Cape Verdean Food in New Bedford: Cachupa and More

Cape Verdean food in New Bedford is one of the city's best kept secrets, though the community has been part of the city for over a century. People from the islands of Cabo Verde came for the whaling ships and mills, and brought a cuisine of African, Portuguese and Atlantic island ingredients. Cachupa is the national dish, a slow-cooked stew of hominy corn, beans and meat or fish.

Here is what to look for on a menu and how to find a kitchen that cooks it.

What is Cape Verdean food in New Bedford?

It is home cooking: stews, grilled fish, rice and beans, corn, cassava and sweet potato, pastries and strong coffee. The flavors are warm and savory rather than hot, with garlic, bay, onion and a little pepper. Many dishes are cooked slowly and eaten with family.

You will find it in small restaurants, in church halls and at community events. Menus often mix Cape Verdean dishes with American breakfast and lunch, so you can order eggs and a cachupa on the same plate.

What is cachupa New Bedford cooks make?

Cachupa, also spelled katxupa, is a slow-cooked stew of hominy corn, beans and meat or fish, often with sausage, cassava, sweet potato and cabbage. It is the national dish of Cabo Verde, and it is eaten two ways: rich, with meat, and as cachupa refogada, the leftovers fried the next morning with an egg on top.

Some New Bedford kitchens serve a breakfast cachupa on Sundays with a Portuguese roll on the side. Cachupa takes hours to make, so many kitchens serve it on set days. Ask which days.

Where do you find Cape Verdean food in New Bedford?

Look for small breakfast and lunch restaurants and bar-grills that serve Cape Verdean food, often with cachupa and omelets on the menu. Ask residents which counters they trust, since the list of good places is long and always growing.

What else should you order?

Look for grilled fish, especially tuna and mackerel, often served with rice and a tomato-onion sauce. Look for pastel, a fried pastry filled with fish or meat. Look for jagacida, a dish of rice cooked with beans. Look for canja, a chicken and rice soup that is the cure for a cold day.

Pair it with a glass of ponche, a drink based on sugar cane spirit, or with plain coffee. The cuisine has overlaps with Portuguese cooking, including the sausage covered in the linguica guide.

Is there a Cape Verdean bakery?

A Cape Verdean bakery makes bread, pastries and cakes in the island style, including corn-based breads and sweet rolls. Some Portuguese bakeries in the city also sell Cape Verdean items. Ask at the counter. The Portuguese bakery guide covers the shared ground.

What about the New Bedford Cape Verdean festival season?

New Bedford Cape Verdean festival events are held in the summer, with music, dancing, grilled food and flags. Dates change, so check the city and the community organizations in the weeks before you plan. A festival is a good way to taste many dishes in one afternoon.

The existing New Bedford guide covers the Portuguese Feast. Do not confuse the two communities, though they share a history and some dishes.

Ask about the dish, not about the person. A question such as what is in this or how is it usually eaten is welcomed. Say thank you, tip well and, if you like the food, say so.

How do you rate Cape Verdean food when the app has no tag for it?

The cuisine list has no Cape Verdean tag, so say it in your own words. Rate the place, name the dish, such as cachupa, and write a line on the stew. Breakfast and Lunch are tags with badges, and a family-run counter often fits both. Places new to Mosey are added, and we'll check their details. Coffee in Cape Verdean homes is strong and served in small cups, and sweets include doce de papaya and pudim, both worth a note.

How do you eat cachupa for the first time?

Eat it with a spoon and a little patience. Each bowl is different, with some meat and some corn, and the stew thickens as it sits. Add a splash of hot sauce if you like. A fried egg on top is common, and a slice of bread helps mop the bowl.

Do not rush. Cachupa is a meal for a slow afternoon, eaten with a cold drink and company. If you are not sure how much to order, a single bowl is a full lunch.

How do you pass on what you learned?

Eating your way across Massachusetts? The Food in Massachusetts page links every town we cover.

Make a list called New Bedford home cooking and add a line on why each place belongs: the stew, the pastry, the grilled fish. Copy it, change the copy for a friend's visit and send the invite link. Anyone with the link can join as a collaborator, even if they are not on Mosey yet. Get the Mosey app and rate your first cachupa while the taste is fresh. The US guides hub has more.