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Lisbon's dining scene has evolved dramatically in recent years to include any number of high-end dining opportunities, but amid the international fare, Michelin-starred restaurants, and molecular gastronomy, the city's simplest and most traditional restaurants still do a roaring trade. Meals generally include three courses, a dr
Lisbon's dining scene has evolved dramatically in recent years to include any number of high-end dining opportunities, but amid the international fare, Michelin-starred restaurants, and molecular gastronomy, the city's simplest and most traditional restaurants still do
Lisbon's dining scene has evolved dramatically in recent years to include any number of high-end dining opportunities, b
Lisbon's dining scene has evolved dramatically in recent years to include any number of high-end dining opportunities, but amid the international fare, Michelin-starred restaurants, and molecular gastronomy, the city's simplest and most traditional restaurants still do a roaring trade. Meals generally include three courses, a drink, and coffee. Many restaurants have an ementa turistica (tourist menu), a set-price meal, most often served at lunchtime. Note that you'll be charged a couple of euros if you eat any of the couvert items—typically appetizers such as bread and butter, olives, and the like—that are brought to your table without being ordered.
Lisbon's restaurants usually serve lunch from noon or 12:30 until 3 and dinner from 7:30 until 11; many establishments are closed Sunday or Monday. Inexpensive restaurants typically don't accept reservations. In the traditional cervejarias (beer-hall restaurants), which frequently have huge dining rooms, you'll probably have to wait for a table, but usually not more than 10 minutes. In the Bairro Alto, many of the reasonably priced tascas (taverns) are on the small side: if you can't grab a table, you're probably better off moving on to the next place. Throughout Lisbon, dress for meals is usually casual, but exceptions are noted below.
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Chiado and Bairro Alto
Avenida da Liberdade, Príncipe Real, and Restauradores
Dating from 1905, Lisbon’s most famous café maintains its dazzling art deco interior, though you'll probably prefer to take a quick peek and then settle in at one of the handful of tables outside to watch the lively street scenes unfold. The coffee no longer comes exclusively from the former colony that gave the place its name, but it still serves some of the best in town, alongside tasty cakes, pastries, and artfully-presented fish and seafood dishes.
Rua Garrett 120--122, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1200-445, Portugal
When you eat at this restaurant—situated in the luxurious Palácio do Governador and named for the Roman amphorae uncovered beneath the site—you'll feel as if you're dining in the vaulted halls of a castle. There's nothing old-fashioned about the food though: Chef Vera Silva has created a spectacular menu of dishes that combine traditional ingredients with modern techniques.
This is a retro-chic spot for tea and cakes or cocktails and petiscos (small plates). The kitsch collectibles and bottle-filled cabinets make the space feel like being at someone's grandparents' house, and the board games and comic books add to the wholesome charm. Take a seat on the terrace in summer, or cozy up in the comfy interior when it's chilly outside.
Rua Cândido dos Reis 129, Cacilhas, Setúbal, 2800-600, Portugal
Although the name suggests it's only open to members of the press, the Brazilian-owned Journalists' Club is an excellent restaurant open to everyone. It has a cozy dining room lined with azulejo tiles, but in the summer everyone usually heads straight to the pleasant garden and plops down at one of the umbrella-shaded tables.
Rua das Trinas 129, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1200-857, Portugal
Tropical blues, greens, and yellows make this dining room a standout, as does the lively soundtrack coming from the speakers and the excellent dishes from northeast Brazil. Enjoy a classic feijoada (rich black bean and meat stew), sip a potent caipirinha, and finish your meal with a passionfruit mousse or fresh tropical fruit.
Calçada Engenheiro Miguel Pais 39, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1200-172, Portugal
The name for the upscale restaurant at Lisbon’s Four Seasons Hotel Ritz comes from the Portuguese word curadoria (curatorship), and head chef Pedro Pena Bastos does indeed apply a curator's attention to detail in choosing the ingredients for his three tasting menus. Whether you pick the Meia Cura (eight courses), Origins (12 courses) or the vegetarian Raízes menu (eight courses), expect beautifully presented small dishes that turn super-fresh seasonal ingredients into edible works of art. There are a-la-carte options Tuesday through Thursday, but the tasting menus are where the magic really lies. The restaurant has earned a Michelin star, as well as glowing reviews in Portuguese press.
R. Rodrigo da Fonseca 88, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1070-051, Portugal
A long-time foodie favorite with a cool, contemporary design, this restaurant has undergone many changes over the decades but continues to impress with its food, drink, and attentive service. Alongside the fish and meat dishes that dominate the menu, there are sophisticated petiscos (appetizers) available from 3 pm. Diners can choose to eat in the handsome dining room or outside on the pretty, tiled terrace.
Travessa das Amoreiras 1, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1250-231, Portugal
The terrace at the chic Memmo Alfama Hotel has some of the neighborhood's best views, with tables and chairs arranged around a small infinity pool overlooking the city and the river. The menu centers around tapas-style small plates—the selection of Portuguese cheeses and meats, served with a basket of fresh-baked bread, is a good place to start.
Travessa das Merceeiras 27, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1100-348, Portugal
This bakery specializes in pastéis de nata: delicious, warm custard pastries sprinkled with cinnamon and powdered sugar. Although these sweet treats are ubiquitous in Portugal, the version here (made from a secret recipe since 1837) is the most celebrated. They're so good that lines snake out of the door of this traditional blue-and-white-tiled establishment.
Rua de Belém 84–92, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1300-085, Portugal
Although it’s quite spacious and comfortable inside, most people choose to sit at one of the many tables outside facing Restauradores Square. Waiters rush from table to table, mostly serving super fresh seafood and grilled fish and meats.
Praça dos Restauradores 79-80, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1250-188, Portugal
You don't need to be a guest at snazzy Chiado hotel The Ivens in order to snag at table at its most glamorous restaurant, but you will need to book in advance: these are some of the most coveted seats in town. Perch yourself on one of the high seats for communal dining and watch the talented mixologists create the perfect cocktail to accompany light sharing dishes like tuna tartare with wasabi pearls and avocado. Negroni lovers are in for a treat: there's an entire menu dedicated to the drink, and the Negroni de Cacau is dangerously delicious.
In this traditional restaurant, one of the oldest in Lisbon, the courteous staff serve up Portuguese classics and pair them with one of the 600 choices on the wine list. In the charmingly old-fashioned dining room, bottles are on display like works of art.
Travessa da Queimada 22, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1200-143, Portugal
Take a seat beneath twisting grape vines for drinks and snacks at one of the most inviting terraces in Alfama. The menu is strong on fresh ingredients and healthier versions of fast-food favorites, prepared with care. There are vegetarian and gluten-free versions of many of the most popular items on the menu, including hemp fried chicken (the veggie version is made with cauliflower) and a signature Big Antù burger.
Beco de São Miguel, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1100-538, Portugal
What you see is what you get at Ribadouro, one of Lisbon's best-known seafood spots: take your pick of the lobster, mantis shrimp, tiger shrimp, whelks, oysters, and clams on display and the staff will create a seafood platter to your specifications. You can dine inside, or at tree-shaded tables and chairs set out at a kiosk on the Avenida, opposite the main restaurant.
Av. da Liberdade 155, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1245-896, Portugal
For some of the best ice cream and sorbets in town, drop into this branch of a family-run chain founded in 1949. New flavors are introduced regularly, but all stick to the tradition of using only fresh fruits and all-natural ingredients.
Rua do Carmo 88, Lisbon, Lisbon, 1200-093, Portugal
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