The Bread Museum in Seia hosted the second edition of the national competition “The Best Bread of Portugal” this Saturday, May 30th. This initiative was promoted by ACIP – the Association of Commerce and Industry of Breadmaking, Pastry and Similar Products – in partnership with the Bread Museum.

A total of 151 loaves of bread were submitted to the competition, distributed across five categories: Wheat, Seeds, Rye, Cornbread, and Innovation, reflecting the diversity, creativity, and quality of Brazilian breadmaking from north to south of the country.

The breads were evaluated in a blind tasting by a jury of 26 industry experts, chaired by Michael Fonseca, head baker of the Bread Museum, who analyzed criteria such as flavor, aroma, texture, visual appearance, and overall quality of the products presented.

The winners of the 2026 edition are:

Wheat Category
1st Place – Padaria Tradicional de Rio Torto, Gouveia
2nd Place – Padaria Getim 2, Espinho
3rd Place – Pastelaria Vida Nova, Ourém 

Seeds Category
1st Place – Crust Bakery, Cascais
2nd Place – Padaria Fariña, Leça do Balio
3rd Place – Padaria Pão de Gimonde, Bragança

Rye Category
1st Place – Padaria Getim 2, Espinho
2nd Place – Padaria Dias, Covilhã
3rd Place – Padaria Pitões, Montalegre

Cornbread Category
1st Place – Pastelaria e Padaria Brisanorte, Leiria
2nd Place – Padaria Braspordoce, Tábua
3rd Place – Pastelaria e Padaria Dairas, Vale de Cambra

Innovation Category
1st Place – Padaria Dias, Covilhã
2nd Place – Padaria Rústica Bakery & Brunch, Viseu
3rd Place – Padaria Getim 2, Espinho

More than a competition, the contest aims to value the expertise of Portuguese bakers and highlight the diversity of national breadmaking, giving visibility to recipes, techniques, and products that transcend generations and continue to evolve.

According to Michael Fonseca, “Bread is one of humanity’s oldest foods, but it continues to reinvent itself every day in the hands of Portuguese bakers. This contest is an opportunity to recognize the work, knowledge, and dedication of professionals who keep alive a millennial tradition while projecting it into the future. The 151 breads presented in this edition demonstrate the extraordinary quality of national breadmaking and the innovative capacity of a sector that deserves to be increasingly valued.”

Held at the Bread Museum in Seia, in the Serra da Estrela mountain range, the largest museum dedicated to bread in the world, the contest is a platform for recognizing the excellence of Portuguese breadmaking, bringing together professionals from all over the country around a product that continues to occupy a central place in the culture, economy, and diet of the Portuguese people.