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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 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.
Although the name suggests it’s only open to the press, this restaurant welcomes everyone. The menu features innovative dishes like eggplant drizzled with miso caramel or white fish ceviche topped with spicy popcorn. It has a cozy dining room lined with azulejo tiles, but in the summer everyone heads straight to the pleasant garden and plops down at one of the umbrella-shaded tables.
The 18th-century Quintela Palace—once taken over by one of Napoléon's generals—now welcomes diners to a gastronomic experience in a space like no other in the city. Climb the grand staircase to dine in one of four airy elegant rooms, where you can enjoy Portuguese and international cuisine (and where there are well-priced lunch menus). Or stop for drinks and snacks from 6 pm onwards at the buzzy downstairs bar, where a DJ gets the crowd dancing as the night wears on.
Chef Vitor Matos has managed restaurants all over the country, but this is his first venture in the capital to win a Michelin star. Here he is joined by Francisco Quintas, the young chef who welcomes you at the 14-seat counter facing the kitchen. Every dish is assembled right in front of you with the utmost detail, and the menu changes daily.
Located on Campo de Ourique’s main street, not far from the route of Trams 25 and 28, Amélia Lisboa is a good choice for a light meal. It attracts not only the people of the neighborhood but also Lisbon’s young and trendy, who love the fun decor and the colorful healthy meals (which include power bowls and plenty of gluten-free and vegan options). Although under a different name, this is essentially the second branch of a popular downtown café called Nicolau Lisboa.
It’s always difficult to get a table at this café, as it’s a favorite of young crowds who crave its pancakes and pastries all day. By the entrance is a display of Portuguese and international gourmet products to take home.
The roasted coffee beans come from Copenhagen, as did the inspiration for the minimalist decor. The Coffee Lab has become a favorite, both for the different types on the menu and the welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.
The flagship store of this Portuguese coffee brand faces Avenida da Liberdade and offers more than just its coffee. Come here for a light meal, brunch, or a cocktail in the wood-clad interior or at the tables outside.
After many years in the kitchens of some of the top restaurants in Portugal, French chef Vincent Farges opened his own spot in Lisbon, where he presents creative seasonal tasting menus that since 2022 have earned him a Michelin star. His cuisine is inspired by different parts of the world and is accompanied by Portuguese wine. Try to snag a table by a window: the views of the city and river are almost as divine as the food.
The Moorish-style courtyard of Palacete Ribeiro da Cunha (now the EmbaiXada shopping gallery) was turned into a bar and restaurant. It serves contemporary Portuguese cuisine, as well as lighter snacks such as salads and burgers.
Chef Kiko has several restaurants in Lisbon, each with its own specialty, but this was his first. O Talho means "The Butcher Shop," and this elegant meat-centric restaurant does double-duty as a working butcher shop.
One of the most eye-catching buildings in Alfama also houses one of its best refined hideaways. The tearoom in this lavish palace-turned-hotel is open to the public, and it's a great place for a spot of tea—the real deal, from Gorreana in Portugal's Azores—or a brunch fit for royalty with cheeses, fruits, eggs, cakes, and house-made marmalades.
The passion project of a French theater director, Palacio do Grilo is an immersive theater experience that also happens to serve good food. The restaurant occupies an 18th-century palace in what was then the far outskirts of Lisbon, built as a palace of dreams for a noble family. In its current incarnation, it leans heavily on the surreal for decoration and for entertainment, with dancers and actors creating new works of performance art every evening. The international menu is well executed, though not the main draw.
Head to this spot for light meals and cocktails against a jaw-droppingly beautiful backdrop. The menu is split between sunrise and sunset, though this is one for the late risers, as breakfast only starts at 10 am. Expect your typical eggs Benedict alongside more traditional treats like sardine toast or tempura green beans.
