Eating & Drinking in Lisbon

Eating in Lisbon is an educational and tasty affair. As the capital and largest city in Portugal, Lisbon is, naturally, the best place to go for the most comprehensive taste of Portuguese cuisine.

For local specialties, national dishes or general cheap eats, Lisbon has a menu for every traveler. The key to eating and drinking the good stuff in Lisbon is all about finding local food and drink. Here’s what you need to know to get the best sample of Portuguese cuisine in Lisboa:

What is Portuguese Food?

Eating in Lisbon is a taste-test of Portuguese history. Lisbon is an old city, and the cuisine reflects as much of the old as the new.

Portuguese explorers were fearless mariners who set sail for the unknown. Their discoveries of new lands, trading partners and sea routes affected the history of Europe and the world. In Portugal, these discoveries brought spices that were incredibly rare or previously unknown to Europeans.

Today, eating in Portugal is a reflection of Portuguese history. There are culinary influences from Portuguese Africa, India (Goa, a prominent Portuguese settlement) and the New World. Among others, peppercorns, cinnamon and hot peppers are prominent features in modern Portuguese cuisine that reached the country through exploration.

Apart from foreign influences, Portuguese cuisine has a lot of similarities to other Mediterranean food. Olive oil is the base of everything. Garlic is prominent, along with common herbs such as oregano, rosemary and parsley. 

Portugal’s geographic location also affects the cuisine. The coastline of the country ensures plenty of fresh seafood. Eating in Lisbon, which sits where the mouth of the Tagus River meets the Atlantic Ocean, often revolves around seafood. 

What to Eat – Local Food in Lisbon

Eating in Lisbon is a treat, but to get a thorough taste of all the delicious food is a challenge. Knowing what to eat is the first hurdle. Prior to traveling to Portugal, I knew nothing of Portuguese food. Ignorantly, my assumptions that it is similar to Spanish cuisine, perhaps with a little more seafood, were far from accurate. 

I spent about a week in Lisbon eating as much local grub as possible. For a first-time visit to Lisbon, to get a broad sampling of food in the country, these are some of the highlights of Portuguese cuisine I personally recommend:

Piri Piri

Piri piri is a spicy pepper that is a popular ingredient in Portuguese cuisine. The pepper is usually present in the form of a spicy sauce. Piri piri is the perfect example of the foreign influence on Portuguese cuisine. It originally came from Mozambique, which was a Portuguese colony until the 1970s.

The most popular Portuguese dish with these spicy peppers is piri piri chicken. It is essentially grilled, roasted or baked chicken that is cooked with the spicy sauce. By American standards, I eat fairly spicy food. I found piri piri chicken to be fantastic, not overly spicy, with just the right amount of heat. It is one of the tastiest things to eat in Lisbon.

Piri piri chicken is fairly common in Lisbon, and it is one of the most well-known Portuguese dishes. Oddly enough, I don’t recall seeing it in Porto.

Pastel de Nata

The most noteworthy and talked-about food in Lisbon is, undoubtedly, the pastel de nata. Pasteis de nata (plural) are sold all over Portugal, but they originate in Lisbon. 

A pastel de nata is a small custard egg tart. These rich little tarts are sweet, buttery and quite messy. Surprisingly, pasteis de nata are heavy treats. 

The pastel de nata originates from the always-busy, tourist-inundated Pasteis de Belem in Lisbon. These famous pastries are available everywhere in Lisbon, though. Truthfully, I enjoyed each and every pastel de nata I ate in Portugal, even the random shops, but the best I had was at Aloma (more below).

Locals eat their pasteis de nata with a dust of cinnamon and powdered sugar on top. They also crinkle (squeeze, break) the edges slightly. This is a useful tip for making this gooey tart a little less messy.

Madeiran Food

Madeira, a small archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, was officially discovered by – and has been part of – Portugal for the better part of 600 years. Madeira is known mostly for its wine and soccer player Christiano Ronaldo, its most famous contemporary son. What most people don’t know about is Madeiran food.

