515 Best Restaurants in Portugal

This restaurant is a modern spin on Lisbon's traditional fish markets and beer halls, with a dash of Japanese flair in the form of ultra-fresh sushi and sashimi. Take your pick from vast glass display cabinets of fish and crustaceans, and have it prepared on the spot in a variety of ways, whether it's dunked whole into the cooking pot or filleted and tossed onto the grill. There's now a second restaurant, Sea Me Next Door, up the street ( Rua do Loreto 53–59), as well as an offshoot inside the Time Out Market, down the hill in Cais do Sodré.

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.

This highly regarded seafood spot has sea views, speedy service, and a bright modern interior with lots of colorful mosaics. Grab a table on the esplanade to dine with the sea breeze in your hair and magical sunsets over the ocean just steps away. Sushi and grilled fish are the specialties, but there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options, too.

This restaurant facing the courtyard of the Hotel Valverde focuses on contemporary Portuguese cuisine reinterpreted by the chef. Its weekly lunch menu is popular among locals who work nearby and those looking for a more intimate spot.

Ring the doorbell for entry to this late-opening, speakeasy-style spot serving some of the best steaks in town. A discreet gathering place for Lisbon's artists, journalists, and politicians during the 1960s, it was lovingly refurbished in 2024 to preserve period detail while raising the comfort level. Order a dry martini and browse the menu, which features light dishes like garlicky shrimp and meat croquettes, alongside those legendary steaks.

In a 17th-century mansion across from the old cathedral, this establishment---run by the same family for four decades---starts you out with a complimentary aperitif in the wood-paneled reception area lined with antique bookshelves. The place is imbued with old-world elegance, from the ornate silver candlesticks to the fine crystal and lace tablecloths. The menu features house-made starters such as alheira sausage and regional dishes that include pheasant with grapes, javalí (wild boar), and cabrito assado (roast kid). For dessert, try the pudim do abade de Baçal, a chestnut-based take on the traditional caramel pudding. Reservations are a good idea on weekends, especially in summer.

Framed photographs of celebrities who’ve visited (from singer Adele to soccer star Cristiano Ronaldo) cover every inch of the walls at this bustling eatery. In business since 1947, it's known for the dry-cured ham that gave the place its name, but there are also many meat and seafood dishes on the menu, as well as beanburgers and peixinhos da horta (green beans in tempura) for vegetarians.

This family-run restaurant serves truly traditional Portuguese dishes. The pataniscas (cod fritters) with bean rice, the baked cod, and the pork cheeks are among the specialties, and there's an extensive list of Portuguese wines. Desserts include pêra bêbada (literally, "drunken pear") poached, unusually, with Moscatel dessert wine, and crumble served with their very own ice cream made from ginjinha. A separate space two doors down serves the same menu, but the adega (wine cellar) round the corner at Rua da Vitoria 10 has its own sommelier and is a great place to snack or to sample a glass of wine—all Portuguese, except for a changing selection of organic wines—while waiting for your table.

Run by visual artist Luis Carballo (whose studio is in nearby Marvila), this modern version of the traditional Portuguese tasca is an informal space where everyone seems to start off with a gin and tonic—there's a dedicated gin bar. The kitchen turns out delicious plates like black rice with cuttlefish or braised tuna that are the perfect size to share.

A paper tablecloth stuck to the window detailing the day’s dishes is almost always a good sign. At lunch, this chic tavern and marisqueira fills with a crowd of well-dressed regulars who return for the high-quality food and friendly banter.

This wonderful spot serves up some of the best traditional Portuguese dishes on the entire coastline. The rustic dining room has old-fashioned Alentejan farm tools hanging on the walls, and opens up to the airy kitchen on one side and a small shop on the other that sells gourmet treats and local wines. The restaurant's name comes from owner José Ramos Cardoso, who as a boy was nicknamed "Celso" after his father, a well-known Vila Nova de Milfontes resident. Specialties include shrimp sautéed in garlic, clams with coriander, grilled fish or veal with roasted tomatoes—but you can't go wrong with anything on the menu.

The huge queues that form outside this tiny family-run tavern are a testament to the fact that the fish served here is the best in town. There's no menu, but the daily catch is written on a blackboard and cooked to perfection on a charcoal grill out on the flagstones.

You'll need a little Portuguese here, but you will not regret the effort. This is a shining example of traditional tasca (tavern) hospitality—a home-style restaurant without any solid menu to speak of, but where the dishes of the day are enormous, gloriously tasty, and cheap all at once. Simple traditional dishes like meat stewed in beans and broth are the typical meals, but there are fresh, zesty sides, too.

