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A shaded patio overlooking Lisbon
The patio at Bahr.
Francisco Nogueira / Bahr

The 32 Essential Lisbon Restaurants

Where to find charcoal-grilled piri-piri chicken, smoked goose barnacles, crab curry, and cocktails made with clarified custard tarts in the Portuguese capital

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The patio at Bahr.
| Francisco Nogueira / Bahr

A food-loving visitor will quickly learn that sardines, cod, and the iconic pastel de nata are great, but Lisbon restaurants can offer so much more. Portuguese cuisine draws on global flavors from the country’s centuries of trade, while Lisbon’s restaurateurs have access to top-quality fish and seafood, unique cheeses, lovely wines, and vegetables from organic farms just outside the city. From charming neighborhoods like Chiado to more traditional areas like Alfama, the dining in town ranges from neighborhood tascas to trendy wine bars to Michelin-starred destinations.

Update August 2021:

Before the pandemic, Lisbon arguably had the fastest-evolving food scene of any European capital. Waves of immigrants were arriving to share distinct foodways, while hordes of tourists kept up demand at the city’s cutting edge. The city saw new restaurants opening almost every day. COVID dampened that rapid growth, but a little over a year after the pandemic hit, the city has found its balance. Although a significant number of businesses have closed, many more have adapted and survived, reshaping the dining landscape of the city in the process.

Note: The inclusion of restaurants offering dine-in service should not be taken as an endorsement for dining inside. Studies indicate a lower exposure risk to COVID-19 outdoors, but the level of risk is contingent on social distancing and other safety guidelines. Check with each restaurant for up-to-date information on dining offerings. For updated information on coronavirus cases in Italy, please visit Estamos On.

Prices per person, excluding alcohol

$ = Less than €20 (less than USD $21)
$$ = €20 - €40 (USD $21 to USD $42)
$$$ = €40 - €60 (USD $42 to USD $63)
$$$$ = More than €60 (more than USD $63)

Looking for a more comprehensive take on Lisbon, from the hottest new restaurants to a primer on egg tarts? Consult the Eater Guide to Lisbon.

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Feitoria

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Tucked in Belém, Michelin-starred Feitoria brings Portugal’s best produce to the table. Chef João Rodrigues merges high-caliber techniques with traditional dishes, assimilating each note of flavor to create an unforgettable experience. He also sources a selection of top ingredients (organic local vegetables, seafood from the Portuguese coast) from producers all over the country, some of whom he met while working on Projecto Matéria, a five-year expedition to map and highlight the nation’s best food makers. [$$$$]

A cooked squid, plated simply in a decorative ceramic dish in a small pool of sauce
Squid at Feitoria.
Feitoria

O Frade

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The Frade family originally opened their namesake restaurant in the 1960s in Beja, in the Alentejo region. When third-generation cousins Carlos Afonso and Sérgio Frade moved to Lisbon to study, they decided to pay homage to the traditional family venue and its recipes at a new restaurant in the capital. Afonso prepares traditional Portuguese dishes with a modern take, like coelho de coentrada (cold rabbit meat with coriander sauce), empadas, and his skillful version of arroz de pato (duck rice, here with orange zest and other modernizations). Frade is in charge of the bottles list, which includes the amphorae wines the family still produces in Alentejo. [$$]

A tin container holding a colorful dish of meat, herbs, and pickled vegetables sitting on a decorative doily on a ceramic plate
Coelho de coentrada.
O Frade / Facebook

Attla Restaurante

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André Fernandes worked as a cook in several Michelin-starred restaurants before taking off to work in kitchens from Southeast Asia to Central America. When he returned home, he opened an informal restaurant in Alcântara, infusing easygoing, modern cuisine with tastes from the places he traveled and worked. Expect tasty and seasonal dishes focused on fish and vegetables, topped with Basque pil-pil (cod and garlic sauce), alongside sauces and seasonings from Mexico, Italy, and France. Fernandes has a knack for balancing complex flavors, like John Dory cured in seaweed with apricot chutney, or spider crab with miso beurre blanc. [$$]

As seen from above, a mostly empty plate with a cylindrical arrangement of fish covered with thinly shaved cucumber and dotted with herbs
Azorean enchareu with ponzu glaze, smoked green mango, Chinese cucumber, and tomato oil.
André Fernandes

