Local’s guide to Lisbon’s best restaurants: 41 great places to eat (2025)

A perfectly salted fish cooked over coals. A juicy tomato plucked in the peak of summer, drenched in fresh olive oil and tangy white wine vinegar. The crunch of a pastel de nata, still warm from the oven. Portuguese food is a lesson in perfectly executed simplicity.

You eat well in Lisbon, without spending a lot – especially if you like lunch. I can’t get enough of the barebones local places where a lunch menu gives you a meal, soup, coffee, beer or wine, dessert and change from a €10 note. Yes, even in this economy.

Eating out at Lisbon restaurants you’ll find the first European offering from a respected Japanese joint through to Portuguese classics at every price point. Generally speaking, the Portuguese food is excellent and the international food can leave a little bit to be desired but there are shining exceptions to both of those rules.

Portuguese food isn’t easy to sum up in a sentence or two so it’s worth taking a look at my guide to 25 of the most common dishes before you get started.

Tips: table snacks dropped on your table are not free. Ask them to take them away if you don’t want them. Also a “dose” feeds two people, so a half dose is for one. Portuguese maths! When you leave the city, don’t be afraid to try small town tascas – often you’ll eat like royalty.

Read next… 12 mistakes people making when visiting Portugal

Favourite restaurants and tascas for Portuguese food in Lisbon

In Australia I loved fine dining and wild new concepts but since moving here in 2018 I prefer to hunt out the local gems and Lisbon restaurants that don’t make the guidebooks or listicles, or chef-owned Lisbon restaurants rediscovering what Portuguese food can be. I’ve split this section into traditional for my favourite basic, classic, no frills spots, and progressive Lisbon restaurants for the local chefs doing nose-to-tail dining or modern Portuguese without the ego. 

Read next… My favourite tascas in Lisbon: Where to eat traditional Portuguese food

Lisbon’s best traditional Portuguese restaurants

Ultimo Porto – €€

For the best grilled fish in Lisbon, go to Ultimo Porto. The unusual waterfront restaurant is jammed up against the docks, so don’t be surprised if giant trucks carting shipping containers whiz past a terrace full of suits. It’s all part of the charm. Pick a fish, wait for the grill and tuck in. It’s only open for lunch.

Address: R. Gen. Gomes Araújo 1, 1350-352 Lisboa (Santos)
What to order: grilled fish and amêijoas à bulhão pato (clams with garlic and coriander)
Reservations: By phone, recommended

Note: It’s tricky to find this spot by car as Google Maps leads you astray. I recommend going to “Rocha do Conde d’Óbidos” and crossing the pedestrian-only swing bridge of the same name. On weekends that swing bridge is permanently left open, so you’ll have to gothe long way around on Saturdays.

O Tachadas – €€

At the front of this tiny tasca, the grill chef’s eyes barely stray from whatever telenovela or old movie is on the TV as he flips steaks, squid and pork chops over the flames. O Tachadas is a typical old-fashioned tasca and I love it. We like to come for a giant T-bone steak the size of your (rather large) plate. Be prepared for the “whack, whack, whack” as your €16ish cut of steak is hacked off the bone on a chopping block right next to the grill. 

Address: Rua da Esperança 178, 1200-808 Lisboa (Santos)
What to order: costeleta de novilho (the steak), bacalhau à Bras (codfish with potato and egg)
Reservations: By phone, recommended

Note: The Portuguese tend to leave steak a little on the rare side (which I love) so you may have to send it back for a second grilling if you like anything beyond medium rare.

Tasquinha do Lagarto – €

Open since 1973, this tasca started as a café and snack bar with games tables and has since become one of Lisbon’s best addresses. The first thing you’ll notice in Tasquinha do Lagarto is the sports paraphernalia lining every wall, particularly that of Lisbon’s football team Sporting. Inside the menu is short but well priced. I’ve tried almost all of it and every visit the food has been fantastic. 