This unassuming restaurant serves authentic Japanese cuisine, from squid sashimi to chashu braised pork belly, plus the odd fusion dish—all at very affordable prices. To drink, there are sakes, beers, and Portuguese wines, plus house-made nonalcoholic drinks, and some fabulous desserts. The set lunch menus are a good value, but for the full experience book well ahead for a tasting menu at €60 (plus optional sake pairing for €55).

The charming husband-and-wife duo of Manuel and Carolina Oliveira own and operate this tiny upscale dining room with huge taste. There are only 14 seats in the entire restaurant, creating the atmosphere of a family dining room. The tiny size makes reservations essential, and the restaurant is frequently booked solid on Friday and Saturday nights. Specialties include lamb, pork, and game dishes, created by Carolina in the open kitchen and served with a flourish by Manuel.

Though the menu is small and the modern space is tiny, the carefully prepared, market-fresh Azorean plates punch way above their weight. Tasquinha Vieira’s focus is on a “cuisine of proximity,” using top-notch ingredients and innovative techniques while respecting the islands' culinary culture, and you can’t go wrong with any of the shareable tapas-style plates of fish, meat, and vegan options.

It seems like everyone at this old-school restaurant tucked into the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel is here to partake of the signature dish: cozido nas Caldeiras das Furnas, stew cooked underground in the hot springs, available in both meat and vegetarian versions. Those with less hearty appetites can opt for a fine selection of fresh fish or Azorean beef. After lunch, your receipt earns you free admission to the lovely adjoining Terra Nostra Gardens.

Perched in the higher reaches of Coimbra, this elegant bar-restaurant offers high quality food alongside some of the best views in the city. Whether you opt for artfully presented regional dishes in the interior lounge or cocktails and petiscos on the terrace, your meal will be accompanied by panoramic vistas over the historic downtown to the Mondego River. Try to time your visit for sunset to catch the city bathed in golden light.

One of the hippest tables in town, Tricky's is a collaborative project between natural wine sommeliers and creative next-gen chefs. Cooks in the open kitchen—the best seats are at the counter right in front of it—create a menu of sharable small plates with Portuguese, Italian, and Asian influences, and they're matched with low-intervention wines from across Europe.

You'll find this striking restaurant on the rooftop of The Vine Hotel, where at night the city sparkles below. The name comes from the Portuguese word for "grape," so it's no surprise that wine takes center stage here, with an excellent selection of local vintages that the waiters can confidently talk you through.

Open since 1922, this is one of Lisbon’s surviving grand cafés and arguably its most beautiful. It’s still mostly a place for locals, who often meet here and stay chatting for hours over coffee.

In a lovely square near the city's most popular attractions, this charming restaurant in a historic building offers well-prepared traditional seafood dishes served with contemporary twists, plus a great range of Portuguese sparkling wines. Dine inside surrounded by exposed stone walls, traditional azulejo tiles, and exposed wood beams, or outside on the spacious patio. After you've finished, ask to see the catacombs beneath the restaurant.

From the terrace of this laid-back eatery you can watch the sunset over Cabo São Vicente. This restaurant has been serving traditional Portuguese cuisine since 1995, each recipe with a modern twist. Set in a cozy house near the ocean, it offers a warm fire in winter and terrace dining in summer. The menu features local seafood, classic dishes like caldo verde and duck rice, plus vegetarian options made with herbs from their garden.

The homemade pizzas and pastas at this sleek Mediterranean eatery win rave reviews. Villa Medici has an undeniably beautiful dining room accented by graceful columns, but for the best atmosphere, enjoy your meal outside in the lovely courtyard around an olive tree.

At Volta e Meia, the vibrant red walls and hand-painted murals create a lively atmosphere, but it’s the food that steals the show. The savory pies, filled with cod and cabbage or local sausage, cheese, and spinach, are especially popular with locals. The menu also offers a variety of traditional Portuguese dishes, like grilled meats and fresh fish, all with a creative twist.

Most casas de pastos (loosely translated as "grazing houses") offer big portions of well-cooked regional dishes in no-frills surroundings, and Zé Leiteiro is no exception. The delicious all-you-can-eat fish and seafood keeps coming until you tell them to stop.

This family-run tasca has simple wooden tables and chairs squeezed in wherever they will fit, an open kitchen with a jumble of pots and pans, and walls plastered with an intriguing assortment of scribbled poems and cartoons. The food is flavorful and cheap, so don't pass up the chance for a meal here if you can get in (queues often stretch down the street). For such a small place, it has an amazing choice of dishes, including a wonderful sopa da pedra (the name means "stone soup," but it's actually a rich vegetable and meat broth).

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.

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.