Pigmeu is a pork lover’s heaven. The restaurant in the Campo de Ourique neighborhood is an ode to the ingredient that is ubiquitous in Portuguese cuisine from north to south. Chef Miguel Azevedo Peres follows a nose-to-tail philosophy when working with his chosen protein, and everything on the menu (save some oysters and vegetables) features pork in some form or another, from the pork fat-infused butter to the mains. [$ - $$]

Chunks of roast pork with burnished skin and orange slices
Roast pork with crackly skin.
Pigmeu / Facebook

Tasca Da Esquina

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You will find petiscos (Portuguese tapas) in some form at many restaurants, but the modern, casual Tasca da Esquina in Campo de Ourique takes these snacks to another level. Chef Vítor Sobral (known as the father of contemporary Portuguese cuisine) recreates tasty dishes like cockles with lemon, octopus salad with sweet potato and coriander, and bacalhau à brás (salted cod mixed with fried onion and potato). [$$]

A tray of small bowls holding a saucy mushroom dish
Small bites at Tasca Da Esquina.
Tasca Da Esquina

A Valenciana

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There’s really only one reason to go to A Valenciana, whether you choose to take out or eat in the old-fashioned dining room: the ridiculously cheap and tasty charcoal-grilled piri-piri chicken, a local favorite. When perfectly done, as it is here, the chicken is moist inside with crispy skin. Wash it down with a beer or two. [$]

A cook holds up a roast chicken on a skewer above a kitchen grill
Showing off that piri-piri chicken.
Miguel Pires

Ever since he gained prominence in Esporão, in the Alentejo region, young chef Pedro Pena Bastos has proven he’s on a path to success. At Cura, the Four Seasons’ fine dining restaurant, he is in his best shape: exquisite plating, balanced flavors, and enough sensitivity to bring together the fresh ingredients that come daily to his kitchen from the Portuguese coast and the countryside. Look out for the amazing fish dishes, and if you order the tasting menu, the wine pairing, which focuses on local winemakers, is mandatory. [$$$$]

A restaurant interior with large tufted banquette, tables with upholstered midcentury chairs, decorative wood paneled walls and mobiles hanging from the ceiling, and an open kitchen visible in the back
Inside Cura.
Cura

Praia no Parque

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Despite having some of the best fish in the world, Lisbon doesn’t have many good sushi restaurants to rival Tokyo, New York, or London. This 12-seat counter, run by chef Lucas Azevedo, is a surprising exception. Tucked in the center of Parque Eduardo VII, with panoramic windows overlooking the lake, the restaurant brought the “beach to the park,” as its name indicates. Translucent fish cuts and subtle, precise sushi come from the hands of the skilled sushi man, who also prepares the best shari in the city. Expect a profusion of nigiri, futomaki, and sashimi, plus hot dishes and luscious desserts to finish your meal. [$$$]

A fancy restaurant interior with exposed cement beamed ceiling, tufted red booths, a bright gold curtain, decorative peacock, and large windows
Inside Praia no Parque.
Praia no Parque

Café de São Bento

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Located near the national parliament, Café de São Bento is the place to go for late-night dining or any time of day you’re desperate for an old-school steak. The meat is served grilled or fried, with chips (or french fries), signature sauce, and esparregado (spinach puree). The service is amiable, while the room is stuffed with red sofas and dark wood furniture, a classic mix of decadence and elegance. It all pairs perfectly with the throwback character of the food. [$ - $$]

Various dishes on a small table beside a bright red patterned booth
A full meal at Café de São Bento.
Facebook

Comida Independente

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This shop’s motto, “great products from small producers,” pretty much sums it up. When Rita Santos left her career as a tech executive, she traveled the country meeting people who produce craft foods before opening a grocery store and deli dedicated to their artisanal products. Along with packaged goods to go, the store offers prepared foods like smoked sardines, pickled anchovies, cheeses and cured meats, and sandwiches. They also serve local craft beers and natural wines, offered by the bottle for a small corkage fee or by the glass from a daily selection. [$]

A tiled tabletop seen from above with a plate of cabbage salad dotted with croutons and a runny egg, and another plate with a sandwich, as well as hands holding glasses of white and red wine.
Cabbage salad topped with an egg, a sandwich, and glasses of wine from Comida Independente.
Gonçalo Santos / Comida Independente / Facebook

