The flavors of Portugal in the markets

The Portuguese neighborhood isn't the only place in the city where you can enjoy Portuguese specialties. Follow us to Montreal's public markets to discover several more!

Ah, Portugal. Its magnificent landscapes, colorful streets, friendly people, poetic fado music... and fabulous cuisine! It's impossible to resist this sun-kissed cuisine steeped in tradition and expertise and made with
exquisitely fresh ingredients.

As Sandra Ferreira, who practically grew up within the walls of the iconic Ferreira restaurant founded by her father almost 20 years ago, points out, “Portuguese cuisine is healthy and full of flavor, with great respect for the ingredients.”
 

The famous Portuguese chicken

In addition to managing the family restaurant, Ms. Ferreira created another concept in 2016 that was directly inspired by Portugal: Campo. This restaurant, which has two locations in Montreal, specializes in Portuguese chicken. But not just any chicken; it is marinated for 24 hours, then cooked whole on an eco-friendly grill without flames.

Needless to say, the mouthwatering aroma of grilled chicken wafting from the Campo counter that the restaurateur opened in the summer of 2025 at Atwater Market drew crowds. “Yes, we've been a huge success!” admits the restaurateur, who will definitely be back next year with her salads, poke bowls, and sandwiches made with her Portuguese chicken, which will also be sold whole by popular demand.

And if you find yourself craving this specialty in the meantime, head to Boucherie les Viandes St-Vincent in the same public market, where you'll find piri piri marinated chicken prepared by a real Portuguese butcher.

The essential codfish

In Portugal, cod is a religion. However, bacalhau fresco, or fresh cod, is less popular locally than bacalhau, which is salted and dried cod that is desalted in several baths of water before being used in many recipes: grilled with potatoes, fried with bay leaves and cloves, covered with eggs, simmered with bread, vegetables and chopped beans, combined with Serrano ham, etc.

There are so many possible variations that Sandra Ferreira says with a smile, “Even if you had one bacalhau recipe a day, you could never try them all!” However, if you want to try a few, or just enjoy this cod with a little extra salty flavor, all you have to do is buy some at the Poissonnerie Aqua Mare at Jean-Talon Market.
 

Cheese or dessert

Why not both, while we're at it? So let's start with the country's excellent cheeses, or queijos, often made from sheep's, goat's, or cow's milk. Several of them are renowned, such as São Jorge, with its firm texture and slightly spicy taste, made exclusively from cow's milk from the island of São Jorge in the Azores.

“The pasteurized version we sell is quite mild,” explains Dominic Lapointe of Fromagerie Atwater. “But to replace other rarer Portuguese cheeses, I can guide you towards soft sheep's milk cheeses from Quebec, such as La Madeleine or Brebichon. And I promise you that with Portuguese wine to accompany them, you'll be in heaven!” "

Now let's move on to the last course, Portuguese desserts, with the most iconic of them all, the pastel de nata. This small tartlet made with crispy puff pastry and filled with a velvety filling made from egg yolks, sugar, milk, and sometimes cinnamon is a real delight, served warm or cold.

Where can you find them in Montreal's public markets? In the summer, at Campo, of course. But the rest of the year, you can also buy them at Brûlerie aux Quatre Vents in Jean-Talon Market and Atwater Market. Good to know: the natas at these establishments have been prepared by the same Portuguese family for 20 years! 

All that remains now is to wish you a delicious Portuguese tasting experience at Montréal's public markets!

A text by Sophie Ginoux, food journalist and host of the Plaisirs Gourmands program on CIBL radio.