45 Best Restaurants in Portugal

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.

Come to what’s widely regarded as the finest fish and seafood restaurant in town for hearty portions of expertly prepared local delicacies such as cataplana à ancoradouro (seafood stew); skewers of grilled fish and shrimp; and seafood rice with crab claws, shrimp, mussels, and clams. Though the decor inside is simple, the large terrace with wonderful water views is the place to be.

Founded in 1954, this oceanfront restaurant is one of the most traditional in Espinho. There's an enormous variety of fresh seafood ready to be grilled, boiled, or roasted in the oven, as well as bacalhau and various fish stews and rice dishes. Many are large enough to be split between two diners. Customers who want meat can choose between dishes such as roast veal or kid—or there's tripe and bean stew, in case you didn't get enough of that in Porto.

This restaurant's name translates to "There's Fish Here," and indeed it's one of the top places in town to savor the catch of the day, served fried, grilled, or roasted. Dinner attracts a youngish crowd, who enjoy options like cuttlefish with black rice and saffron mayonnaise. For diehard carnivores, there's Brazilian picanha. The dining room is also a classic, set beneath wide arches.

This charming restaurant has an absolutely lovely location on the eastern edge of the dramatic Praia dos Três Irmãos. Specialties here include fresh fish and delicious seafood stews, supported by a selection of fine wines. The crepe desserts are both a specialty here, and an absolute must.

It’s more than worth a trip 20 km (12 miles) east of Ponta Delgada to dine at this popular open-air seafood restaurant with lovely water views; since the place doesn’t take reservations, bring your swimsuit for a dip in the adjacent pool while you wait. The friendly staff will grill up your choice of the fresh local fish on display---perhaps tuna, stingray, or barracuda---but you can’t go wrong with baked mussels in a buttery garlic sauce or just-caught limpet, plus (a rarity for the islands) a well-stocked salad bar.

Be sure to make reservations for this always-bustling fish and seafood spot—rightfully thought by many to be the best on the island—with pretty views overlooking the marina in the tiny fishing village of São Mateus. You can’t go wrong with any of the freshly caught fish (the restaurant has its own fishing boat), along with limpets, slipper lobsters, and barnacles, which you coax from their shells with tiny forks.

Set back from a lively town square overlooking the ocean, Café Filipe entices seafood lovers with its glass displays of enormous fish and colorful crustaceans. Take a seat in the bright dining room or out on the terrace to make the best of those sea views.

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.

Enthusiastic approval from the late Anthony Bourdain helped boost Ramiro's profile, and this traditional cervejaria (which literally translates to "beer house" but practically speaking means seafood hall) is now one of the most famous places in Lisbon to eat fresh seafood. The atmosphere is casual, frenetic, and buzzy. The restaurant's popularity means there's almost always a wait for tables, so it's go at off hours or if you book ahead—they've finally relented on their infamous no-reservations policy.

Perched on rocks overlooking the open ocean, on the site of a former shellfish nursery, this fashionable restaurant offers some of the best seafood in the area. As you'd expect, the day's menu depends on the sea's bounty, but it might have salmonete (red mullet), pregado (turbot), robalo (sea bass), or linguado (sole). Alternatively, opt for a cataplana of fish stew for two, or even a juicy steak. The starters are worth sampling, too, such as octopus salad or a dish of fresh amêijoas (clams).

Portugal is a nation obsessed with seafood, but more often than not, fish is simply grilled over charcoal with salt. Guelra is changing the game with a fish-focused eatery where you can sit down for creative seafood snacks and wine at the bar, or venture upstairs for a chic meal with Portuguese-influenced dishes. Be sure to try the amphora wines.

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.

If you're looking for fresh fish and a view of the ocean, you can’t do much better than this popular restaurant above beautiful Praia do Camilo. Along with fish that's just come from the market, there are clams and oysters from Ria de Alvor that are prepared with skill. It gets very busy, so make a reservation, or be prepared to wait for a table.