Naturally, Madeiran food consists of a lot of seafood, but there is more to it than creatures of the sea. Some of the best eating in Lisbon is Madeiran food.

The Portuguese are masters of simple meat sandwiches. The bifana is the most famous (more on this in an upcoming Porto food guide), but the prego sandwich is equally fantastic.

A prego is a steak sandwich served on a type of bread unique to Madeira, bolo do caco. The bread, soaked and toasted in butter and garlic, is delicious on its own. Add a perfectly cooked chunk of steak and a healthy dose of mustard – this simple sandwich is absolute perfection.

One of my favorite parts of eating a prego sandwich in Lisbon (someday soon, in Madeira) is the side that generally comes with it. A prego typically comes with chunks of milho frito. Milho frito is a cube of fried cornmeal that reminds me of seared grits. This is a simple meal I would happily eat every day.

For a taste of Madeira and an excellent prego with milho frito, go to Restaurante Típico Ilha Da Madeira. This restaurant is in the Campo de Ourique area of Lisbon and well worth a visit.

Canned Seafood

Portugal has the 7th-highest seafood consumption per capita in the world. The geographic location of the country is one reason for the popularity of seafood, but the Portuguese history of exploration and as capable seafarers made seafood even more prominent in Portuguese cuisine.

Bacalhau (more below) is the most famous fish in Portugal, but other dishes are popular and delicious, as well. Octopus, shellfish and tons of other seafood is common.

One of the most interesting things I learned when eating in Lisbon was the popularity and prevalence of canned seafood. Growing up when I did, there seems to have been a shift from eating cheap and convenient to an emphasis on eating local and fresh. There’s no denying that’s popular in the United States today.

In a place with so much fresh seafood and such a deep history involving fishing and life at sea, I was surprised to see so much canned fish in Portugal. Why eat salty, briny and old fish when you can just as easily find something fresh?

Well, it’s good. And this practice comes from the days before refrigeration. Canned sardines or pieces of mackerel are popular and surprisingly delicious snacks in Portugal. Cast your presumptions aside. Eat some canned fish. It’s good.

Bacalhau

Bacalhau is the national food of Portugal. It seems to be eaten everywhere and is part of everything. But what is it? 

Bacalhau is a dried and salted cod, and it’s prevalent across Portugal. In some instances, bacalhau is present in Portugal the way that jamón is in Spain – it hangs in stores, restaurants and shops ready to be sold. 

It’s hard to miss bacalhau in Lisbon. The fish is visibly present, basically butterflied and opened to dry. Hopefully, when you come across bacalhau, the drying process is complete. In a smaller city in Portugal, I came across fresher bacalhau still very much in the drying process. The smell was unforgettable.

As far as eating bacalhau in Lisbon, there’s no trick. The dried, salted cod is then added to nearly everything edible under the sun. It’s common in dishes and casseroles. In fact, it’s hard to not eat bacalhau in Lisbon. Personally, it’s hit or miss for me. I’ve had delicious casseroles with bacalhau and other items where it was too strong for my liking.

À Brás

À brás is one of the most popular Portuguese casseroles. Native to Lisbon, it is widely available and made with eggs, fried potato sticks (smaller than shoestring fries) and, traditionally, bacalhau. Although bacalhau à brás is the most common type of this casserole, it is often made with chicken, vegetables and even sausage. 

Like so many casseroles and stews, à brás is one that (probably) has its origins in necessity and use of available ingredients. These types of foods are so often the best things to eat, far better than more refined, fancy food. History aside, à brás, whether it is with the traditional bacalhau, chorizo or frango (chicken), is heavenly. 

When eating in Lisbon, any plate of à brás is a simple dish. Typically, it is served like any casserole – a pile of deliciousness on a plate. In touristy restaurants (my first experience pictured above), the casserole is likely to be prettier and certainly more expensive. Fortunately, I think it might be a challenge to find a truly bad à brás.

