50 Best Restaurants in Portugal

Regularly ranked among the world’s best restaurants and holding two Michelin stars since 2014, Belcanto, the flagship of celebrity chef José Avillez, helped propel modern Portuguese cuisine onto the global stage. The Golden Egg—a slow-cooked yolk wrapped in edible gold leaf and served in mushroom consommé—enjoys star status among the inventive dishes on the ever-evolving tasting menus. The dining room’s high windows and vaulted ceilings set a refined tone, matched by the attentive staff. Vegetarians are better served at Encanto, Avillez’s nearby plant-based restaurant, which earned a Michelin star within its first year and a Green Star in 2025.

The Yeatman’s two-Michelin-starred restaurant offers exceptional dinner-only seasonal tasting menus, showcasing the remarkable skills of Chef Ricardo Costa. The experience begins with inventive drinks and amuse-bouches served in a relaxed lounge before guests move to the formal dining room. Dining here requires advance reservations and deep pockets, but you don’t need to be a hotel guest to enjoy this fine-dining experience.

In an elegant dining room overlooking Praia da Rocha, this restaurant is known for its beautifully presented dishes crafted by a chef who meticulously seeks out only the best local ingredients. Chef João Oliveira worked at some of Portugal's top award-winning restaurants, and here he puts his own stamp on refined Algarvian cuisine. The interior is elegant and sophisticated, with enormous glass windows that allow sunlight to stream in.

A native of Bosnia, Ljubomir Stanisic made his name in Portugal as a young chef full of flair, fronting TV shows, writing books, and, above all, experimenting with food (and wine). When he reopened this industrial-chic foodie haven in Bairro Alto, it made the 50 Best Discovery list within months, and in 2024 it secured a Michelin star. Here, the chef's personal and professional journey from one end of Europe to the other (literally, as it included a spell in the Azores) are reflected in tasting menus (from €140, drink pairing from €70), one of them vegetarian, that alternately coddle and amaze diners, showcasing both tradition and innovation. Prepare to get your hands dirty, tearing and dunking Bosnian bread from the chef's mother in potent sauces, or picking up a salad served in an unusual compact form. Ingredients from Portugal include both fine seafood and insect larvae, and full use is made of fermentation for added flavor. Even drink pairings bend the rules: white wine can follow red, and fortified cider may feature. Stanisic also runs Bistro 100 Maneiras and is an active partner in the newer "Mexican gastrobar" Carnal (€13, no lunch)—both in the Chiado neighborhood.

When arkhe opened in 2019, it was one of the first fine-dining vegetarian restaurants in town. With Brazilian and Portuguese roots, Chef João Ricardo Alves has classic Italian and French training, but it was when he lived in Asia that he got a taste for plant-based cuisine. This multicultural background has undoubtedly infiltrated the menu, with dishes featuring the likes of dashi sauce and homemade ravioli. Guests can pick and choose from three to five options or give carte blanche to the chef.

Expect the unexpected at this Michelin-starred spot that puts a playful spin on fine dining. Award-winning chef Vítor Matos and rising talent Rita Magro (named Young Chef of the Year in 2024 before earning a star, with Matos) have created tasting menus of 10 or 12 courses (wine pairing menu extra but highly recommended if the budget will stretch) inspired by the novel Blindness, by Nobel-winning Portuguese author José Saramago. Expect stunning presentation and dishes that constantly surprise, playing with your sense of taste and even your memory skills. And yes, you’ll be blindfolded for at least one of them.

Portugal's most celebrated contemporary chef, José Avillez, brings his signature flair to Porto with Cantinho do Avillez, a homey yet modern dining room just downhill from São Bento train station. While he's unlikely to be in the kitchen—his food empire spans more than 30 restaurants globally—he designed the menu, and quality remains excellent. Expect moments of inventive gastronomy such as his signature "exploding olives", alongside polished versions of local comfort food like steak sandwiches with garlic sauce and fleur de sel, or creamy lobster rice.

From fixed-price lunches to delicious cakes and vegan pastries, everything is prepared with love and served with a smile at this welcoming little cafe in the heart of Coimbra's historic center. There are plenty of tables in the cozy interior, but the tables and chairs set out on the flagstones outside are the best bet in the summer months. Prices are extremely reasonable given the prime location. 

