This just in; Lisbon has recently been revealed as 2024’s ‘cheapest place in Europe to eat and drink’, with the study citing the city’s sandwiches, sweet treats and kiosk culture as just a few of the reasons that the Portuguese capital is so affordable for food lovers.
But it’s not just affordability that’s lead to Lisbon’s food scene being the toast of the culinary cognoscenti the world over; the quality of ingredients, particularly the seafood, is second to none almost anywhere on the planet, with the city’s affinity with the deep fat fryer also something to sing about from the top of São Roque.
The city also straddles tradition and innovation in a really pleasing way, with time-honoured classics and innovative contemporary takes on cherished Alfacinha dishes rubbing along harmoniously. Cervejarias share streets with trendy new wine bars, kiosks share squares with TikTok baiting bakeries, and everything seems to work in harmony. It’s a collision of the old and new, and it’s all better for it.
If you’re travelling to the city in search of the very best food it has to offer – whether you’re looking to splurge on Michelin-starred multicourse extravaganzas or a floury bun for a couple of Euros – we (and Lisbon) have got you covered. Here is our IDEAL 22; the best restaurants in Lisbon. Or, at least our favourite 22 of them…
Cervejaria Ramiro
Ideal for possibly, very nearly definitely, the best seafood on the planet…
We had to start here. To not do so would be dishonest. Because if you’re wondering where to eat in Lisbon, Ramiro is the one.
You’ve probably heard of this place by now, whether through Bourdain, Stein, or just about any other celebrity chef with a TV show. Rather than being overcome by the hype machine, Ramiro couldn’t care less who’s dining there; this legendary restaurant first opened its doors in 1956 and has set the standard for seafood restaurants in Lisbon ever since.
It is always full. This is where locals and tourists alike head in their droves to eat the finest seafood of the region in the organised chaos of the city’s most famous cervejaria.
Though it’s a seafood restaurant first and foremost, many people bookend their meal with meat, starting with a plate of pata negra ham and ending, for dessert, with a steak sandwich. The latter has been documented so thoroughly that we’re not going to explain it away any further – it just works.
Back to the reason we’re all here; the shellfish. The enormous tiger prawns are 100% worth ordering, as well as the deservedly popular clams in garlic butter, but the absolute standout is the scarlet prawns, each with enough head juice to fill a coffee mug. Drink passionately, and then fill that mug with the house Vinho Verde, which pairs with everything on the menu brilliantly.
Read our full review of Cervejaria Ramiro for more.
Website: cervejariaramiro.com
Address: Av. Alm. Reis 1, 1150-038 Lisboa, Portugal
Pasteis de Belem
Ideal for custard tarts, sure, but plenty more besides….
More a cafe than a restaurant, but no trip to Lisbon is complete without eating at Pasteis de Belem. This iconic bakery has been serving its world-famous custard tarts since 1837, and they’re just as good now as they were back then (hmmm; can’t actually vouch for that one). The flaky, buttery crust and creamy filling are the stuff of legends, and rightly so; they churn out around 20,000 of these a day and, during weekends, this number may double.
While they are of course most famous for their tarts, Pasteis de Belem have a whole savoury menu too, offering classic salgados – salty, savoury bites that make up the fried, fatty side of the Portuguese diet
In a country where cod is a cult, the pasteis de bacalhau (salt cod fritters) are not to be missed. The rissol de camarão (prawn turnover) is good, too, but we’re particularly fond of the coxas de galinha (minced chicken fritter) and the empada de pato e espinafres (duck and spinach pie). Far too many brackets and far too much fried food, but fuck it…
…Whichever way you play it, wash it all down with a glass of espinheira cherry liqueur and then a coffee to steady the ship – that’s a whole lot of pastry you’ve just eaten.
Ideal tip: If you’re craving the best custard tarts in the centre of Lisbon, then Manteigaria is your go-to spot. With two spots in the city – the mothership in Chiado and one in the ever popular Time Out Market – their pastéis de nata are legendary, often hailed as the finest in town, even giving the iconic Pasteis de Belem a run for their money. It’s a custard tart experience you won’t want to miss. Speaking of the Time Out Market….
