216 Best Restaurants in Portugal

The large counter facing the bar makes this 1960s establishment a prime spot for solo diners. It’s also one of the few places in the neighborhood open from breakfast to dinner. Many Portuguese politicians have dined here through the centuries, including current president Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. These days, it attracts mainly tourists and night owls, who come here for a beer or a bite to eat on their way to the Gulbenkian.

This bright and breezy Ukrainian-owned café was a pioneer in bringing trendy Instagrammable brunches to Santos's main drag. Its pretty, tasty meals made it famous, so there's usually a line, but the avocado toast on house-baked sourdough is worth the wait.

Named after the Brazilian chef who came up with the recipes for this restaurant's original hamburgers, Honorato is a minichain of trendy burger joints. The branch in Chiado is the most popular—it has a lively atmosphere and large windows looking out to one of the neighborhood’s main squares.

This long-established Austrian-style café is popular with most locals and tourists, with its combination of bottled and draft beers (including their very own brand) and hearty central European dishes such as Wiener schnitzel, homemade sausages, and spätzle, along with vegan and vegetarian options. The dessert menu includes apple strudel and Sacher torte. They do excellent brunches, too.

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.

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.

This elegant, spacious restaurant with a name that is Portuguese for "fireplace" is nestled in pinewoods between Caldas da Rainha and the Foz do Arelho beach; it's a favorite with locals for special occasions. From the à la carte menu, try the tornedó de novilho tenderloin with one of various sauces. Seek assistance to get the best from the 300-strong wine list. Note that on weekends the set menu is a little more expensive, at €17.50.

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.

A couple minutes' stroll from the Casa da Música, LEA's large leafy garden is a popular place for brunch, coffee, or cocktails. The inviting space warmly welcomes both children and pets, so expect a lively, laid-back atmosphere as you tuck into your perfectly fluffy pancakes.

A simple front entrance hides a spacious, flower-filled terrace out back at this detail-driven café in trendy Cedofeita. The owners pride themselves on preparing nutritious meals that don't compromise on taste or presentation, so expect your brunch to feature, for example, perfectly poached free range eggs on homemade sourdough bread. There's a huge range of teas and coffees, along with sparkling wines and cocktails for those wanting to indulge.

With tables set on a vast veranda in the upper reaches of the city, Loggia has some of the best panoramic views in town. It's the on-site restaurant at the Machado do Castro art museum, and the setting is a work of art in itself. Leisurely brunches here are extremely popular, as are the excellent value lunch menus. Expect traditional Portuguese fare, elegantly presented. 

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.

This charming all-day café-restaurant-cocktail bar dates from 1904, when it sold products imported from Paris; today its glass cases are piled high with Azorean creations from tea sets to hats to jewelry, most available for purchase. Stop by for a healthy breakfast, small plates of local cuisine with a contemporary twist for lunch or dinner, or just to take a break with some local tea or an inventive cocktail or two—and don’t bother trying to resist the house-made desserts calling your name from the countertop.

This Beja institution, which first opened its doors in 1893, serves great coffee and conventuais, sweets made according to recipes from local convents. In a pedestrian-only area just outside the city walls, it's conveniently located next to a few hotels and offers far better breakfasts, including delicious torradas (simple white toast with butter). Don't be surprised if you're the only tourist in the ground-floor dining room; the friendly barman may try his (rusty) English on you.

This little restaurant in one of the old village houses has a devoted clientele that hails from both sides of the Portuguese–Spanish border. The dining room is small, but there is a terrace for outside dining with views over the valley to distant mountains. The menu is classic Alentejo, with good lamb roasts and hearty casseroles. Although their main specialty is ensopado de borrego (lamb stew), the grilled fish dishes are also excellent. When available; try the chocos grelhados (grilled squid) or the peixe espada grelhada (charcoal-grilled swordfish).

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.

This pastel pink bakery looks every bit as sweet as its freshly baked treats, which attract huge lines of cake-loving locals. From pretty cakes topped with edible flowers to sugar-free, gluten-free chocolate brownies, the vitrine is a feast for the eyes, and everything tastes as good as it looks.

An authentic yet welcoming locals' favorite—and Ponta Delgada’s oldest restaurant—serves up a handful of simple and well-prepared dishes along with rotating daily specials in a bare-bones space. The communal tables at this old-school eatery encourage friendly chats with your neighbors as you dine on fried dishes like sardines, horse mackerel, and moray eel, all washed down with house-made Concord grape wine or moonshine.

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. 

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.

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.

Established in 1987, this restaurant is famed in these parts for its excellent lunch buffet of hearty regional cuisine. Depending on the season you'll find such Portuguese favorites as bacalhau com natas (codfish with cream), arroz de pata (rice with duck), and suckling pig. Arrive early for lunch, or face a long wait for a seat. 

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.