Address: R. de Campolide 258, Lisboa (Campolide)
What to order: atum cebolada (tuna and onions), polvo á lagaeiro (baked octopus with potatoes)
Reservations: by phone

Zé da Mouraria – €

Bring friends when you dine at Zé da Mouraria. And don’t turn up for dinner, like we did the first three times (whoops). At first glance, the prices seem steeper than other spots, but order a meal and they’ll deliver an entire frying pan or dinner tray of food. My guess is one dish is enough to feed three. Unless you want to follow in the footsteps of a solo diner we watched quickly make new friends when his family sized meal arrived.

Address: R. João do Outeiro 24, 1100-292 Lisboa (Mouraria) + now a second and third location.
What to order: bacalhau com grão (salted cod with chickpeas)
Reservations: Call ahead – numbers here

Read next… Where to find the best Portuguese street food and snacks in Lisbon

Zé dos Cornos – €

Ribs, ribs, ribs. They do them savoury style in Portugal, garlicky and salty instead of drowned in barbecue sauce. Share a rack straight off the charcoal grill for €12 with a tomato salad and bean rice. Zé dos Cornos ticks all the tasca (cheap restaurant) boxes. There are tiles on the wall, paper tablecloths, the news or football on the TV and an owner/chef/waiter that shows his love for his regulars by teasing them relentlessly. There’s always a line but (as with most places) they’ll happily serve you beers while you wait on the street. And we all know that a queue with a beer is basically a bar anyway. 

Address: Beco Surradores 5, 1100-591 Lisboa (Mouraria)
What to order: Piano (ribs)
Reservations: Show up early or prepare to wait

Zé is short for José, a name that is very popular generally and apparently even more popular in Lisbon among chefs and restaurant owners.

Casa do Alentejo – €

This cultural club set in a historic palace is an ode to my favourite region of Portugal. It happens to be hidden in plain sight on one of Lisbon’s most touristic streets. Some in-the-know tourists may pause and pop their heads in to snap pictures of the spectacular courtyard, straight out of Morocco, but they’re missing the best part. Let the small plates stack up as you knock back beers in the courtyard of the Tavern at Casa do Alentejo and prepare for the (pleasant) surprise when you see your bill at the end. For something more formal or spectacular, head upstairs to the restaurant where ornate banquet halls and reasonably priced traditional meals beckon.

Address: R. das Portas de Santo Antão 58, 1150-268 Lisboa (Restauradores/Rossio)
What to order: migas (bread mash), flaming chorizo
Reservations: You can book the upstairs restaurant (also gorgeous) online, or call the tavern for an inside table. They don’t take terrace bookings.

Want to join me on a food tour? I offer private custom food tours in Lisbon – send me a message to find out more.

Solar dos Nunes — €€/€€€

Solar dos Nunes is a Lisbon institution open since 1988, which becomes apparent when you step inside the front door to find a cosy space with white tablecloths and photo frames covering every wall. This Portuguese restaurant specialises in Alentejo cuisine, and it’s picked up many awards and had many celebrity faces pass through. It has an old-world European feel, the sort of place to expect a business lunch to stretch out past  4pm. On the menu you’ll find everything from fan favourites to obscure recipes. Most importantly, it often has sericaia, my favourite dessert. 

Address: R. dos Lusíadas 68, 1300-366 Lisboa (Alcântara)
What to order: delicious presunto, stewed boar
Reservations: By phone or online, recommended

Vida de Tasca – €

Vida de Tasca was my most anticipated Lisbon restaurant opening for 2024. In a city where ramen and burger bars are swallowing up old classics at an alarming rate Chef Leonor Godinho opened up a new tasca (local tavern) in the bones of Casa Alberto. The place is an ode to tasca culture, and little more has been done than a lick of paint on the chairs. As a trained chef, Godinho adds those small touches to serve cooked-to-order croquettes and pasteís de bacalhau alongside a short menu with two daily specials, where you’ll always find Lisbon’s favourite dish, the bitoque (thin steak with fried egg and sauce). 

