As importers, our team at farah Trading Co are lovers of food and wine, so we always keep our eyes and ears open for the best places to eat on our travels to Portugal. Today, we’re sharing our short list for our best restaurants in Lisbon.

Best Casual Lisbon Dining 

• Comida Independente: This gourmet-style deli is the place to try Portuguese charcuterie and cheese paired with wines from small local producers. You can order a cheese and sausage board or try the weekly sandwich made with fresh ingredients from the counter. Extra tip: Every Saturday, they organize a farmer’s market at Praça de São Paulo.

• Quiosque de São Paulo: Located in Cais do Sodré, this local kiosk serves delicious petiscos curated by chef André Magalhães (who runs Taberna das Flores). Don’t miss the fried squid sandwich with shiracha mayo.

• As Bifanas do Afonso: It’s worth heading here to try the bifana, a traditional sandwich made with pork cooked in a garlic and white wine sauce. Top it up with some mustard, or ask for the Piri-Piri sauce. It’s a great quick snack if you want a break from sightseeing.

Best Typical Lisbon Restaurants 

• O Velho Eurico: This local tasca has recently been taken over by a group of young locals. They offer Portuguese home-cooked food with an elegant twist. Favorite dishes include the lamb croquette and the duck rice. Make sure to book a table in advance.

• Taberna Sal Grosso: Set in Alfama, this cozy tavern offers a modern take on Portuguese cuisine. The idea here is to order a mix of dishes to share. They also have their own craft beer. Make sure to make a reservation! 

• Zé da Mouraria: Located in the heart of Mouraria, this restaurant is famous for its large food portions big enough to feed at least three people. Expect typical Portuguese dishes, such as roasted codfish or cuttlefish with garlic sauce. Pick your favorite dish - and share!  This restaurants is only open for lunch. It's second location, below, is open for both lunch and dinner. 

• Zé da Mouraria 2: Located in the Arroios neighborhood, this restaurant is open for both lunch and dinner and keeps with the traditional dishes and large portions of its first location.  is famous for its large food portions big enough to feed at least three people. Expect typical Portuguese dishes, such as roasted codfish or cuttlefish with garlic sauce. 

• Faz Frio: This tavern offers a great introduction to Portuguese cuisine with dishes such as bacalhau à Zé do Pipo (baked cod topped with mashed potato and mayo) or sautéed shrimp. The private dining booths are ideal if you’re in a group.

• Último Porto: For fresh grilled fish, head over to Último Porto. The restaurant is hidden among shipping containers at the Alcântara docks. We recommend ordering the grouper or the sea bass. It’s only open for lunch, but they serve until 3 pm.

• Pinóquio: Treat yourself to a seafood meal at this local spot. The menu features a variety of delicacies, including lobster, crab, and clams. In the summer, you can enjoy a seat by the terrace.

The under the radar entrance of Taberna Sal Grosso

Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Lisbon

• Ao 26 Vegan: This small restaurant offers a vegan version of traditional Portuguese dishes. Try the bifana sandwich with seitan or the choco frito, made with fried mushrooms instead of the typical cuttlefish.

• O Gambuzino: A plant-based restaurant serving a fusion of Portuguese and Asian flavors. Don’t miss the peixinhos da horta (fried green beans) or the sticky cauliflower. Drinks include homemade kombucha, vegan wine, or local craft beer.

• Senor Uva : This tiny, super cute and trendy family owned restaurant is filled with the most interestingly curated natural wine list in the city. It has a plant based food menu that focuses on local, seasonal ingredients. 

Best High-end Lisbon Restaurants 

• 100 Maneiras
: Chef Ljubomir Stanisic has become a renowned local star (hosting the Portuguese version of Hell's Kitchen). In this Michelin-star restaurant, he's curated three tasting menus, including a veggie version, all influenced by his Bosnian roots.

• Alma: A two-Michelin star restaurant that combines Portuguese and Asian flavours run by chef Henrique Sá Pessoa. Don’t miss the Costa a Costa menu which highlights seafood treats from the local coast.

• Belcanto: Local chef José Avillez is in charge of several restaurants around Lisbon, but this is the one that has earned him two Michelin stars. Here he reinvents traditional Portuguese cuisine and gives it a fine-dining touch.

Some of these restaurants are pretty popular, so we always recommend booking a table in advance, especially for Michelin-star restaurants.

For the casual spots, you can usually swing by anytime you want. Don’t miss our Lisbon walking tour, where we pass through a few of these spots.

If you’re up for an after-dinner drink, we suggest heading over to Rossio for a ginjinha (sour cherry liqueur) at Ginjinha Sem Rival. Alternatively, you can also hop around the bars in Príncipe Real or Cais do Sodré. We recommend stopping for a glass of wine at Black Sheep, one of our favorite wine bars in town, or a cocktail at COPA.

And lastly, if you are looking to sample Portugal's famous Pastel de Nata, make sure to check out our guide to exploring Pastel de Nata in Lisbon. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joana Taborda

Hi! My name is Joana, I am a travel writer from Portugal, based between Lisbon and Madeira Island. I love hopping on a train to little-known towns and drinking the local craft beer wherever I gets off!