Website: pasteisdebelem.pt
Address: R. de Belém 84 92, 1300-085 Lisboa, Portugal
Marisqueira Azul, Time Out Market
Ideal for the best seafood in Lisbon’s Time Out Market…
It’s impossible to walk past Marisqueira Azul in Lisbon’s Time Out Market without stopping to marvel at the marvellous, mouthwatering selection of fresh seafood on ice and crustaceans in tanks. It’s also impossible to stop yourself from setting up shop at one of the twenty countertop stools, ordering a cold glass of beer, and settling in.
While the Time Out Market itself is, to be honest, a bit of a tourist trap, this place is anything but. Portuguese seafood takes centre stage on the peripheries of the market here, with oysters from Setubal, barnacles from Berlengas, and lingueirao from the Algarve particular highlights. You can’t come here and not order the latter – razor clams done simply with ubiquitous, irresistible garlic butter. Just smackingly delicious. We’re addicted to the puntillitas do manel too – crisp, salty little squid that’s one of the restaurant’s specialities.
Sure, given its location, Marisqueria Azul is on the more expensive side (you might want to weigh your seafood before ordering) but with al fresco seating available in the warmer months, there’s no place we’d rather be on a fine Lisbon day.
Website: www.timeoutmarket.com
Address: Av. 24 de Julho 49, 1200-479 Lisboa, Portugal
Marisqueira Do Lis
Ideal for an old-school, no frills seafood experience…
Another gem for seafood enthusiasts, and less touristy than some of the more heaving joints on our list, Do Lis does the important stuff right and worries about little else in terms of frippery or fuss.
Shellfish is displayed enticingly just behind the front window. The space is cavernous, the room bare and the table cloths paper, but the seafood arrives whole, with all the dirty, delicious head juices and brains intact ready for sucking, and is as fresh as you’ll find. The spider crab and barnacles are particularly good here, both bathing in enough runoff for the best part; mopping up those juices with plenty of crusty, heavily buttered bread.
It’s also just a three minute walk north of Ramiro, so if you find the queues too much there, it’s an awesome reserve option to have up your sleeve. Once seated, roll them up, you’re going to be down, dirty and elbows deep in all the good bits.
Instagram: @marisqueiradolis
Address: Av. Alm. Reis 27B, 1150-019 Lisboa, Portugal
Pateo Do Avillez
Ideal for hearty dishes at affordable prices from Michelin-starred chef Jose Avillez…
Celebrity chef Jose Avillez has made this little corner of Chiado very much his own with the Bairro do Avillez concept; a clutch of excellent, dependable restaurants all under one roof and banner.
We say roof, but the pick of the bunch is Pateo, a large, open semi alfresco space and a fine purveyor of all things oceanic. Ordering off the grill is reliably excellent; a particularly fine tuna steak served with Algarve salad was fantastic. If it’s something of a celebration, don’t miss the blue lobster over coals from the specials; top notch and a real treat. Best of all, though, is the chargrilled squid with black rice, which is creamy and comforting, but also a moody little number; charcoal black and throbbing with umami.
The adjacent Taberna is also excellent, with an extensive selection of Portuguese charcuterie alongside inventive riffs on the country’s snack culture. The atmosphere here is more intimate and the small plates are ideal for sharing. Highlights include the crispy pork belly and the octopus salad, both of which showcase Avillez’s knack for approaching traditional Portuguese ingredients with a modern twist.
Website: bairrodoavillez.pt
Address: R. Nova da Trindade 18, 1200-303 Lisboa, Portugal
Sol e Pesca
Ideal for a quirky, tinned fish eating experience on Lisbon’s Pink Street…
You could be forgiven for turning your nose up at a restaurant serving tinned fish. But to do so in Lisbon would be to miss out on a Portuguese staple, a countrywide tradition, and a worthwhile meal indeed. The contents of these cans aren’t bland supermarket versions, instead they’re artisan tins of sardines bathing in premium olive oil. Or, octopus just boiled and preserved at its most tender. You got the picture…
Sol E Pesca, on the lively, perennially popular Pink Street is our favourite place to head for a tinned fish eating experience in Lisbon. Here you can enjoy your meal while buskers perform and the world goes by – it’s got to be the best people watching spot in the city.
