If food is one of your reasons to travel, you’re in the right place. São Jorge’s gastronomy is the golden key to a holiday filled with nature, stories, and flavour!
The island’s most famous product is, without a doubt, São Jorge Cheese. With Protected Designation of Origin status, it’s a cured cheese with a hard or semi-hard texture, a clean, slightly spicy flavour, and a strong aroma. Internationally renowned, its unique qualities clearly set it apart from other Portuguese cheeses. It still follows its traditional method of production to this day.
The clams from Caldeira de Santo Cristo are renowned for their exceptional quality. Harvesting is restricted, and this delicacy can only be enjoyed in a few select restaurants.
The microclimate of some fajãs has allowed the emergence of agricultural rarities, such as a coffee plantation, a rare case in Europe: in Fajã dos Vimes, coffee is produced with an intense taste and aroma, made from locally harvested beans. Many visitors head to this small fajã to taste the delicious coffee, which is distinguished by being organic.
Cinnamon brandy complements the island’s sweets, where coscorões, rosquilhas, and curd cakes are traditional recipes. The species, a sweet in the shape of a horseshoe with “windows” through which the filling peeks, are typical of the island. There are various versions of the recipe, all sharing the use of spices like fennel, cinnamon, or pepper.
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