I’m a former food critic who has lived in Lisbon since 2018, and I’ve watched downtown Baixa transform from semi-abandoned to a bustling tourist hotspot. The area’s central location also means there’s a good chance your hotel or guesthouse will be based on one of its one-way streets, and luckily, some gems are hidden among the uniform 18th-century blocks. 

In this list, covering where to eat in Baixa and around Rossio and Restauradores squares in Lisbon, I’ll share a handful of excellent historic restaurants, snack bars and bakeries along with new finds that I would genuinely recommend to friends and eat at myself.

Map of where to eat in Baixa, Lisbon

Best quick snack bars in Baixa, Lisbon

A Tendinha do Rossio

Founded in 1840, A Tendinha is one of the last traditional snack bars or taverns in Rossio. I often drop in here for a quick bite or standing lunch – it’s well-known for excellent, large pastéis de bacalhau (codfish cakes) and the daily soup is usually great too. You’ll get change for a €5 note.

These days, it has a big terrace, where the tables have vinyl wraps with pictures of the snacks on offer – but if you want to experience the soul of the place, step inside and stand at the bar elbow-to-elbow with police officers and off-duty local guides. Behind the bar will likely be Alfredo, an employee who’s worked here since 1998. A few years ago, he was quoted as saying he used to see a tourist every month or two… and now 70 percent of his customers are tourists.

This spot is traditional, so here’s what to expect: salty yet efficient service; everything served cold (unless it was just fried); and bones in your bacalhau (salted cod) sandwich. Yes, these are all bar snacks – usually made throughout the day, so there’s a good chance your schnitzel or omelette sandwich will be cold. Instead, order a soup and a pastel de bacalhau or a ham-and-cheese toasted sando (tosta mista). 

Address: Praça do Rossio
What to order: pastéis de bacalhau (codfish cake); soup
Price: €1-4 per item

As Bifanas do Afonso

This is Lisbon’s best bifana spot. What’s a bifana? A pork-steak sandwich, and here the thin steaks are cooked in a pan with lard, white wine, garlic and more. Six minutes ago, there was no queue at Alfonso’s bifana canteen. You could pop by this little snack window, hand over a few coins and enjoy a bifana and imperial (tiny beer) without any fanfare. Now, Google reviews reveal that you might be waiting more than an hour. Jeez.

Tourism can be good – and it can also be too much. In this case, it’s too much. Thankfully, there’s a VIP queue for hard-core regulars who have been coming here for decades and still want their classic bifana. I think that’s a good thing. Anyway, back to the bifana – you can order it plain or with cheese. The traditional thing to do is just order it plain, then add mustard and/or piri piri oil to your liking. Bring cash.

Tip: In 2025 a second location opened just a five-minute walk away the Lisbon Art Stay Aparthotel. Expect no queues there (plus tables where you can actually sit down).

Address: Rua da Madalena 146
What to order: bifana with or without cheese
Price: €3 for a bifana, €5 with cheese – cash only!!

Pizzeria Romana Baixa

This small takeaway window bakes up Roman-style pizza by the square slice. One slice is a great snack; two would be a solid lunch. In the display case at Pizzeria Romana, admire a kaleidoscope of colourful focaccia-style pizza. The ingredients here are top-quality, with the dough fermented for 72 hours. Each slice is re-baked once you order and then served hot.

Address: Rua da Conceição 44, 1100-154 Lisboa
What to order: pizza by the slice
Price: €3.50-4 per slice

Tavern at Casa do Alentejo

I love the relaxed tavern at Casa do Alentejo, a cultural centre set within a 17th-century palace in the heart of Lisbon. It feels like a hidden gem to walk up the stairs, through a Moroccan-style riad courtyard, and into this Alentejo-vibe whitewashed patio with a huge olive tree and long tables.

It’s open all afternoon, making it a good spot for snacks and a few beers. Here you’ll find petiscos – Portugal’s answer to tapas – with an Alentejo twist. That means specialties like migas, a sort of mashed bread stuffing with grilled pork, and the flaming chorizo, which is always fun.

Address: R. das Portas de Santo Antão 58, 1150-268 Lisboa
What to order: chouriço (chorizo cooked at the table), migas com porco (bread stuffing with pork)
Price: €6-12 per dish

More snack spots to try in Baixa, Lisbon

• Nova Pombalina – relaxed cafe-bar known for its traditional sandwiches
• Beher Lisbon – serves top-quality Spanish jamón. Ideal for a sandwich to-go or a charcuterie board and wine.

Best bakeries and sweets in Baixa, Lisbon

Confeitaria Nacional 

Have a sweet tooth? Visit Confeitaria Nacional, Lisbon’s oldest and most traditional bakery. A man named Balthazar Castanheiro opened the bakery here in 1829, which once supplied the royal household and to this day provides sweets to the president. The location downtown is right on Praça da Figueira, one of the main squares, from which you can step inside the bakery to admire the ornate gilded interiors and choose something delicious from the counter. Or there’s the option to sit outside on the terrace with a coffee and more time. What many don’t know is that the bakery has an upstairs canteen with daily meal specials.

Fun fact: The first telephones in Lisbon were installed between the factory and the bakery.

Address: Praça da Figueira 18B, 1100-241 Lisboa
What to order: Any sweets that catch your eye, or pop upstairs for lunch
Price: €1-5

Pastéis de nata stops – Castro, Manteigaria, Nat’elier

For efficiency’s sake, I’m wrapping up the best pastéis de nata spots in Baixa into this one paragraph. My top three in the area are Castro, Manteigaria and Nat’elier. You’ll find Manteigaria in Rua Augusta, the main pedestrian drag. And the other two are close to the famous Santa Justa lift. Castro is classic, like Manteigaria – but Nat’elier is the first spot to play with Portuguese custard tarts, so you’ll get funky flavours like pistachio, tiramisu and white chocolate macadamia. 

