Pastel de bacalhau is Lisbon's salt-cod croquette: a fluffy egg-and-potato cod mixture deep-fried into oval-shape patties, eaten warm with a glass of port at every counter and tasca.

The pastel de bacalhau (called bolinho de bacalhau in the north) emerged in the 19th century as cod-fishing fleets from the Algarve and Newfoundland brought endless dry salt cod to Portuguese kitchens. The Lisbon two-spoon shaping method (moulded between soup spoons into a three-rib oval) became canonical by 1900. It is now sold at every tasca, mercado counter and beach kiosk. Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau on Rua Augusta launched its stuffed-with-Serra-cheese variant in 2015; Solar dos Presuntos plates the classical version with vinho verde. A midmorning or aperitivo snack, never a main.

4 editor picks for Pastel de bacalhau in Lisbon, ranked by editorial score. All Lisbon signature dishes · Pastel de bacalhau across every city.