Nando’s PERi-PERi Secret Menu Guide 2026
Nando’s doesn’t publish an official secret menu, but the real Nando’s secret menu is hiding in plain sight: custom heat levels, DIY sauce blends at the self-serve station, and off-menu staff favorites like grilled mushrooms, Luso beans, and chicken livers. This Nando’s secret menu guide gives you the exact ordering scripts, secret sauce combos, prices, and availability caveats for US restaurants.
Here’s the thing: Nando’s never kept an official hidden menu, but a secret menu culture grew up around the brand anyway. Every order is built around your spice choice, from Plain-ish and Lemon & Herb all the way up to Extra Hot, and the chicken is marinated for 24 hours in African bird’s eye chili PERi-PERi sauce. That customization-first setup is why fans mix sauces at the table, request kitchen tweaks, and order the quiet off-board sides that staff eat themselves. If you want the official starting point first, see the full Nando’s PERi-PERi menu with prices so you know exactly what you’re customizing.
Does Nando’s Have a Secret Menu? Here’s the Truth
No, Nando’s has never published an official secret menu. There is no hidden screen, no code word, no laminated card behind the counter. But the Nando’s secret menu is real in a different sense: off-menu items, sauce blends, and ordering hacks that regulars and staff swear by, and every one of them is orderable if you know the right words.
How to Order Off the Nando’s Secret Menu: Exact Scripts
Forget vague “ask for the secret thing” advice. Here’s exactly what to say.
1. The Staff Favorite: Chicken Livers Mixed With Luso Beans
Say: “Can I get the chicken livers mixed with the Luso beans, please?” Chicken livers simmered in PERi-PERi sauce with a Portuguese roll are already one of the most underrated things on the menu, and Luso beans, butter beans in a rich tomato sauce, are a quiet Portuguese treasure most visitors walk right past. Mixed together, it’s the order staff make for themselves. Heads up: chicken livers aren’t at every location, so if the cashier looks confused, that location probably doesn’t stock them.
2. Loaded PERi Chips: Mushrooms and Cheese
Say: “PERi chips topped with grilled mushrooms and melted cheese.” The grilled mushrooms are a tender, flame-kissed side seasoned with PERi-PERi sauce, and regulars stack them over the signature PERi chips with cheese. It’s Nando’s answer to loaded fries, and it costs less than ordering a whole second dish.
3. The In-Between Heat Level
Say: “Half chicken, halfway between Medium and Hot.” You’re not stuck with the five printed heat levels. The kitchen can baste your chicken at an in-between heat, and staff do this for themselves constantly. Want the flavor of Medium with a little more bite? This is the move.
4. Cheesy Festa Fries With Pulled Chicken
Say: “Cheesy Festa fries with pulled chicken on top.” The Cheesy Festa fries, PERi chips with cheese sauce and grilled onions, already feel like an off-menu creation. Adding pulled chicken, a standard add-on at most US locations, turns it into a legit meal.
The DIY Sauce Lab: Nando’s Secret Sauce Blends
This is the heart of the Nando’s secret menu, and it’s the part you can do yourself at the sauce station. The trick is to grab an empty sauce cup and mix your own blend at your table instead of pouring directly from the shared bottles.
The Golden Blend: Medium + Lemon & Herb
Half Medium PERi-PERi, half Lemon & Herb. It’s the blend staff themselves recommend most often. You get the citrus brightness of Lemon & Herb with the slow-building warmth of Medium, and honestly, it works on everything from the half chicken to the butterfly breast.
The Creamy Kick: Hot + Garlic PERinaise
A squeeze of Hot PERi-PERi sauce stirred into garlic PERinaise. The viral TikTok version went the whole way, ketchup plus wild herb plus hot plus garlic perinaise, and racked up millions of views. The spirit is right even if you keep it simpler: creamy plus fiery is a genuinely great combination.
The Glaze Upgrade: PERi-PERi Drizzle on Burgers
Ask for your burger or wrap built with PERi-PERi drizzle instead of the standard sauce. It clings to the chicken better and the flavor hits harder.
One rule of sauce-station etiquette
Mix your blend in your own cup, not in the shared bottles. It keeps things hygienic for everyone and it’s exactly what the restaurant wants you to do.
Hidden Sides and Off-Menu Favorites Worth Asking For
These aren’t secret codes, they’re real items that fly under the radar. If you’re chasing Nando’s off menu hacks, start here.
| Item | What It Is | Approx. Price |
|---|---|---|
| Grilled Mushrooms | Flame-kissed mushrooms seasoned with PERi-PERi sauce and herbs | ~$4.50 |
| Luso Beans | Butter beans in a rich Portuguese tomato sauce | ~$4.50 |
| Chicken Livers + Roll | PERi-PERi chicken livers served with a Portuguese roll | ~$9.00 |
| Pulled Chicken Add-On | Add to any bowl, salad, or the Cheesy Festa fries | ~$4.50 |
| PERi-naise Cup | Extra cup of the creamy PERi-PERi mayo blend | ~$1.29 |
| PERi-PERi Drizzle | Thicker drizzle for burgers and wraps | ~$2.89 |
| PERi Honey | Sweet-heat drizzle, great on wings | ~$1.89 |
Prices last verified: October 19, 2026. Menu prices and availability vary by location, and off-menu items are always subject to stock and staff discretion. For the official menu, visit nandos.com, the brand’s official site.
Can You Order These at Every Nando’s?
Mostly, yes, but with caveats. The sauce-station blends work anywhere there’s a self-serve sauce bar, which is most US locations, and the in-between heat request is a kitchen thing that’s almost always fine. The riskier asks are the specific items: chicken livers, Luso beans, and grilled mushrooms aren’t stocked everywhere.
Lead with the easy wins. Ask for an in-between heat and grab your own sauce cups, those never fail. For the off-board items, just ask politely and have a backup pick ready. Staff are used to regulars ordering this way.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Nando’s have a secret menu?
No official one. The Nando’s secret menu is an unofficial collection of off-menu hacks: DIY sauce blends at the self-serve station, custom in-between heat levels, and under-the-radar items like grilled mushrooms, Luso beans, and chicken livers.
What is the best Nando’s secret sauce blend?
The most popular blend is half Medium PERi-PERi and half Lemon & Herb, mixed in your own sauce cup. For a creamier option, stir Hot PERi-PERi sauce into garlic PERinaise.
How do you order the Nando’s secret menu items?
Use plain words, no code names. Say things like “half chicken, halfway between Medium and Hot” or “chicken livers mixed with Luso beans.” Kitchen staff understand the requests; code words just confuse everyone.
Are Nando’s secret menu items available at every location?
Not always. Sauce blends and custom heat levels work almost everywhere, but items like chicken livers, Luso beans, and grilled mushrooms aren’t stocked at every US location. Always have a backup order in mind.
