Savor Lisbon Safely: Navigating Seafood Heaven with a Shellfish Allergy

Lisbon's culinary scene dazzles with fresh seafood, but for travelers with severe shellfish allergies, the city’s prawn-studded rice dishes and clams steamed in white wine can feel like a minefield. With mm food, you can confidently explore Portuguese flavors without risking an allergic reaction. Here’s how.

Why Lisbon Demands Extra Caution

Shellfish is deeply woven into Lisbon’s cuisine. Iconic dishes like ameijoas à Bulhão Pato (clams in garlic broth) and arroz de marisco (seafood rice) dominate menus. Beyond obvious risks, hidden dangers lurk—fish stock in soups, cross-contamination in shared fryers, or shrimp paste in sauces. Language barriers compound the anxiety when communicating "alergia grave a marisco" (severe shellfish allergy) to staff.

mm food: Your Digital Dining Shield

Our app transforms your Lisbon dining experience:

1. Real-Time Menu Translation: Scan any Portuguese menu with your phone. mm food instantly translates ingredients and prep methods into your native language, demystifying terms like camarão (shrimp) or lagosta (lobster).
2. Smart Allergy Filtering: Enter "severe shellfish allergy" in your dietary profile. The AI cross-checks every dish against 50+ allergens, flagging hidden risks (e.g., stocks, sauces, fryer contamination) and suggesting safe alternatives.
3. Custom Alerts: Add specific triggers like "no shared cooking surfaces" or "avoid crustaceans/mollusks." mm food even scans translated descriptions for red-flag phrases.

Pro Tips for Shellfish-Free Dining in Lisbon

• Communicate Clearly: Use mm food to show translated allergy alerts to staff. Arm yourself with key phrases: "Esta comida tem marisco? Perigo de vida! " (Does this contain shellfish? Life-threatening!)
• Seek Safe Havens: Grill houses (churrasqueiras) serving frango piri-piri (grilled chicken) or bifana (pork sandwiches) are low-risk. Vegan restaurants like Ao 26 offer allergen-aware menus.
• Avoid High-Risk Dishes: Steer clear of cataplanas (seafood stews), fried "peixinhos da horta" (battered veggies often fried with seafood), and sauces like vinho de alhos.

With mm food, savor Lisbon safely—from custard tarts (pastéis de nata) to countryside cheeses. Translate, scan, and dine with confidence!