OUR PORTUGUESE DISHES
Traditional Recipes, Made with Heart
From the sunny Algarve to Melbourne, our dishes bring the spirit of Portugal to life. Every bite is made with passion and tradition – from smoky grilled chicken and golden codfish cakes to the sweet pastel de nata loved around the world.
Pastel de Nata – The Soul of Portuguese Pastry
There’s hardly a more iconic taste of Portugal than the pastel de nata – the golden, flaky Portuguese custard tart Melbourne locals can’t get enough of. It’s the authentic Portuguese dessert that’s conquered the world one bite at a time.
Born in the early 1800s in Lisbon’s Belém district, these pastries were first created by monks at the Jerónimos Monastery, who used egg whites for starching clothes and needed a clever use for the leftover yolks. Their solution: bake them into rich, creamy custard nestled in crisp puff pastry – a recipe that became part of Lisbon custard tart history.
Today, you can still taste this centuries-old tradition at the legendary Pastéis de Belém bakery, where it remains a closely guarded secret – and a must-visit pilgrimage for pastry lovers from around the globe.
At O Tuga Tastes of Portugal, we honour that legacy with our own handmade pastel de nata – blistered just right, dusted with cinnamon, and baked fresh daily. One bite, and you’re instantly walking the cobbled streets of Lisbon.
“Portugal’s most famous pastry, baked fresh right here in Melbourne.”
Bifana – Portuguese Pork Sandwich
Simple, saucy and full of flavour – that’s the bifana, Portugal’s ultimate comfort sandwich.
Traditionally made with thin slices of marinated pork, quickly seared and served in a soft white roll, the bifana sandwich is a working-class hero in traditional Portuguese street food. You’ll find it at football matches, local fairs and family-run taverns across the country – always eaten standing up, always with mustard or peri-peri on the side. Consider the bifana the Portuguese counterpart of the meat pie!
The marinade is the secret: a mix of garlic, white wine, paprika and bay leaf, simmered until the pork melts in your mouth. At O Tuga, we stay true to that recipe – juicy, smoky and unapologetically Portuguese.
“Melbourne’s most authentic Portuguese sandwich – straight from the streets of Lisbon to your hands.”
Frango Grelhado – Portuguese Grilled Chicken, Fire & Flavour
When you think of Portuguese food, one dish instantly lights up the grill – frango grelhado, or Portuguese grilled chicken.
It’s all about the marinade: olive oil, garlic, lemon juice, paprika and a touch of peri-peri for that smoky, fiery kick. The chicken is flame-grilled over open coals, brushed repeatedly to lock in moisture and build layers of flavour.
In Portugal, you’ll find it at small roadside churrasqueiras, where the aroma fills the air long before you arrive. It’s rustic, it’s real and it’s made for sharing.
At O Tuga, our frango grelhado Melbourne style pays homage to that tradition – juicy on the inside, crisp on the outside, served with fragrant rice or golden chips.
“Charred, juicy and full of Portuguese soul – the taste that brings everyone together.”
Pastéis de Bacalhau – Portugal’s Crispy Bite of the Atlantic
In Portugal, we have a saying that there are more codfish recipes than days in the year – and honestly, we’re not exaggerating. You can even buy cookbooks full of them, so you never run out of variations. We’ve grilled it, baked it, boiled it, fried it – and probably sung about it once or twice. Codfish (bacalhau) is that big a deal for us.
Among all those hundreds of dishes, one humble hero stands out – the pastel de bacalhau, a golden Portuguese cod fritter that’s crisp on the outside and soft, flaky and full of ocean flavour inside.
These little beauties were born out of Portuguese ingenuity centuries ago, when sailors salted and dried cod to survive long voyages. Back home, creative cooks turned it into something irresistible – a mix of shredded cod, mashed potato, parsley and a touch of onion, hand-shaped and fried until golden.
At O Tuga, we keep that same tradition alive – but we also keep it fun. Whether you grab one (or three) of these Portuguese seafood snacks on the go, or make a proper meal of it with a side of salad, fluffy rice or crispy chips, it always hits the spot.
It’s the perfect blend of history, humour and comfort – Portugal’s favourite fish story, told one crispy bite at a time.
“So good, we’d eat it 366 days a year – leap years included.”