Chef João Ricardo was born to a Portuguese father, raised in Brazil, and trained in French cuisine. After spending time as a butcher in a traditional French restaurant, Ricardo got sick of meat, became a vegetarian, and went to work in plant-based restaurants. After traveling through Europe and Asia, he arrived in Lisbon to open Arkhe in the Santos district, where he applies his skill and creativity to create jus and broths that taste unbelievably meaty. Try for yourself in dishes such as peas and fava beans with white bean cream and umeboshi vinaigrette, or delicious gnocchi with parmesan fonduta and nasturtium pesto. To drink, let sommelier Alejandro Clavijo gently pour you one of the natural wines he collects on visits to winemakers around the world. [$$]

A server pours bright, thick pea soup from a ceramic cup into a ceramic bowl that already contains slices of pickled strawberries, walnuts and cashew cream
Chilled pea and kombucha soup, with pickled strawberry, cashew cream, and walnut “soil.”
Arkhe / Facebook

BouBou's

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Every big city should have a bistro to call its own, a place like BouBou’s in the Principe Real neighborhood. An alum of Alain Ducasse’s empire, chef Louise Bourrat runs the all-women kitchen, while her brother Alexis takes care of the guests in the dining room — never letting anyone run out of wine. The dishes focus on fresh Portuguese ingredients, mainly seafood and vegetables, with global inspirations. The atmosphere is cheerful, and the service is efficient to boot. [$$]

A covered patio, with wicker chairs, set tables, hanging plants
Patio at BouBou’s.
BouBou’s

Red Frog

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The cocktail scene in Portugal is booming, and Red Frog is to blame. The bar has the intimate vibe of a classic Prohibition-era speakeasy, but the drinks are made with modern techniques involving centrifuges and sous-vide machines. Think sea fennel in a gimlet, a tequila cocktail with black garlic, and drinks featuring other traditional Portuguese ingredients like carob, Port, and even a clarified custard tart. To eat, a short but efficient menu pairs well with the alcohol. [$$]

A hand uses tweezers to rest a vibrant bunch of edible flowers on top of a bright cocktail in a coupe glass
An artful garnish at Red Frog.
Red Frog / Facebook

Manteigaria

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If you don’t already love pasteis de nata, Portugal’s worldwide dessert hit, you probably will after trying Manteigaria’s version. This is the perfect place to introduce yourself to the sweet, creamy custard tarts. Grab one, raise it to your nose, then squeeze it gently using your fingers and listen to the gentle crackling sound it makes. The pinch of powdered cinnamon on top is a sign of Portuguese authenticity. [$]

Two tarts on a plate on a wooden counter beside condiment shakers
Pasteis de nata.
Joana Freitas

Taberna da Rua das Flores

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At this unobtrusive taberna in the enchanting Chiado neighborhood, chef-owner André Magalhães presents flavorful and inventive dishes to share. As the waiter walks you through the blackboard menu, you might hear about how the kitchen team was inspired by an old recipe the chef dug up, an ingredient Magalhães brought from the market, or a dish from the local Asian immigrant communities of the surrounding Martim Moniz neighborhood. Magalhães is particularly interested in the connections between the cuisines of Portugal and its former colonies, where the chef has traveled extensively to learn about local foodways. [$ - $$]

A silver dish with five head-on prawns lined up next to each other with an herbaceous sauce spread delicately over all of them. A bowl of steamed mussels sits in the background.
Grilled prawns at Taberna da Rua das Flores.
Nicola Holtkamp/Flickr

Until recently, Lisbon-born chef Nuno Mendes worked abroad, leaving local diners without an opportunity to taste the expert chef’s creative dishes in his hometown. That changed when the luxury Bairro Alto Hotel opened its doors in 2019 with a Mendes signature restaurant. After taking time off during the pandemic, Mendes is back at Bahr, showing love for Portuguese cuisine in his takes on traditional dishes such as carabineiro (scarlet shrimp) rice, bife de cebolada (aged beef loin and onion gravy), and farófias (poached meringue) served here with lemon leaf and cured egg yolk. His tosta de percebes (smoked goose barnacles served on toast) has become an instant hit in the city. [$$$]

Cocktails and nuts on a small table beside two midcentury modern chairs, on a patio overlooking a river and city below
The terrace at Bahr.
Bahr

Bistro 100 Maneiras

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This two-story restaurant between charming Chiado and nightlife hub Bairro Alto is restless chef Ljubomir Stanisic’s fancy, funky, punk-chic, no-bullshit, fine-dining flagship. Start with a cocktail at the bar (among the best in town) and then, at the table, go for a burek (an homage to the chef’s Serbian roots), the mushroom and asparagus salad with poached egg, the beetroot tartare, the whole fish of the day, or anything that catches your eye. [$$$]

