216 Best Restaurants in Portugal

There are plenty of beach bars and restaurants on the esplanade between Cascais and Estoril, but this one at Monte Estoril, a 10-minute walk from either town, is the pick of the bunch. Right by a small sandy beach called Praia das Moitas, the vibe is peaceful and there's a broad menu ranging from snacks, hamburgers, toasted sandwiches, and salads to seafood and fish.

The date on the sidewalk out front reads 1922, which was when the Sousa family opened this attractive little restaurant next to the old arched bridge. Carrying on the family tradition, the kitchen turns out great quantities of hearty regional fare. Try the fritada de gambas (fried prawns), filetes de pescada (hake fillets in batter), cabrito assado (roast kid), or arroz de polvo (octopus rice stew). For dessert, there's the local specialty, fatia de Tomar, made in-house with only egg yolks, sugar, and water.

Coffee addicts and chocolate lovers stop at this small store across from the Jardim do Príncipe Real, drawn by the scent of the beans that arrive straight from a family plantation in the former Portuguese colony of São Tomé and Príncipe in Africa.

With its stone walls, vintage furniture, and broken-in leather chairs and couches, this restaurant feels like someone's living room. The menu hopscotches around Europe, with Spanish-style padrón peppers, Italian-inflected pasta dishes, salads, and Portuguese classics.

In an alley between Praça dos Restauradores and Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, this eatery known locally as Rei dos Frangos (King of Chickens) specializes in spit-roasted chicken served with a house-made piri-piri sauce that many locals swear is the best in the city. One chicken easily serves two hungry diners, leaving room for the famously crispy fries.

Hugely popular with the cool crowd, Brites has almost single handedly established artisan bread on the Porto foodie scene. With its slow fermentation processes, and no expense spared on key ingredients such as butter, the artisan padaria could tempt even the most dedicated of carb-avoiders with its loaves, cakes, and buttery croissants. There's a takeaway counter and now an adjoining sit-down spot.

There are several refreshment stands and snack bars along the Rossio, but for more substantial fare try this casual eatery. From this popular 60-year-old Art Deco–style café and its first-floor restaurant, you can watch the goings-on in the square. Inexpensive accommodation can be found upstairs.

Opposite the fountain on Praça do Giraldo, Café Arcada is a local institution open since the 1940s. The large hall now features a newspaper stand, a bakery, a wine shop, and a restaurant. Tables on the square are just the place from which to watch the city on parade. Try the queijadas (cakes made with fresh cheese).

This popular spot on Avenida 25 de Abril, right by the monastery and main square, has outdoor seating that's ideal for people watching over cakes and coffee or a glass of local wine. It's a popular evening meeting place for locals, so be prepared to practice your Portuguese if you want the inside track on what to see and do in the area. Should hunger strike, you'll find hearty francesinhas and local veal steaks on the menu until the small hours.

Mismatched chairs, old plates used as wall art, and a simple menu of quality coffees and small meals are the order of the day at this neighborhood café. The menu includes healthy and vegan options.

The food at the café at the Teatro Taborda is nothing unusual—standard sandwiches, salads, and the like—but they have lovely views of the city. It sometimes hosts jazz concerts, poetry sessions, and recitals.

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.

Situated on one of Mouraria's prettiest squares, Café O Corvo is a great place to recharge after a day of wandering the area's hilly streets. There are outdoor tables under shady trees, friendly staff, and a menu that includes brunch, burgers, sandwiches, and snacks.

In business since 1858, this local landmark serves a wide variety of light dishes and pastries, and has lovely views of the fountain in the square outside. The dining room is refined and elegant, but the tables outside are most in demand.

This laid-back, friendly spot in the São Bento district, just outside the Barrio Alto, is a local reference point for Goan cuisine. Vindaloo dishes are among the stars, and vegetarians have plenty of options alongside the meat and seafood dishes.

Portugal's first vegan pastéis de nata (custard tarts) are available at this long-established coffee merchant, with its vintage facade and wood-and-glass interior. Nonvegans, too, will love these egg- and dairy-free treats.

In an eye-catching blue-and-white building that also houses the tourist information center and a small museum, the Casa da Baía serves cakes and pastries from around the region. You place your order at a small deli (well stocked with Moscatel and Península de Setúbal wines) and then take a seat in the dining room or head out to a vast terrace complete with comfy deck chairs.

"House of the Endless Sea" serves deliciously fresh seafood, burgers, and light meals accompanied by excellent craft beers and an amiable clientele. The informal restaurant is popular with local trail runners and cyclists, who stop here to refuel after a hard day's endorphin-boosting exercise.

In this restaurant a couple of minutes' walk from the medieval bridge, regional dishes such as bacalhau, roasted kid, or arroz de sarrabulho (a spicy stew made with rice and pig's blood) are served up in a cozy, stone-walled dining room. The lunchtime dishes of the day are an incredible value, and delicious. For dessert, the chocolate mousse is one of the best around.

In business for nearly a century, "The House of the Little Birds" is a favorite for neighborhood locals and nearby office workers. Come for the house specialties, which include the famous naco na pedra (steak cooked on a hot stone), vitela barrosã (tender veal), and açorda de gambas (shrimp and bread stew).

Casa Santiago founder Virgilio Santiago declared himself Rei do Choco Frito ("King of Fried Cuttlefish") when he opened his restaurant doors in 1974. It’s a bold claim in a city which prides itself on the dish, but Setúbal locals back it up. Queues snake out the door at lunchtime: reservations aren't accepted, so get here early if you don’t want to stand in line in the hot sun.

Casanova serves a full range of authentic Italian fare, but most people come for the pizzas. The local and imported ingredients for the toppings and antipasti are the best available. Before she opened the restaurant, the Italian owner spent months training with some of her country's most respected pizzaiolos. Her homemade recipes are still used.

This trendy bar and restaurant on the water’s edge is worth visiting just to see its unique wood structure, roughly resembling a whale, as well as the prime views of Faial Island; ask for a seat upstairs on the terrace, especially if you’re here before sunset. Start with a selection of local cheeses to pair with a bottle from the large collection of Azorean and Portuguese wines before sampling a main course “from the sea” or “from the land.”

At the entrance of town near the Abade Correia da Serra public gardens, this spacious cervejaria (beer house) is said to have been pouring the best beer in Portugal since 1957. Old pictures adorning the walls take you back in time to the way Serpa used to be. Wild asparagus with eggs is a good choice for a starter, and then try the grilled carne de porco preto, which is always a tasty choice. As in most cervejarias, the atmosphere is casual, and the service is fast and good. On festival days, when tourists crowd the city center, this is the place to hang with locals instead.

Serving beer, seafood, and other traditional fare since 1946, this lively local is a Torres Vedras institution. In addition to shellfish and octopus rice, favorites include squid kebabs, chargrilled meats, and roast bacalhau. For dessert, their classic caramel-covered pudim flan is hard to beat. The restaurant's trendier (and pricier) neighbor Taberna 22 has a wide selection of starters, grilled fresh fish, and filet mignon, plus a range of fine wines.

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.

This place hasn’t changed a bit over the years, from the beams across the ceiling to the harnesses and wagon wheels that serve as decor. It's a favorite among locals, who come here to enjoy hearty Portuguese dishes amid the bustle of Bairro Alto.

This simple restaurant serves Alentejo classics like grilled pork and veal inside a white stucco dining room decorated with blue-and-white tiles. If you're brave, try the cabrito (baby goat), a local delicacy. The weekend menu, offered at both lunch and dinner, is a great value. At lunch, the deal includes wine as well.