Fish Soup

"Technically a soup. Practically a full meal."

Sopa de peixe literally means fish soup. But don’t imagine something light and delicate. This is closer to a stew.

It’s rich. It’s heavy. It’s full of flavor.

Usually made with chunks of fish, parsley, and a deeply seasoned broth, it often comes with small potatoes inside. At that point, it stops being just a soup and becomes a proper main dish.

You don’t leave the table hungry after this one.

And here’s the interesting part. This might be the dish with the most versions across the Azores.

Every island does it differently. And even inside the same island, like São Miguel, the north prepares it one way and the south another. Different fish, different texture, different balance of flavors.

There is no single “correct” version.

There’s just your version. And someone else’s version. And a debate about which one is better.

Basically in every regional restaurant.

If a place serves traditional Azorean food, there’s a very high chance sopa de peixe is on the menu.