A bowl of individual bone-in ribs on a wood plank with a tin can of french fries and dipping sauce
Meat and fries at Bistro 100 Maneiras.
Fabrice Demoulin

Jesus é Goês

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As Lisbon’s chefs slowly look outward to global flavors, diners have also sought out local restaurants run by immigrants serving different cuisines. As the name of his restaurant makes clear, chef-owner Jesus Lee Fernandes is Goan, and he prepares dishes from his home country like sarapatel (pork and offal stew), xec-xec (crab curry), chicken biryani, and his famous samosas. [$$ - $$$]

A bowl of brightly colored mixed rice toped with a sliced hard boiled egg on a decorative background
Goat biryani with tricolor rice, yogurt sauce, cashew, boiled egg, and caramelized onion.
Jesus é Goês / Facebook

Isco Padaria e Bistro

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In Portugal, bread is a religion. And in Lisbon, Isco, located in the Alvalade neighborhood, is one of its sanctuaries. Along with a hundred loaves of bread in different shapes and flavors that come out of the ovens every day, guests can enjoy a few dishes and sandwiches (crispy chicken with pickles, sardines, or tortilla with tomato) created by chef Natalie Castro. Enjoy your meal with another edible sacred to the Portuguese people: wine. There’s a significant list to wash down all those carbs. [$$]

Solar dos Presuntos

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With three floors, five rooms, and more than 200 seats, Solar dos Presuntos looks like a tourist trap, but it isn’t. The downtown restaurant is a good place for those looking for grilled fish and meat, traditional Portuguese dishes (mainly from the north), and good wine. This is a perfect place to try classics like pastéis de bacalhau (cod fritters), John Dory fillets with tomato rice, açorda de marisco (bread stew with seafood), or roast goat. [$$]

Cooked clams in broth with vegetables garnish
Clams at Solar dos Presuntos.
Solar dos Presuntos / Facebook

Belcanto

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Famous chef José Avillez owns a restaurant empire in town, including venues from a bar to a pizzeria to an entire Portuguese bairro. With its two Michelin stars, Avillez’s Belcanto, at the heart of the charming neighborhood of Chiado, is the most acclaimed fine dining venue in Lisbon. Here, the chef prepares modern Portuguese dishes, served a la carte or on two conceptual tasting menus. Explore Portugal through his creative takes on tasty classics like suckling pig and cozido à Portuguesa (Portuguese pot-au-feu). [$$$$]

A server carries a tray from a darkened kitchen with several dishes and a wire hanger suspending slices of food.
A server carries a tray of dishes at Belcanto.
Paulo Barata

In a refurbished Chiado building from the 17th century, celebrity chef Henrique Sá Pessoa serves the hearty, sophisticated dishes that earned him two Michelin stars. The menu reflects influences from around the world, but the chef approaches them from a Portuguese point of view, as in salted cod (with parsley and brandade), caldeirada (fish and shellfish stew), or Iberian suckling pig confit (served with turnip puree and black pepper jus). Go a la carte or try the five-course “Coast to Coast” menu to marvel at the local ingredients from the sea, prepared with elegance and skill. [$$$$]

A dark bowl with textured edges. Inside a mix mussels, vegetables, and herbs
Simple plating with big flavors at Alma.
Nuno Correia

Alcôa Conventual Sweets

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It is impossible to pass by this corner pastry shop in Chiado without stopping to marvel at all the mouthwatering sweet treats that fill the window. The sugary, eggy tarts and pastries are made according to centuries-old traditional recipes developed by Cistercian monks in the monastery of Alcobaça, where the original Alcôa was founded in 1957. Many baked goods even come with religious names like queijinhos do céu (heaven’s cheese), ovos do paraíso (eggs of paradise), and toucinho do céu (bacon from heaven). [$]

Two women stand outside in the sunshine beyond a shop window admiring displays of pastries sitting beneath bronze pendant lamps
Window shoppers admire the pastries in Alcoa.
Alcôa / Facebook

Vincent Farges is one of the most talented chefs working in Portugal. In the Chiado district, the French chef leads and co-owns the fine dining, Michelin-starred Epur, where he combines French cooking technique, Portuguese produce, and influences from around the globe. He stocks exceptional fresh ingredients, and treats his diners in a contemporary, intimate space with a stunning view of the Tagus river. [$$$$]

