Magpie
5.0(38 reviews)

Lisbon’s Post-Colonial Feast

From€135
5 hours – 6 hours
Max 7 people
Lisbon, Portugal

About this activity

A tour to study the cuisines, history and diversity of Portugal’s former colonies and meet the people in the kitchen keeping the traditions of these communities alive.

Highlights

  • Taste many dishes from: Cape Verde, Brazil, Goa and Angola
  • Visit Mouraria neighborhood
  • Explore diverse, residential neighborhoods
  • Taste fish and seafood

Full description

We will study the cuisines, history and diversity of Portugal’s former colonies. Get a taste of Cape Verdean cachupa, Brazilian pastries, Goan samosa and Angolan piripiri sauce and meet the people in the kitchen keeping the traditions of these communities alive.
we will explore the complex story of post-colonial Portugal through how it’s expressed in the kitchens of central Lisbon. We’ll start with the signature Cape Verdean stew, cachupa. Packed with hominy, studded with Portuguese chorizo and topped with an egg, the version we’ll try is prepared by the self-proclaimed “King of Cachupa” himself. We’ll have coffee from Angola and chocolate from Sao Tome, learning about these commodities roots in slavery and their current move toward free-trade standards. We’ll visit a shop selling religious icons from Brazil and learn about how African religious traditions were disguised within Catholicism for centuries by colonial subjects of the Portuguese crown.
More than five hundred years ago, Portuguese explorers set out by ship and forever changed the world by opening up trading channels between otherwise disconnected places – Europe to India, West Africa to Brazil and beyond. Spices, coffee, knowledge, gold and, most tragically, enslaved people, filled their ships as fortune and settlements grew. From Brazil in the west to Macau in the East and many points in between, the Portuguese planted their flag creating a direct connection between Lisbon and those distant lands. In colonial kitchens, a hybrid cuisine developed, combining local and Portuguese influences, adding in new materials arriving in the hold of Portuguese ships. Today, almost 50 years after Portugal’s colonial era officially ended, Lisbon benefits immensely from the presence of communities from the country’s former colonies, which are so intertwined with Portuguese history. The story is complicated, the populations diverse and their food, across the board, is delicious.

On this full-day tour, we will explore the complex story of post-colonial Portugal through how it’s expressed in the kitchens of central Lisbon. We’ll start with the signature Cape Verdean stew, cachupa. Packed with hominy, studded with Portuguese chorizo and topped with an egg, the version we’ll try is prepared by the self-proclaimed “King of Cachupa” himself. We’ll have coffee from Angola and chocolate from Sao Tome, learning about these commodities roots in slavery and their current move toward free-trade standards. We’ll visit a shop selling religious icons from Brazil and learn about how African religious traditions were disguised within Catholicism for centuries by colonial subjects of the Portuguese crown.

Though Portuguese language and the Catholic faith were once the cornerstones of Portugal’s colonies, in all of these diverse kitchens the real object of devotion is piripiri, the chili pepper, and we will sample a few versions of the chili-based sauce that reflect a range of tastes, from Africa to Asia. Up one hill and down another, we’ll reward ourselves with the city’s finest shrimp samosa and meet the irreverent chef pushing the boundaries of both Goan and Portuguese cuisines. We’ll visit with street vendors from Guinea, and take in some hidden history on our way to a hip new spot with a Brazilian chef creating modern renditions on the food of his home country, including a puff pastry stuffed with succulent octopus. Finally, sunset will find us in a small Cape Verdean taverna run by the matriarch of her street, where we’ll have a digestive of house-made poncha, sweetened sugar cane liqueur, toasting senhora Maria and the survival of such rich and diverse traditions, all at home in little old Lisbon.

Included / Excluded

  • Guided tour through Plaka and Anafiotika neighborhoods
  • Tastings of traditional Greek dishes and local specialties
  • Wine tasting featuring small Greek producers
  • Transportation to and from the meeting point

Meeting point

Start Location

Praça do Chile, Lisbon, Portugal

Important information

Know before you book

  • The tour is conducted in English; proficiency is recommended.
  • Some stops may not be suitable for individuals with mobility impairments due to stairs and uneven terrain.
  • The tour operates rain or shine; dress appropriately for the weather conditions.

Know before you go

  • Wear comfortable walking shoes for the cobblestone streets.
  • Bring a light jacket or sweater as evenings can be cool.
  • Ensure you have a valid ID if you plan to participate in wine tasting.

Cancellation policy

Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the activity starts

More than one week before the beginning of the activity: 90% Refund Less than one week before the beginning of the activity: 50% Refund Less than 72 hours before the beginning of the activity or no-show: No Refund

Reviews

5.0(38 reviews)
Google
Erin McCaughey
Aug 2026
5.0

The tour was awesome and we highly recommend. We were expecting a larger group but were excited to show up to a private tour with Kasumi. She made the tour very personal and did an excellent job making the tour feel casual while teaching us lots of new things. She had the cultural knowledge and also mentioned that she continues to learn every time she takes a new group around. Some of the restaurants and shops we stopped at had lovely owners and workers, who were willing to teach us and share their knowledge happily. It was a good mix of foods and Kasumi made sure we were well hydrated and had plenty of time to rest on a hot day. We had a great day and we highly recommend it!

Google
Lynda Royal
Jul 2026
5.0

We thoroughly enjoyed our tour with Ken. He is an interested and interesting tour guide and it was a wonderful well-paced day. This was our second time doing this tour in Tokyo. No regrets, worth every cent. Culinary Backstreets Tours are the best food tours we have done everywhere in the world.

Google
Justin Markley
Jun 2026
5.0

We really enjoyed our tour with Dennis, great food and conversation! It was a great introduction to Tokyo and we really appreciated all his helpful tips for navigating the city

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