Address: Google maps – Castro, Manteigaria, Nat’elier
What to order: pastel de nata
Price: €1-2

Read next… Best Pastéis de Nata spots in Lisbon

More sweet spots to try in Baixa, Lisbon

• Crush Doughnuts – famous for huge, soft American-style loaded doughnuts.
• Pasteleria Suiça – the historic bakery was reborn in a new spot on Praça da Figueira
• Gelateria La Romana dal 1947 – excellent gelato from a famous Italian store

Best Portuguese restaurants in Baixa, Lisbon

Prado

Prado is one of Lisbon’s best restaurants. With young chef Antonio Galapito at the helm, this light-filled modern space was one of the first spaces in the capital to hero fresh, seasonal ingredients. The menu revolves around what’s coming from the farm or the sea, so if it’s out of season, the menu shifts. While it’s à la carte, at dinner you can also opt for an €80 per person tasting menu. All the wines are organic or biodynamic, too.

Address: Tv. das Pedras Negras 2, 1100-404 Lisboa
What to order: as much as you can eat
Reservations: Essential, online. Price: €30-80pp

STŌ Restaurante & Mercearia

STŌ was one of the best things to open in downtown Lisbon in recent years. I’ve seen the project evolve from a café and grocer to more of a restaurant, but the core mission has remained the same – to share high-quality traditional Portuguese products and flavours. At lunch, you can dine a là carte, while dinner is a set menu. Either way, don’t skip the signature alheira croquettes.

Address: R. dos Fanqueiros 83
What to order: alheira croquettes
Reservations: Online, recommended
Price: €15-35

A Provinciana

A few true tascas are still to be found downtown, if you know where to look. One of them is A Provinciana, a tasca open since 1988, whose prices seem to resist Lisbon’s rapid gentrification. There’s always a queue (sadly, this spot is no secret), but Senhor Américo and his family greet everyone with a warm, friendly smile. If you can’t get in here, I’ve also eaten at the tascas on the same lane – you’ll see they’re filled with local office workers and the food is good too.

Address: Tv. do Forno 23
What to order: Whatever the daily special is, or a bitoque (simple steak with egg)
Reservations: No
Price: €10-15

Bonjardim

Charcoal chicken has been the bread-and-butter of Bonjardim since 1959. These days, the famous churrasqueira attracts queues of tourists (and some patient locals) who come for the succulent grilled piri-piri chicken. Unlike most other spots, here the chickens are grilled whole – apparently it was the first place in Portugal to do this.

Address: Tv. de Santo Antão 11
What to order: Chicken
Reservations: No
Price: €15-25

Baixamar

Baixamar is one of many restaurants on Rua dos Bacalhoeiros, which has been closed to pedestrians, creating a street where tables spill out across the road. Given the location is a little touristy, I didn’t have high hopes, but Baixamar is genuinely an excellent spot to try traditional Portuguese seafood dishes such as bacalhau (salted cod) or octopus.

Address: R. dos Bacalhoeiros 28 C
What to order: seafood, ideally – the bacalhau is great
Reservations: Online, recommended
Price: €30-50

More Portuguese restaurants worth a stop in Baixa

• Sála de João Sá – 1-star Michlen spot with tasting menus. 
• Terraço Editorial – it’s a rooftop bar and modern Portuguese bistro
• Discreto – neo-tasca with modern Portuguese dishes.
• Maria Catita – traditional Portuguese food with a few Azorean dishes too.
• Pinóquio – top spot for eating seafood by weight. Think prawns, clams, crab.

Best international food spots in Baixa

Panda Cantina

It’s a fast-service canteen that serves one dish: Chinese ramen. And as you’d expect, Panda Cantina does it really damn well. Order your soup with pork, beef or tofu (beef is my pick) and choose your spice level from one to five. Spice-wise, they don’t mess about, so err on the side of caution. At around €10.50 a bowl, it’s a great spot for lunch or a cheap dinner. Go early and expect to queue.

Address: Rua da Prata 252, 1100-052 Lisboa (there are 3 other locations in Lisbon too!)
What to order: Beef ramen is my favourite, and I go for spice-level 3.
Reservations: Not possible
Price: €10-15

The Oven

There’s no shortage of Nepalese or Indian restaurants in Lisbon, but one that stands out from the rest is the sleek and contemporary Oven. Nepalese-born chef Hari Chapagain puts the focus on quality and makes the huge tandoor, which can reach temperatures of up to 400°C, the star. As you’d expect, this is also a great restaurant for vegetarians in Baixa, Lisbon.

Address: R. dos Fanqueiros 232
What to order: Momo dumplings, lamb shank biriyani
Reservations: Online, recommended
Price: €20-40

Moona Chicken

If you’ve got a craving for deep-fried chicken, head to Moona. This fast-casual spot specialises in Korean-style fried chicken – which you can order with half a dozen different sauces. The Black Secret sauce is my favourite – it’s not super spicy. To top it off, Moona makes its own kimchi (and it’s great).

Address: Rua da Conceição 51
What to order: fried chicken, sauce of your choice. The bowl version with rice is good too!
Reservations: Not needed
Price: €15-25

For more international cuisine in Baixa, try…

• Swaagat The Taste of India – top-rated Indian restaurant
• Moona Chicken – for Korean-style fried chicken
• Mercado Oriental Martim Moniz – a little outside Baixa is this Asian foodcourt, where you have a choice of almost a dozen street-food stalls of all cuisines.

Best coffee and brunch in Baixa, Lisbon

Every week, a fancy new specialty coffee shop or brunch spot opens, erasing a traditional tasca or old-school business. I refuse to pay for eggs I could easily cook at home, so here are a few discerning options in the category…

The Capsule Neo-Bistro 

What if brunch were cooked by a real chef? This ‘brunch bistro’ is from the creative mind of Ukrainian chef and owner Alex Horbenko, whose dishes push the boundaries of what brunch or lunch should be. Leading by example, his kitchen makes every effort to avoid waste – yesterday’s bread becomes pasta or dessert – and seasonal ingredients or fermentation sit at the core of the menu. Dishes might be a chicken masala French toast, beef tartare with kimchi mayo, or a Ukrainian potato pancake with salmon, egg and green sauce. The Capsule is mostly open 9-5, but expect later hours on Friday and Saturday nights.

