One of our favorite ways to explore a new city is through its food, so it's only natural that we spend the majority of our free time doing exactly that in Lisbon. We moved to Lisbon in 2022, and since then, we've found some amazing restaurants that we're excited to share with all of you!
Our dining style is pretty diverse—we love restaurants that focus on local producers, complex flavors and unique ingredients, while we also appreciate traditional places that really show off the history and culture of a city. We always prefer quality over quantity. We also find the overall atmosphere to be very important—whether that's an upbeat trendy wine bar, a typical tasca, or a hole-in-the-wall taco joint, we want to really get a sense for the passion that went into creating the restaurant. We don't typically go for white table cloth restaurants—they just feel a bit too stuffy for us. When we do recommend a pricier restaurant, it's only because the experience was so memorable and unique that we think it's worth the splurge.
€€ | Italian Shareable Plates | Trendy | Great Cocktails | Great Wine List
Da Noi is a neighborhood spot that you know is going to be good as soon as you walk in! The vibe is trendy and welcoming, there's always lots of people coming in and out of the restaurant, and the food in incredible. It's technically Italian, but don't expect any traditional Italian dishes—everything is super creative and perfect for sharing. Order a bunch on dishes off the menu, a few cocktails, a bottle of wine, and just enjoy. The menu changes seasonally with a few items consistently available (we're looking at you, truffle gnocchi). They also have a walk-up window to order a drink outside while you wait for your table.
Must Order: Truffle gnocchi
Neighborhood: Santos
Reservations: Yes
€€ | Shareable Plates | Reimagined Portuguese | Trendy | Great Wine List
Parra is a new wine bar that just opened up in Santos neighborhood and it's already such a great addition! They have an incredible natural wine list with plenty of options by the glass, and a beautiful wine display on the back wall. They're food is so delicious—lots of variety and the flavors are perfectly balanced. They have shareable plates and mains, but honestly, we recommend sharing everything so you can try more things. The stuffed stone crab is out of this world good!
Must Order: Stuffed stone crab, steak tartare, algarve shrimps
Neighborhood: Santos
Reservations: Recommended, but walk-ins welcome
€ | Tacos | Fast Casual
La Malquerida is hands-down our favorite place to go for tacos in Lisbon. The menu is super limited and that's what we love about them—they keep it simple and know what they're good at! They only serve al pastor, birria, or mushroom in the form of a taco, quesadilla, or torta. They also have the best hot sauces we've found in Lisbon.
Don't expect anything fancy—this is very much a fast casual spot where you order at the bar and grab a seat wherever you can find one (or even just stand). We typically stop here while we are bar hopping around Boa Vista.
Must Order: Birria tacos and al pastor tacos
Neighborhood: Boa Vista
Reservations: No, walk-in only
€€ | Shareable Plates | Farm to Table | Trendy | Great Wine List | Great Cocktails
Maluca is a farm to table small plates restaurant focusing on local & organic products. One thing we Iove about this place is that they course out the meal so you only ever have one plate on your table at a time—this really allows you to enjoy the flavors of each dish.
We've tried almost the entire menu and while everything is delicious, the two standouts are the beet tartare (we never would have known it was made with beets!) and the black garlic mushrooms!
Must Order: Beet tartare and black garlic mushrooms
Neighborhood: Santos
Reservations: Highly recommended, but walk-ins welcome
€€ | Seafood | Traditional Portuguese
You've probably heard of the famous seafood restaurant Cervejaria Ramiro, but did you know you can get the exact same quality of seafood at half the price at Penalva da Graça? Sure, it's not fancy like Cervejaria Ramiro, but that's why we love it. It looks like a typical Portuguese tasca with counter seating and simple tables and the seafood here is incredible! And be sure to finish off your meal with a prego (steak sandwich)—we think the pregos here are the best in Lisbon.
Must Order: Grilled king prawns, prego
Neighborhood: Graça
Reservations: Recommended, but walk-ins welcome
€€€€ | Tasting Menu | Great Wine List | Unique Experience | Special Occasion
Âmago is more than just a tasting menu, it's an unforgettable dining experience that we think everyone should splurge a little to enjoy (plus it's no where near as expensive as a Michelin star restaurant, and in our opinion, much better!).
