Where to Eat in Lisbon: A Foodie’s Guide

Lisbon is a city of extravagance, full of food, wine, and culture. This Portuguese capital not only has authentic Portuguese cuisine and wine but it also has a range of food and wine from the various immigrant communities that have come to call this part of Portugal home.

For foodies, Lisbon is a dream come true. Whether you’re looking for traditional treats like bifana (pork cutlet sandwich), caldo verde (kale and potato soup), pasteis de nata (egg custard tarts), or some fresh seafood, you’ll find it here!

This food guide will help you plan your trip to Lisbon so that you can truly enjoy only the best food and drinks in the city!

Authentic Portuguese Food

You simply can’t visit a country like Portugal without enjoying some of the more traditional dishes. Here’s where you can find some of the best.

Antiga Confeitaria de Belem

After touring historic sites like Jeronimos Monastery in the Belem neighborhood, you will have no doubt worked up an appetite.

This means it is time to visit Antiga Confeitaria de Belem for a little snack. Here, you can grab traditional pasteis de nata! Having been in operation since 1837, these tarts are handcrafted with custard cream, baked to crispy perfection, and topped with a light dusting of cinnamon.

Enjoy these delicious treats (still warm!) while surrounded by beautiful azulejos in the vaulted rooms of the bakery.

Restaurante Casa do Bacalhau

You simply cannot visit Lisbon without trying some bacalhau a bras. Bacalhau is a Portuguese meal made with salted cod, egg, onions, parsley, garlic, and olives.

Salt cod is a traditional Portuguese staple, and bacalhau is found on restaurant menus across Lisbon, and is a hallmark of Portuguese cuisine, with the recipe that dates back centuries.

If you really love the bacalhau, try a variation called pasteis de bacalhau. This dish features the same ingredients as bacalhau a bras, but it is fried with potatoes and herbs, creating something like a fish croquette.

You can usually find pasteis de bacalhau in snack bars for a quick bite while sight-seeing and exploring Lisbon, as a fast lunch with a shared bottle of traditional port wine, or as a snack with a glass of Portuguese wine.

When it comes to bacalhau and other traditional Portuguese dishes, Restaurante Casa do Bacalhau is where you want to be.

Parreirinha de Alfama

You cannot visit Lisbon without visiting a fado house. Fado is a type of music that can be traced back to nineteenth-century Lisbon. A casa do fado combines the music with the traditional food and wine from the region.

As the oldest fado house in the Alfama neighborhood, Parreirinha de Alfama will immerse you in the fado culture while treating you to Portuguese bread, regional olive oil, fresh produce, and remarkable seafood.

Cervejaria Ramiro

One of the must try dishes in Lisbon is the steak sandwich known in Portuguese as prego no pao and one of the best in town can be found at Cervejaria Ramiro.

Hard to believe that ingredients as simple as steak and garlic could produce a sandwich so incredible. Traditionally, a mallet is used to pound the garlic into the meat and stretch it out nice and thin. From there, it is all topped with mustard and piled onto a traditional roll and ready for you to consume.

It may sound weird, but this particular sandwich is recommended as a dessert option at Cervejaria Ramiro. One bite of this sandwich and you’ll quickly understand why. It is probably the most decadent way to finish a marvelous meal.

Seafood

Seafood is a specialty throughout many regions in Portugal and Lisbon is no exception. In fact, one of the must-try dishes is grilled sardines. Most restaurants will serve them in the traditional way, with a healthy splash of olive oil.

To try grilled sardines or any other fresh seafood offerings, head to the following restaurants:

A Muralha Tasca Típica

This place not only features some of the best food in Lisbon, but it also boasts a relaxed atmosphere, complete with a patio.

Arrive for the sardines and clams, stay for the patio views of the world passing by.

The dishes here are very reasonably priced and the staff is friendly and welcoming. Popular with locals, it is important to make a reservation before you go as it books up quickly. But even if you have to wait to get a table, it is worth it. The octopus, sardines, steak, and local wines are worth it.

Restaurante Lautasco

For a taste of the best salted cod in town, head down a quiet little alley to the courtyard and pay a visit to Lautasco.

If you are looking for a casual dining experience with friendly staff and delicious food, this is where you need to be.

From mackerel and sardines to monkfish, sea bass, octopus and even espedatas with fresh sides, there is no bad decision on this menu!

Trendy Spots

Sometimes, a foodie just wants to visit the restaurant with all the buzz. How else will you find out what all the fuss is about? The following restaurants in Lisbon not only have buzz, they are right on top of all the latest trends.

Cafe Lisboa

Located outside the São Carlos National Theatre, Cafe Lisboa is a great place to people watch while enjoying concoctions created by famous Portuguese chef, Jose Avillez.

Whether you are looking for a full meal or want to try one of those delightfully delicious little Portuguese custard tarts, Cafe Lisboa has you covered. With a mix of old world traditions and international influence and innovation, this eatery delivers on everything from flavor to atmosphere.

Belcanto

If you enjoyed your visit to Cafe Lisboa, travel about 100 meters and pay a visit to another one of Chef Avillez’s incredibly buzz worth restaurants, Belcanto.

Belcanto has been awarded two Michelin stars and in 2019, it was named to the prestigious “The World’s 50 Best Restaurants.”

Belcanto is truly haute cuisine. Chef Avillez takes traditional Portuguese dishes and flavors and pushes them beyond your wildest imaginations. 

Choose from one of two tasting menus and be transported on a fully curated food journey. Should you choose to select items of the a la carte menu, you will find a great set of options like braised red mulled with squid rice, suckling pig, or sea bass with avocado.

From service to plating, Belcanto hits all the right notes.

Prado Restaurante

If you are on a quest for seasonal, farm to table dishes, Prado serves up some of the freshest ingredients around.

The atmosphere is most definitely casual and relaxed but you’d never know from the incredible food quality. This is most definitely a fine dining experience in a relaxed and welcoming space.

The menu is unique with excellent wine pairings. For a really special experience, be sure to order the mushroom ice cream. Trust us, you’ll love it!

Lisbon is an exciting city with lots of things to do, but for true foodies (or want to be foodies), it is also a city of culinary delights.

If you are interested in exploring Portuguese food traditions, cooking, and wine tasting, take advantage of our specially curated The Taste of Lisbon Tour: The Luxury Foodie Experience. Visit some incredible landmarks and experience the best the city and culture have to offer while taking your tastebuds on a wild ride!

If you are a foodie, and you are looking for a way to see Lisbon and have your cake, too, we have the best of all worlds - Tasty Traditions & Tuk Tuk Tour in Lisbon. This is the tour for foodies and wine lovers. You will not only be able to sample the best of Lisbon on a guided tour, skipping the tourist traps; you will find yourself cooking with some of Lisbon’s best chefs, and tasting some of the finest wines that Portugal offers. Gastronomy and culture in a beautiful and trendy surrounding? Yes, please.

 Contact us today to book or learn more!

Lisbon is the perfect place for travellers looking for delicious food, quality wine, and fantastic sightseeing. Visitors will be exposed to fine seafood dishes, traditional Portuguese fare, gorgeous scenery, food markets, and wonderful restaurants. Whether you are an experienced foodie or just a part-time food lover, Lisbon is perfect for you.