The name of the Michelin-starred restaurant at the Four Seasons Hotel Ritz comes from the Portuguese word curadoria (curatorship), a nod to the thoughtful, detail-driven approach of head chef Rodolfo Lavrador. The restaurant offers two versions of its signature tasting menu, Origens—choose from 5 or 10 “moments,” each a beautifully composed dish built around seasonal ingredients. Vegetarian versions are also available, with optional wine or soft pairings.

At the restaurant in the chic AlmaLusa boutique hotel, guests and nonguests can enjoy small plates such as peixinhos da horta (crispy tempura green beans, served with ginger-and-lemon tartare) or mains such as a magnificently creamy house bacalhau (salted codfish). The cut-price à la carte lunch menu draws locals, but dinner is a good value, too. As well as homemade iced tea and juices, there is a representative selection of Portuguese wines; if you're too full for dessert, consider ordering a Moscatel Roxo—a fine sweet tipple from Setúbal, south of the capital.

Amidst astounding floor-to-ceiling views of Funchal, Executive Chef Octávio Freitas creates beautifully presented, locally sourced dishes at this Michelin-starred eatery on the top floor of The Views Baía hotel. Choose from 6- or 9-course tasting menus, or a 12-course surprise menu served only to eight diners a night at the chef’s table, all featuring local ingredients like black scabbard fish roe, limpets, and cured tuna combined with innovative items such as mushroom gel or smoked seawood broth. Leave room for the creative takes on traditional desserts like Azorean pineapple and Madeira molasses cake.

Nationally renowned chef Rui Paula, a native of Porto, brings his culinary wizardry to tasting menus of 6, 10, or 14 courses dishes that make creative use of fish and seafood. The dining room is bright and welcoming, providing a relaxed setting for dishes that are always works of art. The wine list is extensive, and a bright cocktail bar.

Expect culinary precision at this Michelin-starred restaurant headed by André Cruz, who honed his craft in Portugal and South America. There’s no à la carte menu; instead, diners choose from traditional or vegetarian Semente tasting menus offered in two formats—Roots (which lets the ingredients take center stage), and the more elaborate Leaf.

Seated on the 16th floor of the Savoy Palace, in a cozy room with painted ceilings, you’ll feel like you’re dining under the stars—and the food will truly transport you to another world. Chef Carlos Gonçalves serves up innovative five- to seven-course tasting menus (à la carte is also available) using local ingredients but with a twist—think traditional cozido panelo (vegetables and sausage) transformed into tasty tacos and creamy rice with nori seaweed and lemon puree.

Not far from the town's main train station, this restaurant's location on one of Sintra's major thoroughfares means that it is always busy. The dining room is elegantly lighted with crisp linens on the tables, but the favorite seats are on the street. While the à la carte options are reasonably priced, the lunch deal with a drink is the best value during the week.

Vegans in the know head to this little place off Rua Garrett, which has a well-priced varied buffet of salads, hot entrées, sides, and sauces for both lunch and dinner. Desserts and drinks—which include some great fresh juices as well as craft beers—are extra.

Japan meets the Mediterranean at this Michelin-starred restaurant behind the Four Seasons Hotel. Despite the title, the food is relatively affordable, more so at lunchtime when business folks take over the tables on the top floor. The cocktails at the bar also come with an Asian twist, like the Bloody Mary with teriyaki and wasabi-butter-infused vodka.

This venerable gourmet haven in the luxury Casa da Calçada hotel re-opened in early 2025 under Francisco Quintas, Portugal's youngest chef to win a Michelin star. Quintas lets his imagination run riot, wowing diners with playful combinations of flavors---smoky, spicy, acid, or sweet---and textures that range from creams to powders. There are two tasting menus, one with 13 moments (€140, plus €70 for Portuguese wine pairing or €95 for foreign wines) and one with 15 (€160; from €90 for wine), inspired by the chef's experiences at top restaurants in France and elsewhere, and featuring local ingredients such as trout, eel, and truffles, plus delicacies from abroad. The staff can offer expert help in choosing wine from a vast list that includes vinho verde made from grapes in the hotel grounds.

This slick Michelin-starred restaurant offers 16-course tasting menus created by chef Alexandre Silva, who adapts them frequently so he can take advantage of the freshest seasonal ingredients. Occasionally, he invites other top chefs from Lisbon and beyond to create special one-night-only menus in the dramatic open kitchen.