It's run by a young Portuguese couple who were trained in Michelin star restaurants and decided to start their own concept. It's literally just the two of them running the show—they prep everything right in front of you and everyone sits around one table (max 10 people in the restaurant with you). The food is insanely good, the natural wine pairing is perfect, and you're guaranteed to leave with new friends every time.
Must Order: No ordering here as it's a tasting menu
Neighborhood: Príncipe Real
Reservations: Required, one seating per night
€€ | Georgian | Outdoor Seating
Treestory is probably our most visited restaurant in all of Lisbon—it's consistently good every time, the service is prompt, the outdoor patio is beautiful on a warm night, and the prices are super fair!
If you've never tried Georgian food, do yourself a favor and go to Treestory. Be sure to come hungry and order several dishes to share with the table. The vegetable salad with nuts is our favorite salad of all time! The Adjaruli cheesy bread is so so cheesy—the perfect comfort food. And the veal skewer is perfectly charred on the grill with a tangy adjika sauce on the side.
Must Order: Vegetable salad with nuts, adjaruli cheesy bread, and grilled veal skewer
Neighborhood: Liberdade
Reservations: Recommended, but walk-ins welcome
€€ | Portuguese | Tasting Menu | Seafood | Outdoor Seating
We're pretty confident the tasting menu at Taberna do Mar is the best deal in all of Lisbon—€30 for 10-courses! If you love seafood, this place is a must (if you don’t like seafood, 100% skip it because the whole menu is seafood).
The chef is incredibly passionate and it shows in the quality of the dishes. The food here is so unique and memorable. It’s a tiny restaurant so make sure to book in advance. Also they only accept cash or Portuguese cards.
Must Order: No ordering here as it's a tasting menu
Neighborhood: Graca
Reservations: Required, two seatings per night
€€ | Shareable Plates | Vegetarian | Farm to Table | Trendy | Great Wine List
We're not vegetarian, but we absolutely would be if every meal tasted like the food at Senhor Uva! This place has the most incredible vegetarian small plates, fully sourced from local producers, and a massive natural wine list to go along with it. The menu changes seasonally, but the jackfruit ceviche is always there and will blow your mind!
Must Order: Jackfruit ceviche
Neighborhood: Estrela
Reservations: Recommended, but walk-ins welcome
€€ | Tacos | Vegetarian | Hipster | Live Music | Margaritas
Who knew vegetarian tacos could be so good?! They have more than just tacos though, and the team at Duro de Matar absolutely nailed the flavors in every single one of their dishes (we've literally loved everything we've ever ordered here). They also have a wide variety of hot sauces and salsas, and really good margaritas.
Not only do they have amazing food, but they also have super cool vibes—it feels very hipster/industrial and they have live DJ sets several times a week. Only downside is that the restaurant is pretty out of the way compared to everything else in Lisbon.
BONUS: They just recently combined with their sister restaurant so now they offer non-vegetarian options as well!
Must Order: Roasted elote fingers, chilaquiles, mushroom birria tacos
Neighborhood: Beato
Reservations: Recommended, but walk-ins welcome
€ | Traditional Portuguese | Grill | Lunch Spot
Zé dos Cornos is our favorite traditional Portuguese tasca in all of Lisbon. This place specializes in all things grilled, and to say the food is delicious is an understatement. The grilled pork ribs are the star of the show, but the grilled fish is also amazing (either robalo or dourada), and the creme brûlée is the best we've had in Lisbon.
It's no secret Zé dos Cornos is good—it's always busy and you'll see plenty of locals here as well as a few tourists. We recommend coming for lunch, putting your name on the list if all the tables are full, and passing the time with a glass of wine or imperial (small beer) on the sidewalk while you wait.
Must Order: Grilled pork ribs and creme brûlée
Neighborhood: Mouraria
Reservations: No, walk-ins only
€€ | Shareable Plates | Trendy | Great Wine List | Great Cocktails
The best way to describe Tricky's is fun, and you can't help but be in a good mood when you're there! It's upscale dining in a cool, upbeat, industrial setting. They focus on small shareable plates with complex flavors, and lots of fresh veggies, seafood, and meats. There's also a great wine list and creative cocktails to pair with the food.
The open kitchen adds a bit of uniqueness to the space—if you can, try to reserve some seats at the bar in front of the open kitchen! Note, they only accept Portuguese cards or cash.