A must-order is, of course, tinned sardines in spicy tomato sauce – when in Lisbon, and all that. Slivers of smoked eel from the coastal village of Murtosa make a handsome plate, too, while monkfish liver (the ol’ foie gras of the sea) and sea urchin roe (the ol’ caviar of the sea) are totally redolent of the ocean, which is perhaps the ultimate compliment when coming out of a tin.
Ideal tip: They have a gorgeous cookbook, which makes a great souvenir alongside some of those tins.
Instagram: @solepesca
Address: R. Nova do Carvalho 44, 1200-019 Lisboa, Portugal
Cervejaria O Palacio
Ideal for a more local take on the traditional cervejaria experience…
If you’re after yet more seafood (this time fresh rather than canned), O Palacio is another eminently viable alternative to the previous few on our list. True to the soul of any self respecting cervejaria, it stays open late and gets increasingly raucous as the evening wears on. Come dinner time, as soon as you step foot into the door, you’re greeted with a loud and convivial din – a good sign that this place is a favourite among locals.
O Palacio is a little out of Lisbon’s historic centre, in the pretty residential neighbourhood of Alcantara, and, accordingly, it’s cheaper than the more tourist-heavy places. This certainly doesn’t affect the quality, we’re pleased to report.
A must-order is the remarkable signature seafood platter, which is replete with all manner of shelled things and superb value, too. If whole fish is more your thing, then come here in June; on the grill they will have sardines aplenty to celebrate Lisbon’s Feast of St. Antony, which sees sardines eaten in their thousands across the city.
Website: palacio.gastronomias.com
Address: Rua Prior do Crato 142, 1350-263 Lisboa, Portugal
As Bifanas do Alfonso
Ideal for perhaps Lisbon’s most legendary pork sandwich…
We’re using the word ‘restaurant’ a little loose and easy here, since you can’t even sit down in Bifanas do Alfonso, let alone relax into a three course meal or whatever.
But that’s irrelevant, as this is one of the most popular places to eat in all of Lisbon, their immaculately conceived sandwiches a rare case of the hype being richly deserved.
The two juggernauts are the bifana and prego, both beautiful in their simplicity. The former sees pork loin sauteed in garlic and white wine, plonked in a crusty roll (did we mention how good the bread is in Lisbon?). And that’s it. Who can argue with that, hey? The prego is the beef version, usually pepped up with a bit of mustard.
Embrace the clarity and restraint of it all at As Bifanas do Alfonso, where you order from a hatch, pay with a few coins, and perhaps even have a cheeky little plastic pint as you lean up against a wall in the adjacent square.
Address: R. da Madalena 146, 1100-340 Lisboa, Portugal
A Valenciana
Ideal for a local favourite piri piri chicken…
Thanks to a certain chain restaurant, most people think that they know piri piri chicken pretty intimately. But this enduringly popular dish, with roots in Africa – the name is derived from the Swahili word for pepper; ‘pili pili’ – is something of a different beast here in Portugal.
You’ll find chicken houses all over Lisbon, most of them neighbourhood take-out spots with someone working a grill, brushing piri piri onto spatchcocked birds who have seen a little exercise in their lives, with darker, more delicious flesh as a result.
A Valenciana, on Rue Marques de Fronteira in the city’s northwest, is one of the very best piri piri peddlers in Lisbon. It’s the place where Alfacinhas come to pick up dinner, the unfailingly juicy chicken to be picked over back at home by the family.
You don’t have to take away, of course. There’s plenty of terrace seating if the weather’s good, and a dining room too, with TVs blasting and plenty of lively atmosphere to soak up. Either way, tables are stocked with gorgeous piri piri oil with which to douse your bird. Red and translucent, this is what real piri piri should look like. Go easy; it’s blow-your-head-off spicy, and the chickens have already been lovingly brushed with the stuff.
This dish is about smoke, spice and succulent chicken, making it the ideal no fuss meal. Chips alongside make perfect sense, but many prefer crisps as an accompaniment. We certainly do.
While you’re here, you may as well order the bacalhau a bras; the version here is exceptionally good. If you have space, a slice of dia de bolacha is the perfect way to finish your meal.
While they are quick to accommodate walk-ins, it’s a good idea to book ahead. And if you can’t get a seat, take out.
