Many of our guests want to see more than just the Algarve during their trip to Portugal. They fly to Lisbon and take some days to travel south – either by the sea or through the beautiful landscapes and historic towns of the Alentejo. Before hitting the road, they usually stay a day or two in Lisbon and frequently ask us where and what to eat. This is why we have compiled a totally subjective and incomplete list of our favourite restaurants in and around Lisbon.
As Lisbon’s restaurant scene is rapidly changing, this is only a snapshot last updated early 2026. Some of our previous favourites – Taberna do Calhau, Boi Cavalo, Chez Chouette, Comida Independente – had to close. At the same time new and exciting spaces are popping up. It is hard to keep up with this dynamic. So if you would like to try out one of our recommendations, please check whether it still exists.
Seafood
- Ramiro (Lisbon – $$): An institution. Loud and crowded. No reservations after 7pm. Excellent seafood at reasonable prices. Try everything … and Gamba Média Grelhada. Locals order a Prego, a beef on a bun, to round off the meal. The wine list is short, but impressive. You won’t find another restaurant in this world where a bottle of the fantastic white Cartuxa is priced at less than 20€, a bottle of Ruinart Champagne costs 48.33€, and the famous Barca Velha sells at around 400€. For the nouveau riche there’s Petrus 2013 for an unbeatable 2453.85€. Ask your local wine store if they can match these prices and at the same time offer you the world’s best seafood. But in the end you will probably settle for a fresh and cold imperial.
- Mar do Inferno (Cascais – $$–$$$): Unfortunately, our favorite “Mariscada Especial” is no longer on the menu. But the seafood is fresh and well prepared and the atmosphere is nice. Try to be seated in the last room with the sea view.
- Nunes Real Marisqueira (Belém – $$$): Located near the Jerónimos Monastery, Nunes arguably offers the freshest and best seafood in the Lisbon area. If you’re adventurous, try a plate of Percebes (goose barnacles in English) whose strange and pre-historic appearance corresponds with their authentic sea flavor. Once you start eating them, you’ll understand why the waiters bind a bib around your neck. In 2022 Nunes moved to a new location with a completely different design. Expect an exuberant space with coloured glass ceilings, velours covered armchairs, gold plated wine racks and bass driven late 1990s house music playing from powerful, yet hidden, surround speakers. If you are allergic against the word “traditional” this is your place.
The freshest fish
- Neptuno (Praia das Maçãs – $$): Excellent fresh fish. Watch the surfers ride the ocean waves while your kids play in the sand.
- Último Porto (Port of Lisbon – $): Only lunch, mostly fresh grilled fish, clams or cuttlefish. Between shipping containers, next to an abandoned maritime station, office workers enjoy a sunny and tasty lunchbreak.
Meat
- O Arêgos (Lisbon – $): There seems to be an unwritten law that makes visitors eat nothing but fish and seafood while in Portugal. What you miss out are the tastiest barbecued beefs you will have eaten in years. One of the best, albeit simple and relatively unknown, places is Arêgos in the Santos-o-Velho district. Try the “Naco na Pedra”, a beef tenderloin that will be brought to your table on a hot stone, with salad and French fries. They also serve fresh fish and an excellent grilled bacalhau.
- Soajeiro (Lisbon – $): Famous for its grilled Madeiran beef skewers. Only lunch, no reservations, always full. Try the Madeiran garlic bread “Bolo de Caco”, the mixed salad with grilled peppers, “Espetada Madeirense” or the “Naco de Vaca”.
Petiscos: the Portuguese tapas
- Pharmácia (Lisbon – $$): Beautifully located at the Santa Catarina viewpoint and sharing a building with the national pharmacy museum, Pharmácia is a stylish place to have an afternoon drink and enjoy a modernized version of the traditional Portuguese petiscos (the Portuguese version of “Tapas”).
- Da Noi (Lisbon – $$): Very small modern and lounge-style restaurant in the tiny streets of Madragoa bairro. Excellent choice of innovative petiscos as well as some full dishes. Great for sharing. Elecontric and house music is part of the concept and you can listen to their playlists on Spotify. Make your reservation online or ask for one of the very few seats at the counter in the back of the restaurant to see your food being prepared. Small, but good selection of less common wines. By the owners of Skizzo.