Must Order: fish taco, razor clams, octopus
Neighborhood: Boa Vista
Reservations: Highly Recommended, two seatings per night
€ | Pizza | Super Cozy Vibes
We've been on the hunt for the best pizza in Lisbon and just recently discovered La Camionetta, and it immediately shot to the top of our list! This is a classic Italian pizza spot, so don't expect anything crazy like pineapple on your pizza (go to Lupita for that). Our favorite pizza on the menu is La Camburrata, and be sure to save room for dessert because they have amazing tiramisu and cannolis. The vibes here are so cozy - they have a few tables inside and several more tables on the sidewalk–if you're two people, be sure to ask for the table in the front window.
Must Order: La Camburrata pizza, tiramisu, cannoli
Neighborhood: Edge of Santos & Alcantara
Reservations: Recommended, you can make them online or on Whatsapp
€ | Pizza | Fast Casual
Lupita has some of the best pizza in Lisbon. They have a few classics like Margherita and Pepperoni, but the majority of their pizzas get very creative with the ingredients. The restaurant is tiny and always packed so don't expect to get a table, but you can order at the takeout window and either eat it on the sidewalk or grab a bottle of wine and head just down the road to the park outside Time Out Market to have a little pizza & wine picnic. Lupita is one of our go-to spots to grab a bite to eat while we are bar hopping on Boa Vista.
Must Order: Pepperoni pizza and courgette & burrata pizza
Neighborhood: Boa Vista
Reservations: No, walk-ins only
€€ | Reimagined Portuguese
In a neighborhood overrun with tourist traps, Discreto is a true gem! It's hidden on a side street in Alfama's Old Town and then food here is amazing. We'd call it "reimagined Portuguese" as the team has taken traditional dishes and added a twist, while still doing a fantastic job maintaining the integrity of the original recipe. The service is incredibly friendly and they do a great job explaining the menu and offering suggestions.
Must Order: Tomato & orange salad, mushroom risotto, veal cheeks
Neighborhood: Alfama
Reservations: Recommended, but walk-ins welcome
€€ | Portuguese | Home Cooking | Cozy
Mercearia do Seculo feels like you're having a home cooked dinner in a friend's home—it's a tiny restaurant with less than 10 tables, the decor is so cozy, and the service is wonderful. They serve up traditional Portuguese food and present it beautifully. This is our go-to spot to take friends and family visiting for their first meal in Lisbon.
Must Order: Traditional codfish stew, octopus
Neighborhood: Príncipe Real
Reservations: Highly Recommended, but walk-ins welcome
€€ | Mediterranean | Shareable Plates | Outdoor Seating
Zula Bistro is a nice casual spot to share a bunch of different plates with Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences. The dishes are always plated beautifully and the flavors are perfect. They have some outdoor seating in the square just down the road to enjoy in the late afternoon or on warmer nights. Also, their pita bread is insanely good!
Must Order: Muhammara, beef tartare, lamb kebabs
Neighborhood: Santos
Reservations: Recommended, but walk-ins welcome
€€ | Syrian | Shareable Plates
If you find yourself in Parque das Nações, then you have to try out Tayybeh. It's a Syrian restaurant with amazing spices in every dish. We recommend ordering a bunch of their appetizers and salads to share for the table (our faves are the falafel, muhamara, and grape leaves). Their Warbat dessert is also super unique—it's like a cheesy rose petal baklava.
Must Order: Falafel, muhamara dip, grape leaves, and warbat dessert
Neighborhood: Parque das Nações
Reservations: Recommended, but walk-ins welcome
€€€ | Tasting Menu | Great Wine List | Special Occasion
Essencial is probably the most upscale restaurant in our list of recommendations and it's definitely a place we reserve for special occasions. The service and presentation is always impeccable and you just feel special when you're here. They offer two options for tasting menus—you can either do the full pre-set tasting menu for €85 euros or you can opt for the Bistro Menu that let's you pick a starter, main, and dessert for €50 euros (we usually go for this option since you can mix and match dishes to try more things). They also have an extensive wine list, or you can choose to do a wine pairing.
Must Order: Foie gras, lamb
Neighborhood: Bairro Alto
Reservations: Highly Recommended
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