Lisbon foodie guide: best restaurants, cafés & wine bars
Lisbon has some amazing food, mainly because of the influence of many cultures stemming from its colonial past. It features spices and ingredients from Africa, Asia, and the Americas, combined with international modern cuisine. It’s all layered on historic Roman and Moorish foundations. And on top of that, Portugal is also known for its fortified wines (port) and wine. It even has a wine that you can only find in Portugal (Vinho Verde). And if you haven’t tried it already: Porto tonic is really refreshing.
Here are my tips for delicious food in Lisbon and some cute wine bars to enjoy a nice glass of wine. Looking for more inspiration for your trip? Read this guide with the top things to do in Lisbon for a perfect city trip.
Restaurants
Hygge
Hygge is the perfect place for breakfast to start the day. We had a combo to share, and it came with eggs Benedict, croissants, yoghurt, and cinnamon rolls. Service was quick and friendly.
A Taberna da Rua des Flores
The best meal we had while in Lisbon was at A Taberna da Rua des Flores. There can be a line to get in, but it moves quickly (they don’t take reservations). Here they serve petiscos, a Portuguese take on tapas. From the moment you enter the restaurant, you feel the warm atmosphere. There isn’t a fixed menu but a number of dishes of the day that you order to share. We shared 5 dishes between the two of us and a dessert. Definitely have the shrimps and the beef with arugula. All dishes were delicious and had distinct flavours. I wasn’t a fan of the squid because the sauce was too earthy, but my boyfriend loved it. For dessert, we had chocolate mousse with olive oil and salt: this was a little bit too salty for me, but that’s just my taste. It’s cash only, but there is an ATM around the corner.
Mex factory
We stumbled upon this restaurant when entering LX Factory. We got some chips and salsa to start, and ordered some cocktails that were delicious. Next, we had a burrito, which was delicious and huge. It kept us full for the rest of the day.
Koppu Ramen
Ramen is always a good idea after a day of exploring. This place filled up quickly and with reason. The staff is friendly and attentive, and the food is amazing. We had some gyoza to share and got some ramen. It’s fresh, tasty, and a very decent portion. A good place if you want something different.
Bifana do Alfonso
This was technically part of the food tour we did, but I think this is an amazing snack. The meat was tender, the bread fluffy, and the mustard gave a kick to it. Around lunch time, there can be a line, but it moves fast.
A Brasileira and Fabrica da Nata
These were the two places we had pasteis de nata in Lisbon. A Brasileira is a stunning café in downtown Lisbon. There is always a line, but it moves fast, especially if it doesn’t matter if you sit inside or outside. The service isn’t the fastest, but the pasteis de nata make up for it. These were the best we had (yes, even compared to pasteis de Belém). The ones at Fabrica da Nata were also delicious, but were more crunchy compared to the ones at A Brasileira.
Focaccia in Giro
This is located near the Santa Clara market and serves delicious focaccia. It’s a small place, so tables are filled fast, so there can be a wait. You can choose a focaccia with or without chips. The focaccia is fluffy and filled with fresh ingredients. Also, try the Porto tonic here.
Pasteis de Bacalhau
You should also try a pasteis de Bacalhau, they serve them all around the city. It’s made of potatoes, codfish, eggs, and cheese. We had them near the entrance of the Castle: a perfect snack after visiting.
If you love discovering local food while travelling, you might also enjoy my foodie guides for Brussels, Barcelona, and Edinburgh.
Winebars
We love to taste and drink wine, so we visited a number of wine bars during our trip. We especially loved port wine and the Vinho Verde. It’s not a grape variety, it’s a name for the production of wine, and it’s only made in a specific region of Portugal. Although it literally translates to green wine, it actually means young wine. It can be red, white, or rosé (with the majority being white) and has a little bit of sparkling in it.
These were the wine bars we visited and would recommend:
Where to stay in Lisbon as a foodie
- Baixa & Chiado: very lively and the central part of Lisbon, with a lot of restaurants and cafés
- Bairro Alto: famous for its nightlife, bars, restaurants, and clubs
- Alfama: the oldest part of Lisbon with traditional tavernas
- Campo de Ourique: local favorite with excellent markets and restaurants
Plan your trip to Lisbon like a pro
✈️ Book your cheap flights to Lisbon on Skyscanner
🏨 Reserve a hotel, apartment, or holiday home at Booking.com
🚕 Need a transfer from the airport? Use Welcome Pickups or download the Bolt or Uber app
🛜 Use Airalo eSIM to avoid roaming fees. Use SHARON9895 to get €3
📺 Use NordVPN to keep watching your favorite programs or movies on the go
🚗 Need to rent a car? Use DiscoverCars or Local Rent
💳 Use Wise to pay in Lisbon at the real exchange rate and avoid expensive foreign card fees
🚆 Buy train tickets from Omio or RailEurope
🎟️ Pre-book tours, entrance tickets, and activities via Viator or GetYourGuide
🏥 Get travel insurance at World Nomads or Safety Wing
Some of these links are affiliate links. If you buy something through these links, Travel Eat Enjoy Repeat will earn a small commission. This will cost you nothing extra.
