Bolo do caco: how to put it on the menu
Bolo do caco is Madeira’s bread: a round flatbread of wheat flour and sweet potato, cooked on a slab of basalt or iron — the “caco”. It is served warm, split open, with garlic butter and parsley.
Updated October 2026
How it reads on the menu, in each language
| Language | Name | Line for the guest |
|---|---|---|
| Portuguese | Bolo do caco | Pão achatado madeirense de farinha de trigo e batata-doce, cozido na pedra; servido quente com manteiga de alho. |
| English | Bolo do caco | Madeiran flatbread made with wheat flour and sweet potato, cooked on a hot stone. Served warm with garlic butter. |
| Spanish | Bolo do caco | Pan plano madeirense de harina de trigo y boniato, cocido sobre piedra. Se sirve caliente con mantequilla de ajo. |
| French | Bolo do caco | Pain plat madérien à la farine de blé et à la patate douce, cuit sur une pierre chaude. Servi chaud avec du beurre à l’ail. |
Usual allergens to check
- Gluten
- Milk
A guide based on the traditional recipe. Only your recipe and your suppliers tell you what the dish contains. How to list allergens
What Bolo do caco is
It is eaten as a starter, alongside espetada or filled, as in the prego in bolo do caco.
How to write it for visitors
In English, “flatbread” explains the shape and “garlic butter” the flavour. If you serve it filled, list each filling as its own dish.
Where and when it is eaten
In Madeira, Funchal and across the island, in restaurants, pastry shops and street kiosks; now also on the mainland.
Frequently asked questions
Which allergens does bolo do caco contain?
Gluten (wheat flour) and milk (the garlic butter). Some recipes use egg; check yours.
Is bolo do caco a cake?
No, it is a bread. “Bolo” here means a round loaf.