Address: R. Moniz Barreto 7, 1700-306 Lisboa (Roma)
What to order: bitoque (thin steak with egg
Reservations: Book ahead online or by phone

Ramiro – €€€

Before your beer has finished a waiter drops another in front of you. Fortunate, because you’re doing serious manual labour for your meal, with a small hammer bang-bang-banging crab legs open to reach the tender flesh. Ramiro, the most famous Lisbon seafood restaurant, isn’t a quiet date night. It’s the sort of place to take friends and share bowls of clams swimming in olive oil, garlic and coriander or experience the life-changing sweetest of a carabineiro (scarlet prawn). Cheap, no. Worth it, yes.

Address: Av. Alm. Reis 1 H, 1150-007 Lisboa (Intendente)
What to order: seafood by weight – try the carabineiro (scarlet prawn)
Reservations: Book ahead online or by phone, or show up and wait

Read next… How to spend 48 hours in Lisbon

Espaco Açores – €€

If you can’t make it to the islands of the Azores, eating the food is the next best thing. An Azorean friend took us to Espaco Açores and it opened my mind a little, even after briefly visiting the spectacular Atlantic archipelago. If you’ve visited any of the Azorean islands or Madeira you’ll know how great lapas grelhadas (grilled limpets) are. Don’t miss the chance to try the polvo guisado (octopus stew) either.

Address: Largo da Boa-Hora à Ajuda 19, 1300-098 Lisboa (Ajuda)
What to order: limpets, polvo guisado (octopus stew)
Reservations: It’s possible to book online or walk in.

O Lutador – €/€€

O Lutador is my local terrace bar and tasca where it’s fun to drop in for a cheeky bifana and imperial (that’s a pork sandwich and baby beer). In summer, locals stretch out here with plates of tiny snails, pica-pau and beer. The meals at this Lisbon restaurant are mostly under €15, but the snack game here is their strong suit.

Address: R. da Junqueira 1C, 1300-383 Lisboa (Alcântara)
What to order: pica pau (chopped steak in gravy with pickles), arroz de lingueirão (razor clam rice)
Reservations: Go early for a terrace table, or book online

Heading to Porto? Read my guide on where to eat in Porto and discover Porto’s best coffee shops.

Carvoaria Jacto – €€/€€€

Don’t take your vegetarian friends to Carvoaria Jacto, a Lisbon steak institution that opened in 1953. Back then it would have been a tiny carvoaria or shop that sold coal. These days it’s a huge steak temple where the best cuts are seasoned and grilled over charcoal. In a sense the product has changed, but the soul and address is the same. While you’re going here for the (steak examples), the side of mushroom risotto is unmissable. Book ahead!

Address: R. Maria Andrade 6A, 1170-216 Lisboa (Anjos)
What to order: steak, the best you can afford
Reservations: Book ahead!

Ponto Final – €€

You come here for the unforgettable view but fortunately the food is good too. You’ll need to take a 10-minute ferry ride to the south bank of the river and walk past the graffiti-covered abandoned warehouses that line the water. Definitely book a table (at least a month or two) ahead at Ponto Final to get a primo spot on the pier for sunset drinks and dinner with magical views across the water to Lisbon and out to sea. Apparently you can show up and queue for a while if you fail to book.

Address: R. do Ginjal 72, 2800-285 Almada (Cacilhas)
What to order: fish rice, grilled fish
Reservations: Book months in advance! You can also try Atira-te ao Rio next door, which has a terrace with the same view.

Honestly this is just the beginning of my list of the best local and traditional restaurants to eat at in Lisbon. For extended reading, bookmark or pin my favourite 34 tascas in Lisbon and discover the best old-school, cheap eats.

Lisbon’s best progressive or modern Portuguese restaurants

Canalha – €€/€€€

If you’re a bit of a food nerd and a fan of chefs (guilty) then you have to get a table at Canalha. Top Portuguese chef João Rodrigues said goodbye to the two-star Michelin restaurant where he worked to embark on a year-long project popping up once a month in different regions of Portugal. It was an insanely ambitious and successful project, connecting local chefs and producers with mad food lovers. On his return he opened Canalha, which is run by chef Lívia Orofino. 