Address: R. do Crucifixo 71
Reservations: Online, recommended
Price: €25-40

CO-OP Layday

Down the road from The Capsule, CO-OP is a light-filled café with a solid menu of well-executed breakfast classics – think eggs Benedict, pancakes, avocado toast – along with some lunch specials. While you can get a flat white here, specialty drinks like a bumble coffee or peach matcha tonic are more the drawcard. Need somewhere to co-work? The upstairs space has big tables and power plugs where they welcome you and your laptop.

Address: R. do Crucifixo 33
Reservations: No
Price: €5-20

Looking for cafés to co-work in Baixa? Besides CO-OP you can try ExpressoLab and Copenhagen Coffee Lab (though both are more like mini chains)

Fábrica Coffee Roasters

At Fábrica, you’ll only find top-quality specialty coffee roasted by them, and you can choose between espresso or filter coffee options. To pair, choose from the pastries at the counter. Wi-fi? Fábrica makes a statement by not offering it at any of their cafes across the city. Take your laptop elsewhere – this is a coffee temple.

Address: R. do Comércio 111 & R. de São Mamede 28D
Reservations: No
Price: €2-5

The Folks

For good coffee, The Folks is a safe bet. Besides espresso, there’s usually a hand-brew and cold-brew option – plus a tasting board if you really want to be caffeinated. Food-wise, its menu is a classic list of eggs, toasts, pancakes and oats.

Address: R. dos Sapateiros 111  & R. dos Bacalhoeiros 113
Reservations: No
Price: €5-20

More options for coffee or brunch in Baixa, Lisbon

• Cotidiano – good spot for classic brunch and coffee
• Dear Breakfast – another good spot for brunch and coffee

Best bars in Baixa

Ginjinha Sem Rivel & A Ginjinha

You can’t have a Baixa bars list without including the ginjinha bars. Ginjinha is a traditional sour cherry liqueur that became popular in Lisbon in the late 19th century. There are still two super historic ginjinha bars – the family-run Ginjinha Sem Rival (my fave) and A Ginjinha (where Anthony Bourdain went). If you’re passing by, stop in and ask for a shot.

Address: R. das Portas de Santo Antão 7 & Largo São Domingos 8
What to order: Ginjinha com ou sem ‘ela’ (with or without cherries)
Price: €1.60-2 

Imprensa Cocktail & Oyster Bar

Imprensa is one of my favourite bars in Lisbon, hands down. I’ll usually visit the original location in Princípe Real, where the vibes are high, the oysters are top-notch, and the cocktails are 10/10. The downtown location has a slightly different feeling, thanks to a huge terrace where you can get comfortable and talk sh*t with your friends for hours.

Address: R. de São Nicolau 24
What to order: trust your tastes or ask the bartender
Price: €10-15 per drink

Prado Wine Bar

Cut from the same cloth as Prado, the restaurant, the wine bar is a more casual spot from one of Lisbon’s best chefs. The food follows the same philosophy as the restaurant – serving seasonal, ever-changing dishes that hero what farmers, fishermen and local producers provide. The wine list is focused on organic and low-intervention Portuguese wines.

Address: Rua das Pedras Negras, 37
What to order: wines by the glass and snacks
Reservations: Online, recommended (but walk-ins welcome)
Price: €15-45pp

Nova Wine Bar

Step into Nova and meet Pedro, the former ad-man that makes this wine bar special. When the landlord offered him the chance to rent the space and extend his agency, Pedro took it as a sign from universe, sold his agency and launched Nova (which means ‘new’) in 2017. Choose from about 20 wines by the glass, but take a look at the menu of snacks first, and Pedro will help match your dishes to the wine. 

Address: R. Nova do Almada 20
What to order: cheese, tinned fish, wine
Price: €15-35pp

Cabal

Cabal is a relaxed cocktail in the heart of Lisbon, open seven days a week and owned by a very cool Australian family. There’s a huge terrace to relax on, plus on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights find local and international DJs bringing the vibe.

Address: Largo São Domingos 16
What to order: beer, wine, cocktails
Price: €3-15pp

Cerveja Canil

Of the couple of craft beer spots downtown, Canil is my pick. This Lisbon brewery says it has more than 36 beers on tap, which are a mix of house-brewed beers and kegs from primarily Portuguese craft breweries. That makes it a great destination to try different Portuguese IPAs, APAs and more. There’s also a solid menu of beer snacks.

Address: Rua dos Douradores 133
What to order: Beer of your choice
Price: €3-15

Ruby Rosa Rooftop

This cocktail bar sits on the rooftop terrace of the Lisbon Art Stay hotel. Expect a list of cocktails (at a higher price point). Note, the elevator only goes to the 5th floor – then you have to climb to levels of stairs.

Address: Rua dos Douradores 133
What to order: Beer of your choice
Price: €10-15 per drink

Trobadores – Taberna Medieval

This very serious medieval tavern is a good laugh. Enter the wood-panelled, candlelit space and step back in time. Everything is well themed, with beers served in terracotta cups. There’s a full food menu too – it’s quite simple, but you can order a flaming chorizo.

Address: Calçada de São Francisco 6A, 1200-005 Lisboa
What to order: Whatever you fancy, you’re there for the atmosphere
Price: €5-25

Those are the places I can recommend to eat in Baixa and Rossio. Did you try somewhere good? Leave me a comment….

The post Where to eat in Baixa, Lisbon: Local’s guide to the best restaurants, snacks and bars appeared first on Olá Daniela.

Beyond azulejo-covered churches and cobbled lanes that wind down to the Douro River, at its core, Porto is a city connected to food and wine. 

I’ve visited Porto a dozen times, and on a recent summer weekend, I checked into Canto de Luz, a once-abandoned merchant’s townhouse that has been thoughtfully transformed into a boutique hotel with unique light-filled spaces and smart design. It’s located in one of my favourite neighbourhoods to stay in Porto, on a street famous for its historic hardware shops (look for the vintage signage!). But the cherry on top? Food and wine experiences.