As seen from above, a stark plate with a geometrically plated dessert in various hues and shapes made up of rhubarb, vanilla and citronella
Boiled rhubarb with vanilla and citronella.
Luís Ferraz

Queimado

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After living in other European cities like Paris and London (his hometown), British Nigerian chef Shay Ola set down in Lisbon for a new adventure. Queimado is a casual restaurant in the Baixa neighborhood where Ola devotes himself to cooking mostly with fire (in English, queimado means “burnt”). The regularly changing menu of shareable dishes is short, but there are always good options for vegetarians and vegans, such as chanterelles with cauliflower rice and black lime, or a salad of broad beans, loquat, and fresh cheese. Ola also hosts pop-up events, featuring guest chefs, like a recent display from The Future of Food is Female. [$$]

Tables in a courtyard with a large tree, with the interior of a dimly lit restaurant visible through floor-to-ceiling windows
The patio at Queimado.
Queimado

O Velho Eurico

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On the way to São Jorge Castle, O Velho Eurico appears as if by providence, a cozy pit stop to replenish your energy with excellent Portuguese food, ideally on the charming terrace in the shade of two leafy trees. The old restaurant is now in the hands of 23-year-old cook Zé Paulo Rocha, part of a new generation of Lisbon’s rising stars nicknamed New Kids on the Block, who have worked to move the dining scene forward during the pandemic and organized pop-up events together. Despite Rocha’s age, expect traditional food — made with a hint of modernity — like the excellent lamb croquettes, crispy pork ears, cod filets, duck rice, and much more from a menu that changes daily. [$$]

Hands hold either side of a croquette, broken open to reveal saucy meat and vegetables inside, over a dark ceramic plate
Breaking open a croquette.
O Velho Eurico / Facebook

This unassuming but elegant, modern restaurant in the downtown Sé area has been a mandatory visit since it opened in 2017, thanks mainly to talented chef Antonio Galapito, who creates recipes that are luscious, creative, and beautiful. The former sous chef under acclaimed chef Nuno Mendes while they were both in London, Galapito focuses his micro-seasonal menu at Prado on organic ingredients from Portuguese producers. Order a little bit of everything with a glass of natural wine from their fantastic selection, but don’t miss the Minhota beef tartar in charred cabbage “tacos,” the only dish that hasn’t left the menu since the beginning. And when you’re done, head next door to Prado Mercearia, a combination grocery store and café, to grab some fresh ingredients and prepared items for later. [$$ - $$$]

An interior shot of Prado restaurant with tall ceilings, natural light filling the room, plants hanging down from rafters, simple light wood tables and matching chairs with spindle backs.
Interior of Prado.
Prado

Sála de João Sá

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After building a promising career for several years, João Sá now helms his own kitchen at downtown restaurant Sála. The restaurant’s atmosphere is informal, while dishes are creative and contemporary, combining Portuguese heritage with global influences. Highlights include Sá’s version of slow-cooked caldo verde (a traditional soup of potatoes, collard greens, and sliced chouriço), red mullet with green curry and shellfish, and the signature bulhão pato (seafood tart of clams, garlic, white wine, and coriander sauce). You can’t go wrong, whether you order a la carte or get the five-course tasting menu. [$$]

A kitchen counter with four restaurant team members working behind it and four empty stools arranged in front.
The kitchen team at Sála de João Sá.
Sála de João Sá

After closing its former venue behind Mercado da Ribeira, Café Tati returned with a shorter name in a new address. On a charming corner, the restaurant has become brighter and more welcoming, with a beautiful wooden bar and comfortable tables where guests can enjoy the substantial wine list. Argentinian chef Romina Bertolini serves no-frills, tasty food to share: shrimp wontons, sweetbreads, sardine toasts, and a tarta de queso to die for. [$$]

A wood table topped with a variety of dishes and paper bags branded with the Tati name
A full spread at Tati.
Tati / Facebook

Boi-Cavalo Restaurante

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There are only seven tables at Boi-Cavalo, a former butcher shop in the heart of Alfama, where chef Hugo Brito shows off his creativity with inventive dishes designed for adventurous diners. The menu, which changes often, might include horse meat tartare with katsuobushi shavings, sweet and sour chicken with pineapple glaze, crab sausage with vine leaf tempura and plum vinaigrette, or pork chin ice cream. The wine list is short, but offers a good mix of small producers. [$$]