- Taberna da Rua das Flores (Lisbon – $$): Tiny restaurant in the centre of Lisbon next to Praça Luís de Camões. Beautifully arranged and very tasty petiscos. Always full, no reservations, be prepared to wait for an hour or more.
Traditional Portuguese
- Gambrinus (Lisbon – $$): In a street crowded with bad restaurants, Gambrinus almost goes unnoticed. An old Lisbon classic, it seems awkwardly out of time with its wood paneled walls and red carpets. The food is old-fashioned, but still very good. The dark and elegant dining rooms feel like an António Tabucchi novel. But the real place to be are the stools on the counter. Start with a small plate of presunto ibérico, then try a croquette with Colman’s mustard, then a prego no pão. Accompany with draft beer and finish with a unique café de balão brewed in front of your eyes in their old, laboratory-style, siphon coffee maker (you have to ask for it, otherwise you might get a normal coffee).
- Zapata (Lisbon – $): [Zapata has been closed for over a year now. Hopefully it will reopen soon.] Loud and always full. Serves simple and authentic Portuguese food. Everything from the tasty alheira sausage to octopus and small shrimps caught in the Portuguese Atlantic. If you try the tenderloin (Bife de Lombo) you’ll understand why Argentinian steak houses are not catching on in Portugal. Zapata still slightly resembles what normal Lisbon restaurants looked like 30 years ago (including the eye-soring neon light). This, together with Arêgos, Ramiro and Soajeiro, is where we take our non-portuguese friends.
Modern Portuguese
- Canalha (Belém – $$-$$$): Chef João Rodrigues left his Michelin-starred fine dining career at Feitoria to create this vibrant neighborhood restaurant on Rua da Junqueira. The name means “scoundrel,” hinting at the relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere that has quickly made this one of Lisbon’s most sought-after reservations since opening in 2023. The marble-topped counter facing the open kitchen is where the action happens, though tables fill up just as quickly. With chef Lívia Orofino running the kitchen, the focus is on exceptional Portuguese and Iberian products displayed in the front showcase and handwritten daily on the blackboard. Standout dishes include Arouquesa beef carpaccio with crispy potatoes, tortilha aberta de camarão (open prawn omelette), and their celebrated squid with sheep’s butter. The Michelin Guide awarded it a Bib Gourmand for good quality cooking at accessible prices. Portuguese rock music plays while you share plates and watch football on the planned television screens – exactly the neighborhood vibe Rodrigues intended. Book well in advance as the restaurant is small an the demand is huge. Open Monday to Sunday, 12:30pm-11pm. Rua da Junqueira 207. Phone: (+351) 962 152 742.
- Familjen (Madragoa – $$-$$$): Swedish chef Petter Nyström brings his 25 years of Nordic culinary experience to the historic Madragoa neighborhood with this intimate restaurant that feels like an extension of the family table. Familjen (“family” in Swedish) serves bold, creative sharing plates that blend Nordic philosophy with global flavors and peak-season Portuguese ingredients. The menu changes regularly but standout dishes include their celebrated oysters, beef tartare, “Not a Caesar Salad,” and kale tempura. Nyström’s kitchen thrives on contrasts – heat meeting acidity, umami balancing brightness – while maintaining the Nordic emphasis on seasonality and simplicity. The natural wine selection perfectly complements the food, and the relaxed atmosphere in this cozy space makes it feel like dining in a friend’s home. Open Wednesday to Saturday, 6pm to midnight. Reservations essential for this neighborhood spot that’s quickly becoming one of Lisbon’s most talked-about restaurants. Rua do Machadinho 56. Phone: (+351) 213 900 496.