At its heart, Canalha might be best described as a produce-driven Portuguese bistro. I recall him describing it as a neighbourhood spot where you could spend €20 to €200, so everyone is welcome. Like traditional Portuguese tascas you’ll find a daily menu with well-priced dishes of the day. Then there’s a menu of seasonally changing dishes, and finally you can choose from what’s come in with the fisherman. That’s where you’ll do damage to the credit card! Book ahead.

Address: R. da Junqueira 207, 1300-338 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: Daily specials, carabineiro (scarlet prawn) pasta, anything in season
Reservations: Book ahead online or by phone

O Velho Eurico – €

We first discovered O Velho Eurico when it was a killer, old-school tasca with some of the best polvo a lagareiro (olive oil octopus) and bacalhau no forno (baked salted cod) around. The owner retired, the name stayed and a surprise meal of petiscos (small plates like tapas) appeared one day with the 21-year-old Zé Paulo Rocha at the helm. At the new-old Eurico a hand-written chalkboard displays traditional dishes, cooked and eaten by parents, grandparents and great grandparents across Portugal, now made here buzzing with attitude. It’s one of Lisbon’s best modern Portuguese taverns or restaurants, so book ahead.

Address: Largo São Cristóvão nº3, 1100-179 Lisboa (Castelo/Baixa)
What to order: Lamb croquettes, arroz de pato, chambão sandwich…. 
Reservations: Essential. Book online months ahead… or show up just before opening and queue. I believe they keep some tables free and only book the first seating, so when tables turn over you’ll get one.

Taberna Sal Grosso – €

Eating here is always great, but somehow everything tastes even best when you book the big table and order everything on the menu at Taberna Sal Grosso. A big black chalkboard dictates the dishes of the moment – usually small and medium-sized plates with everything from tuna pica pau to fried quail to sweet ribs. The food has a distinctively Portuguese root, but it’s more influenced by the world than other modern taverns in Lisbon. 

Address: Calçada do Forte 22, 1100-256 Lisboa (Alfama) & R. Correia Garção 15, 1200-640 Lisboa (São Bento)
What to order: Fried baby squid, bacalhau (salted cod), lamb sandwich 
Reservations: Essential – book online.

Corrupio – €€

It was love at first sight when I entered Corrupio, a downtown Portuguese diner centred around a huge central bar. Even with groups of three or four I prefer to sit at the bar here as you can watch the chefs at work – putting modern spins on traditional Portuguese dishes – and eat atop a piece of art (tile art, no less). To round it out they play good Portuguese music and serve wines from smaller local producers. Two favourites of mine are the corvina (croaker) rice and the octopus salad.

Address: R. Moeda 1 F/G, 1200-275 Lisboa (Cais do Sodré)
What to order: Octopus salad, corvina rice 
Reservations: Best to book online.

Read next: Best places to eat octopus in Lisbon

Obra – €€

Located along Lisbon’s luscious Green Street, Obra is a gem hiding in plain sight. The menu, with roots in Portuguese cooking, is designed to share. Yet the portions are generous  – so bring a few friends! The prawn brioche, a sandwich stuffed with creamy camarão, is a new classic, and I loved the rich depth of the octopus rice. There seemed to be a good number of vegetarian dishes too in case you’re with a vegetarian friend.

Address: R. da Silva 21, 1200-446 Lisboa (“Green Street”, Santos)
What to order: Prawn brioche sandwich, octopus rice
Reservations: Book via Instagram if you can

Taberna da Rua das Flores – €€

I hate queues so I rarely make it to this beautiful restaurant, Taberna da Rua das Flores, which seems to be firmly on the tourist radar as one of Lisbon’s best restaurants. Opened by the brilliant André Magalhães, this was the first of Lisbon’s modern tavern movement, serving delicious traditional dishes with a chef touch in a casual setting. Here you’ll find a menu of top quality local produce used to create both Portuguese plates and dishes inspired by the world. The blackboard changes seasonally, so you never know what will be on offer – but if there scallops are there, don’t miss them.

