee cups and sugar packets are also usually branded. The country's major coffee brands include Bicafé, Buondi, Delta (the most ubiquitous brand), Nicola, Sical, and Torrié.

The most common way for the Portuguese to drink their coffee is the bica, a strong espresso served in a tiny cup with a tiny spoon to mix in the huge sugar packet. This is the default style you get when you order um café. Another popular preparation is the galão, a tall glass filled 50/50 or 25/75 coffee and milk—a "latte" if you will. A pingado is a tiny espresso with a splash of milk. A garoto is a tiny espresso with an equal amount of milk. Café com cheirinho includes brandy or aguardente (a moonshine-inspired liquer). You can specify café com Beirão if you'd prefer that specific liquer. A delightful Portuguese pastry makes an excellent accompaniment to your cup.

• Água mineral (mineral or spring water) is widely produced in Portugal. The tap water is perfectly safe to drink, but some may prefer the taste of the bottled stuff. Notable brands include Carvalhelhos, Castello, Fastio, Frize, Luso, Pedras Salgadas, Penacova, Vidago, and Vitalis. Waters are available com gás (carbonated, sparkling) or sem gás (non-carbonated, still).
• Compal is a brand of fruit juices and nectars.
• Laranjada is a carbonated orange-flavour soft drink. Launched in Madeira in 1872, it's older than Coca-Cola.
• Sumol is a brand of refreshing lightly carbonated soft drink. Its most popular flavours are laranja (orange), ananás (pineapple), maracujá (passion fruit). Orange and pineapple are available in the "Zero" variety, flavoured with sucralose instead of sugar. You can find Sumol in iconic small green glass bottles, in cans, and in larger plastic bottles.