Eat

Where to eat

The rumors are true — food in Lisbon is fantastic. You probably can’t go wrong, but I have favorites from living here for a few years. Some are part of the culinary canon. Others are entirely off the radar from tourists.

Keep in mind these are Lisbon prices. Rachel and I once took friends from New York out for dinner and they assumed the bill for all four of us was a split check for each person. €€€ translates to about €40 per person with drinks.

Reserve as soon as possible for every spot on this list except Mercado de Campo de Ourique. For Bottega di Gio, text me and I’ll make them for you with Barbara.

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Lisbon / 10 spots

Lisbon · Campo de Ourique

Mercado de Campo de Ourique

Where locals go for the authentic experience tourists try to emulate at Time Out Market.

  • Campo de Ourique
  • Casual
  • The Campo de Ourique neighborhood was Lisbon’s first “planned” community. One of two real grid-pattern areas in central Lisbon, it sits on top of a hill in the northwest part of town and is home to Portuguese families. The neighborhood is a self-contained village and residents almost try not to leave.
  • Next to the neighborhood church is a market that has been operating for more than a century.
  • Most stalls feature tiny restaurants and the successful ones graduate to become storefronts in the area.
  • One stall has a great wine bar; another, a fun gin & tonic bar.
  • Go in the evening — soccer games on the screens, families gathering, life happening.
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Lisbon · Chiado

Pateo de Avillez

Modern Portuguese food that plays the hits.

  • Chiado
  • €€€
  • Smart casual
  • Reserve ahead
  • A famous Portuguese chef took over an entire building in the Chiado neighborhood and split it into several smaller restaurants.
  • Pateo is my favorite — housed inside the covered courtyard.
  • Probably the most popular spot on this list.
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Lisbon · Campo de Ourique

Memoria

The Italian restaurant you wish was on your block growing up.

  • Campo de Ourique
  • €€
  • Smart casual
  • Reserve ahead
  • Also in Campo de Ourique.
  • In the central square sits the most wonderful, laid-back-but-chic Italian restaurant.
  • Italian food in Lisbon? Trust me.
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Lisbon · Campo de Ourique

Tasca da Esquina

The modern Portuguese spot where actual Portuguese people eat.

  • Campo de Ourique
  • €€
  • Smart casual
  • Reserve ahead
  • Also in Campo de Ourique — the crown jewel of one of the city’s most beloved chef’s restaurant group.
  • A really phenomenal tasting menu that walks you through the best Portuguese classics.
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Lisbon · Alfama

O Velho Eurico

An ancient greasy spoon that a bunch of young kids overhauled while keeping the soul intact.

  • Alfama
  • €€
  • Casual
  • Reserve ahead
  • Portugal has a restaurant concept called a tasca — a classic dive bar / restaurant, almost always run by a family.
  • O Velho Eurico is closer to the tourist parts of town and is the favorite of my Portuguese friends.
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Lisbon · Campo de Ourique

Bottega di Gio

The Italian place where everyone knows your name.

  • Campo de Ourique
  • €€
  • Smart casual
  • Reserve ahead
  • Also in Campo de Ourique. (Yes, there’s a theme — it’s because it’s the city’s best neighborhood and untouched by tourism.)
  • Barbara (from Milan) runs the front of the house and her husband (from Sardinia) cooks.
  • The daily specials menu is always gospel. You can order classic Italian food too, but I recommend asking Barbara what she suggests today — for both food and wine.
  • I go here three or four times a month. I am not joking. If you go and tell Barbara that you know “Sam the Texan”, you’ll have an absolute blast. I promise.
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Lisbon · Estrela

Sem Vergonha

Portuguese seafood and beer with a perfect outdoor patio. Friends close it down on Saturdays; families spend Sunday afternoons here.

  • Estrela
  • €€
  • Smart casual
  • Reserve ahead
  • Sits in the closest residential neighborhood to the center of town that tourists don’t visit.
  • Worth the visit just to experience life as a local.
  • I have taken literally every friend who visits to this spot, and every one mentions it as their favorite.
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Lisbon · Lapa

Drogaria

A hidden date night spot with the city's best wine list.

  • Lapa
  • €€€
  • Smart casual
  • Reserve ahead
  • In the embassy neighborhood. If you’re up for it, the walk back to most hotels is a great route.
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Lisbon · Bairro Alto

100 Maneiras

The city's best Michelin spot.

  • Bairro Alto
  • €€€€
  • Smart
  • Reserve ahead
  • Absolutely the most interesting restaurant in town — opened by a Bosnian chef who is infamous in Portuguese culinary circles for being brash and a genius.
  • A little confusing: they also operate Bistro 100 Maneiras, their more casual spot. If you want the Michelin star experience, you want just 100 Maneiras.
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Lisbon · Lapa

SakeMico

The city's best Japanese restaurant — an absolute hidden gem.

  • Lapa
  • €€€
  • Smart casual
  • Reserve ahead
  • Hidden under an apartment building across the street from the British Embassy is the best Japanese restaurant you have ever visited.
  • A wild and weird sake collection, plus an izakaya and sushi menu that’s too good to be true.
  • Quiet, casual, with jazz playing on the speakers and a staff that actually cares about the place and the experience.
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Sintra / 4 spots

Sintra · Praia Grande

Bar do Fundo

The beach restaurant you thought only existed in movies.

  • Praia Grande
  • €€
  • Casual
  • Reserve ahead
  • The perfect end to a daytrip in Sintra. Takes online reservations (definitely needed).
  • A classic beach seafood restaurant — literally on my favorite beach — bought by a young crew a couple years ago and converted into one of my favorite restaurants in the country, while keeping the beachside charm.
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Sintra · Sintra hills

O Padeiro

The village grill in our particular region of Sintra.

  • Sintra hills
  • Casual
  • Genuinely locals only — but they’ll be thrilled to see you, and the food is superb.
  • True Portuguese classics.
  • A great dinner spot after hiking the nearby trails.
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Sintra · Praia Grande

Aldeia da Praia

A former campground turned into the best food truck court you'll find — with beer from a great local craft brewery.

  • Praia Grande
  • Casual
  • Options include sushi, pizza, burgers, Thai food.
  • Full cocktail bar.
  • In the mornings, a great cafe serves pancakes and other breakfast.
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Sintra · Sintra village

Mela Canela

A vegan cafe in the heart of the actual village of Sintra.

  • Sintra village
  • Casual
  • A cozy spot in the village center — a good light stop between palaces.
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