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Terceira Island is a volcanic island in the Azores archipelago about 950 mi (1500 km) west of mainland Portugal. Its stunning natural beauty is coupled with delicious Terceira food!
We visited Terceira in October 2023 and were struck by the prevalence of patchwork pastures seemingly everywhere. They are separated by small rock walls and filled with very happy-looking cows.
Because of this pasture land, cheese, butter, and beef products are abundant and delicious in Terceira and Azores food. There is some great seafood, but don’t skip the beef and dairy if they’re part of your diet!
This post will give you a look into delicious Terceira food and Azores food and highlight the best Terceira restaurants and cafes we tried!
Map of Terceira attractions and places to eat
All of the places we mention here are in the “food and drink” layer on our Terceira map
What to eat in Terceira
We absolutely loved the food in Terceira! Beef and dairy are prevalent in the cuisine due to the large number of cattle. And wow, are they delicious! The beef was among the best tasting we’ve ever had! I still think about the bolognese we made.
The range of cheeses, butter, and ice creams was amazing as well.
Chicken, sausage, seafood, garlic, bread, and pastries were also prevalent in the cuisine we found in Terceira. Salads, rice, olives, potatoes, and beans show up frequently. Garlic also had a large presence.
Up for a food or wine tour? Check out a food tour of the island to get a great intro to the cuisine! If you want a truly local experience, you can even try dining with a local family! Is wine your passion? Check out a guided local wine tour of Azorean wine!
Alcatra – delicious beef stew
Alcatra is a Terceira signature dish of stewed beef. Many places offer it. Because it is intensive to cook, the dish may not be available every day. It’s worth checking with the restaurant beforehand to see if they’ll have it.
Other beef dishes
Before coming to Terceira, we expected seafood to be the focus like other islands. Seeing all of the cows and pasture lands showed us why beef and dairy are so prevalent.
All of the beef dishes we tried were delicious! Those included stewed beef, steak, or ground beef. The picanha at Vista Grill & Lounge was of particular note. We’re still talking about our homemade bolognese sauce with local ground beef (carne moído) too.
Seafood
Seafood is also rich and delicious on the island. Grilled and garlicky or lightly fried were two common preparations.
Lapas grelhadas (grilled limpets) smothered in garlic, butter, and lemon are another Azorean specialty. I’d liken them to mussels though stronger in flavor and firmer in texture.
We had a fantastic swordfish fillet at Vista Grill & Lounge. O Raul is a small local spot for delicious fresh fish. I loved their fried fillet.
Tip Many Portuguese fish dishes contain some bones. So take care when eating.
Alheira sausage
Alheira was another favorite dish of mine. It’s a garlicky sausage that contains some bread, making it soft. We found it served as a sandwich or open-faced, often with egg. q.b. Restaurante had my favorite version. What a savory treat!
Qeuijadas da Dona Amélia spiced cakes
Qeuijadas da Dona Amélia spiced cakes are a signature dessert in Terceira. They are small, moist cakes (queijadas) seasoned with warm spices and dusted with powdered sugar. You’ll find them in many pastelarias and cafes. Delish!
Pastries
We found many delicious pastries in Terceira, as in the rest of Portugal. In addition to Qeuijadas da Dona Amélia, we loved turnovers with marmelada (Portuguese marmalade), croissants, and more.
Cream, passion fruit (maracujá), pineapple (ananas), strawberry (morango), and apple (maçã) are common fillings.
If you don’t know what something is, just ask or give it a shot! We regularly enjoyed all of our pastry experiments 😀
Padaria Délia Martins in Biscoitos has a massive selection of sweet and savory baked goods. Cantinho Do Pão (Bread Corner) had delicious pastries and fresh bread near where we stayed in Porto Judeu.
Bread
The Portuguese legacy of delicious fresh bread is alive in Terceira. We found a great variety of fresh breads all around.
Bolos lêvedos (yeast cakes) were a special treat we discovered in the Azores. They look like large English muffins but have a caky crumb and are slightly sweet.
They’re great on their own, with coffee or tea, with fruit preserves (like pineapple or marmelada), with local cheese or butter, and great for a sandwich!
Cheese
The Azores are famous for cheese. After trying some, I see why! Queijo Vaquinha is the signature buttery cheese of Terceira. Stop by their shop and cafe for delicious food and great views!
We sampled a variety of delicious cheeses ranging from hard to soft and spicy or ripened to creamy and buttery. The guide at Cheese Professor was a helpful intro.
Coffee
As in all of Portugal, coffee is everywhere and delicious! It felt like every bar, restaurant, and little hut in the park had an espresso machine and grinder, and knew how to use them! How great!
Portugal has its own coffee culture. Drinks tend to be espresso-based and may or may not have milk. See our intro to Portuguese coffee for details on Portuguese coffee drinks and tips on ordering.
Other drinks
Amie loved sangrias with fresh fruit and caipirinhas. We’re not big wine drinkers. So we don’t have advice for you there. Though there are some Azorean wines you might look into. Many places had good selections.
The best Terceira restaurants, cafes, and bakeries we tried
Here are some of the standout places we visited. These are all laid out on our Terceira map.
- q.b. Restaurante – Delicious food. I had my favorite Alheira here. Our waiter was ridiculously friendly and funny. They were very busy at lunch. You might consider reserving a spot.
- Vista Grill & Lounge – We had fantastic picanha and swordfish here. The feel is a little more upscale. They have a huge wine selection. Our waiter was extremely friendly.
- O Raul – This is a small local spot for delicious fresh fish. Ask what’s fresh. Their lunch menu included soup (caldo verde), bread, the main meal, and coffee. One waiter spoke English to help us.
- Padaria Délia Martins – Has a massive selection of sweet and savory baked goods with great coffee.
- Cantinho Do Pão – Great for pastries and fresh bread.
- Casa Da Galinha Parmagiana – Serves up their take on chicken parmesan that Amie loved (we went twice). They have many chicken and pork dishes as well as the famous Francesinha.
- Guarita – Porto Judeu – Was our go-to grocery store near our accommodation in Porto Judeu. They have a good selection and a great bakery case.
Can I order in English in Terceira?
We found that English was commonly spoken in most areas. Many places also provided a menu in English.
However, knowing a little Portuguese was helpful for us in some situations when no one spoke English, the menu translations weren’t very descriptive, or our point wasn’t getting across in English.
A translator app was useful. I found the DeepL translator better than Google Translate at European Portuguese phrasing and pronunciation.
Wrapping up
Beyond the natural beauty, we found Terceira food to be delicious. Nearly everyone we interacted with was extremely friendly and helpful. Are you ready to dive into Terceira cuisine? What’s your favorite Terceira food or place to eat?
Disclaimer: I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you when you make purchases via links on this site. Thanks for supporting me in creating content like this! See the privacy policy.