Website: restauranteavalenciana.pt
Address: Rua Marquês de Fronteira 157 163A, 1070-294 Lisboa, Portugal
Pap’Acorda
Ideal for all day-dining at one of Lisbon’s most iconic restaurants…
When you’re on holiday, you don’t always want a meal at a ‘normal time’, with many preferring to simply go with the flow and eat when they’re hungry.
When that hunger hits, it’s often hard to find a place that will feed you if you decide you want your meal at 4pm in the afternoon or at 11pm in the evening, let’s be honest. Enter Pap’Acorda.
Open from 12am to midnight most days and until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant’s kitchen works round the clock to produce confident renditions of classic Portuguese plates. Fancy some veal croquettes served with tomato rice at 4pm? No problem. Or, a restorative bowl of açorda (bread soup) after one too many cocktails, late in the evening? Sem problemas.
How about a quick snack of peixinhos da horta washed down with some beer, just because? Sure thing, because Pap’Acorda is all things to all people, and all the better for it. It also has lots of traditional vegetarian Portuguese dishes, which, in a city dominated by meat and seafood, can be hard to come by.
Founded in 1981 in the heart of Bairro Alto with a view to serve gently modern takes on Portuguese classics, in 2016 Pap’Acorda moved to a sprawling space on the first floor of the Time Out Market. It’s a move that’s certainly paid off, as the iconic restaurant is as busy as ever.
Synonymous with Lisbon nightlife since its inception, it’s the ideal place to come before a night out in the surrounding bars. There’s nearly always space for walk-ins, though you should come with the mindset that you may have to wait for your order to be taken, owing to the 150 seats and 25 more at the counter.
Let’s end on something sweet; Pap’Acorda’s chocolate mousse has something of a reputation as one of the best desserts in town. When you need a change from all those custard tarts, this is the one.
Instagram: @restaurantepapacorda
Address: Av. 24 de Julho 49, 1200-479 Lisboa, Portugal
Restaurante Marco
Ideal for inducing a food coma via an exemplary francesinha…
The ultimate Portuguese comfort food, sure, but it’s surprisingly hard to find a good francesinha in Lisbon. In Porto, the sandwich’s home, it lurks on nearly every restaurant menu, ready to take you down with its one-two-three punch of cured meat, melted cheese and a thick beer sauce. But in Lisbon, you have to go looking for it…
…Look no further, as the city’s best version is found at Restaurante Marco, close to Santos train station, where they specialise in this hulking sarnie.
If you’re not familiar with francesinha, let us enlighten you. Porto’s signature sandwich, the name translates to “little French” or “Frenchie”, its inception attributed to a French-Belgian chef who relocated to Portugal in the 1960s and decided to put a Portuguese spin on the classic croque monsieur sandwich.
Calling the francesinha a ‘sandwich’ does it an injustice, let’s be honest. Not for the faint hearted, it makes the croque monsieur looks meagre in comparison. Layers of different meats – ham, sausage, steak, mortadella – are sandwiched between bread and covered in melted cheese and grilled, all before being drowned in a murky tomato and beer sauce. For the insatiably hungry, a fried egg can be added.
At Restaurante Marco, an exemplary version is served alongside a mountain of French fries. The cheesecake has something of a cult following here, too. Order one if – implausibly – you have room. Wash it down with all the local beers; this one’s the ideal restaurant if you’re hungover after a night on the azulejos. Then, tackle several of Lisbon’s famously steep, slippery hills in recompense.
Website: restaurantemarco.pt
Address: Largo Santos 14D, 1200-808 Lisboa, Portugal
Pigmeu
Ideal for going the whole hog – trotters, tails, testicles and all…
Pigmeu, a haven for bacon lovers, offers a variety of pork dishes that celebrate nose-to-tail eating, focusing on often underappreciated parts like offal, snouts, pig’s ears, trotters, and tails.
The restaurant’s mission, encapsulated by the hashtag #detudoumporco (meaning nose-to-tail eating), is to make these parts delicious. Miguel Azevedo Peres, the mastermind behind Pigmeu, hails from Lisbon but brings the suckling pig traditions of his family’s Bairrada region to the capital.
