Ingredients · 6 min read
Which seafood is in season in Portugal, and when?
Our menu changes because the sea does. This is roughly how the Portuguese year tastes.
Spring
Mackerel and horse mackerel are excellent and inexpensive, sardines begin to build fat, and clams are at their sweetest for miso.
Summer
Bluefin tuna season in the Algarve peaks. Red prawn from the south is superb raw, and sea bass is reliably good throughout.
Autumn
Octopus and cuttlefish come into their own, and the first cold-water fish arrive with better fat content for nigiri.
Winter
Sea bream, turbot and scallop carry the menu. Curing and short ageing play a bigger role while the market is quieter.
Frequently asked
- Does the menu at Maré de Lisboa change often?
- The board is rewritten daily and shifts substantially with the seasons.
- Can I ask what is best today?
- Please do - it is the single most useful question you can ask at the counter.
Come and taste the answer
Fourteen seats face our open kitchen. Reserve one and watch your sushi being made.
Reserve a table