Grilled sardines — sardinha da costa — are one of the simplest and most beloved tastes of the Portuguese coast, and a natural part of the cooking of Nazaré.
In a fishing town like Nazaré, the sardine is everyday food. The dish could hardly be simpler: fresh sardines, plump and best in the summer months, are seasoned with coarse salt and grilled over hot coals until the skin is crisp and lightly charred. They are served plainly — traditionally with grilled bread, boiled potatoes, a simple salad or roasted peppers.
Grilled sardines are not unique to Nazaré — they are eaten the length of the Portuguese coast, and are a fixture of summer festivals across the country. But in a town built on fishing, eaten fresh by the sea, they are in their natural home, and the smell of sardines on the grill is part of the character of the seafront. For the visitor, they are an essential and unpretentious taste of coastal Portugal.
⭐ Must-try:
Sardinha da costa
Highlights
- Grilled sardines — a beloved taste of the coast
- Everyday food in a fishing town like Nazaré
- Seasoned with coarse salt, grilled over hot coals
- Best in the summer months, when sardines are plump
- Served plainly with bread, potatoes or peppers
Frequently asked questions
What is sardinha da costa?
It is fresh sardines seasoned with coarse salt and grilled over hot coals until the skin is crisp — a coastal classic.
When are grilled sardines best?
They are best in the summer months, when the sardines are at their plumpest; they are a fixture of summer festivals.
Are grilled sardines unique to Nazaré?
No — they are eaten along the whole Portuguese coast, but in a fishing town like Nazaré they are in their natural home.