Start your meal with the pig heart empanadas and finish with the pudim abade de prisco – a tradition dessert made with port and caramel that gets its savoury notes from – you guessed it – pork. The chocolate mousse whether it comes with crispy bacon shards or pork crackling on top is a sexy ol’ thing, too. Vegetarians need not apply.
Read our full review of Pigmeu for more.
Website: pigmeu.pt
Address: R. 4 de Infantaria 68, 1350-274 Lisboa, Portugal
Gambrinus
Ideal for unrivalled, old-school counter dining…
Gambrinus is an old-school fine dining institution in Lisbon, open for nearly a century, and known for its seafood, white tablecloths, and silver service. Named after King Gambrinus, the patron saint of beer, the restaurant’s decor remains unchanged since a 1964 remodel, featuring dark wooden paneling, red carpets, and immaculate linen tablecloths. Visual highlights include a tapestry of the four seasons in the main dining room and a stained glass of King Gambrinus in the smaller dining room. Yep, it’s that kind of place.
While many think of this place as a seafood restaurant, we don’t. We’re here for a perch at the restaurant’s iconic wooden counter to dine off the bar menu instead.
Gambrinus’ counter is, hands down, one of our favourite spots to dine solo in Lisbon. You’ll find us here, swigging a Gambrinus tulip beer (a blend of ‘white’ and dark beer) while snacking on toasted almonds and slices of butter-slathered rye bread, all in between courses of beef croquettes with Colman’s mustard.
Read our full review of Gambrinus for more.
Website: gambrinuslisboa.com
Address: R. das Portas de Santo Antão 23, 1150-264 Lisboa, Portugal
A Casa do Bacalhau
Ideal for all things salt cod…
As the name suggests, A Casa do Bacalhau specialises in the Portugal’s favourite ingredient, bacalhau.
Portuguese salt cod (though Bacalhau just means ‘cod’, in context it usually refers to the salted kind) is a joy, and many view it as the national dish. As such, you’ll find it everywhere in Lisbon, rarely messed with too much, and remaining refreshingly, resolutely unpretentious in its serving, the flavours allowed to speak for themself.
At A Casa do Bacalhau (the ‘House of Cod’), the fish appears in nearly 30 dishes. You’ll want to order the bacalhau a bras – shredded salt cod with eggs and olives – here, as it’s an gold-standard version of a much-loved classic, as well as the bacalhau com natas, an indulgent affair not miles away from a British fish pie.
The dining room at A Casa do Bacalhau is a treat, too; all gorgeous alcoves, hanging foliage and walls lined with wine bottles. It’s the perfect place to settle into for a feast of fish.
Website: casadobacalhau.pt
Address: Rua do Grilo 54, 1900-706 Lisboa, Portugal
O Frade
Ideal for regional Alentejo dishes and one of Lisbon’s best winelists…
There’s something about sitting at a counter that creates an intimate and personable experience with your dining companion (or even a stranger), and that’s what you get at O Frade. Indeed, one of the best seats in all of Lisbon is at their U-shaped counter, bringing a side order of spectacle to your dinnertime. Here it’s all about an ocean-to-table menu and traditional Alentejo recipes with just the right amount of contemporary flair.
This is a family-run affair, with the cousins coming from an Alentejo clan of cooks, a region known for its hearty cooking. The thing we like most about this place is that the chefs serve food they like to eat. Their enthusiasm translates to the plates here, with the generous, umami-rich seafood rice (the duck rice is also excellent) a must order. That bracketed boi, the the pato à frade, has something of a cult following in the city, and regularly sells out.
Should you not be able to score a seat at the counter on your visit, O Frade also have a place in the Time Out Market where you can eat duck rice until your heart’s content.
Back in the room and it’s one that’s decorated beautifully, with intricate tiling and several prints that pull focus on vinho da talha (an acclaimed wine produced in the Alentejo region). The winelist is suitably stacked with affordable bottles of the stuff. Well, it would be rude not to have a glass, then…
Website: fraderestaurante.com
Address: Calçada da Ajuda 14, 1300-598 Lisboa, Portugal
Belcanto
Ideal for meticulous, Michelin-starred riffs on classic Portuguese dishes…
A Michelin-starred restaurant by chef José Avillez from earlier in this very list, Belcanto offers an unparalleled contemporary dining experience. The tasting menu – currently priced at a pretty breathtaking €250 – is a journey through contemporary Portuguese cuisine, with each dish designed to tell its own story whilst also contributing to a cohesive whole.
