Hi there! Today we will have a remarkably interesting Dica about menu in Portuguese! Let’s learn how to order anything in Portuguese, including vegetables and various kinds of meat like fish, chicken, pork and seafood! Can you guess which word is easier to pronounce in Portuguese, chicken or fish? Imagine being under the hot sun of Rio de Janeiro and not being able to order a nice ice cream (or any other dessert) in Portuguese? No way! Don’t stress either about how to ask for more or less salt / pepper in Portuguese, we got you as well! From the appetizer until the main course, you will leave this class prepared to ask for dishes in Portuguese!
“How to say menu in Portuguese?”
| English | Portuguese (Brazil) | Portuguese (Portugal) |
| Menu | Cardápio | Ementa |
Let’s Listen and Pronounce!
Cardápio
Ementa
Example (Brazil):
Pode trazer o cardápio, por favor?
(Can you bring the menu, please?)
Cardápio vs. “Menu” in Brazil: what you’ll hear in real life
In Brazil, cardápio is the standard word for a restaurant menu. That said, you’ll also hear menu, especially in upscale places, tourism contexts, or when restaurants want a more “international” vibe.
In practice, both can refer to the same thing (the list of dishes and drinks).
If you’re traveling to Portugal, ementa is very common for “menu.”
Parts of the Menu in Portuguese

In Brazil, our menu is divided into sections, which depends on what type of restaurant you are. But most restaurants in Brazil follow a basic approach on their menu, which we will take a closer view below:
Appetizers in Portuguese
The first section is almost always dedicated to appetizers, which are called entrada in Portuguese. The most popular entradas in Brazilian restaurants revolve around: a basket filled with distinct kinds of breads and some spreads, cod fritters, stuffed pastries, salads, and chicken or fish fried sticks. Some fancy restaurants might even have carpaccio and oysters, but they are not a rule.
| Entrada | Appetizers |
| Couvert | Basket of bread and spreads |
| Bolinho de Bacalhau | Cod fritters |
| Pastéis Recheados | Stuffed pastries |
| Saladas | Salads |
| Gurjão de frango | Chicken fried sticks |
| Gurjão de peixe | Fish fried sticks |
| Batata frita com queijo e bacon | French fries with cheese and bacon |
| Espetinhos | Skewers |
| Frango à passarinho | Fried Chicken |
Examples:
Eu vou querer uma porção de batata frita com queijo e bacon, por favor.
I’ll have a portion of fries with cheese and bacon, please.
Você recomenda os pastéis recheados?
Do you recommend the stuffed pastries?
A gente pode começar com couvert e saladas.
We can start with couvert (bread/house starter) and salads.
Massas and Pizzas in Portuguese
Because of the intense immigration from Italy in the 1880’s, our cuisine has many elements from the Italian culture, but with a proper Brazilian twist. Spaghetti, ravioli, gnocchi, and lasagna are quite common, accompanied by different sauces, the most famous ones being bolognese, pomodoro and cheese.
We are also pizza lovers, and most restaurants, even if they don’t advertise themselves as Italian food, will have pizza options. But don’t expect a simple margarita or pepperoni. Here in Brazil, we have from the most traditional flavors to the craziest inventions, such as stroganoff pizza, French fries’ pizza, hot dog pizza, and the famous sweet pizzas, which also serve as dessert.
| Massas | Pasta |
| Espaguete | Spaghetti |
| Ravioli | Ravioli |
| Nhoque | Gnocchi |
| Lasanha | Lasagna |
| Molho bolonhesa | Bolognese sauce |
| Molho de tomate | Pomodoro sauce |
| Molho de queijo | Cheese sauce |
| Pizza | Pizza |
| Pizza doce | Sweet pizza |
Examples:
Eu vou querer uma lasanha, por favor.
I’ll have a lasagna, please.
Esse espaguete vem com molho branco ou molho de tomate?
Does this spaghetti come with white sauce or tomato sauce?
Você tem risoto de camarão hoje?
Do you have shrimp risotto today?
Meat, from Pork to Seafood in Portuguese

The most popular section for a main course is the meat section, so let’s learn it in Portuguese! The meat section is always divided into types of meat, like bovine, pork, chicken, fish, and seafood in Portuguese. Some restaurants offer their meat with side dishes chosen by the own chef, but other places also list their side dishes and allow you to combine items. Either way, restaurants in Brazil tend to be very flexible with their menus, so if you need to remove an item or change something, they will probably accommodate your dishes necessities in Portuguese!
| Carne | Meat |
| Carne bovina | Bovine meat |
| Frango | Chicken |
| Porco | Pork |
| Peixe | Fish |
| Frutos do mar | Seafood |
Examples:
Eu queria frango com arroz e feijão, por favor.