Portuguese Tapas

Tapas are synonymous with Spanish cuisine, but eating tapas is part of eating in Lisbon, too. Tapas in Portugal are known as pestiscos, and they vary from one place to next as much as their Spanish cousin.

Pestiscos in Lisbon can be simple. Olives or bread are common. Other dishes can be considerably more involved.

Like in Spain, eating tapas in Lisbon often includes croquettes, ham or small plates of cheese. Ham in Portugal is similar to Spanish jamón, but not nearly as prevalent. In my experiences chowing down in Lisbon, tapas with fish are very common. Croquettes in Portugal are often filled with bacalhau. Canned fish, typically sardines or anchovies, are also a popular snack.

Eating tapas in Lisbon is not the most spectacular culinary experience. It pales in comparison to Spanish tapas hotspots of Granada or Seville. There are decent pestiscos in Lisbon, but this is not the culinary draw to the city. They are growing in popularity, but tapas in Lisbon are best for a quick and easy snack. The highlights of Portuguese food are elsewhere.

Where to Eat in Lisbon

Eating good food in Lisbon is easy if you’re willing to exercise patience (and yourself). Finding local food is not the hard part. Seeing through the tourist veil and eating local food in a local restaurant may be more challenging.

Be patient and choosy. Above all, don’t be afraid to walk a few blocks to find a restaurant that appeals to you. It might take a few tries, and we all find ourselves in touristy restaurants sooner or later. Here are some tips and personal recommendations for where to eat in Lisbon:

Away from Commerce Square

My number one tip for eating in Lisbon is to avoid restaurants in the area from Santa Justa Elevator to Commerce Square (Praça do Comércio). This area is a hotbed of tourist traps. It’s one of those annoying areas where tourists are constantly approached by restaurant employees with menus at the ready.

These restaurants are attractive in their setting and abundance of outdoor seating. And the area seems to be lively, too. However, it is lively with tourists and tourist restaurants. These restaurants are overpriced and rampant with subpar food. That includes skipping the tourist food market in the area.

Mercado de Campo de Ourique

This is mentioned in more detail below, but this is a great place to go for local food in a local atmosphere. Prices are decent. The people are friendly. The food is local. Mercado de Campo de Ourique is one of my favorite places to eat in Lisbon.

Pastel de Nata – Aloma

A block away from Campo from Mercado de Campo de Ourique is Aloma. This bakery is well known and is the perfect place for a sweet treat after a visit do Mercado de Campo de Ourique.

While everyone else is in line at Pasteis de Belem, the best pastel de nata in Lisbon – literally, it’s been voted the best numerous times – is at Aloma. 

This bright cafe quietly sits on a Lisbon corner. Despite being named the best pastel de nata in Lisbon, it’s not especially busy. Locals casually sit with an espresso and a pastry, going about their business. There are no lines out the door and down the street. No hordes of tourists taking photos. Just fantastic pasteis de nata.

Whatever you do, don’t waste your time at Pasteis de Belem. It is a deluge of tourists.

Restaurants in Lisbon

Eating was my primary activity in Lisbon, but, unfortunately, I could not try every restaurant. I did manage to find a few great options, though. All restaurants are from my personal experiences, some initially recommended by a friend who lives in Lisbon:

• Estrela de Graca
• Ze da Mouraria
• Restaurante Típico Ilha Da Madeira
• Doce do Mastro
• Casa dos Passarinhos

Eating Cheap & Local in Lisbon

Eating cheap is an easy task in Lisbon. Portuguese food – that is, food in Portugal – is generally inexpensive. Like any big city, Lisbon has its fair share of expensive, fancy restaurants. And there is an abundance of overpriced tourist restaurants.  The key to eating cheap (and well) in Lisbon is to eat local food.

