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Fernando Vaz has lived many lives, many of them in different countries. A man of the world, he’s traveled across Australia, New Zealand and French Polynesia on a budget of just $10 a day and hitchhiked all the way from Los Angeles to Alaska. But even after visiting more than 100 countries, when it comes to his favorite, he can’t help but be biased. For Vaz, his home country, Portugal, still ranks No. 1.
After an aviation career was put on hold due to the pandemic, Vaz decided to share his love of his country as a tuk-tuk tour guide in Lisbon in 2022. Over the years, Vaz noted an influx of American clientele from all around, including New York, Chicago, Minnesota, and Alabama, eager to learn more about the country. It was a stark difference for Vaz, whose home country was once seemingly unknown.
“When I started traveling 10 years ago, and I would tell [Americans] I'm from Portugal, most of them would ask me, 'Is that in Spain? Is that in South America?' Not only Americans; people generally around the world. Portugal was an unknown destination. The only reason for people to know of Portugal is because of Cristiano Ronaldo.”
And when it came to Portuguese food, the learning gap was even wider.
“Portuguese traditional cuisine is severely underrepresented worldwide, so you don't find it anywhere outside of Portugal or outside of Portuguese communities,” he says, citing a few Portuguese enclaves in Newark and in Mineola, Long Island.
So Vaz had the idea of bringing one of Portugal’s most beloved street snacks to America: the bifana, a traditional sandwich of marinated pork on crusty bread, with a squirt of mustard or piri piri, optional. One glaring issue? Save for a stint at a food kiosk post-college, Vaz was no chef. Luckily, he learned the tricks of the trade from Pedro Cardoso of Lisbon's Solar dos Presuntos, which recently received the title of “Best Restaurant in Europe” from the AURUM Europa - Excelência Enogastronómica Awards earlier this year. But to Vaz, Cardoso has been a long-time friend, as Vaz's family have been regulars at his restaurant for decades (Cardoso also initially gave Vaz the idea for a tuk-tuk business). This time, Vaz approached Cardoso with an idea, betting it all on bifanas. Working together to R&D the perfect recipe, Vaz also worked the line at the restaurant, all in prep to introduce the sandwich to another stellar city: New York.
"I thought nothing could be more exciting than bringing Portuguese traditional cuisine to the most dynamic and vibrant city in the world," says Vaz about New York.
Soon after arriving in 2025, Vaz started hosting pop-ups for his restaurant, Mr. Bifana, first at Tradesman Bar in East Williamsburg, then at Chinatown’s Time Again Bar, and eventually gaining a permanent home at the East Village’s Ten Degrees Bar. But his timing in New York all laddered up to a larger goal in mind: getting a foot in the door for the World Cup. Quite the planner, Vaz tapped the Portuguese Football Federation about his concept, which keyed them in on a certain partnership with our very own Time Out Market. Just in time for the tournament, Vaz was selling the classic sandwich on the roof as part of Portugal House, even serving a few legends of the sport, including Portugal's former players, Beto, Jorge Andrade, Bruno Alves.
And now, Mr. Bifana is coming to the market for good, bringing the classic sandwich to the roof on September 1. So what does Vaz’s version of the sandwich look like? It starts with papo seco, a Portuguese-style roll that Vaz strictly sources from a Newark bakery that’s crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. As for the meat, Vaz slow-roasts Iberian pork in a bath of olive oil, wine, garlic, and colorau, a sweet paprika, until it's nice and tender. Before serving each sandwich, Vaz dips it in the orange-y jus for even more flavor. For Vaz, Mr. Bifana is less about reinventing the sandwich and more about honoring the tradition behind Portugal's ultimate comfort food.
"[The bifana] is a great representation of Portuguese traditional flavors. When you eat the bifana, you really feel the Portuguese flavors in it—the olive oil, the garlic, the wines, the bread," he says.
Building on the bifana, the restaurant will also feature a selection of Portuguese cheeses, fish cakes, and canned seafood such as cod, squid, and sardines. Noticing a lack of coffee and sweets on the roof, Vaz will also stock the kitchen with Portuguese espressos alongside another one of Portugal’s famous treats: the pasteis de nata. In this way, Vaz has continued to share his country with the world at large.
“It's the right time to bring Portugal to New York,” he says.