We wouldn’t want to spoil the surprise of this highly inventive experience, but let us just say this; the suckling pig pork trotters with coriander and orange peel puree is genuinely up there with the nicest things we’ve ever eaten.
Equally good, and as documented on a recent UK season of Masterchef The Professionals, ‘The garden of the goose that laid the golden eggs’ is the signature dish, a carefully balanced, texturally intoxicating thing, rich in truffle and with a wonderful mouthfeel from oozing goose egg yolk. It’s no surprise that Belcanto boasts two Michelin stars, and for a special occasion kind of place, it’s unsurpassed anywhere in Portugal.
Website: belcanto.pt
Address: R. Serpa Pinto 10A, 1200-026 Lisboa, Portugal
Alma
Ideal for innovative, precise Portuguese/Asian fusion dishes…
Lisbon’s other two Michelin-starred restaurant Alma is another sparkling gem of a place. Founded within an 18th-century warehouse that once stored books for one of the world’s oldest bookshops, Alma’s setting presents a delightful blend of history and contemporary elegance. Its original stone-slab flooring and ceiling arches lend an enchanting atmosphere.
At the helm is the acclaimed Portuguese chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, whose two masterfully curated tasting menus are both priced at a (comparatively) reasonable €190. There’s also a la carte, if you fancy picking and choosing with a little more precision, but we’d highly recommend letting Sá Pessoa take the reins here; he knows what he’s doing.
The Alma menu showcases Chef Sá Pessoa’s classic Portuguese-Asian fusion dishes, such as salted cod with coriander broth and suckling pig confit with turnip-top puree. Alternatively, the Costa a Costa (Coast to Coast) menu celebrates the bounty of the sea, focusing exclusively on seafood delicacies. For those wishing to elevate their dining experience further, a wine pairing option is available for an additional €70.
Thanks to its open kitchen design, Alma is something of a visual treat too. Every meal here ends on the signature dessert of ‘sea flavours and citrus’: an innovative combination of yuzu sorbet, crystallised algae, and citrus curd. This exquisite attention to detail cements Alma’s status as one of the best – and most thought provoking – restaurants in Lisbon.
Website: www.almalisboa.pt
Address: R. Anchieta 15, 1200-224 Lisboa, Portugal
O Velho Eurico
Ideal for a traditional, typically convivial tasca experience…
A charming, compact little spot that offers traditional Portuguese dishes without refinement or deconstruction, O Velho Eurico is a convivial place; one where young folk spill out onto the randomly assigned outdoor tables just in front of the restaurant and Portuguese music blasts until late.
Housed in the historic centre of town on the way up to Sao Jorge Castle, chef Zé Paulo Rocha is at the stoves here, his cod with crisps a particularly good version of a popular Lisbon classic. Other standout dishes include the iscas de cebolada (pork liver) and the rancho a minhota, a thicky, murky stew comprising various meats, pasta and chickpeas. These dishes are unveiled each day on a main blackboard menu, echoing the tradition of Lisbon’s tascas and adding a touch of theatre to the place.
Due to the tight confines of the dining room, you’ll want to book this one. If not, expect to queue. O Velho Eurico comes highly recommended by Lisbon local and now London treasure, chef Nuno Mendes. We have to say, we agree with him!
Instagram: @ovelhoeurico
Address: Largo São Cristóvão nº3, 1100-179 Lisboa, Portugal
Prado
Ideal for a farm-to-table celebration of Portuguese producers…
Uniquely situated in a repurposed fish factory near the iconic Sé Cathedral in the city’s old town, Prado is instantly recognisable by its lofty ceilings and vibrant greenery, offering a succinct backdrop for a dining experience that’s grounded in sustainability. Under the creative leadership of talented young chef António Galapito (who trained with aforementioned Nuno Mendes at London’s Lisboeta), Prado has garnered acclaim for its innovative approach to culinary artistry.
The name ‘Prado’, meaning ‘meadow’, reflects the restaurant’s philosophy of sourcing ingredients locally and seasonally, ensuring that the freshest produce features prominently in all its dishes. The culinary experience at Prado focuses on highlighting the natural flavours of its ingredients, in line with its commitment to sustainable practices and respecting the environment. Indeed, as the team themselves put it straightforwardly; “if it’s not in season, it’s not on the menu”.