The guidelines above for where to eat also apply to eating on a budget. Get away from Commerce Square and Santa Justa Elevator. There are local restaurants in the tourist area, but they are fewer and farther between. The Alfama neighborhood has plenty of little hideaways serving decent, affordable food.

For a larger helping of cheap food, there are a few areas near the tourist center with a lot of options.

Campo de Ourique (the neighborhood) has plenty of local haunts with good food that’s easy on the budget. The neighborhood is kind of trendy, but the presence of budget-friendly local eats remains.

The area from Jardim Braancamp Freire (a park near a medical school) to Rossio de Palma, a busy road, is devoid of tourists. It’s a little rough around the edges, but there are tons of little family-run spots for a bite and a beer. This is a short walk from Lisbon’s popular attractions, but it is a perfect example of how easy it is to get off the beaten path in Lisbon.

As always, if you want to eat cheap in any destination, there is a simple solution. I’ve said it many times, but it holds true. For backpackers, budget travelers and those uninterested in culinary culture (who probably aren’t reading this anyway), the doner kebap is your best friend. It is cheap, hot, fresh and filling. I’m all about eating local food, but one of my favorite things about traveling is finding a good doner shop.

If doner isn’t your thing, find a supermarket. Stock up on simple eats for a few days, and save loads of money in the process. Truthfully, supermarkets are the best way to eat local anyway, although it can be tough to know what locals buy without some assistance. There are several supermarkets in touristy Lisbon. Even those in popular areas will be budget friendly and better than getting fleeced at a restaurant on Rua da Prata.

Eating at Food Markets in Lisbon

Much like food trucks, food markets are a growing trend across the world. And they’re great! I’ve eaten at several fantastic food markets from Asia to Louisiana. Some of the best eating in Lisbon is found at food markets. 

Time Out Food Market

Most tourists in Lisbon looking for a concentration of Portuguese food go to Time Out Food Market. The location is excellent. It is central and easy to reach.

Don’t waste your time at this food market. Time Out Food Market is a tourist trap. There’s certainly decent food here, but Time Out is not a local place. It’s clearly for tourists. I mean, come on, the name is “Time Out.” The last I checked, neither of those words are remotely Portuguese. Oh, and it’s owned by an international company headquartered in ENGLAND, not Portugal.

Time Out Food Market is designed for tourists. Locals really don’t frequent this place. To make it worse (and more obviously a tourist trap), the prices at Time Out Food Market are tourist prices, much more expensive than is normally the case when eating in Lisbon.

Mercado de Campo de Ourique

Like popular tourist destinations, eating local in Lisbon occasionally requires travelers to make an effort. The local food market in Lisbon, Mercado de Campo de Ourique, is away from the more popular and crowded tourist center.

Mercado de Campo de Ourique is the epitome of local food market in Lisbon. There are few, if any, tourists here. It is an excellent place for a taste of Portuguese cuisine, and there are a variety of options from which to choose.

Proof that Mercado de Campo de Ourique is a local establishment goes beyond the patrons and the lack of English. The market functions as more than a food hall. It also has more traditional functions. Present along with trendy places to drink and grab a bite to eat, there is a butcher shop, fresh seafood, produce stands and more.

Mercado de Campo de Ourique is an excellent food market to find a mix of old and new Lisbon. The site has long been a market and only recently underwent a facelift to its current form. This food market is one of the most enjoyable eating experiences in Lisbon.

Drinking in Lisbon

Drinking in Lisbon is a big part of life. The Portuguese drink a lot, 8th-most in the world per capita. Wine is the top alcoholic beverage of choice, but beer and spirits are also popular. Drinking in Lisbon is not a pit of drunken mayhem. Rather, drinking is merely a part of eating and socializing.

Travelers that want to sip on a little Portuguese culture need look no further than Lisbon. Eating usually includes an adult beverage, and Lisboetas drink well. The following is what you can expect and what you can look forward to in regard to drinking in Lisbon.