Address: Rua das Flores 103 109, 1200-194 Lisboa (Chiado)
What to order: Scallops, whatever sounds good on the blackboard
Reservations: Not possible – go early, or go to the sister restaurant Antiga Camponesa

Antiga Camponesa — €€

André Magalhães, the chef and restaurateur behind the nearly impossible-to-get-into Taberna da Rua das Flores (mentioned above), quietly opened Antiga Camponesa with a similar spirit. Here you can book a table to enjoy a homely and wholesome menu that changes daily, making the most of seasonal produce and lesser-known Portuguese recipes. The dishes change day-to-day but I think this is a brilliant spot to taste traditional Portuguese dishes with a chef’s touch. In summer we enjoyed the petingas (little fried fish) with tartare and the tomato salad. One to repeat.

Address: R. Mal. Saldanha 25, 1200-259 Lisboa (Chiado)
What to order: Everything is delicious
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

ZunZum – €€

Portugal’s top female chef, Marlene Vieira, is behind ZunZum, a clean and modern gastrobar. The former MasterChef judge is best known for elevating Portuguese cuisine to another level and highlights classic Portuguese ingredients in fresh, modern ways. Better yet, the bar mixes a great cocktail and there’s a grocer to take home Portuguese goods.

Address: Terminal de Cruzeiros de Lisboa, Av. Infante D. Henrique Doca, R. do Jardim do Tabaco do, 1100-651 Lisboa (Alfama)
What to order: The menu changes season-to-season, go at lunch for the well-priced daily special
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

Brilhante – €€€

For a touch of old-world European dining with a Portuguese twist, try Brilhante. Dare I say this plush red-velvet, gold and leather-clad diner – where life revolves around the bar or in a cosy booth – would make for a brilliant date night. Chef Luís Gaspar has designed a deluxe menu that pays homage to 19th-century Lisbon cafés, with a classic steak (served with a creamy peppery sauce) at the menu’s heart. Beyond that you can indulge with lobster rice, caviar, beef tartare, foie gras and more.

Address: R. Moeda 1G, 1200-066 Lisboa (Cais do Sodré)
What to order: bife à Brilhante (the signature steak), lobster rice
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

Alma – €€€€ **

With two Michelin stars, chef Henrique Sá Pessoa’s Alma isn’t your everyday diner. There are two tasting menus: one that highlight classic Portuguese flavours, and the other that heroes the coast. With a dining partner you can do both and experience the best of the two. There’s also a la carte if you’re after a real treat yo’self lunch with mains around €40. As you’d expect at a Michelin-starred spot, the service is top, the snacks are great and the wine-list is long.

Address: R. Anchieta 15, 1200-224 Lisboa (Chiado)
What to order: Tasting menu
Reservations: Required

Taberna Albricoque – €€

A stunning century-old dining room meets progressive Portuguese snacks at Taberna Albricoque. This restaurant, opened in 2019 by talented local chef Bertílio Gomes dishes up plates and petiscos inspired by the Algarve region in the south of Portugal. Here you’ll find cockle-filled pastries, oysters from the Ria Formosa and razor clams swimming in garlic and olive oil. It’s a gem next to Lisbon’s Santa Apolonia, where you’ll take a train to Porto, and right by Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest suburb and a place I associate with old ladies and hordes of tourists. Luckily it’s anything but generic.

Address: Rua dos Caminhos de Ferro nº98, 1100-395 Lisboa (Alfama/Santa Apolonia)
What to order: rissol de berbigão (signature cockle pastry) and anything seafood
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

Read next: Where to find the best Portuguese street food and snacks in Lisbon

Pigmeu – €€

This nose-to-tail pig concept run by local chef Miguel Azevedo Peres is all about pig. The Pigmeu menu nails the perfect mix of traditional and inventive and the bifana is killer, served in a gravy. During the snail season the bacon fat (toucinho) the chef uses really takes the summer staple to a new level. The testicles pica pau? Well, it’s not a favourite version of that dish, but certainly worth trying. The wine list also extends to a few natural and organic options you’re not likely to find at the average tasca. 