I’d like chicken with rice and beans, please.
Você tem peixe grelhado?
Do you have grilled fish?
Side Dishes in Portuguese
But, which type of side dishes we are talking about? Well, you can have some pasta as mentioned above, but also other more Brazilian food. Rice and beans is a must on any menu in Portuguese, just like farofa, vinaigrette and a variety of potatoes: French fries, smashed potatoes, rosti potato and many more.
| Arroz | Rice |
| Feijão | Beans |
| Farofa | Farofa |
| Vinagrete | Vinaigrette |
| Batatas fritas | French fries |
| Purê de Batata | Smashed potatoes |
| Batata rosti | Rosti potato |
| Purê de Abóbora | Pumpkin puree |
| Risoto | Risotto |
| Jardineira de legumes | Mixed Vegetables |
Examples:
Pode colocar salada no lugar de batata frita?
Can you put salad instead of fries?
Eu queria arroz, feijão e farofa, por favor.
I’d like rice, beans, and farofa, please.
Desserts in Portuguese
Oh boy, we are not only gonna teach you about salt food in Portuguese! Desserts are popular here as well and vary from European based sweets to our own native creations. We have ice cream creams and gelatos, many types of cakes, variations from French and Italian pastries like the petit gâteau and tiramissú. A very Brazilian dessert is Romeu e Julieta, which is the combination of guava and cheese! Let’s learn some desserts in Portuguese:
| Sobremesas | Desserts |
| Sorvete | Ice cream |
| Gelato | Gelato |
| Bolo | Cake |
| Torta | Pie |
| Romeu e Julieta | Guava and cheese |
| Brigadeiro | Brigadeiro |
| Pudim | Pudding |
| Tapioca doce | Sweet tapioca |
| Doce de leite | Dulce de leche |
| Paçoca | Paçoca |
Examples:
Eu vou querer uma sobremesa. O que você recomenda?
I’ll have a dessert. What do you recommend?
Tem pudim?
Do you have flan (pudim)?
Eu queria um sorvete, por favor.
I’d like an ice cream, please.
Beverages in Portuguese
Well, if you come to Brazil, you must try our Guaraná and beer, for sure. But we have many diverse types of sodas, beers and wines from many countries, classic cocktails, several types of teas including the incredible Brazilian matte and much more! You won’t get thirsty here, for sure!
| Bebidas | Beverages |
| Refrigerante | Soda |
| Coca-cola | Coke |
| Guaraná | Guaraná |
| Cerveja | Beer |
| Vinho | Wine |
| Coquetel | Cocktail |
| Chá | Tea |
| Chá gelado | Iced Tea |
| Água | Water |
Examples:
Você tem água sem gás?
Do you have still water?
Eu vou querer um refrigerante.
I’ll have a soda.
Pode ser para viagem / para levar?
Can it be to go / take away?
Main Courses in Portuguese
This is where you’ll find the main dish of the restaurant, usually served with sides like rice, beans, salad, or fries. Knowing these words helps you understand what’s actually included in the plate and avoid surprises when you order:
| Prato Principal | Main Course |
| Especial do Dia | Dish os the Day |
| Menu Executivo | fixed-price lunch menu |
| Prato Feito (PF) | set plate with rice, beans, protein and sides |
Examples:
Eu queria frango com arroz e feijão, por favor.
I’d like chicken with rice and beans, please.
Esse prato é apimentado?
Is this dish spicy?
Posso trocar o acompanhamento?
Can I change the side dish?
Vou querer este prato.
I’ll have this dish.
6 phrases to use after you read the cardápio
O que você recomenda?
What do you recommend?
Qual é o prato mais pedido?
What’s the most popular dish?
Esse prato é apimentado?
Is this dish spicy?
Posso trocar o acompanhamento?
Can I change the side dish?
Vou querer este prato.
I’ll have this dish.
Pode ser sem cebola, por favor?
Can it be without onions, please?
So, we just learned how to check out a menu and order dishes in Portuguese! What is your favorite dessert, and can you pronounce it in Portuguese? How do you like your fish and chicken prepared, and can you order it in Portuguese?
See you later!!
Huge kiss!
Click on the links below to see more related Dicas
Restaurant in Portuguese
Restaurants in Brazil
Bill in Portuguese
Fork in Portuguese
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She was seven month Rio & Learn Online Courses Academic Coordinator and our A Dica do Dia blog Coordinator for two years and a half. Fluent in Portuguese, English, Spanish, and with elementary proficiency in Chinese, she is a versatile communicator and a strategic asset to global teams.
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