- Skizzo (Lapa – $$-$$$): This contemporary Mediterranean restaurant brings impressive wood-fired cooking to a quiet corner of Lapa. Everything on the menu gets kissed by fire – from flatbreads topped with arugula, pesto, and stracciatella to charred scallops and lobster à guilho with chili butter. The team behind this hip spot spent years learning fire-cooking techniques from passionate chefs across Europe, and it shows in dishes like their celebrated pesto flatbread, roasted peppers with chimichurri and anchovies, and perfectly grilled octopus. The atmosphere features vinyl DJ sets, natural wines curated by owner Michael, and an open kitchen where you can watch the culinary theater unfold. The menu changes seasonally, emphasizing generous sharing plates made from scratch. With its marble tables, vibrant energy, and serious approach to both food and wine, Skizzo has quickly become a sought-after place to be. By the owners of Da Noi. Rua das Trinas 22. Email: restaurante@skizzolisboa.
- Prado (Sé – $$-$$$): Chef António Galapito and his partner Inês Pereira transformed a former canning factory near Lisbon Cathedral into this stunning farm-to-table restaurant where plants literally grow from the high ceilings. After a decade working alongside Nuno Mendes in London, Galapito returned to Portugal in 2017 with a mission to showcase the country’s finest seasonal produce. The name means “meadow,” and the bright, plant-filled space lives up to its pastoral inspiration. Galapito spent months traveling Portugal to establish direct relationships with farmers, fishermen, and winemakers, resulting in a menu that changes daily based on what’s in season. Expect dishes like cockles with spinach, coriander and fried bread, hispi cabbage with goat’s cheese whey and walnuts, or Iberico pork loin with chard. The impressive wine list focuses on organic, biodynamic, and natural Portuguese bottles, many available only in small batches. And contrary to most Portuguese restaurants, the cellar offers a wide and excellent choice of French and international wines. The Michelin Guide recommends both the evening tasting menu and à la carte options. Travessa Pedras Negras 2. Phone: (+351) 210 534 649.
Vegetarian
- Mezze (Lisbon – $): Restaurant run by Syrian refugees serving 6 excellent combinations, two of which are vegetarian. You can also order à la carte. Loud and beautiful space in the Arroios market hall.
- Encanto (Lisbon –$$$): The food is probably excellent, but we never went there. Encanto has this sterile Michelin-Star-Dark-Polished-Wood-Flair that is the same all over the excessively affluent parts of this world. While Belcanto is Michelin Chef José Avillez’ flagship, Encanto is the vegetarian addition to his culinary empire.
Panoramic views of Lisbon
- Atira-te ao Rio (Almada – $$): Take the ferry from Cais do Sodré to Cacilhas on the other side of the river. From there it’s awalk along the Tejo, passing by abandoned or squatted warehouses, always with a panoramic view of Lisbon. Make a reservation and go there early in order to see the sun going down over Lisbon. Ignore the restaurant’s name – Atira-te ao Rio means Throw yourself into the River – and take the ferry back together with dozens of youngsters heading for the Lisbon nightlife.
- Ponto Final (Almada – $$): Right next to Atira-te ao Rio. The view is the same, but the bright yellow Portuguese “Gonçalo” terrace chairs make the most beautiful contrast with the dark blue of the Tejo river (see photo at the top of this page).
Fast and good
- Triângulo da Ribeira (Lisboon -$): A tiny bar with the best Bifana no Pão, fresh Chamuças, Rissois and a very cold beer. Tastier and more authentic than any of the more pretentious places in the touristy Time out Market on the other side of the street.
When you just want to have a glass of good wine …
- Comida Independente (Lisbon – $$): Wine bars are a relatively recent phenomenon in Portugal. While most restaurants offer a nice selection of wines from all over the country, in bars you have to be lucky to get a decent one at all. More often than not the choice is merely between red and white. But fortunately, globalisation has not spared this Portuguese idiosyncrasy and a number of young and innovative wine bars have sprung up in recent years. One of the best is Comida Independente where you can taste your way through at least 8 daily changing wines from small and independent, often organic, producers. Comida Independente is the perfect after-work place. From the late afternoon onwards, people gather at the bar tables to watch the last rays of sun sparkle in their wine glasses. Bring time and patience as, in an almost ritualistic manner, each guest tries the entire range of open wines before finally deciding on one. It’s here that we tasted our first Georgian wine, which strangely smelled of cabbage, and heard about “orange” wine. On Saturdays, Comida Independente organizes a small weekly market near the bigger Mercado da Ribeira where independent organic farmers sell their products and local restaurants offer street food.