Fresh fish and seafood fill the menu at this relaxed restaurant filled with lobster traps, fishing nets, and other maritime-related artifacts. The bacalhau assado (baked salt cod) is one of the specialties of the house, but there are usually also one or two vegetarian options, such as a pasta with tofu and mushrooms.

The original chef from Louvre Michaelense, Hugo Ferreira, helms this charming eatery focusing on modern versions of petiscos, Portuguese tapas. Ingredients from the islands steal the show in both the veggie dishes, showcasing seasonal produce and greens, and the tasty grilled or smoked seafood plates, ranging from octopus to arroz de peixe, rice flavored with the freshest fish.

Although it’s quite spacious and comfortable inside, most people choose to sit at one of this restaurant's many tables outside facing Praça dos Restauradores. Waiters rush from table to table, mostly serving super fresh seafood and grilled fish and meats.

Though not right on the ocean, this is an excellent option for for seafood lovers. The extensive menu offers a wide variety of mixed shellfish or grilled fish platters to share, including regional favorites like sapateira recheada (whole stuffed stone crab) and lagosta (spiny lobster).

Calm and cool Princesa is one of Caparica's most picturesque beachfront spots. A vast outdoor terrace is filled with sun loungers and comfy chairs where you can relax with a jug of sangria while watching the waves roll in. Browse the menu for a selection of simple-yet-tasty salads, fresh seafood, and grilled fish.

You can't visit Porto Santo without stopping by this fantastic seafood restaurant on the far end of Calheta Beach. The fresh fish of the day is always your best bet, or try the giant spicy prawns, amêijoas (cockles), or caldeirada (fish stew). There's also a snack bar open all day for drinks and lighter fare.

Built in the ruins of an 8th-century castle tower (hence its name), this eatery serves fine renditions of typical Algarvian fare in four dining rooms (including a cistern room) with balconies overlooking the beach. It's a unique option for a special occasion—but great food in a historic setting comes at a price.

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.

Imaginative small plates are the main attraction at this small seafood-focused spot, which has now expanded to a second branch in the foodie neighborhood of Campo de Ourique. The ceviche is hugely popular at both branches, and for good reason. There's even a fish-free version made with tofu.

Meco's most famous restaurant draws seafood fans from across the region. The freshly caught sea bass, swordfish, and huge variety of crustaceans are part of the appeal, but the setting in front of wild windswept Praia do Meco adds to the charm.

One of several well-established seafood restaurants in town, Beira Mar has won a string of awards for its fish and seafood. An impressive glass display shows off the best of the day's catch. The just-caught local fish cooked on a charcoal grill is always a crowd-pleaser.

Owner Dona Celeste likes to personally greet guests—who have included record-breaking U.S. surfer Garrett McNamara—at the entrance to her seafood restaurant on the Atlantic seafront. Among popular dishes here are espadarte à Celeste (swordfish with cream-and-mushroom sauce) and squid or monkfish on the spit. This coast is famous for its caldeirada (a Portuguese version of bouillabaisse with nine kinds of fish). Perhaps the most spectacular dishes here are the cataplana de peixe com camarão e amêijoas for two (fish stew with shrimp and clams, served with a flourish). In summer, it's a good idea to book ahead.

This family-run restaurant opposite the Vila Galé draws a crowd for its fresh seafood and fish—the latter grilled over charcoal—but also offers squid and prawn brochettes, cuttlefish in ink, and even grilled meats. The two dozen seats in the original dining room weren't nearly enough space, so the place added a second dining room that's decorated in smart beach-house style.

This friendly café-bar has a wonderful vantage over the sea. The seafood, toasted sandwiches, and house white wine are all good, but the main attraction is the sheltered terrace.

In business for almost nine decades, Gambrinus has plenty of historical drama in its decor, including arched wooden ceilings and stained-glass depictions of beer-swilling royals. Prawns, lobster, and crab are always available, and seasonal choices like sea bream, sea bass, and sole are offered grilled or garnished with clam sauce. If you just want to drink in the atmosphere and perhaps a well-chilled imperial (draught beer) feel free to join the locals at the counter to sample the famous meat croquettes or a full meal.