A food tour is my favourite way to get to know a new destination, and Lisbon is a prime place to explore via your stomach. As you traverse its hilly cobbled streets you’ll soak up history as you sip ginjinha, snack on pastéis de bacalhau, and hear tales and legends about the city.
Portugal’s capital is a serious food destination, and once you start peeling back the layers of Portuguese cuisine you’ll find seemingly endless dishes to explore. But where to start? Let a local lead the way, sharing the city’s great secrets, best restaurants, and top tips as you explore one of the best food tours in Lisbon.
As a foodie capital there’s no shortage of food tours, so I’ve carefully curated a list of the very best of Lisbon’s food tours below.
Quick reference: 11 of the best Lisbon food tours
- Lisbon street food tour – taste the traditions of Lisbon with Devour
- Serious foodies love Culinary Backstreets’ all-day food tours
- Soak up seafood and sunshine in the port district – with Culinary Backstreets
- Heart of Lisbon tour – explore Chiado and Bairro Alto with Eating Europe
- Go where the locals go with Taste of Lisboa’s half-day Lisbon food tour
- Taste 17 items on Oh! My Cod’s original four-hour jaunt
- Explore Mouraria neighbourhood on this three-hour Secret Food Tour
- Lisbon Wine and Tapas Tasting – 2-hour wine education with cheese
- Dinner and fado tour – learn about the Portuguese music genre’s history, before sitting down for dinner and a show
- Full-day Lisbon region food and wine experience – with cheese-making workshop
- Lisbon Sunset Sailing Tour – two-hour sailing experience with wine and snacks
The best recommended food tours in Lisbon
Why trust me to select the best food tours in Lisbon? Well, I’m a food-obsessed local who knows the scene, has been on a few of these tours, and occasionally hosts tours herself.
If you want a private food tour in Lisbon – send me a message.
Anyway, here are what I think are the best small group food tours in Lisbon.
Top choice: Tastes and Traditions Food Tour with Devour
I’ve done this tour and it’s great! The team at Devour, a Spanish company, runs tours in great foodie cities across Europe. Their “Lisbon: Tastes and Traditions Food Tour” takes you to seven local spots with nine tastings over 3.5 hours. You’ll visit a bakery that used to supply for the royal family, taste plenty of snacks, and visit a tasca. It’s a winner.
- Includes 7 stops, 9 tastings, 3 drinks
- 3.5 hour tour
- Maximum 10 people
- From €63
- Book via GetYourGuide or Viator
For serious foodies: Culinary Backstreets Lisbon Food Tours
As a food writer and food lover, I’m a huge fan of Culinary Backstreets. If you wish food tours were longer and went deeper, this is the choice for you. You’ll spend the whole day eating with a local guide who is genuinely obsessed with the city’s food scene, and you’ll have a choice of four different routes and themes in Lisbon.
There’s a tour that soaks up seafood and sunshine in the port district, and another that dives into the cuisines, history and diversity of Portugal’s former colonies. On each tour you’ll spend five to six hours exploring the streets of Lisbon, discovering stories off the beaten track.
Food tours:
- Lisbon Awakens: A Culinary Crossroads, Reborn
- Song of the Sea: Fish, Seafood and Tradition in Lisbon’s Port Zone
- Hidden Flavors of the Hillside: Mouraria & Graça
Details:
- Inclusions vary between tours, but plenty of stops and drinks
- 5-6 hours
- Maximum 7 people, but usually less
- From €131
- Book via Viator
Culinary Backstreets also has a strong editorial side and its journalism project covers the city’s traditional eateries with profiles and deep dives. It even published a detailed food guidebook filled with great restaurants in Lisbon.
Eating Europe Food Tours Lisbon
I joined Eating Europe’s Heart of Lisbon Food Tour when it launched in early 2024. This one takes you across Bairro Alto, Chiado and Baixa in search of unusual snacks connected to Portugal’s colonial history, classic street food bites, and chic wine bars.