Over two nights, a friend and I sampled the hotel’s in-house experiences – from market tours to a cooking class, to a Douro wine tasting. Beyond that, we used Canto de Luz as our calm retreat when we weren’t exploring the city. Let’s dive into all the fun…

Day 1: Train to Porto, join a wine tasting masterclass

Arriving by train from Lisbon, we were met at Campanhã Station by a private driver and whisked straight to Canto de Luz. The warm and friendly manager Gaia was waiting upstairs – but, to be honest, I’m not sure we heard everything she said thanks to a very distracting, very shiny self-serve wine machine sitting pretty at the entrance… It’s quickly clear this is a place designed for food and wine lovers.

Just beyond the reception desk, we passed through an open kitchen that spills into a glasshouse dining room, known as The Orangerie, and then the garden. Porto’s old town has such tall skinny façades that it’s surprising to step through the front door and see how deep each block goes – and Canto de Luz is making the most of this space.  

Checking into the Minho Suite at Canto de Luz

Gaia led us through the garden and checked us into the Minho Suite, a beautifully designed, light-filled apartment split over two floors. Downstairs, we had a petite, open-plan living room – with two sofas that could be converted into beds for kids – and a kitchen, fully equipped with an oven, hob, dishwasher and more. Upstairs, the mezzanine had a superking bed and a bathroom with lush soaps and smart lights. The beautiful space was super modern and clean, yet cosy.

What I loved most might be that the suite – a ‘Garden Duplex Villa’ – shared a wall with just one other, and the two sit in the middle of the garden. City noise? Basically non-existent. Add blackout blinds and a massive luxe bed for a perfect night’s sleep in a bustling European city – the dream.

I asked Gaia if we could sneak a peek at any other rooms before guests checked in, and so we got to see the stunning two-bedroom villa with private pool tucked right at the back of the block and the ground-floor apartments, which are still bathed in light thanks to smart architectural design.

Check your dates at Canto de Luz

Late lunch and exploring Cedofeita neighbourhood

One of the things I loved most about this Porto boutique hotel is the location. It’s set in one of my favourite downtown areas of Porto, on a pretty, yet quiet street close to Bolhão Market, cool cafés and some top restaurants. When I book stays in Porto, I usually choose somewhere around this area as it’s easy to walk anywhere, plus you have quick access to Trindade metro station to zip you across town.

After checking in, we prioritised food before our afternoon wine tasting. Protest Kitchen, a café I’ve had on my Porto ‘to-eat’ list for some time, is just on the next block. The owners – a Brazilian, Russian and Cypriot trio – bring something different to Porto’s specialty coffee and café scene, with a menu that includes everything from sweet syrniki to kchachapuri flatbread. I went for the Cypriotic eggs, with labneh and a toasted, sesame-crusted simit bread.

From here we carved a quick loop west through the hip Cedofeita neighbourhood, popping into vintage stores, historic shops and a gallery along Rua de Cedofeita.

Canto Cooking’s wine tasting masterclass

It was time to taste the best of the Douro Valley – but not like most visitors to Porto do. The city is famous for port wine, a fortified drink that is cellared on the southern bank of the river. But our 90-minute tasting was focused on table wines. 

Gemny, our host and a veritable pocket of sunshine, struck the perfect balance between education and fun. She kicked off with an overview of the Douro Valley, using a photo book to show the wine region through the seasons, explaining how the area’s rocky terroir shapes its wines. One at a time, we were slowly introduced to five table wines and a white port from Quinta do Vallado, one of the oldest and best-known estates that was once run by the legendary Dona Antónia Adelaide Ferreira (to this day it remains in the same family!)

What made this tasting memorable was its unpretentious approach. Instead of overwhelming us with vintages, years, labels and wine waffle, Gemny encouraged us to focus on the characteristics of each wine – how they tasted, how they compared, and, importantly, what we actually liked. The tasting mat doubled as a comparison chart and a notepad, allowing us to make notes and judge each wine by colour, aroma, taste, body and balance.

Once all six wines were sitting pretty on our tasting mat, we received a cheese and charcuterie board and were encouraged to play around with flavour pairings. Gemny shared helpful hints and anecdotes that kept it light and fun, yet informative without ever being intimidating.

Book this wine tasting for yourself

Day 2: Bolhão Market tour and cooking class, visiting a Port wine cellar

Each morning at Canto de Luz begins with a filling breakfast in the light-filled Orangerie. We’d heard great things, and it didn’t disappoint. Each day expect bread and a little treat from Porto’s oldest bakery, Padaria Ribeiro, open since 1878. Snack on a daily fruit plate while building your own breakfast from the menu, which includes items such as fresh orange juice, yogurt and granola, cheese and eggs cooked to order.

To market, to market with Canto Cooking School

Visiting Porto’s Bolhão Market is a must-do on any Porto foodie itinerary. The historic market hall, which occupies a whole downtown block, reopened after five years of renovations in 2022. We spotted our guide, Mackenzie, in a chef’s hat outside the hall and were joined by an American mother-daughter duo. 

The five of us set off to explore the market, with plenty of time to browse stalls, talk to vendors and sample produce. A spice-identification game set the tone, an oyster made for a morning pick-me-up, and Sofia, the olive oil vendor, shared tips while we tasted.

Back at Canto de Luz, we rolled up our sleeves and got to work on our petiscos menu (Portuguese tapas). The class continued at a fun and relaxed pace, and it was a social experience where the four of us took turns chopping, stirring, mixing and frying until we had a feast ready. The recipes were quite simple and would be easy to recreate at home.

We didn’t receive the recipes during the cooking class, which allowed us to be fully immersed in the cooking experience. However, once we sat down for lunch, I would have liked a printed copy to make notes or check that the written recipes lined up with the class. Canto de Luz is 98% carbon neutral, so to avoid printing they instead send a follow-up PDF of recipes via email. 

With lunch came more wine, the spectacle of a flaming chorizo on the table, and the chance to dig into our pataniscas de bacalhau (cod fritters), peixinhos da horta (tempura green beans), amêijoas à bulhão pato (clams) and salada de polvo (octopus salad).

