Salt-crusted sea bass, lemony razor clams, pan-seared pulpo – the menus of Europe rely heavily on the local catch. Those edible finds you make across the continent are some of the finest in the world – especially the seafood. Whether you’re scouring a Norwegian fish market or sharing plates of jaquinziho (fried mackerel) in Lisbon, the sea-fresh seafood is worth splashing out for.
Bergen, Norway
Pearlescent scallops, tender lobster, and cod so fresh it’s almost wriggling: it doesn’t get much better than dock-hugging Bergen for seafood. Your star stop should be Fløien Folkerestaurant to sample the famous fiskesuppe – a creamy Norwegian fish stew. Other dishes include skinned salmon fillet and digged trout, fresh from crisp, neighbouring waters: all come with gorgeous blue-green views of the harbour, islands, mountain and North Sea beyond.
Lisbon, Portugal
Nowhere in Portugal does sardines quite like Lisbon. Whole fish, grilled over charcoal, are served by the bucket-load – and we’re not talking tins. Salty, grilled, fresh, crispy sardines in everything from fisherman-owned shacks to fine dining restaurants. If it’s the tins you want, though, you’ll find gorgeous retro designs at Mercado da Ribeira, Lisbon’s largest fresh food market. Rest that seafood-filled belly by retreating to the award-winning Heritage Av Liberdade Hotel, an 18th-century townhouse designed by world-renowned architect Miguel Cancio Martins.
Galway, Ireland
Home to the oldest oyster festival in the world, Galway International Oyster and Seafood Festival, this coastline-crammed county is a seafood lover’s dream. Every September since 1954, the festival hosts live music, beer tastings, World Oyster Opening Championships, and plenty of boat-to-plate oysters fresh from Galway waters. If you haven’t had your fill of fish, multi-award winning Cashel House Hotel serve up lobsters, mussels, trout, turbot, clams, scallops, salmon, mackerel and brill straight from Cashel Bay.
Pembrokeshire, Wales
Nothing beats fish just-caught from cold, clear waters and the calm seas of Wales provide the perfect catch. In-the-know seafoodies will make a beeline to Pembrokeshire: restaurant-cum-hotel Llys Meddyg serves up the freshest lobster caught at Cwm yr Eglwys beach, with foraged delicacies to boot. For a spa stay in the area, head to St Brides Spa Hotel – expect white, flakey, soft cod and stack-’em-high cardamom and coconut mussels served with clifftop views. Outside of Pembrokeshire, set your compass to Harbourmaster in Aberaeron. The hotel and restaurant specialise in harbour-fresh seafood complemented with a frenzy of flavours – from crab cakes tinged with pink grapefruit to line-caught haddock drizzled in cider and saffron sauce.