A hand uses tongs to transfer cooked scallops from a pan to austere plates
Plating scallops at Boi-Cavalo.
Boi-Cavalo / Facebook

Plano Restaurante

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Located in a 19th-century building that is now a hotel in the Graça neighborhood, Plano is a two-in-one restaurant. On most days, guests eat indoors in a charming, airy dining room with minimalist decor. But on hot summer nights, chef Vitor Adão sets up his kitchen in the intimate garden around the pool where, with the help of a charcoal grill beneath the orange trees, he cooks over open fire as if he were in the countryside. Either way, the five- to nine-course tasting menu is (basically) the same, and so is Adão’s technical mastery. Although the options change frequently, some classics are always present, such as the carabineiro shrimp with bouillabaisse, and the head cheese with carrot pickle and parsley. [$$$]

A stack of wood on a grill, in front of a building facade and large tree
The outdoor grill at Plano.
Plano Restaurante

Maçã Verde

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Tascas, which serve traditional comfort dishes at affordable prices, are a Portuguese institution. They proliferated in the early 20th century, but Maçã Verde (Green Apple) is a more recent specimen, tucked in a former snack bar in front of Santa Apolónia station. The restaurant serves hearty dishes such as chanfana (goat stew) and secretos de porco preto (fatty strips of black pig), all well-prepared by Dona Laura, the friendly cook in charge. [$]

Feitoria

Tucked in Belém, Michelin-starred Feitoria brings Portugal’s best produce to the table. Chef João Rodrigues merges high-caliber techniques with traditional dishes, assimilating each note of flavor to create an unforgettable experience. He also sources a selection of top ingredients (organic local vegetables, seafood from the Portuguese coast) from producers all over the country, some of whom he met while working on Projecto Matéria, a five-year expedition to map and highlight the nation’s best food makers. [$$$$]

A cooked squid, plated simply in a decorative ceramic dish in a small pool of sauce
Squid at Feitoria.
Feitoria

O Frade

The Frade family originally opened their namesake restaurant in the 1960s in Beja, in the Alentejo region. When third-generation cousins Carlos Afonso and Sérgio Frade moved to Lisbon to study, they decided to pay homage to the traditional family venue and its recipes at a new restaurant in the capital. Afonso prepares traditional Portuguese dishes with a modern take, like coelho de coentrada (cold rabbit meat with coriander sauce), empadas, and his skillful version of arroz de pato (duck rice, here with orange zest and other modernizations). Frade is in charge of the bottles list, which includes the amphorae wines the family still produces in Alentejo. [$$]

A tin container holding a colorful dish of meat, herbs, and pickled vegetables sitting on a decorative doily on a ceramic plate
Coelho de coentrada.
O Frade / Facebook

Attla Restaurante

André Fernandes worked as a cook in several Michelin-starred restaurants before taking off to work in kitchens from Southeast Asia to Central America. When he returned home, he opened an informal restaurant in Alcântara, infusing easygoing, modern cuisine with tastes from the places he traveled and worked. Expect tasty and seasonal dishes focused on fish and vegetables, topped with Basque pil-pil (cod and garlic sauce), alongside sauces and seasonings from Mexico, Italy, and France. Fernandes has a knack for balancing complex flavors, like John Dory cured in seaweed with apricot chutney, or spider crab with miso beurre blanc. [$$]

As seen from above, a mostly empty plate with a cylindrical arrangement of fish covered with thinly shaved cucumber and dotted with herbs
Azorean enchareu with ponzu glaze, smoked green mango, Chinese cucumber, and tomato oil.
André Fernandes

Pigmeu

Pigmeu is a pork lover’s heaven. The restaurant in the Campo de Ourique neighborhood is an ode to the ingredient that is ubiquitous in Portuguese cuisine from north to south. Chef Miguel Azevedo Peres follows a nose-to-tail philosophy when working with his chosen protein, and everything on the menu (save some oysters and vegetables) features pork in some form or another, from the pork fat-infused butter to the mains. [$ - $$]

Chunks of roast pork with burnished skin and orange slices
Roast pork with crackly skin.
Pigmeu / Facebook