Join this market tour and cooking class

Touring a port wine cellar

Why is Porto so closely tied to wine? The answer lies in port, the city’s namesake fortified wine that has been produced and shipped around the world for centuries. It starts with young wine, grown in the Douro Valley, that is then shipped downstream to mature in huge wooden barrels by the humid seaside. 

Almost two dozen port wine cellars are located on the southern bank in Vila Nova de Gaia, just across the river from Porto. If you have the time, I recommend visiting one for the full experience – but if not, Canto Cooking also offers a “Best of the Best” port wine tasting, where it pairs four styles of port from top-tier producers with artisan chocolates and cheese.

We managed to catch the last daily tour at Graham’s Port Lodge, which was built in 1890. During the hour-long tour, we explored the cellar, passing the oversized barrels and learning about the difference between ruby, tawny and white ports. 

Sunset at Jardim do Morro

For sunset in Porto, I think there’s no better spot than Jardim do Morro. From here, on the southern bank, you’ll soak in an iconic view of Porto’s downtown, with its layers of colourful, narrow townhouses, as the city glows golden. Yes, it’s super touristic and always very busy, but find a spot on the grass, buy a beer from a vendor and enjoy the live music while thinking life is good.

From here it’s super easy to return to Canto de Luz via the metro, or make like we did and walk across the top level of the Dom Luís I bridge and seek out dinner – we went to Lado B, one of my favourite spots for a francesinha in Porto. 

Day 3: Trekking the city on a food tour, lazy pool time

Another day, another legendary breakfast in The Orangerie. But today we ordered half serves… it’s food tour day!

Eating across Porto – a food tour with Canto Cooking

In any new city, I think a food tour is a great way to connect with the history and food culture of a place. Canto Cooking’s food tour kicked off at the Bolhão Market at 11am, where we met with Mackenzie again to explore – this time joined by both a Scottish and an American couple. We spent about 90 minutes at the market, starting with a freshly squeezed juice before receiving a huge glass of vinho verde. Walking around a fresh food market with a glass of wine in hand? Elite, honestly.

At Sofia’s olive oil stall, we tried two popular beer snacks – Portuguese olives and tremoços (lupin beans). And we passed by a butcher for a small plate of local charcuterie. Then it was time to switch to the TimeOut Market, where we received a delicious Douro wine paired with a tasting plate that had a bolinho de bacalau (cod croquette), octopus salad and a bean salad. 

Things kicked up a notch with a francesinha – the legendary Porto sandwich with its many, many meaty layers – before we visited a wine bar and bottle shop to taste a Douro white paired with local cheese, finishing with a shot of gijinha (sour cherry liqueur).

Overall, I really loved the interactions we had with the stallholders and the stories they shared. I’d hoped for a bit more history and storytelling as we passed through different parts of the city along with more contextual notes. Still, it was an easy, relaxed introduction to Porto’s culinary scene, without too much walking and plenty of opportunities to sit down.

Pool time – and a sad farewell

I like to cram lots into a city trip, but with a mini heatwave gripping Porto, there was nowhere I wanted to be more than poolside at Canto de Luz that afternoon. We’d checked out but kept our pool towels so we could spend our final hours in Porto (before our train to Lisbon) kicking back on a lounger with a book in hand. 

Sitting there, staring at the blue water, verdant garden and Canto de Luz townhouse, I reflected on how nice it is to experience the contrast of city life and then retreat to a central, private oasis like this.

Visiting Porto soon? Check your dates at Canto de Luz and lock in food experiences

How to get there

From Porto’s Campanhã station, it’s a 15-minute drive. From the airport, it’s about 25 minutes by car or metro. Canto de Luz can also arrange private transfers on request.

This feature was created in collaboration with Canto de Luz. Experiences and reflections remain entirely my own.

Keep reading about Porto

• Best tiles in Porto: Where to find Porto’s most beautiful azulejos
• The best tile painting workshops in Porto
• The best pastel de nata cooking classes in Porto
• Where to eat in Porto
• Two days in Porto: Perfect first-time itinerary
• Portugal Road Trip: Where to stop between Porto and the Douro Valley

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I’ve visited São Miguel – the largest of the nine Azores islands – three times and have dined at some of the restaurants I recommend below on multiple occasions (yes, they were that good). On São Miguel Island, you’ll find seafood hauled straight from the Atlantic, hearty Azorean steaks, grilled limpets by the dozen, and some genuinely cool spots in the small island capital of Ponta Delgada.

First, I’ll share some traditional dishes and foods unique to the island, then I’ll dive into the best dining experiences, restaurants and cocktail bars I went to on São Miguel Island.

Any restaurant I should try next visit? Leave me a comment below.

Read next… 4-day itinerary for São Miguel Island

Quick rundown of traditional dishes and foods to try on São Miguel Island

As the biggest island, you’ll find most Azorean specialties on São Miguel – check out my what to eat in the Azores guide. I’ll highlight a few below:

Cozido das Furnas (thermal stew)

Portugal loves cozido, a meat and vegetable dry stew with beef, pork, chicken, chouriço, cabbage, carrots and potatoes. This famous version is unique to Furnas, where it is cooked underground in volcanic steam vents.

Read next… Guide to São Miguel’s hot springs

Lapas Grelhadas (grilled limpets)

Conical limpets are plucked from the rocks and grilled with garlic, butter, and lemon.

Bife à Regional (steak)

Azorean-style steak with garlic, pimenta da terra (local pepper), and a fried egg. Simple, delicious.

Queijo de São Miguel (Cheese)

This strong cow’s milk cheese has a sharp, slightly spicy flavour and is aged for at least nine months. There’s a fantastic cheese shop at the Ponta Delgada Market – Rei dos Queijos – where you can taste and buy cheeses from the nine islands of the Azores.

Pimenta da Terra (mild local red pepper paste)

A savoury pepper paste, often served with fresh cheese as a starter.

Queijadas de Vila Franca do Campo (tarts)

Small tarts made of fresh cheese, sugar and egg yolk – the most famous ones are from the Morgado factory and are individually wrapped.

