Dorada and Pompano are different fish, but they're close enough in the kitchen to stand in for one another.
Sparidae
Gilthead sea bream is recognizable by its golden spot between its eyes. It has firm white flesh with a sweet, delicate flavor and is farmed extensively across the Mediterranean. In Spain it is called dorada, in France daurade royale, in Portugal dourada. It is typically cooked whole — baked in salt, grilled over charcoal, or roasted with vegetables — and is a fixture of Mediterranean restaurant menus.
Full guide →Carangidae
Florida pompano is one of the most prized pan fish in American coastal cuisine, with buttery, rich white flesh and very few bones. It commands premium prices at Gulf Coast and Florida Keys fish markets. In New Orleans, pompano en papillote — cooked in a sealed paper bag with a cream sauce — is a classic Creole dish. The same name, pámpano, is used across Latin America and the Caribbean. It is typically pan-fried or grilled whole, and its compact size makes it ideal for single-portion cooking.
Full guide →Both are small, prized whole-cooking fish with rich, sweet white flesh — pompano has a richer, butterier flavor, sea bream is more delicate and Mediterranean in character.
| Country | Dorada | Pompano |
|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸United States | Sea bream | Pompano |
| 🇬🇧United Kingdom | Sea bream | Pompano |
| 🇫🇷France | Daurade | Pompano |
| 🇪🇸Spain | Dorada | Pámpano |
| 🇦🇷Argentina | Dorada | Pámpano |
| 🇲🇽Mexico | Dorada | Pámpano |
| 🇵🇹Portugal | Dourada | Pampo |
| 🇧🇷Brazil | Dourada | Pampo |
| 🇮🇹Italy | Orata | Leccia stella |
| 🇩🇪Germany | Dorade royale | Pompano |
Browse every species in the atlas on the fish index, or identify one from a photo with Identify my cut.