Address: R. 4 de Infantaria 68, 1350-274 Lisboa (Campo de Ourique)
What to order: The bifana, don’t miss it
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

O Frade – €€

Right now I’m loving the bold class of young Portuguese chefs pushing boundaries within their own cuisine. Cousins Carlos Afonso and Sérgio Frade’s progressive take on Alentejo flavours at O Frade earned them a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2020. Everything is fantastic, but definitely order one of the killer rice dishes: rice with lobster, rice with corvina fish, rice with duck. 

Address: Terminal de Cruzeiros de Lisboa, Av. Infante D. Henrique Doca, R. do Jardim do Tabaco do, 1100-651 Lisboa (Alfama)
What to order: The menu changes season-to-season, go at lunch for the well-priced daily special
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

My favourite restaurants for non-Portuguese food in Lisbon

Rosetta’s – €€

It was unexpected love at first bite in Rosetta’s, a tiny produce-driven share-plate restaurant in Bairro Alto. To be honest, I entered with suspicion – in 2024 Lisbon received a huge wave of contemporary share plate spots where you’ll pay too much for very little, but to Rosetta’s I tip my hat. The dish I saw blowing up on Instagram was the crumbed Milanesa with a zesty pea salad, but that was our lowlight. Every other dish – the grilled peaches with burrata, the zucchini fritters with dill, the clams with beurre blanc and smoked ham – were 10/10. Great wine selection too, though on the pricier end.

Address: R. da Rosa 39, 1200-190 Lisboa (Bairro Alto)
What to order: The menu changes season-to-season, but everything was excellent
Reservations: Book ahead online

Taqueria Paloma – €/€€

I’m a harsh taco critic after a recent trip to Mexico, and thankfully Paloma reached the bar. One thing I noticed in Mexico is that most spots just specialise in one or two tacos, while beyond its borders places will try to have a bit of everything. So, at Paloma you should skip the meat tacos and go for the fish. Of the four we tried, the fried fish and the saucy prawn were the best. You tick off your order on a notepad (fun!). The tres leches cake was also fabulous. 

Address: Praça David Leandro da Silva 9A, 1950-064 Lisboa (Marvila)
What to order: Fish and prawn tacos
Reservations: Huge space, so you can get away without booking

Panda Cantina – €

This Chinese canteen only serves one dish: Chinese ramen. And as you’d expect from a spot with just one dish, Panda Cantina does it really damn well. Have your soup/ramen with pork, beef or tofu (beef is best) and pick a spice level from one to five. Spice wise, I’m a three and Jorge is a four. We’ve both spent plenty of time giggling at Europeans who find paprika or ginger spicy, so be warned that a five is seriously hot. Great spot for lunch or cheap dinner – it’s around €8 a bowl. Go early and expect to queue.

Address: There are now 4 locations around town: Baixa, Chiado, Principe Real and Marques
What to order: Beef ramen is my favourite
Reservations: Not possible

Bom Bom Bom – €/€€

This spot is more of a vinyl and wine bar than a bistro, so I was pretty impressed by their short yet fantastic menu. There’s a blackboard with a selection of snacky, seasonal dishes such as burrata with strawberries and fennel, or cured horse mackerel in cucumber aguachile. Bom Bom Bom has great wines and an amazing vibe too, obviously.  

Address: R. Angelina Vidal 5, 1170-166 Lisboa (Graça)
What to order: Blackboard of changing specials – have trust and try it all
Reservations: Possible for dinner by phone

Read next… Restaurants open Sunday and Monday in Lisbon

Tozzi – €

Tozzi is not-your-average pizza bar. Here you might find a margarita and diavola, but the other pizzas are topped with wild combinations like pork sausage, scamorza cheese, fermented mustard and dill microgreens. That said, the most important thing is the crust and at Tozzi find long-fermented dough that’s thin and crispy with a puffy crust.