Bolos Lêvedos (sweet, pan-cooked bread)

This local, slightly sweet bread from Furnas is cooked on a griddle instead of in the oven. Round and looks like an English muffin. Good for sandwiches or toasted with garlic butter.

Chá Gorreana / Chá Porto Formoso (tea)

Gorreana is the oldest tea plantation in Europe, and you can drop by to taste green tea grown on the island and walk through the plantation.

Pineapple from São Miguel (Ananás dos Açores)

Small, sweet and tart – little Azorean ananas are grown in greenhouses. You’ll often find one on the dessert menu or paired with morcela (blood sausage) as a starter.

Read next… Where to eat on Terceira Island, Azores

Best restaurants & bars on São Miguel Island

Boca Aberta, Lagoa

This was my favourite meal on my most recent visit to São Miguel Island. I was tossing up whether to return to Bar Caloura (below) a third time for grilled fish and laidback vibes, but instead, I pulled up to the small marina in Lagoa at Boca Aberta. At lunch, we were one of only two tables occupied on the mammoth terrace with sea views in both directions. On the way in, wave to the fishing boats, then stop to eye up the catch-of-the-day in the counter display, alongside any shellfish and prawns. What you’ll find here dictates a lot of the extensive seafood menu – there were no limpets, our waitress said, because they couldn’t legally fish them that week and refuse to serve frozen seafood. A good sign!

If you love seafood, it’s a fantastic menu – one of the best I’ve seen. We started with a couple of snacks: the presunto do nosso mar (sea prosciutto), a cured local fish tinted with beetroot; and Galician-style octopus. Then we made space for a whole sapateira (crab) and a zesty tuna ceviche. My friend loved the fried moray eel, which had a fatty layer like pork belly but was cooked beautifully, similar to fried chicken. Delish.

Address: Largo Do Porto, 52, Lagoa, Ponta Delgada, 9560 Lagoa
What to order: fresh fish and seafood – choose from the counter
Reservations: Recommended, but not essential. Closed Tuesdays

Bar Caloura, Caloura

Down the road from Boca Aberta, Bar Caloura is a well-known favourite for fresh grilled fish and lapas (limpets). The problem? It’s too popular and they don’t accept reservations. That means going early or being willing to wait. Luckily, just in front of the restaurant is an ocean pool that’s an essential stop before or after your meal.

Pop your name down, and, if there’s time, squeeze in a cheeky dip before your feast of grilled prawns, fish and limpets.  

Address: Rua da Caloura, 20, 9560-211 Água de Pau
What to order: grilled fish and limpets
Reservations: Not possible. Open 7 days

O Américo de Barbosa, Mosteiros

The speciality dish at O Américo de Barbosa is grilled octopus, which comes piled high with fantastic potatoes. That’s reason enough to have had the restaurant on my “to eat” list for many years. One dish of octopus serves two, especially if you go hard on the snacks like we did – with fresh cheese, fish soup and a side salad. If we had another stomach, the sizzling limpets smelt and looked excellent too.

O Américo is no secret, though – we arrived to a full, bustling restaurant and popped our name down for a table at 3pm(!). It gave us just enough time to make a mad dash to the hot beach of Ponta da Ferraria for a quick dip in a thermal ocean pool. But Mosteiros is also a cute west coast village with a beautiful black sand beach where you could relax and wait.

Address: R. das Pensões 13, Mosteiros, São Miguel
What to order: the octopus is essential
Reservations: Call ahead or prepare to miss out

Restaurante da Associação Agrícola de São Miguel

At times, it can feel like São Miguel, with a population of 140,000, might have more cows than people. It’s true that the dairy industry thrives here – it’s common to get Azorean butter, cheese and UHT milk in supermarkets on the mainland. The island’s farming industry is brought together by the Agricultural Association of São Miguel, which, fortunately for visitors, has a restaurant.

What does that mean? Steak, obviously. This well-known restaurant serves top-quality Azorean beef. It’s a great place to try the Bife à “Associação” – a steak served with a light sauce of white wine and garlic, topped with a fried egg and pickled red pepper. You’ll get to choose your cut and whether you want 200g or 300g.

I’ve been all three times I’ve visited São Miguel and was surprised to find the place rammed on a Monday night at my last visit – call ahead for a table!

Address: Campo de Santana 096 Ribeira Grande, Rabo de Peixe
What to order: steak
Reservations: Highly recommended

Read next… 3-day itinerary for Terceira Island

Petiscaria O Calheta, Ponta Delgada

Ponta Delgada is cool. Like, genuinely cool. I didn’t get that feeling on my first visits to the island capital, however, now there are spots like O Calheta on the fringe of the small city that wouldn’t be out of place in downtown Lisbon. But this petiscaria wouldn’t be the same on the mainland – the concept by chef Hugo Ferreira is a modern snack bar that leans into island produce, crafting seasonal share plates designed to let the ingredients sing.

The space has also been beautifully designed to reflect the island. Most of the seating is around the terracotta bar, where you can watch the chefs at work, or around a long shared table beneath nine terracotta lamps that represent all the islands of the Azores. There’s a terrace outside, where we were seated and allowed to order about half of the inside menu while we waited for an inside spot. It’s petite, so arrive early.

Address: R. João de Melo Abreu 82, 9500-533 Ponta Delgada
What to order: specials of the day
Reservations: Not possible, go early.

Tony’s, Furnas

The earth bubbles and steams in Furnas like it’s alive, hissing and heaving with volcanic breath. Naturally, the most obvious thing to do is cook a stew in it. I’ve long wanted to try the famous cozido das Furnas, the Azorean take on this traditional Portuguese dish. I’ve had it a few times on the mainland, but wondered if slow-cooking cozido – think hunks of meat, various smoked sausages, cabbage, potatoes, and carrot – underground would impart any special flavours. 

