Lisbon, Portugal : Where to Eat?

Where to eat in Lisbon Portugal

Lisbon is known as the city of seven hills, and as a result be prepared for a lot of uphill walking. Don't panic just yet, you will be thankful for the workout because Lisbon is a pastry lover's paradise. Aside from Paris, I don't think I've ever encountered so many pastry shops in one city alone. Just like how Starbucks is in every corner of Manhattan, similarly you'll find pastry shops all over Lisbon. I indulged in a pastry every single day, sometimes twice a day. Pasteis de Belem located in Belem just 30 minutes outside of Lisbon is world famous and a must-do.

Speaking of food, Portuguese food is insanely delicious. Cod (bacalhau) is the most popular fish in Portugal and it's prepared in more than 365 different ways, one for each day of the year. I'm on a mission to make Portuguese Bacalhau at home this year. Here are my recommendations on where to eat (and not to eat) in Lisbon. I hope you find this post useful before you head to Lisbon.

Where to Eat in Lisbon?

1. Pasteis de Belem
World famous Portuguese custard tarts, and they are the BEST! There is a long line, but it's worth it. A must-do in Lisbon.

Dessert
Americano: excellent. A favorite.
Pastel de Nata / Custard Tart: The tarts were phenomenal, crispy on the outside, and creamy on the inside. The tarts were light, delicious and not too eggy. A favorite.

Restaurant Review: Pasteis de Belem
Cost: €
Cuisine: Cafe/Bakery
Favorites: Pastel de Nata/Custard Tart | Americano
Overall: 5 / 5
Food: Excellent | Drinks: Excellent | Decor: Casual | Service: Good | Value: Excellent
Location: R. de Belém, 84- 92, 1300-085 Lisbon (Belem)

2. Sal Grosso Taberna
The best meal in Lisbon. The fruity sangria and bread pudding were outstanding! Make reservations ahead of time, this restaurant is very small and always packed.

Appetizers (clockwise)
Salada de Laranja / Orange Salad: sweet salad with onions, watercress and oregano. Light and fresh. A favorite.
Pasteis de Bacalhau / Codfish Cakes: the fried fish was slightly salty, however the garlic cilantro egg sauce was incredible known as acorda. The acorda balanced the flavor of the fish.
Pica Pau de Atum / Diced Tuna Bites: Juicy, tender and soft. The sauce was a garlic lemon butter sauce. A favorite.
Batata doce Frita / Sweet Potato Fries: Garlicky. Smoky and crispy on the outside, a bit salty.

Entrees
Catch of the Day: Not sure what dish this was, but it was outstanding. Tender fish on the inside, crunchy on the outside. Prepared in orange taragon and chilies butter sauce. A favorite.
Bacalhau Confitado / Codfish Confit: I loved the veggies, but I felt the fish could have been more flavorful. Very well cooked, light and fresh.

Dessert
Bread Pudding: Soft on the inside, crispy on top. Sweet and salty combo! Incredible. A favorite.

Restaurant Review: Sal Grosso Taberna
Cost: €€
Cuisine: Portuguese
Favorites: Red Sangria | Salada de Laranja | Pica Pau de Atum | Catch of the Day | Bread Pudding
Overall: 4.5 / 5
Food: Excellent | Drinks: Excellent | Decor: Casual | Service: Friendly/Good | Value: Excellent
Location: Calcada do Forte, 22, 1100-256 Lisbon (alfama)

3. Fabrica do Pastel Feijao
Lovely Portuguese bakery in the Alfama district. Stop here and get some Pasteis de Feijao - a bean cake that is crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, almost tastes like halwa.

Restaurant Review: Fabrica do Pastel Feijao
Cost: €
Cuisine: Cafe/Bakery
Favorites: Pasteis de Feijao | Americano
Overall: 5 / 5
Food: Excellent | Drinks: Excellent | Decor: Casual | Service: Friendly | Value: Excellent
Location: Rua dos Remedios 33 | Alfama, Lisbon 1100-441 (alfama)

4. Primo Basilico
Incredible pizza spot located in the Alfama district. It's cheap and delicious. Stop by for a Margarita Pizza with Truffle Oil - mouthwatering.

Restaurant Review: Primo Basilico
Cost: €
Cuisine: Pizza/Italian
Favorites: Margarita Pizza Truffle Oil
Overall: 5 / 5
Food: Excellent | Drinks: Excellent | Decor: Casual | Service: Friendly/Good | Value: Excellent
Location: Rua dos Remedios 37 | Alfama, Lisbon 1100-441 (alfama)

5. The Decadente
Trendy restaurant located in the Bairro Alto. Delicious appetizers and dessert! A must-do!

Starters
White Sangria: fruity, succulent. A favorite.
Pica Pau: Sirloin strips of steak prepared in a cilantro, red wine and tomato based sauce. Absolutely delicious. A favorite.
Sauteed Prawns: prawns sauteed in a garlic wine sauce. Delicious and flavorful. A favorite.

