Now that we’ve been in Portugal for nearly nine months, let’s talk about dining out.
The following tips and info may not apply to all areas of Europe, but having been to Spain as well, we can attest that there are areas in which what we’ve experienced would be considered common practice.
Dining out in Portugal is less about eating and more about the experience; time spent with family or friends, conversation around the table, and enjoying each other’s company. In the U.S., the goal of restaurants is a quick turn-around – get diners in, fed, and out so the next party can be seated. The waitress will stop by often: how is everything? Can I get you anything else? Are you ready for the check?
In Portugal, every restaurant we’ve visited wants to feed you while they allow you to enjoy your time. When we first arrived, we often felt like we were being ignored or forgotten, and this is not the case. After you’re seated, your waiter will take your order and deliver your food, and then they’ll leave you to sit and enjoy it. They won’t check in 16 times and offer to get your check; they’ll wait until you’ve signaled that you’re ready for it (the universal signal of holding a pen and writing in the air). It’s an amazing concept, really, and it’s common to take two to three hours for a meal, especially dinner.
People will sit and talk and eat and drink, and talk some more and drink some more, and laugh.
It’s also worth noting that people take their time to eat and enjoy the food and drink; in America, we’ve been conditioned to eat quickly so we can get back to work from our break, or free the table for the next party on a busy Friday night. But there’s something wonderful about sitting down and taking the opportunity to just…be.
The other question we get is about tipping. Generally speaking, Americans are very generous when it comes to tips. We always gave 20%+ if we had a good experience. The difference is that in Portugal, as well as some other parts of Europe, restaurant staff earn a living wage. Tipping stops being a necessity or assumption, and becomes a genuine expression of appreciation for good service. Might be hard to believe, but unless you are at a high-end dining establishment (think $$$-$$$$), tipping more than 10% is considered ostentatious and will immediately out you as an American. For a $30 meal, we will typically leave a few coins that include 1 or 2 euros or less in denomination.
Here’s another important tip: the olives, bread and oil placed on your table at the beginning of the meal are NOT FREE. Restaurants will sometimes also set down a cheese plate; you WILL be charged extra for this if you eat any of it. You’ll also be charged for water, even if it’s cold tap water. (And yes, you can drink the water here – it’s actually pretty good.) It is completely acceptable to refuse the offer of bread or olives, and they will remove them from the table. Having said that, also check your receipts to make sure you haven’t been charged for those items, especially in the city’s tourist-trap areas. There may come a time when you are offered a freebie – your waiter or maybe the owner (it’s possible they’re one in the same) will tell you specifically that you won’t be charged. This has happened to us frequently, as we have several favorite spots and have become friends/friendly with restaurant staff. In Portugal, the item most often shared with us on the house is a small glass of Port as a thank-you for dining with them.
Other things to keep in mind: if you order fish or shrimp, you might get shells and scales (as in, the whole fish presented on your plate). If you don’t want to put in the work (and I usually don’t) but you do want to eat fish, look for “filet” on the menu. You may also experience items not available due to seasonal availability or plain old “the truck didn’t deliver fish today” availability.
Finally, reservations: they’re are important for a couple reasons. 1. Restaurants may have to limit the number of guests (thanks a lot, Covid) and 2. Restaurants in Europe are often smaller than you’re used to. Chances are, you’re not going to find a Cracker Barrel-sized place with seven different dining sections; you might be lucky if a good local place has more than 8 or 10 tables without capacity restrictions. We recommend using The Fork, a service/app similar to Open Table in the States. It’s not always necessary to make reservations on weekdays, but if you want to dine Friday – Sunday, try to reserve ahead. When limited capacity meets 2+ hour meals, you might find yourself at a restaurant that has to turn you away.
