Hello! I'm planning a trip to Lisbon and Porto for late May 2022, and am looking for interesting restaurants/culinary experiences that might be under the radar. We are open to any kind of cuisine, and have no dietary restrictions. Any advice about not-to-be-missed foodie spots would be much appreciated!

Loved these places. Highly recommend A Cevicheria, Taberna da Rua das Flores and Cervejaria Ramiro and lunch at the big Mercado.

We recently spent 7 nights in Lisbon and these are our favorites (some from a previous trip) but not all hidden gems.

In Belém: O Frade, from 2 young, highly creative chefs fro Alentejo, our very best meal of all our trips to Lisbon, sitting at the circular bar watching the prep. Every dish is outstanding and should be shared. Amazing duck rice.

In Aflamalower end: Taberna Moderna plus Prado, near the Cathedral, the gourmet Mesa Marcada blog's best young chef in Portugal, but reasonably priced

Off Avenida da Liberdade: 2 hidden gems on Rua São José (parallel to Liberdade), Taberna Anti Dantas and Sr Lisboa, at #206 and #134 and not frequented by many tourists but loved by locals and very reasonably priced, quaint and charming
Rubro Avenida, a Spain-Portugal hybrid for petiscos/tapas, well priced

Near Santa Apolonia rail station: Taberna Albricoque, cuisine from Alentejo

In Chiado, Taberna Rua das Flores (no reservations, no c.c.), Cantinho de Avillez and Bairro de Avillez

In Príncipe Real: Tapisco, a Spain-Portugal hybrid and A Cevicheria, Peruvian

In Bairro Alto: Insólito, a friendly, funky, quirky restaurant with fantastic views, above the Miradouro de Sao Pedro de Alcântara, with a kind of Alice in Wonderland theme and highly creative dishes, reasonably priced, with the smallest and probably oldest teeny tiny elevator to reach the top. It's attached to the Decadente hostel. A great hidden gem.

In Bairro Alto: Lisboa a Noite, Sinal Vermelho, Bota Alta for classic traditional fare, very popular, and The Old Pharmacy for tasting wines by the glass from all the Portugal D.O.s.

In Estrela/Lapa: Tasca da Esquina

That looks like a great list Maribel. Going to save for hopefully another trip to Lisbon someday…

Great list! Thank you! It’s already in my notes!

Thank you, Maribel and macdogmom! These look amazing!

I also recommend Cerveceria Ramiro for delicious fresh seafood and the Time-Out Market, which I think is the big Mercadao that macdogmom recommends.

From my 2019 Portugal trip report:

Our third memorable meal was a tiny place called the Casa Java on Rua da Sociedade Farmacêutica 58. It specializes in seafood, is inexpensive and is a call to an era gone by. It's near the Marques de Pombal metro station.

I forgot Cervejaria Ramiro, which is one of everyone's favorites in Intendente. It's shellfish only, but what shellfish!
We enjoyed their Amêijoa Bulhão Pato (baby clams), the Gambas a la Aguillo (shrimp in garlic sauce) and the Pão torrado com manteiga, the incredible buttered bread they serve for you to mop up the sauce.
Some diners around us ordered the prego, the beef loin sandwich for dessert, a common thing to order at Ramiro at the end, but we had already had multiple pregos.

I have to say that the Portuguese excel in sandwiches--their pregos and bifanas are 2 of the world's best inventions. Be sure to try them!