Camino de Santiago Cuisine

Enjoy Spanish and Portuguese Camino cuisine

Camino cuisine is exquisite since Spain and Portugal are famous for great local and organic cuisine. Seafood signature dishes are abundant in coastal regions and pulpo a la gallega (octopus seasoned with paprika, rock salt and olive oil) is popular in many areas.

Don’t miss the paella with assorted seafood and shellfish including langoustines, mussels, clams, and squid served with savory seasoned saffron rice and lemon slices. There are plenty of meat, poultry, fish and vegetarian dishes available which will excite your taste buds as you discover authentic Camino cuisine.

Specialty Dishes

Traditional foods in this land have been prepared for hundreds of years and reflect local flare and spirit. One of the staples of Galician cuisine is its nourishing caldo gallego, a traditional soup dish with white beans, cabbage, locally grown collard greens which you will see along the Camino de Santiago, potatoes and ham or pork. Empanada gallega is a savoury pastry filled with tuna, pork or vegetables and should not be missed.

Menu Peregrino

Many restaurants offer Menu del Dia or Menu Peregrino which typically consist of multiple courses: a basket of warm bread, a soup or salad, a main course, and a drink. This is a great affordable option to try various local delicacies. For a drink you can usually select a soft drink, or a glass of beer or wine. Some restaurants may even leave an entire bottle of wine for you to enjoy. Be sure to try local desserts and Tarta de Santiago, an almond pie usually decorated with powdered sugar and an imprint of the Saint James cross.

Local Wines

The Camino can also welcome you with local spirits including wine and light refreshing beer.

• In Galicia, try orujo, a liquor obtained from the distillation after pressing of the grapes.
• Galicia is also home to Albarino white wine which was brought to the region by Cluny monks from France and is similar to Reisling.
• City of Porto and nearby Douro Valley are home to port, a typically sweet red wine. Port also comes in dry, semi-dry, and white varieties.
• Portuguese vinho verde is also grown in nearby Minho province. Vinho verde can be red, white, rosé and may have a slight sparkle.

We will be happy to arrange tours for you to the local wineries and wine cellars for tasting and learning more about the art of wine making in the region.

Curious about wine traditions in the area? Read more on our Blog.