Fish
Portugal in a Pot: stewed fish, shrimp, bisque, cilantro and rice. Similar to a Spanish paella, but not quite. Fish was cooked perfectly and flavorsome. A favorite.
Confit Codfish: the cod was very chewy, however the roasted potatoes were perfectly cooked and flavored with extra virgin olive oil and garlic.

Desserts
Crispy Pear: caramelized pear with filo pastry paired with cardamom ice-cream. This light & flaky dessert was to die for. A favorite.
Chocolate Decadente: essentially this is molten chocolate cake topped with wild blueberries and paired with vanilla ice-cream. Also, delicious, but the Crispy Pear was better out of the two. A favorite.
Mint Tea: good for digestion. 🙂

Restaurant Review: The Decadente
Cost: €€
Cuisine: Portuguese
Favorites: White Sangria | Pica Pau | Sauteed Prawns | Portugal in a Pot | Crispy Pear | Chocolate Decadente
Overall: 4.5 / 5
Food: Excellent | Drinks: Excellent | Decor: Trendy | Service: Friendly | Value: Good
Location: Rua Sao Pedro de Alcantara 81, Lisbon 1250-238 (bairro alto)

6. Jardim dos Sentidos
A vegan/vegetarian restaurant with Ayurvedic influences. If you're vegan/vegetarian, you must go!

Starters (clockwise)
Hummus Bread Olives: sweet potato bread with fresh hummus. So good, I had to pace myself.
Kebab Lollipops: delicious kebabs with soft texture served with tamarind chutney. It was hard to believe there was no meat here. A favorite.
Stuffed Mushrooms: prepared with almond ricotta, grilled spinach and dried tomato. The mushrooms were soft and juicy, but lacked flavor. A let down.
Rustic Beetroots with Herbs and Walnuts: warm goat cheese and beets melt in your mouth. The cheese was lightly fried with pesto on top. Incredible! A favorite.

Main Courses
Tempeh Shawarma: homemade wrap stuffed with spinach and chickpeas and topped with tahini and harissa sauce. Good, not amazing.
Gochujang Seitan: seitan flavored with Korean spicy sauce with a side of grilled pineapple, pak choy salad and kimchi. Flavorful dish, not amazing.

Dessert
Passion Fruit Vegan Cheesecake: Light, passion fruit flavor, delicious. The crust was made with walnuts. Perfect, not too sweet. A favorite.

Restaurant Review: Jardim dos Sentidos
Cost: €€
Cuisine: Vegetarian/Vegan/European/Middle-Eastern
Favorites: Kebab Lollipops | Rustic Beetroots with Herbs and Walnuts | Passion Fruit Vegan Cheesecake
Overall: 4 / 5
Food: Good | Drinks: Excellent Wine | Decor: Casual | Service: Friendly/Good | Value: Good
Location: Rua Mae D'Agua 3, Lisbon 1250-154 (principe real)

7. Manteigaria
Delicious pastel de nata / custard tarts in Lisbon. These are great, but Pasteis de Belem is better.

Restaurant Review: Manteigaria (Timeout Market)
Cost: €
Cuisine: Bakery
Favorites: Pastel de Nata
Overall: 4.5 / 5
Food: Excellent | Drinks: Excellent | Decor: Casual | Service: Not Friendly | Value: Excellent
Location: Mercado da Ribeira, Av. 24 de Julho, 1200-481 Lisbon (cais do sodre)

8. Confeitaria Nacional
Lisbon's oldest bakery. Personally, I found this place overrated.

Coconut Cake: delicious pound cake with a bold coconut flavor and very moist. A favorite.
Almond Apricot Pastry: I believe this was some kind of almond pastry, this was just okay.

Restaurant Review: Confeitaria Nacional
Cost: €
Cuisine: Cafe/Bakery
Favorites: Coconut Cake
Overall: 3.5 / 5
Dessert: Good| Drinks: Average | Decor: Casual | Service: Bad | Value: Good
Location: Praça da Figueira, 18, 1100-241 Lisbon (rossio square/baixa)

9. Restaurante Ja Disse
Not the best reviews on Tripadvisor and Yelp. We stopped here for sangria and appetizers and enjoyed it. Seems like a happening spot for Fado.

Shrimp in Garlic Sauce: absolutely delicious and cooked in a butter wine sauce. A favorite.
Fried Bacalhau/Cod: delicious fried fish cakes. Well made.
Cheese & Bread: this cheese was soooo good!

Restaurant Review: Restaurante Ja Disse
Cost: €€
Cuisine: Portuguese
Favorites: Shrimp in Garlic Sauce | Fried Bacalhau Starter | Sangria
Overall: 4 / 5
Food: Good | Drinks: Good | Decor: Casual | Service: Decent | Value: Average
Location: Rua do Diario de Noticias 42, Lisbon 1200-144 (bairro alto)

Other Restaurant Recommendations
Belcanto
Cervejaria Ramiro
A Tarberna da Rua das Flores
Meson Andaluz
Timeout Market Lisboa