Marlene Vieira made history in 2025 as the first female chef in Portugal to earn a Michelin star, and the open kitchen at her eponymous fine-dining restaurant showcases the skills that wowed the judges. Choose from refined 9 and 12-course tasting menus that spotlight fresh seafood (the menu can be adapted for vegetarians, but not vegans, with 48 hours' notice), seasonal produce, and bold, inventive flavors. Next door, Zunzum Gastrobar offers a more informal  opportunity to sample Vieira's culinary creations. It earned a Bib Gourmand for its creative small plates and excellent price-to-quality ratio.

The sophisticated Nikkei-style tasting menus, which mix South American and Japanese style with Azorean ingredients, combined with knowledgeable servers and a welcoming atmosphere (think minimalist wood tables and an open kitchen) add up to one of the finest dining experiences in Ponta Delgada at this always-packed restaurant. Chef José Pereira, who worked for many years in Geneva before heading home to the Azores, uses as many local ingredients as possible in his artfully presented dishes such as crispy nigiri with tuna tartare and Azorean whitefish sashimi with miso and yuzu; his wife Anne Teixeira prepares the decadent tropical desserts.

A world away from the hustle and bustle of downtown Porto, Pedro Lemos's Michelin-starred namesake restaurant occupies a cozy dining room in a stone farmhouse on a scenic riverbank in Foz do Douro. Racking up award after award, his powers are in full force here with decadent, expertly prepared dishes that center around the best the region has to offer, available in six- or eight-course tasting menus.

Inspired by the works of famed Portuguese writer Eça de Queiroz (it's set inside the elegant MS Collection Hotel, in a building that was once the writer's family home), Prosa serves tasting menus and a-la-carte dishes designed to tell a story with every dish. The menu is signed by Michelin-lauded chef Rui Paula and makes excellent use of locally sourced ingredients to create contemporary versions of classic Portuguese dishes like caldeirada (fish stew) and cured black pork. The buckwheat, chocolate, and black garlic tart is a stand-out on the short-but-sweet dessert menu.

The plant-based dishes at vegetarian restaurant Seiva are as elegant as they are delicious and sustainably sourced. Chef David Jesus has worked at some of Portugal's best restaurants, and is known for creating impeccable, meat-free dishes inspired from destinations around the world. A focus on seasonal ingredients means dishes change frequently, but expect everything from Indian pani puri (spicy filed chickpea patties) to a seafood-free Spanish paella. The desserts, which make good use of Portugal's abundant fresh fruit, are another strong suit.

Chef Marlene Vieira is one of the few female chefs at the forefront of Lisbon’s fine dining scene. At Zunzum she has a more relaxed approach, but still with cutting-edge dishes like Portuguese stew gyozas or cockle fritters in bulhão pato, a garlicky white wine and coriander sauce.

Henrique Sá Pessoa is one of Portugal’s leading chefs, known for blending Portuguese tradition with global influences and ultra-modern culinary techniques. At his elegant flagship, Alma—one of the few restaurants in Portugal with two Michelin stars—he showcases precision, creativity, and top-quality produce.

Offering a vegan alternative to Sesimbra's many fish and seafood restaurants, Aloha Café serves delicious plant-based breakfasts, brunches, and light meals. Expect an abundance of fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables alongside vegan versions of classic desserts like cheesecake and pudim (a sweet flan usually made with egg). More substantial dishes include a different set meal every day, and a delicious vegan burger made with portobello mushrooms and smoked tofu. The cozy interior is pure rustic-chic, but on sunny days you'll want to take a seat on the terrace to enjoy the unobstructed ocean views.

In a handsome manor house, this double Michelin-starred restaurant has a dining room set beneath graceful arches and a garden terrace with gorgeous views of the river. Executive chef Vitor Matos uses seasonal ingredients with great flair and imagination on his ever-changing tasting menus. There are two tasting menus daily, one featuring meat and seafood, the other vegetarian.

Set inside a former salt warehouse, this fashionable restaurant with bare brick walls and a few outdoor tables serves immaculately presented contemporary renderings of Madeiran and Portuguese dishes like black scabbard fish with lime risotto and vegetables from the garden. À la carte lunch and dinner menus are a good deal.

This vegetarian and vegan café has a wide-ranging menu that includes snacks and sharing plates, as well as a hot and cold meze-style buffet. Smoothies, juices, teas, coffee, sangria, and beers are available.