It was a fun few hours exploring Portugal’s capital and even though I know the city very well, I experienced a new-to-me dish and ate the best-ever caldo verde in a little-known tavern beneath a church. Our guide Ricardo was a bundle of energy with stories, tales and more to share about Lisbon and Portuguese food. Eating Europe also has a more traditional tour that treks across Mouraria, and one that combines a tuk-tuk tour with food.
- Inclusions vary, but expect around 5 stops
- 3.5 hour tour
- Maximum 12 people
- From €89
- Book via GetYourGuide
Taste of Lisboa Food Tours
Go where the locals go with Taste of Lisboa. This local food tour company is closely connected to the city, using local guides who share their history and culture through food.
The Lisbon Roots tour gives you a classic taste of the city, trying dishes like caldo verde and bacalhau, while the Lisbon Market tour takes you through Campo de Ourique, a cool local neighbourhood that’s usually off the tourist track. Safe to say, both are among the best food tours in Lisbon.
With Taste of Lisboa you can also join a cooking class, or have dinner at a local’s home.
- Includes 7 stops and 16 food and drink tastings
- 4 hour tour
- Maximum 12 people
- From €135
- Book via Viator
Oh! My Cod Food Tours in Lisbon
The fantastically named Oh! My Cod has been running food tours in Lisbon since 2016, and has more than 5,000 5-star reviews for its original Lisbon eating tour. Oh! My Cod uses food as a gateway to history and storytelling, weaving into tales of social change, migration, and local experiences into its tours.
On the original four-hour jaunt you’ll make four food stops in three districts, tasting 17 delicious local dishes. Best of all, each experience has options suitable for vegetarians, gluten-free foodies, pescatarians, lactose intolerant, and keto diet travellers.
- Includes 17 tastings
- 4 hours
- Maximum 10
- From €89
- Book via Viator
But Oh! My Cod goes further, with deeper half-day food experiences in Lisbon that connect you with sustainable chefs, and even a very special five-day slow food culinary trip to the Azores, a volcanic Portuguese archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean.
Explore Mouraria with Secret Food Tours in Lisbon
Taste Portuguese cheeses, traditional fish dishes, bifanas (pork sandwich), and local sweets, like a pastel de nata, on this three-hour Secret Food Tour. As you explore the charming streets of Lisbon’s Mouraria neighbourhood you’ll taste all these things along with port wine, vinho verde, a local liqueur and more.
This company runs food tours across the world, and Lisbon is one of its top destinations.
- Includes 5-7 stops
- 3-hour tour
- Maximum 12 people
- From €79
- Book via Viator
More downtown Lisbon food tours to try
Those are by no means the only food tours in Lisbon. Above I’ve rounded up some of the more famous tours in the city, but there are dozens more to choose from. You could also check out:
- Lisbon at Sunset: Petiscos, Food & Wine Tour – after-dark tour with Devour
- Lisbon Wine and Tapas Tasting – 2-hour wine education with cheese
- This small-group Portuguese food and wine tour, with up to 15 people
- Treasures of Lisboa runs a 3.5-hour food tour of Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest district
- This private half-day Lisbon food tour includes six or 10 tastings
Something different? Unique food experiences and alternative tours in Lisbon
Most food tours in Lisbon fit into a fairly similar format – a 3-4 hour street food tour of the downtown. But there are dozens of ways to explore Lisbon and its food scene – not to mention the nearby wine regions. Here are some unique and unusual gourmet food experiences that you can join in Lisbon, from sunset cruise to segway snacking.
Lisbon small-group dinner & fado music tour
You may have heard of fado, a nostalgic Portuguese music genre. While in Lisbon, it’s an essential cultural activity and even though you won’t understand the lyrics, you’ll feel moved by the experience. To learn more, this dinner and fado tour is like a fado 101 lesson – you’ll wander the cobblestone streets of Lisbon’s historic centre and learn about the unique concept of saudade, stopping to admire murals, statues, fado houses and places important to fado and Lisbon’s identity. Then you’ll sit down for a traditional dinner with drinks and dessert where you’ll hear live fado.
