75 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.

As the name suggests, the two chefs at the helm of this Michelin-starred restaurant take a playful approach to the fine dining experience. Gastronomic star Vítor Matos and talented resident chef Guilherme Spalk head a team that delivers a tasting menu that is as theatrical as it is technical. Set in the former wine cellar of Torel Palace Lisbon, the intimate space encourages interaction between diners and chefs—expect bold flavors, storytelling, and the occasional trick up the kitchen’s sleeve.

The best seats in this intimate restaurant are at the counter in front of the open kitchen, where you can watch the talented young chefs work their magic with local seafood. Though there are a couple of meat items on the menu, fish is the star, with complex yet delicious flavors and beautiful presentations. Both the small plates as well as the more substantial fish and rice dishes are perfect for sharing.

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.

The Michelin-recommended restaurant atop the Bairro Alto Hotel draws a well-dressed crowd for pre-dinner cocktails on its rooftop terrace—arrive early, as it's first come, first served and highly sought after at sunset. Inside, the elegant dining room centers around an open kitchen where you can watch chefs artfully plate seasonal dishes, with fresh seafood often playing a starring role. The sommelier provides excellent pairing advice, frequently highlighting selections from small, independent Portuguese producers. 

Celebrated Sarajevo-born chef Ljubomir Stanisic is known not only for his unorthodox approach but also for the slick design of his venues. Expect to be wowed by both the tasteful redo of a handsome Art Deco building and the ever-changing roster of small plates—and, at weekends, all-in roasts. Always on offer are dishes from the chef's homeland, such as goulash and other paprika-heavy delights, and a twist on Bosnia's traditional tufahije—stewed apples stuffed with nuts.

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.

Lisbon’s beer halls tend to be noisy crowded places, but those looking for a more sophisticated atmosphere should head to this upscale eatery with towering murals and handsome wood paneling tucked inside the Tivoli Avenida Liberdade Hotel. You'll find traditional fish or meat dishes on the menu, served with flair by an attentive staff.

Off a small square, behind an unassuming, grey façade is "The Kitchen"—a smart, modern space where you can enjoy the beautifully presented fruits of chef António Loureiro's years of study of regional cuisine across the country. He and his team showcase the best local produce in season, reducing food miles and waste by using herbs and vegetables from the restaurant's upstairs garden and turning offcuts into amuse-bouches. If you can afford it, opt for one of the tasting menus (€140 for ten "moments" plus €70 for wine pairing, or €110 for seven, plus €55)---they're what brought this relative veteran a Michelin star. They will do a vegetarian (or vegan) tasting menu if you let them know ahead of time, and there are also non-alcoholic drinks pairings. You can also order à la carte, and there's a three-course set lunch menu (€35) Wednesdays through Fridays---though if you want it, you must specify that when you make your reservation. The wine list is particularly strong on vinho verde, and many of the wines are organic.

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.

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.

This riverside restaurant 9 km (6 miles) from Régua, on the left bank of the Douro, draws gourmets from far and wide with Michelin-starred chef Rui Paula's take on the cuisine of his native region, in which bacalhau and polvo (octopus) loom large, as well as tender Bísaro pork and Maronesa veal. You'll pay from €140 for a tasting menu (and from €100 for wine pairing); vegetarian menus can be arranged, with notice, and there is a children's gourmet set menu (€40) and several à la carte options.

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.

Located within the Cliff Bay Hotel, this upscale restaurant serves ambitious, high-end tasting menus, with prices to match. Views are lovely from both the contemporary dining room and the terrace, dishes are presented as works of art, and the extensive wine list showcases bottles from around the world. The excellent sommelier is happy to pair each course with top Portuguese wine, if you choose.

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.

One of Bairro Alto’s most successful restaurants since opening in 2003, Lisboa à Noite serves imaginative cuisine that manages to be both traditional and contemporary, mostly following Portuguese recipes but adding a few international touches. The arched interior was once a stable, and you can still see the ring chains used to tie the horses.

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.

In a brave move, there's no menu at this restaurant. Promising diners 11 carefully curated dishes, chef João Marreiros weaves his passion for his country in every bite, using only the freshest available ingredients. The decor is pared back; modern and yet traditional. Sit back and enjoy the journey knowing you're in safe hands.

An ultra-modern design with concrete walls and floors and wood accents, along with a lovely outdoor terrace, showcases floor-to-ceiling views of Pico, the ocean, and São Jorge island in the distance. Simple but well-prepared dishes highlight local specialties like octopus, fish, and steak; if you can, save room for the decadent Magma chocolate brownie.

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.

If you'd like to grab a sandwich, cup of tea, or glass of wine between museum visits, there's no place better than Gadanha. You'll likely end up leaving with more than what you ate, as this deli and restaurant also sells gift-wrapped gourmet treats like local ham, cheese, and chocolates. The café and shop are superb, and the restaurant in an old barn annex, with exposed wood beams and an antique hearth—is even better. Specialties include lamb croquettes with mushroom mayonnaise and platters of local Alentejan cheeses. You can dine on a smattering of petiscos (tapas) or settle in for the larger main courses.

Superior seafood and steaks come with equally impressive sea views at this highly regarded restaurant that attracts everyone from rock stars to heads of state.