Overview
Eating out in Portugal
Portuguese eating out is built around the tasca and the pastelaria: a prato do dia at lunch, grilled fish and bacalhau in the evening, coffee and a pastel de nata at any hour. Regional cooking changes from the Minho to the Alentejo and the Algarve.
Tourism has grown fast, and Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve now serve guests from all over Europe and beyond. A menu that switches between Portuguese, English, French, Spanish and German serves that mix without five printed versions.
Dining culture
Dining habits in Portugal that shape the menu
The couvert
Bread, olives or cheese brought to the table can only be charged if the guest asked for them, and they must be listed with prices on the menu.
Prato do dia
The daily dish at a fixed lunch price changes every day. It is the first thing worth moving to a digital menu.
Fish by weight
Fresh fish is often sold by the kilo. A note on the menu explains the price per kilo in every language.
Menu rules
What a menu in Portugal has to show
Decreto-Lei 26/2016 implements the EU allergen rules for food sold loose. Allergen information has to be available on an easily consultable medium, and ASAE enforces it. Listing the 14 allergens per dish keeps it on the menu itself.
Restaurants must display their price list at the entrance and inside, including the couvert items and their prices. No dish or drink, couvert included, can be charged if the guest did not ask for it. Prices must include VAT.
Check the current rules
This is a practical summary, not legal advice. Rules change, so confirm the details with your local food safety authority before you publish.
Languages
Which menu languages to publish in Portugal
Portuguese first, English second. French, Spanish and German cover most other visitors, and the Portuguese menu language in ListoQ also serves Brazilian guests.
Suggested order of menu languages
- 1
Português - 2
English - 3
Español - 4
Français - 5
Deutsch
How languages work in ListoQ
Each menu has a default language plus any extra languages you add. You translate item names and descriptions per language; allergen labels and dietary tags come from built-in lists and appear translated automatically. Guests switch language on the menu page itself.
Cities
City guides in Portugal
With ListoQ
How ListoQ runs your QR menu in Portugal
One QR code that never needs reprinting
ListoQ gives each venue a permanent QR code and link. Change a price or a dish of the day and guests in Portugal see it the moment you publish.
The 14 EU allergens on every dish
Tag allergens and vegetarian or vegan options per item in ListoQ, so the information guests ask about is on the menu instead of in a folder behind the bar.
Import the menu you already have
AI import in ListoQ reads a PDF, Excel, Word file or photo into a draft. You review it, add your languages and publish when it is ready.
FAQ
Questions from venues in Portugal
- Can I list the couvert on a QR menu?
- Yes. Add the couvert items with their prices in their own category, so guests see them before deciding.
- Can I update the prato do dia daily?
- Yes. Edit the dish and price each morning and publish. The QR code on the table stays the same.
- Does a QR menu meet Portuguese allergen rules?
- A menu showing the 14 allergens per dish is an easily consultable medium. Keep a printed copy for guests without a phone.
- Can I import my current menu?
- AI import reads a PDF, Excel or Word file, or a photo of the menu, into a draft you check before publishing.
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