Lisbon, one of the world’s oldest cities, has a grand and turbulent past. Due to its position on the Atlantic Ocean, the Portuguese capital has been an important international trading post for centuries, flooded by a wide range of cultural influences and culinary tastes. The Romans, Arabs and Phoenicians all left their mark here, particularly with that lasting and classic trilogy: bread, wine and oil. The trade route opened by explorer Vasco da Gama in the 15th century also brought in spices and herbs little seen elsewhere in Europe at the time, and spices such as saffron, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg are still integral to Lisboetas’ kitchens today.

Once the hub of a trading empire that connected Macau in the east to Rio de Janeiro in the west, Lisbon today can at times feel like a sleepy town of nostalgic storefronts and scenic churches. But that’s only its façade. Take a closer look and you’ll discover a city that still maintains deep-rooted links around the world – just consider the local obsession with African piri piri sauce. But there’s an even stronger tie to Portugal’s past in Lisbon, one that can be found in the form of the city’s communities from the former colonies. Though integral elements of Lisbon life, these communities can sometimes be an invisible presence in their adopted land, pushed out to the periphery of the city.

Lisbon’s communities from Portugal’s former colonies provide the strongest link to the country’s past, when it was the hub of a trading empire that connected Macau in the east to Rio de Janeiro in the west. Though integral elements of Lisbon life, these communities can sometimes be an invisible presence in their adopted land, pushed out to the periphery of the city. With our “Postcolonial Lisbon” series, CB hopes to bring these communities back into the center, looking at their cuisine, history and cultural life. In this third installment of the series, we look at Lisbon’s Mozambican community.