Real Portuguese Cuisine in Lagos: Condelipas, a Local Delicacy

When you book your exclusive escape to LUX MARE in Lagos, Algarve, where luxury meets tradition, your to-do list should start with sampling some of the tantalising culinary delights Lagos is renowned for. In fact, real Portuguese cuisine in Lagos includes freshly caught, marinated horse mackerel, conger eel or monkfish stew, tuna steak, whelk and bean stew, and squid stuffed with ham and chorizo, not to mention fresh fish straight off the barbecue.  

However, Lagos is also the place to sample “condelipas” – the local name for clams – harvested from the sand of the city’s very own beaches. Want to find out more about the delicacy and the strange name by which they are known locally? Then you’re in the right place!  

Clam Harvesting in Lagos

Before diving into Lagos’s culinary delights, it’s essential to understand the rich tradition of living off the sea that has shaped the area’s culinary landscape for centuries. Along the Algarve coastline, including Lagos, shellfish harvesting has long been a way of life for local harvesters and their families. However, today, we’re focussing on a specific type of clam—Donax trunculus, abrupt wedge shell, wedge clam, or coquina clam—prized for its quality and freshness and a staple ingredient in many traditional local dishes. 

Local legend tells that it was a foreigner who first came upon this local delicacy: William, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe. The story goes that while in Lagos at the request of the Marquis of Pombal (most famous for having led Portugal’s recovery from the 1755 Lisbon earthquake and reforming the country’s administrative, economic, and ecclesiastical institutions) to reform the army and artillery of the Lagos Infantry Regiment, William, Count of Schaumburg-Lippe, would go on to both successfully block the Spanish invasion and discover one of the city’s most prized foods. Though he was an important military figure, his name has lived on thanks to a hobby of the count’s – walking along the waterline of the 5 km of golden sand at Meia Praia beach while the tide was out, collecting clams. The Count – known as Conde de Lippe in Portuguese – was so closely linked to the clams that in Lagos, they have taken on his name, being known, to this day, as condelipas.  

Harvesting your own Clams in Lagos 

Though the numbers of clams have been declining in recent years, clam harvesting is still a popular activity along Meia Praia beach for tourists and locals alike. However, if this is an activity you want to get stuck into, consider returning any clams you find to the sea before September, as they are still breeding and growing in the warmer months. Doing so will help keep populations healthier. Then, once September comes around, if you consider taking a few home to eat, make sure they’re over 2.5 centimetres long to give youngsters a chance to grow to full size. We’d also recommend having a quick look at the Portuguese Institute for the Sea and Atmosphere website to ensure it’s safe to harvest these particular clams and any other shellfish you may come across, as the website is updated daily.  

Condelipas, or Clam Dishes in Lagos

Now that we’ve delved into the tradition and history of clam harvesting in Lagos, it’s time to get your mouth watering with clam dishes that you simply must try during your visit. Our suggestions include Algarve-style clams (Conquilhas à Algarvia) cooked with garlic and coriander and topped with a dash of lemon juice are a must. Then there’s clam “xerém”, a traditional savoury cornmeal porridge, or even a clam cataplana, cooked in a sauce in a traditional round metal dish and served piping hot to your table. We’d recommend trying clams in all their varieties. To make it all the easier, how about having a private chef come and cook for you in your very own kitchen in LUX MARE, providing you with a tasting platter you won’t be able to get enough of? 

And… How About A Local Goose Neck Barnacle Festival?

Straying slightly from the subject of clams, those interested in all things seafood may well want to visit Vila do Bispo to explore a goose barnacle festival, which will be taking place on the 7th, 8th, and 9th of June this year. Over eight thousand people visited the Festival de Percebes last year, consuming 170 kilograms of seafood, including 1,250 kilograms of goose barnacles. This year, the festival’s 10th edition promises to be even bigger and better, serving seafood aplenty, hosting musical performances, and selling local crafts.  

From the shores of the Algarve to the tables of Lagos and the surrounding areas, shellfish harvesting has left an indelible mark on the region’s culinary identity. Countless options await visitors eager to immerse themselves in the local culture and savour the authentic flavours of Portugal, so now’s the time to dive in!