230 Best Restaurants in Lisbon, Portugal

In a city with so many traditional pastries, a menu dedicated exclusively to French éclairs and macarons certainly didn’t seem to have great appeal. But turns out Lisboetas were looking for just that, and L'éclair is now one of the city’s most popular sweets spots.

The inspiration for this restaurant's food comes from Argentina, so expect a steak-heavy menu that has long made it a favorite among Lisbon’s carnivores. You’ll also find fish dishes borrowed from traditional Portuguese cuisine and a couple of vegetarian options, too.

Ever since the New York Times described it as “devilishly good,” Landeau’s chocolate cake has been reason enough to head to Chiado (or one of their three other Lisbon shops). Here you can buy an entire cake to enjoy at home or sit for a slice with some tea.

For cod dishes prepared with great pride, come to this restaurant that's been specializing in all things bacalhau (salted codfish) since 1976. Expect a few Mozambican dishes alongside excellent renderings of Portuguese favorites.

A slice of Brittany in Lisbon, this French-owned café specializes in buckwheat crepes, or galettes bretonnes, with sweet or savory fillings and cheeky names.

Don't let the name fool you: this sophisticated restaurant serves a menu that is largely Portuguese—there's plenty of codfish, octopus, and grilled Portuguese meats—but also includes Italian appetizers and pastas (and the occasional head-scratcher like chicken samosas).

Locals head to this small pastry shop whenever they crave something sweet. It’s around the corner from the Jardim da Parada, and not far from the Mercado de Campo de Ourique.

Widely considered one of Lisbon's best pizzerias, Lupita is the product of a Brazilian chef turning out Italian-style pies. The dining room is no-frills—guests sit on tiny stools at low tables, and the line is usually down the block—and the pizzas are both simple and playful. There are standard margherita, pepperoni, and the like, but also burrata, carbonara, and shakshuka pies. There's even an unironic pineapple-and-bacon option.

The custard tarts at this tiny shop rival those of the famous shop in Belém for the title of the best pastéis de nata in town. A bell is rung every time a batch emerges warm from the oven. Eat at the counter and watch the tarts being made, or take away a box of half a dozen to enjoy later.

This trendy café and restaurant aims to be exactly what its name implies: a gathering spot for residents and locals in Intendente. The terrace is almost always busy, and laptops are welcome inside, allowing people to work and socialize. It's a rare café that functions well from breakfast and coffee straight through to dinner and cocktails. 

Staunchly traditional amid the flurry of modernization in the surrounding streets, this old-school marisqueira (seafood hall) is the best of several local spots specializing in shellfish. Priced by the kilo, the day's offer varies according to season and what the anglers have hauled in, but expect enormous, perfectly fresh crustaceans year-round.

This typical restaurant opened in 1966, and very little has changed since then; it's a wonderful journey back in time. The menu hits all the Portuguese classics—including fire-grilled steaks, amêijoas à Bulhão Pato (clams steamed in wine and garlic), and a full-on cozido à portuguêsa (stew with all the meats you can think of)—but the main reason to go is the impeccably fresh fish and seafood.

Open since the 1700s, this café under the arches overlooking Praça do Comércio is thought to be the oldest in the city and was a favorite of archetypal Lisbon poet Fernando Pessoa. There's a formal dining space inside, with plenty of well-prepared traditional dishes on offer, but the real appeal is sipping a coffee on the flagstones and watching Lisbon life go by. For a quick bite, copy the locals and order a miniprato (a smaller serving of a main, from just €7.50), either at the counter or seated in the café section.

Before the World Expo in Lisbon in 1998, this place was called Green Apple (in English) and was just another snack bar selling hamburgers. After the Expo, owners Zé Carlos and Dona Laura translated the name and the menu back into Portuguese. Now it's a spacious tavern with lots of light and Portuguese flavors on the plates.