A simple but assertive dish of smoked eel, almond, cucumber and melon was a recent, ultra-summery highlight. Enjoy with the house kombucha, which is excellent. They also have a shop up the street which is worth a visit. stocked with all sorts of artisan bits.
Website: pradorestaurante.com
Address: Tv. das Pedras Negras 2, 1100-404 Lisboa, Portugal
Taberna da Rua das Flores
Ideal for forgotten Portuguese flavours rediscovered…
This charming restaurant is renowned for reviving traditional tasca fare with contemporary flair. Established in 2011, the menu, scrawled on a single blackboard, showcases a rotating selection of dishes that celebrate local producers in a narrow, vintage-style setting.
It’s an exclusive feeling kind of place, with only ten marble-topped tables, bringing an intimate interpretation of the tasca experience to the fore.
The head chef here is André Magalhães, who has dedicated himself to the art of preserving and modernising Lisbon’s forgotten flavours. Magalhães’s approach is meticulously researched; he has spent years exploring the old tascas of Lisbon, conversing with innkeepers, and collecting traditional recipes and techniques.
This ethnographic endeavour has culminated in the recreation of several near-forgotten dishes. Notable examples include iscas com elas — marinated slices of cow liver served with boiled potatoes and cow spleen sauce — and picadinho de carapau, a tartar of Atlantic horse mackerel marinated with an aromatic mix of ginger, celery, green apple, red onions, and lemon. It really is superb stuff.
The emphasis on local sourcing extends beyond the plate; the restaurant also sells artisanal products like olive oil made by Magalhães’s father in the northern region of Tras-os-Montes.
Website: taberneiros.pt
Address: Rua das Flores 103, 1200-194 Lisboa, Portugal
Quiosque São Paulo
Ideal for a quick refuel while exploring the city…
You can enjoy it all in the restaurant, sure, but perhaps even more enjoyable is to eat the same dishes in the adjacent São Paulo square, located close to the waterfront in the Cais do Sodré neighbourhood.
Here, Taberna da Rua das Flores have taken over one of the kiosks (Quiosque São Paulo), and you can order some of the signature dishes direct from there, all to be enjoyed with several glasses of beer.
The punheta de bacalhau, a delicious salt cod salad, is an ode the country’s infatuation with the stuff. The miomba, a long lost sandwich that Magalhães recovered from the archives that’s something of a precursor to the bifana, is served here and is also excellent. So too are the issóis de camarão, a kind of prawn turnover. Delicious, and what a setting to enjoy it all in.
Instagram: @quiosque.saopaulo
Address: Praça São Paulo, 1200-194 Lisboa, Portugal
Trindade
Ideal for Portuguese beer food in the most historic of settings…
We end, just as we started, in one of Lisbon’s best cervejarias. Housed within the walls of a former monastery, Trindade is not only one of Lisbon’s most venerable breweries; it’s also a brilliant restaurant to boot.
This cavernous space offers a unique blend of history and gastronomy and is recognised as a cultural heritage site. Housed in a 13th-century convent adorned with magnificent tile panels, Cervejaria Trindade is a landmark that truly needs no introduction. This historic brewery first opened its doors 184 years ago, and is a beautiful place to spend an evening, its intricate tiles, long central table, and enveloping acoustics a total pleasure to be amongst.
The rich history of Trindade is vividly depicted on its walls, with tiles featuring Masonic symbols that hint at its storied past. From its origins as a brewery to its evolution into a craft beer haven, Trindade is somewhere we keep returning to.
Though the temptation is always to order the size-of-your-forearm red prawns when in Lisbon, at Trindade the most exquisite, downright delicious plate we’ve had was actually the fairly lowkey-looking coast prawns – small, pink guys that are served cold with aioli. Nothing has ever tasted more like a fresh ocean breeze than these. They were quite simply superb. The tomato rice, starchy and unctuous, should also grace your table.
On that table, fresh, frothy beer will also sit – you are dining in a brewery, after all. You know what? We might just order another glass and usher you off; we fancy some alone time with these prawns…
Website: cervejariatrindade.pt