Portuguese wine tasting & cheese lunch at a wine bar
Gain an education into Portuguese wines in a two-hour session that will reveal the various Portuguese wine regions, and teach you about the most famous indigenous grapes. All while you nibble on a delicious cheese and charcuterie board.
Segway food tour of Alfama
Experience Lisbon’s food scene on two wheels with this tour that explores the best of downtown and the city’s oldest neighbourhoods with a segway.
South of Lisbon – Setúbal, Arrábida & Sesimbra food & wine tours
One of my favourite day trips from Lisbon is south to Setúbal and Arrábida Natural Park. In a day you can visit one of Portugal’s best markets, explore wild beaches and nature, visit an artisanal hand-painted tile factory, and go wine tasting. Here are a couple of great tours that squeeze all that and more into a great day out.
- This private full-day Arrábida tour combines the market, culture and artisans with food and wine
- This wine-focused full-day private tour ticks off many Setúal wineries
- This affordable small-group tour combines the beauty of Sesimbra’s beaches, culture and castle with wine tasting.
Portuguese cooking class in Lisbon
Learn about Portuguese cuisine while cooking up a multi-course lunch or dinner with a cooking class in Lisbon. You could try this hands-on three-hour class where you’ll make a starter, fish and meat dish, or read my wrap of the best Portuguese cooking classes here.
Read next: The best cooking classes in Lisbon
Lisbon sunset sailing tours with wine
Seeing Lisbon from the water at sunset is one of the most magical ways to spend an evening. With this two-hour sailing experience, you’ll set out on the Tagus River with wine and snacks as you sail along the city’s edge and back, under the 25th of April Bridge and past the Belém Tower.
Pastel de nata baking classes
If you love Portuguese custard tarts, then you should join a pastel de nata cooking workshop while in Lisbon! There are a dozen or so to choose from, like this one held in a real bakery near Lisbon, or this baking class held in the city.
Read next: The best pastel de nata cooking classes in Lisbon
Azeitão cheese workshop with wine & food tasting
This full-day Lisbon region food and wine experience sounds epic. It’s one of the more unusual food tours in the region and includes a visit to my favourite market in Portugal, and a private cheese-making workshop. After the hard work, enjoy a wine tasting and end the day at Sesimbra Castle. Cool!
Lisbon winery visit and photoshoot
This half-day wine tour takes you to an 18th-century estate for a wine tasting and photoshoot among the vines. If you like to get out to the countryside, and enjoy getting professional photos on your trip, this might be the perfect Lisbon food and wine experience.
Lisbon by Night Pub crawl
If you like to be out after dark, Lisbon is a youthful city that’s a lot of fun by night. Join a five-hour pub crawl, starting with an hour-long open bar. Get your fill of unlimited beer and sangria, then prepare for a thrilling night of shots with VIP club entry. If you need food with your booze, there are plenty of other party tours with snacks to choose from.
Lisbon sangria bike & bar
So this looks like a fun experience for bachelorette parties and stag dos. Essentially you and your 10 or so friends all pedal a giant bike bar along the riverfront. You can hook your music up to the bluetooth speakers and have a laugh while enjoying bottomless sangria and beer and peddling past Lisbon’s riverfront sights.
Full-day Evora & Monsaraz experience
Swap Lisbon’s busy streets for fields of cork trees and olive groves in the Alentejo. This full-day private wine tasting combines the rich gastronomy of the countryside Alentejo region with wine tastings at a few vineyards. Along the way you’ll visit one of my favourite villages, medieval Monsaraz.
Food tours in Lisbon: FAQS
Is Lisbon a foodie city?