Offering a little respite from the rowdy nightlife of Pink Street, this cute café-bar doubles as a bookstore, and it's not unusual to see live jazz or jam sessions. The bright primary colors and painted ceiling give it the look of a cozy kids' corner, but the coffees and cocktails are strictly for grown-ups.

Shortly after opening, this restaurant was distinguished with the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana certificate of authenticity. The ingredients are imported directly from Naples and used not just in the pizzas but in all the Italian specialties.

The late-night fueling stop of choice for many a hard-partying Lisboeta, A Merendeira's specialty is as simple as it is delicious: pão com chouriço (sausage baked into a bread roll). Grab one to go, or sit down and enjoy it with a bowl of caldo verde (cabbage soup).

This peachy pink all-day café serves breakfast and brunch plates nonstop along with coffee and cocktails. Find plenty of vegetarian and vegan-friendly options in the extensive menu that mixes brunch culture and Portuguese cuisine with a healthy homemade twist.

Perhaps the best place in the city to watch the sunset, the menu here is like at every other kiosk in the city, but there's friendly table service and great people-watching.

A city-smart sister to the celebrated Monte Mar restaurant in Cascais, Monte Mar Lisboa offers the same superior seafood with a more relaxed riverfront ambience. Occupying one of the formerly disused warehouses along a lightly revitalized stretch of the waterfront, Monte Mar has a terrific view of the river, the Ponte 25 de Abril, and the Cristo Rei on the other side, while indoors it's all industrial-chic black and chrome.

This relaxed coastal eatery runs the gamut from great breakfast and brunch options to natural wines. A warm Ukrainian-Russian couple opened this dog-friendly café and bar close to the beach. Choose from a great selection of wine by the glass or bottle and an all-day menu with dishes such as traditional cheese pancakes called syrniki and a confit duck burger.

The self-anointed Beer Museum is a spectacularly colorful temple to the brew; it also hosts a branch of the Casa Portuguesa de Pastel do Bacalhau, a pit stop that is all about the codfish cake—a traditional Portuguese snack that here (to the horror of gastronomic traditionalists) comes with a rich creamy cheese filling. They also serve light lunches and good coffee.

An Italian family opened this small ice-cream shop around the corner from the Parliament building (and just a short walk from the Jardim do Príncipe Real), and it immediately drew locals who don’t mind waiting in line to try the variety of flavors. They're served in a cup or cone, with or without whipped cream on top.

This offshoot of a long-established uptown restaurant is worth seeking out if you yearn for classic Mughlai food. There's a huge range of dishes, with plenty of vegetarian options, all excellent value. Service is friendly and efficient, too!

Neighbourhood was a pioneer in Lisbon's specialty coffee scene when it opened in 2019, and it still offers a wide selection of top-quality caffeinated drinks, including batch brew and V60. There are also snacks like banana bread, and bigger meals like breakfast burritos and Turkish eggs.

A dressy crowd gathers at this ultramodern dimly lit restaurant specializing in Japanese-Peruvian fusion food. At Nikkei you can sample many varieties of ceviche and sashimi, as well as tiraditos (a sashimi-shaped raw fish dish that blends Peruvian and Japanese culinary traditions).

The name means "in the convent" in Portuguese, because this new date-night spot occupies a 17th-century convent tucked away on a side street in Santos. The food combines Portuguese ingredients with French traditions. The low lighting and seductive soundtrack attract the city's creative set, both in pairs and in larger groups celebrating special events.

With two terraces, this very popular café is located in a corner of the Santa Catarina viewpoint, so expect bird’s-eye views over the port and the city. There are well-priced daily specials for light meals and refreshing drinks, but it’s the weekend brunch that attracts most locals. The occasional live DJ mixes a soundtrack of African beats, Brazilian bossa nova, and jazz.

Crustaceans of every shape and size are found at this classic marisqueira, the name given to restaurants that specialize in seafood of all kinds. A recent renovation turned this family-run spot into a glitzy, Art Deco–inspired space where high-quality Portuguese seafood remains the star and loyal locals still attend in droves.