Address: R. Latino Coelho 69A, 1050-132 Lisboa (Saldanha)
What to order: Pizza, your choice
Reservations: Recommended

Lupita is also truly, truly fantastic for pizza, but waiting 45-minutes for a pizza or table isn’t so fun. Jezzus Pizzaria is also great, and Rico Pizza does perfect NY style pizza.

BouBou’s – €€€€

For an off-beat fine dining experience, the more relaxed BouBou’s is a gem in Lisbon’s Príncipe Real neighborhood. Ask for a table in the courtyard and enjoy a tasting menu designed by chef Louise Bourrat, who was winner of the French TV show Top Chef in 2022. You’ll have the choice of two tasting menus, each with 10 moments that makes the most of seasonality, aims for zero waste, and glorifies vegetables (in interesting ways) where possible. 

Address: R. Latino Coelho 69A, 1050-132 Lisboa (Saldanha)
What to order: Pizza, your choice
Reservations: Recommended

Guelra – €€

I’ve long been a fan of O Frade, one of Lisbon’s first new wave of taverns to reinvent traditional Portuguese cuisine (while not straying too far from the path). From the same owner comes Guelra, a fish-focused diner that has creativity at the forefront. Set in Belém, it’s a refreshing addition to the restaurant scene near one of Portugal’s most important monuments – Jeronymo’s Monastery. I really love the interior, especially the bar, and it’s here I’d come to enjoy a wine paired with some of the curious seafood snacks, from Bacalhau³ (salted cod three ways) to a tuna katsu sandwich.

Address: R. de Belém 35, 1300-085 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: Seafood snacks! Reinterpretations of Portuguese seafood dishes
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not – lots of tables

Izakaya By Koji – €€

Ramen and sushi are amazing, but sometimes I crave other Japanese comfort foods  – and while there aren’t too many proper places to enjoy yakitori skewers in Lisbon, thankfully Izakaya By Koji is really good. This Japanese pub is connected to an upmarket Japanese diner, so you can expect good versions of izakaya favourites such as karaage chicken, okonomoyaki (cabbage pancake), takoyaki (octopus balls) and more. The scallop special we tried was amazing too and decent value.

Address: CC do Marquês de Abrantes 140, 1200-656 Lisboa (Santos)
What to order: yakitori skewers, karaage chicken
Reservations: Possible online, but usually easy for walk ins.

Pausa by Ruvida – €/€€

For really fantastic pasta, Pausa is one of my favourites. This is the more casual focaccia wine bar connected to Ruvida, an off-beat Italian restaurant that is known for doing it all from scratch (and making pasta with the rolling pin). At Pausa you’ll find a menu of seriously good Italian charcuterie, focaccia pizzas, and simple and classic pastas. The pasta is served in a frying pan with a couple of wedges of focaccia so you can “scarpetta” any leftover sauce. Reasonably priced nice wines too!

Address: R. de Cascais 15, 1300-023 Lisboa (Alcântara)
What to order: pasta or charcuterie
Reservations: Easy for walk ins

Zula Bistro – €€

This little Middle Eastern-ish bistro is perfect for a cosy-yet-chic date night when you want something different. We had a fantastic beef tartare with potato latkes and a tahini aioli, lamb kebabs with harissa and potato gratin, and fillets of dourada (sea bass) with green orzo and dried lemon. There is a handful of outdoor tables in a very charming Lisbon square beside a historic fountain.

Address: Rua da Esperança 6, 1200-267 Lisboa (Santos)
What to order: A bit of everything
Reservations: Recommended, especially for the terrace

Hachi Kare-Ya – €/€€

For Japanese curry in Lisbon there is no better spot than Hachi Kare-Ya. You’ll get an excellent curry with breaded chicken, pork or prawns, and even a tornado egg omelette over rice. Cheap, cheerful and really good. I just need to remember to ask them not to put sweet agridoce sauce on the meat.

