Flavours of Madeira: 5 dishes and drinks that define the Portuguese archipelago

ByNicole Trilivas

Published December 13, 2023

• 7 min read

A wild, subtropical Portuguese island, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean, Madeira is called the ‘floating garden’ because of its fertile, volcanic soil. Bounty bursts from the earth at every turn: grapevines cling to sea cliffs, exotic fruits clutter the roadsides in staggered farm terraces and tall fronds of sugarcane sway in the breeze until harvest time, when they’re processed into rum. Freshly caught fish is on just about every menu, as are a variety of local drinks, from poncha (rum punch) and apple ciders to crisp local white wines and the classic fortified variety to which the island gives its name. Here’s how to get a first taste of Madeira.

1. Poncha

The best time to drink this tropical tipple, declares the barman at one of Madeira’s most famous poncha bars, Taberna da Poncha, is “anywhere, anytime and with anyone.” A centuries-old fishermen’s aid to stave off colds, poncha has long been the island’s beloved firewater. The original version is made of muddled lemon, honey and aguardente de cana (a rum distilled from sugarcane), while poncha à pescador (fishermen’s poncha) uses sugar instead of honey. Sugarcane is at the heart of Madeira’s slow-processed rum. For an insight into the 500-year history of sugarcane farming and rum production, visit Engenhos do Norte, one of the island’s three oldest working distilleries. It’s on the Porto da Cruz coast, where the sea air infuses the rum casks with salty notes, and the best kind of sugarcane, canica, grows. While stocking up on rum at the on-site store, pick up a pot of sugarcane honey and bolo de mel (a local, molasses-based cake).

2. Seafood

Madeira is a paradise for pescatarians. Among the must-try dishes is espada (black scabbardfish), a meaty, deep-sea fish that’s often served with extra-sweet Madeiran banana and a passionfruit sauce. Try it at Chalet Vicente, a quaint, casual eatery on the outskirts of Funchal, Madeira’s capital.

Lapas (limpets) are another Madeiran delicacy. For an avant-garde twist, Funchal’s contemporary restaurant Desarma serves them dry as an amuse-bouche, baked into butter biscuits. Meanwhile, fish restaurant Vila do Peixe — in the Câmara de Lobos bay — keeps it simple, cooking the limpets in a pan with a little olive oil and butter. The island is also known for ocean-fresh sardines, prawns and tuna — all of which can be sampled at Funchal’s bustling Kampo restaurant. Accompany the seafood dishes with a crisp glass of local Verdelho white wine.

3. Madeira Wine

Most homes across the island have a bottle of Madeira wine. Dating back to the 16th century, a period known as Portugal’s ‘age of exploration’ — when Madeira’s wines were fortified with sugarcane distillate to preserve them for long journeys at sea — the national beverage comes in four broad styles: dry, medium dry, medium sweet and sweet. The varieties correspond to the island’s native grapes: Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malvasia, respectively. The wine is commonly sipped with dessert, but visitors can find it more likely to be mixed into cocktails nowadays. Those keen to sample a variety of Madeira wines can enjoy a private tasting at Quinta das Malvas. This family-owned vineyard, which opened in 1826, is one of the last working wineries on the island, offering accommodation and sweeping panoramic views of the Funchal coast.

4. Bolo do Caco

A dense but delicious combination of flour and sweet potato, the flat, circular bolo do caco is bread cooked on a slab of basalt stone. It’s found all over the island and usually eaten hot, at the start of a meal, with garlic and butter. It can also be made into a sandwich with ham, steak, a fried egg or seafood — a common lunch that pairs well with aromatic, non-sparkling sidra (cider), created from locally grown custard apples. Quinta Do Furao, a hotel with a wood-fired bakery located on Madeira’s cooler northeast coast, is a great place to try a freshly baked slice, while taking in the dramatic views of the island’s wild coastline below.  

5. Espetada

Madeira’s year-round temperate climate lends itself to outdoor cooking, and espetada — chunks of beef skewered on a laurel branch and barbecued — is a particular speciality. The beef is often marinated in a mix of garlic, olive oil and Madeira wine. However, at the remote and rustic Quinta do Barbusano — a winery located up a rocky, vineyard-lined track that snakes over the São Vicente valley — only salt is used, so as to not take away from the taste of the natural oils of the laurel in the meat. The dish is typically paired with bolo do caco bread, milho frito (deep fried cornmeal filled with kale or collard greens) and a glass of local red wine. Polar, Lagar and Santo António in Câmara de Lobos are some of the most popular restaurants to sample this Madeiran classic. 

Plan your trip
Madeira is easily reached from a number of UK airports in just under four hours via frequent, direct flights to Cristiano Ronaldo International Airport. From there, it’s a 20-minute drive to the capital, Funchal. For more information, head to visitmadeira.com

This paid content article was created for the Visit Madeira. It does not necessarily reflect the views of National Geographic, National Geographic Traveller (UK) or their editorial staffs.

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