Beer in Lisbon

Beer may not be the most popular beverage of choice in Portugal, but it is still prevalent. Sagres and Super Bock are the two most prominent beers brands in Portugal. While drinking beer in Lisbon generally means Sagres (Super Bock is more popular in Porto), neither of these beers is really any good. 

Big beer in Portugal is the same as anywhere else – a disappointment. The light, flavorless beers of Portugal are basically something cold to drink on warm days, and Sagres is the go-to beverage of choice for many backpackers and budget travelers in Lisbon. That’s about it.

Craft beer is growing in Portugal. It’s not widely available, and most restaurants and bars only serve the big brands. Craft beer in Lisbon is not bad, and, hopefully, the industry continues to grow and improve.

Wine in Lisbon

For tourists and locals alike, drinking in Portugal usually means wine. Even though it is overshadowed by wine in France, Spain and Italy, Portugal has great wine, too. The most famous wines in Portugal are port wine and Madeira. These come from Porto and the island of Madeira, respectively. 

If you’re not visiting Porto, make sure to try a glass or two of port wine in Lisbon. It’s easy to find, and a decent bottle is affordable. Don’t make the mistake I did. Having never had port wine, I bought a bottle in Lisbon with the intention of relaxing and drinking it throughout the evening. Port wine is sweet, heavy and strong. It’s not something that is typically consumed in large quantities. I had to find help.

Vinho Verde, green wine, is another Portuguese specialty. Like port wine, it comes from northern Portugal, but it is something that wine-curious travelers should try. I didn’t find vinho verde to be especially unique. It’s not actually green – the verde comes from the type of grape harvested, not the color of the wine – but it is pretty good.

For those looking for a more local drinking experience in Lisbon, Colares is a wine that comes from Sintra. Sintra is a popular day-trip from Lisbon, and Colares is a prized local product. The growing area in Sintra is limited, making this particular wine slightly more expensive than basic Portuguese bottles.

Ginja

Ginja (ginjinha) is, perhaps, the most uniquely Portuguese drink. It is a liqueur made from sour cherries that is popular in Lisbon. When hotels in Lisbon offer guests a “welcome drink,” ginja is often that drink.

If you like cherry-flavored things, ginja is the drink for you. Personally, I loathe almost all cherry foodstuffs, and ginja tastes like cough syrup to me. 

Drinking ginja in Lisbon provides an opportunity for a fun, local experience, though. In the Alfama neighborhood, little old ladies open up their windows, front doors or set up tables right outside their homes. For about €1, you can buy a streetside shot of ginja in a romanticized travel scene come to life. 

These are just old ladies trying to make an extra buck, and there is no structure to when or where they decide to open a bottle. Searching for the ginja ladies is one of the fun things about wandering Alfama and drinking in Lisbon.

Drinking Cheap & Late in Lisbon

One of my favorite experiences in Lisbon was trying to find a place to have a late-night drink. I’m not a club person, so all of those options were really off the table for me. 

In the middle of Lisbon’s main thoroughfare, Avenida da Liberdade, from the middle of the city to the sea, there is a park that runs in the center. In this park, there are a few unassuming kiosks. These kiosks sell coffee, snacks, beer and wine. And they’re open late. 

Understandably, late-night drinking at a park kiosk may not appeal to all travelers. But it’s a fun, local experience, even if it feels a little seedy. This is a very Lisbon thing to do. Finding a couple of new friends and enjoying a cheap bottle of wine in a park – that’s my kind of Lisbon nightlife.

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Eating & drinking in Lisbon is one of the tastiest history lessons in travel. Food in Portugal, and to a greater extent in Lisbon, is a reflection of the country’s history in colonialism and exploration.

The best part about eating in Lisbon, in addition to the great food, is the affordability. Whether you’re sipping ginja, trying dried and salted cod, shoveling down as many pasteis de nata as possible or endlessly searching for local grub, travelers are guaranteed plenty of delicious eats in this colorful, hilly city.