We totally get you if the first thing you think about when planning a holiday is the food – breakfast, lunch, dinner – what and where are you going to eat? Whether you’re visiting America, Europe, Asia, or beyond, it’s pretty much at the top of any travel lover’s must-do list. Lisbon is usually overlooked as a top European culinary destination, but trust us when we say there is no lack of delicious food there.
We’ve put together a list of the best restaurants in Lisbon, from classic dishes to modern gastronomy so you can plan your culinary tour of Lisbon.
Boto Sal
Bota Sal is a more trendy Lisbon spinoff in the Estrela area from the people behind the popular seashore Sal Restaurante in Comporta. The space channels its beachside older sibling while offering a more modern take on coastal dining, featuring seafoam green corrugated metal walls and distressed wood chairs.
There’s an octopus salad, deep-water rose shrimp from the Algarve, and cuttlefish with bacon strips and coriander to enjoy and for pudding, there’s the stunning lavender-infused milk custard for dessert.
The Decadente
This comfort food restaurant, is part of a hostel concept, but don’t be scared off as it’s more Soho House than kids on gap year. The restaurant is set up to feed guests of the spacious dorms and sophisticated suites located in a former palace, but it is also open to travellers passing by looking for somewhere to dine.
Offering up the most delicious classic Portugese comfort food with a touch of elegance, channeling a home away from home vibe. T ry “Portugal In A Pot,” a rice, fish, and shrimp stew in a zesty bisque, or a succulent plate of piri piri chicken with a portion of the chef’s brilliantly crispy fried potatoes.
Prado
Prado is, in a nutshell, creating some of Lisbon’s most outstanding cuisine. Chef Antonio Galapito opened the restaurant in 2017 after working in London under Nuno Mendes at the fabulous Chiltern Firehouse. Galapito focuses on seasonal, native products, supported by an all-natural wine list.
Start with an ox heart tomato, watermelon, and mint carpaccio and then try the Black scabbardfish served with courgette and turnip, grilled with charred smokiness perfection. Finish with a delightful if slightly unique sweet treat: mushroom ice cream with pearl barley and dulce de leche.
Palacio Chiado
Have you ever eaten in a palace? Well, now you can dine like royalt at the Palacio Chiado, t his fresco-filled 18th-century castle in the Chiado neighborhood currently hosts a range of eateries. For the indecisive, you can taste dishes from all of the venues regardless of which dining room you sit in.
Farrabodo serves a variety of codfish meals including steak frites, Rosmarino offers shrimp and clam taglioni nero, and Barr serves tapas and lighter appetizers. The pricing is also fantastic with all meals costing less than 15 euros. Grab a table in the Foyer beneath the watchful eye of a large golden lion statue dangling from the ceiling, with a view down the staircase to a stunning stained glass window for added drama.
Bica do Sapato
If you’re after a sumptuous seafood dinner, you’ll want to head over to Bica do Sapato, an exquisite restaurant on the Tagus River’s banks, which puts “bacalhau” in the spotlight. Cod is served inside croquetas, as a tartare, and fried with potatoes and onions in the typical au minhota manner — crunchy on the exterior and creamy on the inside. Alternatively, head to the famous Cervejeria Ramiro — an inconspicuous beer bar where the basic seafood dishes are among the best in the city – for additional hustle and excitement.
KeiKei is a London-based award-winning journalist and videographer with a degree in Broadcast Media and Journalism from the University of the West of Scotland and an extensive reporting background in news, entertainment, travel, and lifestyle.
KeiKei has travelled the globe interviewing, reporting and reviewing. Her work has been published in worldwide media outlets including, The New York Post, The Guardian, The Mirror, The Daily Mail, National Geographic and Conde Nast publications.
