Are you in Lisbon and feel like a burger? Forget McDonalds and try the creative ”tuga” burgers
The Portuguese creativity in the kitchen has no limits, even when it comes to a simple hamburger. If Americans have meat burgers with beef and chicken, with a slice of cheese, lettuce, tomato and pickles, Portuguese had to go much further. And lately there is a real burgermania taking over the city and no, we’re not talking about fast food food, quite the contrary.
It all started in the eighties, was brought again to life and nowadays, all over Lisbon, you can find hamburguerias for every taste. With or without mushrooms, with cheese of the island, grain, tofu or even cod, the variety is endless.
From the fish burger to the sausage burger, veggie burger, pizza burger, cheeseburger steak, and even hamburgers with certified meat of Azores. The latest restaurant of burgers and pizzas was born in Avenida 24 de Julho and promotes a hamburger with the cheese inside the meat slice or a calzone pizza with the burguer inside.
The potatoes are served is many creative ways, to dip into various sauces. And the bread? It can be the classic one, a brioche or our own portuguese bread called bolo do caco, that comes from Madeira island and is now all over the country.
Tip: If you are in Campo de Ourique take some time to go through Jardins da Parada and taste the green kiosk burgers. There are many varieties, such as veggie burger (made with grain), with cheese of the island or lamb with sweet and sour sauce. The menus are served with chips. On the Mouraria neighborhood you can go to Bolo do Caco Hamburgueria, right in the center of the Martim Moniz square. Go there and taste the Dragon Burguer, dedicated to the asian communities in Portugal.
