151 Best Restaurants in Portugal

This pastelaria has been serving delicious cakes, pastries, and other goodies since 1934, and is more popular now than ever. It serves full meals at lunch, but the real pleasure comes in taking your pick from the glass display cases of custard tarts and other confections before sitting down to devour them alongside an espresso, fresh juice, or a glass of Portuguese wine.

Named for the black cat on its tiled facade, this sleek, family-run restaurant on Régua's main street, next to the Museu do Douro, specializes in traditional Douro cuisine, in generous servings. Favorites include chargrilled veal and, on Sundays, cabrito assado (roast kid), which locals line up for once the tourists are gone, but there are also well-priced dishes of the day, plus a range of vegetarian offerings.

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.

This fresh, breezy waterside restaurant and bar, which includes lounge chairs by the infinity pool as well as dining tables inside, is perched on a promontory at the mouth of the Guadiana River. The menu features Portuguese classics, plus a range of crowd-pleasing dishes like pizzas and burgers.

South of Lisbon you can find plenty of casual coastal dining, tucked into a long stretch of almost wild dunes. At Grão d’Areia there’s no DJ spinning house music to draw in the cool crowd, just dozens of unpretentious tables where you’ll sit with your toes in the sand. Order a tiny ice-cold beer or a big jug of sangria while you wait for your grilled fish or Portuguese seafood snacks and watch the waves roll in. 

There’s an enormous array of top-quality Portuguese cheeses, wines, and petiscos on the menu here. Regular live sets from talented local musicians add extra panache to the proceedings.

In a space that was part of a water reservoir from the 12th century, this cozy restaurant now serves a variety of Portuguese petiscos such as clams and sautéd shrimp, but also bigger portions like codfish and octopus. Be sure to sample their wine selection which highlights the Dão region.

Located next to the Museu Calouste Gulbenkian, this may be Lisbon’s best burger joint. It serves American-style burgers, and there’s a new one on the menu every month, plus a vegetarian option.

One of Lisbon's most authentic Italian restaurants, Il Matriciano faces the Palácio de São Bento and is owned by a couple from Rome. Diners are greeted like family and presented with a menu made from ingredients brought in twice a month from Italy.

With almost three dozen choices on the menu, this is the place for alternative pizza toppings, including vegan and even gluten-free options (if you call ahead). The pizzas come straight out of a wood oven, which is right in the dining room, and are topped with Portuguese and Italian ingredients.

The stylish bar-restaurant at the trendy 1908 Lisboa Hotel makes the most of its historical setting, with a striking tiled floor, high ceilings, an exposed metal staircase, and windows on three sides. It's a pleasant place for brunch, lunch, or dinner and has an eclectic menu featuring seafood, meat, and vegetarian options, many with Asian influences. The outdoor terrace is a nice spot for people watching on the plaza.

Situated a little way out of town in Quartiera, this independent French-Portuguese restaurant has a traditional, family-run feel and a band of loyal followers. Fair-priced seafood tapas are on the menu, along with classics like French onion soup.

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.

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).

One of the city's first wine shops, Loja do Vinho has a cozy cellar lined with hundreds of bottles from all over the world. Plates of cured meats, boards of local cheeses, and bowls overflowing with olives make good companions to the many varieties of wine on offer here or on the tiny outdoor terrace. If you enjoy the bottle you had with your meal, you can buy another to take home.

Overlooking the dramatic Praia da Batata, this restaurant has a simple but lovely dining room and a popular outdoor terrace. The fish is exceptionally fresh, and served up with little elements of fine dining finesse without the tiny portions.

With fishing nets and baskets hang from walls, this Portuguese fisherman's tavern has a genuine feel, and the loud service adds to its character. Seafood is the only option, but it is renowned here—such as spider crab or rock lobster—and many diners come for the feijoada de marisco (bean and shellfish stew).

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.

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.

Worth a trip for its stunning location and prize-winning design, this restaurant is also renowned for its regional cuisine. Perched in the Serra Amarela, 12 km (7½ miles) from Terras de Bouro, the long building slots into the surrounding slate hillside, its terrace affording panoramic views of the valley of the Rio Homem. Outstanding main dishes include roast kid (for which you must book ahead), venison, and various bacalhau dishes. The dessert menu features family recipes as well as standards such as pudim abade de Priscos (a rich egg-and-almond pudding) and ricotta with pumpkin jam.

Decorated in typical Alentejo style, this quaint eatery serves regional dishes such as migas (bread fried in olive oil, garlic, and coriander and served alongside meat or fish) and sopa de cação (dogfish soup). Try the carne de porco preto (black pork), a specialty of the house. Especially popular on weekends, the restaurant is a warm family setting, with terra-cotta walls and a huge stone oven in the center of the dining room.

Traditional Portuguese cooking seems right at home amid the farmhouse decor at this casual spot on a narrow lane near The Vine Hotel. The dining room fills up with business executives enjoying a relaxing lunch and a mix of celebrating visitors and locals at dinner.

Viseu's most celebrated restaurant is known for the sometimes comical names of its dishes as well as for its intelligent use of old local recipes. Try the coelho bêbedo (drunk rabbit), which is rabbit stewed in red wine, or the bacalhau podre ("rotten"), which is actually a savory dish of salt cod braised in a tomato-and-wine sauce. Bring cash, because international cards are not accepted.

The oldest cervejaria (relaxed dining and drinking spot) in the region has been serving cold beer, rich seafood stews, and delicious shellfish since 1890. The local crowd is a testament to the excellent seafood, and the sunset views over the river to Lisbon are magical.

You wouldn't know it from the bright, modern decor, but O Laranjeira is Viana's oldest pensão, and its restaurant serves some of the best traditional Minho cuisine around. The business is now in the hands of the third generation, who are innovating while respecting tradition and preserving the soul of the place. Any of the fresh fish dishes is a good option, but so is the roasted kid.

In the peaceful village of Paião, 10 km (6 miles) south of Figueira da Foz, this restaurant, named after its past as a tannery, has been a local institution for over 20 years. The menu features regional specialties, including the famous sopa da pedra (a hearty meat and vegetable soup). Grilled pork and veal on a spit are also standouts. Cozy up in the welcoming dining room during winter, or enjoy a meal on the patio when the sun shines.

Seasoned travelers often avoid restaurants near major sights, but O Trovador—just a step away from the old cathedral—proves doubters wrong. Grab a table with a view of the centuries-old architecture and enjoy generous portions of reliably good regional dishes like pork cheeks with sweet potatoes or cod with cornbread.

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.

This central Arouca restaurant specializes in generous portions of regional dishes, particularly the famous posta arouquesa (local veal steak). The attentive staff serve hearty traditional meals at reasonable prices in a welcoming atmosphere. Reservations are essential on weekends when it gets packed. The menu features excellent grilled meats, fresh fish, and house-made desserts, all served in portions that ensure no one leaves hungry.

Chef Vitor Adão made his name across town at the fine-dining Plano, but at this casual all-day spin-off, you can find the same quality without the commitment of a tasting menu. The plates here are simple Portuguese classics—tempura green beans, octopus rice, and Alentejo black pork—but with top-notch ingredients and technique. Barman Kostiantyn Hutnyk won first place in a bartending competition in his native Ukraine.