First, we went down to the lake at Furnas to see where restaurants and families lower big pots into holes and bury them with dirt. Then, we went to Tony’s, one of the most famous spots to taste it, in the centre of town. How was it? Well, I didn’t taste any special flavours imparted by the sulphurous steam, and to be honest, the meat was a bit dry – but I appreciated the experience. If you want to try the cozido, you’ll have to call and reserve it ahead – a one-person serve will feed two. 

Address: Rua Largo Teatro, 9675-036 Furnas
What to order: pre-order the cozido das Furnas, cooked with geothermal power
Reservations: Essential for the cozido, and recommended otherwise

Nightcap in Furnas? Try Espinha Cocktail Bar.

A Tasca, Ponta Delgada

The most popular restaurant on São Miguel? Surely it’s A Tasca. Be aware that, like Bar Caloura, this spot takes no reservations and seems to be featured in every travel guide in every language, so go early to get a table or drop your name down. Worth it? Certainly. Here you can try regional specialities and local dishes at fair prices that are hard to find elsewhere.

Start with alheira from the neighbouring Santa Maria Island, try the local blood sausage (morcela) with pineapple, and don’t skip the sesame-crusted tuna with local yam.  

Address: R. do Aljube 16, 9500-018 Ponta Delgada
What to order: sesame crusted tuna, other more obscure local dishes
Reservations: Not possible – show up early!

Petrichor, Ponta Delgada

Ever been baptised in a bar before? Our evening at Petrichor kicked off with a friendly hello and a misting of moss water. Bartender André explained the concept of cocktails and storytelling, pointing to the current saudade-themed menu, which featured nine creative drinks linked to memories of the head bartender, Telmo. On paper, it all sounds horribly pretentious, but while Petrochor’s concept is a bit wild, the execution is warm and humble. In fact, I think it’s one of my favourite bar experiences ever.

Besides having a strong connection to storytelling and place, the drinks were also super interesting, unusual in ingredient or technique, and really damn delicious. When your drink is presented, the bartender sits down and tells the story – perhaps an island legend or a tale of childhood on São Miguel. 

Address: R. de Pedro Homem 15, 9500-099 Ponta Delgada
What to order: Whatever drink takes your fancy
Reservations: Walk-ins

Try the neighbouring bar: Across the road, Resves has a great reputation for cocktails too. 

The Gin Library

How has this small gin bar on a remote island in the middle of the Atlantic collected the world’s largest gin library? With the help of people like you. The Gin Library is a really cool bar linked to a local guesthouse just outside Ponta Delgada. If you visit and bring a sealed bottle of an artisanal gin they don’t yet have (yes, there’s a PDF catalogue to check), then you can swap it for a bottle of one of the many gins they produce under their brand, Ghosts of the Ocean. 

I visited with a friend from Australia, who brought an artisanal barrel-aged gin from Tasmania. The two super lovely staff were very excited, and it really added to the whole experience of being there. You can book ahead to organise a gin tasting, or if you just show up, any gin is €15 for a G&T. Take your pick from the intimidating wall of gins from across the globe, from Mexico to Ghana to New Zealand, or opt for a house gin. The Ghosts of the Ocean brand has almost a dozen gins, plus some experimental ones, to sample and/or take home.

Address: The Solar Branco Eco Estate, 9500-604 Ponta Delgada
What to order: Gin, duh!
Reservations: Better to make one – plus note that they close very early for a bar

Other restaurants to try on São Miguel Island

São Miguel is the largest island, and despite visiting a few times, there are still so many restaurants I’d love to explore. Here are some on my list:

• Tasquinha Vieira – fresh, seasonal Portuguese plates in Ponta Delgada
• Sacas Rolhas Taberna – a classic spot on São Miguel, close to the airport
• Õtaka – Nikkei cuisine that makes the most of Azorean fish
• Lagoa Azul – a local spot in Sete Cidades
• Cantinho do Cais – north coast spot famous for fish soup and fish stews (caldeirada)
• Casa do Abel – a steak restaurant that I’ll try next time
• Chalet da Tia Mercês – in Furnas, book ahead 48 hours for some curious gastronomic experiences: from thermal water tea tastings to multi-course food cooked in the springs
• North Sushi – Ribeira Grande sushi spot within the market
• Nonna’s – quirky and cool Neapolitan pizza spot from a couple of locals

Anywhere else I should try on my next Azores trip to São Miguel Island? Leave me a comment below…

Keep reading

• What to eat in the Azores Islands
• 9 islands of the Azores: what you need to know
• 3-day itinerary for Terceira Island
• Where to eat on Terceira Island, Azores
• 10 perfect days in Portugal: A fast-paced classic itinerary
• 8 best poncha bars on Madeira Island

The post Where to eat on São Miguel Island, Azores appeared first on Olá Daniela.

Terceira Island’s food scene took me by surprise. Having visited São Miguel Island a number of times, I expected similar cuisine, but I think Terceira has held onto a handful of different centuries-old recipes and traditions that make it unique.

I’ll give a quick rundown of a few traditional Terceiran dishes to look for, then dive into where to eat on Terceira Island. 

Read next… 3-day itinerary for Terceira Island

Quick rundown of traditional dishes and foods to try on Terceira Island

Alcatra (beef stew)

The island’s signature dish is a beef stew that’s cooked for at least four hours (usually more) in a terracotta or clay pot. In with the beef goes red wine, onion, salt, butter and/or lard, garlic, bacon, and whole allspice (sometimes called Jamaican pepper), which gives the dish its fragrance. Traditionally, it’s served with massa sovada, a sweet and fluffy super-light bread from the islands.

You can also find alcatra made with fish, and I even saw a vegetarian version with beans at Quinta do Martelo.

Dona Amélia (sweet)

The next most famous food from Terceira might be the Dona Amélia cake – small spiced tea cakes made with sugar cane molasses, cinnamon, raisins, and corn flour. The cakes were invented in honour of the last Portuguese queen when she visited the island.

Polvo guisado à moda Terceirense (stewed octopus)

Terceira has its own style of octopus stew, a rich and fragrant dish of chopped octopus in a sauce made with young red wine, garlic, onions, allspice, and tomato.

Lapas Grelhadas (grilled limpets)

Like other Azorean islands, you’ll find limpets grilled with garlic and butter as a starter.