Address: R. Frei Francisco Foreiro 8, 1150-166 Lisboa (Anjos), now with a second location in Alameda
What to order: Japanese curry
Reservations: Recommended but not essential

Kefi Greek Bistro – €€

This modern Greek bistro comes to us from the people behind two of Lisbon’s great brunch spots (Seagull Method and Heim). What that means is excellent, well-plated food, affordable prices and a gorgeous space. Kefi is all about aesthetics with an interior entirely coated in sandstone tones and pops of that bright cobalt blue we all associate with Greece. The food is more Mediterranean with a Greek root, plated to please but not lacking in flavour. Best of all, it’s well-priced and ready to share.

Address: Calçada da Estrela 187, 1200-665 Lisboa (Estrela)
What to order: Everything is excellent
Reservations: Recommended

AnNam – €

Vietnamese cuisine is a rare find in Lisbon and this newcomer is great for when cravings hit. Specialising in street food, AnNam is a super casual spot with bun cha, bo bun, pho and bahn mi, plus you can order off menu if there’s a Vietnamese dish you miss.

Address: R. de Santa Marta 2 2A, 1150-295 Lisboa (Avenida Liberdade)
What to order: Bo bun or pho
Reservations: Go early at lunch, it’s small

Krua Thai – €

It’s Friday night and I don’t feel like cooking? Back in Australia I’d call my local Thai restaurant for an excellent pad thai and duck basil. That hasn’t been possible in Lisbon until now. Krua Thai is – by far – the best Thai food I’ve found in the city. This takeaway-only window offers all the Thai favourites (and then some) for under €10 a dish.

Address: R. das Farinhas 8, 1100-179 Lisboa (Mouraria)
What to order: Pad see ew, green curry
Reservations: take away only

Taberna do Mar – €€/€€€

The grilled sardine nigiri hold a special place in my mind (and heart) and I think of them often. Chef Filipe Rodrigues, who runs this small restaurant, invented this bite – the perfect combination of Japan and Portugal – while working at Sea Me (one of Lisbon’s best seafood restaurants), and now serves it in the well-priced fishy tasting menu that includes (I believe) 10 bites for around €40. The hack my friends do is order a double serve of the sardine nigiri, because one is just never enough. 

Address: Calçada da Graça 20 B, 1100-266 Lisboa (Graça)
What to order: Tasting menu with extra nigiri
Reservations: Essential

My “to-eat” list

I’m a last-minute planner by nature and my brain doesn’t really function when I’m hungry, which means my to-eat file keeps growing as I fall back on the same places. I’m publishing my current Lisbon restaurants “to-eat list” as much to remind myself to check these places out as to give you a few more potential options. I can promise that these spots are (probably) fantastic.

• Solar dos Presuntos
• Sala de João Sa
• Plano
• ISCO
• ARCA
• Old House
• Feitoria
• Tati
• Essencial
• Fogo
• Bar Alimentar

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Frequently asked questions about eating out in Lisbon….

What are typical dishes and good places to eat in Lisbon, Portugal?

Step outside and you’ll find great places to eat all across the city. I suggest starting any visit to Lisbon with a local tasca – that’s a humble Portuguese bistro or tavern, and I’ve rounded up my favourite here. This is where you’ll find the locals with authentic traditional Portuguese food – if the menu is scrawled on a paper table in Portuguese only, you’ve found the opposite of a tourist trap.

What are the best street foods to try in Lisbon?

Bifanas, pasteis de bacalhau, ginjinha…. I’ve listed the best street food in Lisbon (and where to find it) here.

What are some good and cheap places to eat in Lisbon, Portugal?

Anywhere that’s a tasca is good and cheap, especially at lunch. Around the city there are some cheap-and-cheerful spots – scroll up and look for places with one euro sign €.

What are the best seafood restaurants in Lisbon?

Ramiro, listen above, would come out on top when it comes to seafood restaurants. In Portuguese you can search for “marisqueira” or “cervejaria” and you’ll find places that specialise in seafood, particularly prawns, shellfish, oysters etc sold by weight. You’ll find grilled fish on any traditional menu.

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Loved this list of Lisbon’s best restaurants? Leave me a comment! Then discover 25 traditional dishes to try in Portugal and read my guides on where to eat in Porto and where to eat in the Algarve.