YES. The Portuguese capital is one of the best places to eat in the world. There are stacks of food tours operating in Lisbon because it is such a great place to eat. While it might not have the obvious street food culture of, say, Bangkok or Istanbul, Lisbon relies on Portugal’s brilliant seafood, local produce, and traditional dishes to craft something entirely new and exciting.
What is the signature dish of Lisbon?
Portuguese cuisine is very regional, so while you can find the greatest hits from across the country in the heart of the capital, Lisbon (unsurprisingly) has a stack of its own dishes. Most excitingly, pastéis de nata or Portuguese custard tarts are from Lisbon and were invented at the monastery in Belém.
As for savoury, there are hundreds of bacalhau or salted cod recipes in Portugal – and Lisbon’s signature dish might be bacalhau à brás. This simple and homely dish consists of shredded codfish with fried potato chips, onion and scrambled eggs – it’s awesome. Another favourite is amêijoas à Bulhão Pato – clams cooked in white white, garlic, olive oil and coriander. It’s simple, it’s great, and it’s named after a 19th-century Spanish poet, Bulhão Pato. He lived in Lisbon and became the clam’s greatest advocate. Order bread to soak up the juices!
Read next: 25 traditional dishes to order in Portugal
What food is Lisbon best known for?
Pastel de nata! Portuguese custard tarts are Lisbon’s most famous food, for sure. You can try these across the city and the country, but a food tour in Lisbon will take you to the best spots.
Where is Nando’s or peri-peri chicken in Lisbon?
While Nando’s claims to be Portuguese flame-grilled chicken… it’s actually a South African fast-food chain. You won’t find any lemon and herb sauce here – but you can easily find chicken grilled over charcoal with a spicy or garlicky oil. It’s the lazy Friday-night food families grab when they don’t feel like cooking. The locals are actually quite baffled as to why grilled chicken is Portugal’s most famous exported dish.
Do food tours in Lisbon accommodate vegetarian and gluten-free diets?
It will depend tour to tour. Portuguese food is naturally very heavy on meat and seafood. While it will be easy enough for a gluten intolerant person to navigate menus for gluten-free dishes, traditional Portuguese restaurants are difficult for vegetarian meals. I’ve pointed out some tours that can accommodate these dietary needs above.
What’s included in the price of the food tour?
It depends on the food tour you choose in Lisbon. Each will make a handful of stops, pausing to let you taste the best of the city while educating you on Portuguese cuisine and dining culture. Usually drinks are included in the price, but it’s best to check how many. Tips for your guide are not included in the price.
Do you tip in Lisbon?
Lisbon doesn’t have the tipping culture of America, but tips are encouraged when you receive great service. In a restaurant it’s not impolite to leave loose change or a small note as a thank you. With the cost of living crisis (pushed higher by tourism) and low minimum wages (which many hospitality workers receive), any tip is very gratefully received and it will make a difference.
If your Lisbon food tour guide is awesome, it’s worth considering leaving them a tip as part of your gratitude.
If you found this guide (or my other content useful) you can also buy me a coffee too 🙂
Is a food tour in Lisbon worth it?
Big yes. While you can visit almost every stop on the food tours in Lisbon that I’ve mentioned above, you won’t receive all the intel and stories that come with a food tour. If you enjoy history, food storytelling, curious facts and learning about the people behind the places, then a Lisbon food tour is a must. I find I prefer food tours to walking tours, as your food guide often weaves in history as you pass by various sights.
What time do people eat in Portugal?
Breakfast is fairly casual, and many people go to a local pasteleria or bakery for a quick espresso and something from the counter or buttered toast – anywhere between 7am and 10am.
Lunch falls around 1pm to 2pm, with restaurants opening around 12 or 12.30pm. You can usually find places to sit down between 12-3pm.
Dinner falls from around 8pm to 9pm. You can enter restaurants from 7.30pm, right up until 10pm. Of course, some places are open later or earlier to make it easier for tourists in Lisbon and Portugal.
That’s my list of the best food tours in Lisbon. Have you been on one that you can recommend? Leave me a comment!
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