Tasca Da Esquina

You will find petiscos (Portuguese tapas) in some form at many restaurants, but the modern, casual Tasca da Esquina in Campo de Ourique takes these snacks to another level. Chef Vítor Sobral (known as the father of contemporary Portuguese cuisine) recreates tasty dishes like cockles with lemon, octopus salad with sweet potato and coriander, and bacalhau à brás (salted cod mixed with fried onion and potato). [$$]

A tray of small bowls holding a saucy mushroom dish
Small bites at Tasca Da Esquina.
Tasca Da Esquina

A Valenciana

There’s really only one reason to go to A Valenciana, whether you choose to take out or eat in the old-fashioned dining room: the ridiculously cheap and tasty charcoal-grilled piri-piri chicken, a local favorite. When perfectly done, as it is here, the chicken is moist inside with crispy skin. Wash it down with a beer or two. [$]

A cook holds up a roast chicken on a skewer above a kitchen grill
Showing off that piri-piri chicken.
Miguel Pires

Cura

Ever since he gained prominence in Esporão, in the Alentejo region, young chef Pedro Pena Bastos has proven he’s on a path to success. At Cura, the Four Seasons’ fine dining restaurant, he is in his best shape: exquisite plating, balanced flavors, and enough sensitivity to bring together the fresh ingredients that come daily to his kitchen from the Portuguese coast and the countryside. Look out for the amazing fish dishes, and if you order the tasting menu, the wine pairing, which focuses on local winemakers, is mandatory. [$$$$]

A restaurant interior with large tufted banquette, tables with upholstered midcentury chairs, decorative wood paneled walls and mobiles hanging from the ceiling, and an open kitchen visible in the back
Inside Cura.
Cura

Praia no Parque

Despite having some of the best fish in the world, Lisbon doesn’t have many good sushi restaurants to rival Tokyo, New York, or London. This 12-seat counter, run by chef Lucas Azevedo, is a surprising exception. Tucked in the center of Parque Eduardo VII, with panoramic windows overlooking the lake, the restaurant brought the “beach to the park,” as its name indicates. Translucent fish cuts and subtle, precise sushi come from the hands of the skilled sushi man, who also prepares the best shari in the city. Expect a profusion of nigiri, futomaki, and sashimi, plus hot dishes and luscious desserts to finish your meal. [$$$]

A fancy restaurant interior with exposed cement beamed ceiling, tufted red booths, a bright gold curtain, decorative peacock, and large windows
Inside Praia no Parque.
Praia no Parque

Café de São Bento

Located near the national parliament, Café de São Bento is the place to go for late-night dining or any time of day you’re desperate for an old-school steak. The meat is served grilled or fried, with chips (or french fries), signature sauce, and esparregado (spinach puree). The service is amiable, while the room is stuffed with red sofas and dark wood furniture, a classic mix of decadence and elegance. It all pairs perfectly with the throwback character of the food. [$ - $$]

Various dishes on a small table beside a bright red patterned booth
A full meal at Café de São Bento.
Facebook

Comida Independente

This shop’s motto, “great products from small producers,” pretty much sums it up. When Rita Santos left her career as a tech executive, she traveled the country meeting people who produce craft foods before opening a grocery store and deli dedicated to their artisanal products. Along with packaged goods to go, the store offers prepared foods like smoked sardines, pickled anchovies, cheeses and cured meats, and sandwiches. They also serve local craft beers and natural wines, offered by the bottle for a small corkage fee or by the glass from a daily selection. [$]

A tiled tabletop seen from above with a plate of cabbage salad dotted with croutons and a runny egg, and another plate with a sandwich, as well as hands holding glasses of white and red wine.
Cabbage salad topped with an egg, a sandwich, and glasses of wine from Comida Independente.
Gonçalo Santos / Comida Independente / Facebook

Arkhe

Chef João Ricardo was born to a Portuguese father, raised in Brazil, and trained in French cuisine. After spending time as a butcher in a traditional French restaurant, Ricardo got sick of meat, became a vegetarian, and went to work in plant-based restaurants. After traveling through Europe and Asia, he arrived in Lisbon to open Arkhe in the Santos district, where he applies his skill and creativity to create jus and broths that taste unbelievably meaty. Try for yourself in dishes such as peas and fava beans with white bean cream and umeboshi vinaigrette, or delicious gnocchi with parmesan fonduta and nasturtium pesto. To drink, let sommelier Alejandro Clavijo gently pour you one of the natural wines he collects on visits to winemakers around the world. [$$]