Torresmos à Moda da Terceira (fried pork)

On the mainland, torresmos are more like pork crackling made with offal; but on Terceira, it’s a dish of marinated and fried pork belly. It’s often cooked with spices and pork blood, and served with yam or bread. If I had a second stomach, I would have tried it at Ti Choa (mentioned below).

Caldeirada de Peixe (fish stew)

Different to the alcatra made with fish, caldeirada is a dish found on the mainland too, with chunks of fish cooked with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and peppers.

Queijo da Ilha (island cheese)

Terceira has lots of cows… and that means cheese! The most common style is just called “queijo da ilha” or island cheese. It’s a hard cheese made from cow’s milk, aged for different periods.

Read next… Where to eat on São Miguel Island, Azores

Best restaurants (that I tried) on Terceira Island

A Caneta

The steak at A Caneta might be one of the best I’ve ever eaten. I’d heard this traditional Azorean restaurant is unique on Terceira Island because it raises its own beef – the Aberdeen Angus breed, which is also grass-fed and dry-aged by the restaurant. While there were fancier T-bones on offer, just the €25 costeleta de novilho is worth flying back to Terceira for. 

The family-run establishment, open since 1998, is a gem in the north-west of Terceira, close to Biscoitos. For starters, we devoured the bone marrow with toasted massa sovada (local sweet bread), house-made sausage, fresh goat’s cheese, and grilled limpets. Plus, we couldn’t skip trying alcatra – the famous fragrant beef stew from the island – before finishing with doce de vinagre (“vinegar sweet”, but actually just eggy and sweet) and pineapple flan.

Address: Rua As Presas – 13 – Altares, Terceira Island
What to order: Steak, of any kind; alcatra; bone marrow
Reservations: Book ahead by phone – lots of people were waiting for tables when we left

Taberna Roberto

Taberna Roberto is another name that frequently came up when looking for where to eat on Terceira Island. From the smallish dining room, you can see into the kitchen where a wood-fired oven does the heavy lifting. We were served by the Roberto, an efficient yet warm Terceiran who sources the freshest fish and top-quality meats from the island. To start, don’t skip the duck escabeche, a dish of cold, shredded duck in peppery, vinegary dressing with sliced onion and coriander. Delicious – one to repeat.

Other tables followed with the lightly seared tuna, but (not wanting the unique fruity, soy sauce twist) we went for grilled octopus and local lamb chops. Both were fantastic, but I particularly loved the lamb – it tasted more like New Zealand lamb, perhaps because the local lamb is grass-fed, unlike on the mainland of Portugal. 

Roberto’s is known for its great wine selection – a wall of vinho where you can choose a bottle, though the selection of Azorean wines was smaller than we’d hoped. To finish, we somehow made space for dessert – a homemade lemon meringue tart and a decadent chocolate cake.

Address: EN3-1A 3, 9700-230 Angra do Heroísmo
What to order: Roberto or his staff will tell you the menu in person – I don’t always love this, so I asked about prices and most were around €22-26 for mains 
Reservations: Booking essential, by phone

Ti Choa

Ti Chôa is a famous spot in the western end of the island that celebrates Terceira’s culinary traditions. Here you’ll find an (almost) living museum of historic objects in a stone house, where the menu reflects regional dishes mostly focused around meat – morcela (blood sausage), torresmos de cabinho (pork), and molho de fígado (liver).

It was the first place I tried alcatra on Terceira, and I wish someone could have captured my surprised face in that moment. I knew alcatra was a slow-cooked beef stew, but I didn’t realise how fragrant it would be. At Ti Choa, a sizzling terracotta bowl arrived on the table with the stew, cooked for four-to-six hours, with crispy bits on top, and served with rice, boiled potatoes, and massa sovada (sweet, soft bread).

According to a top Portuguese newspaper, Ti Choa was a guy who emigrated to America in the mid-20th century. When things didn’t go well, he returned to the island with plenty of stories to tell. He gained the nickname Ti Choa – choa being the Azorean pronunciation of the English word sure. 

Address: Grota do Margaride 1 Serreta, Terceira Island
What to order: alcatra beef stew or the tasting menu, which gives you a little bit of everything for basically the same price. I dined solo, and they allowed me to order a half-serve of alcatra (not all places do)
Reservations: Book ahead by phone if possible

Quebra Mar (or Beira Mar)

Nowhere I wanted to dine in the Azores had an online reservation system. That meant making calls. I’d put it off for some time, compiling a list of everywhere I wanted to eat, knowing I needed to book tables or miss out – including Beira Mar, a spot that came highly recommended from multiple sources for great fresh fish. Each island in the Azores has a unique accent, and I was worried about not understanding anyone. However, five calls in and I was nailing it, speaking Portuguese and actually having fun… until I called this restaurant.

In a thick, fast slur of words, a man explained the restaurant was renovating but had a sister restaurant close by with the same menu, same owner, same view. I asked him to repeat the name of the other restaurant… and again… slow… and again… no luck. So I made a booking for somewhere on Terceira Island at 8pm. One Google map stalking session later, I found the spot: Quebra Mar, a five-minute walk away. 

This no-frills seafood restaurant is located on the oceanfront, just to the west of the charming fishing village of São Mateus, on the outskirts of the main city, Angra do Heroísmo. Here, a large, covered veranda with huge glass doors fits dozens of tables and looks out to the sea and Monte Brazil park. Inside, you’ll find a glass counter filled with fresh Azorean fish, priced per fish. Otherwise, there’s a menu with fish soup, grilled prawns, octopus salad, limpets, fish fillets, squid, and grilled meats. We chose a large boca negra fish, which arrived with boiled potato, sweet potato and vegetables – perfectly grilled, and just in time for sunset.  

Address: Canada dos Arrifes 2, 9700-554 São Mateus da Calheta, Terceira Island
What to order: Grilled fish from the counter
Reservations: Book ahead by phone, or be prepared to wait

Quinta do Martelo

Quinta do Martelo is a place to experience the rural history of Terceira. Close to Angra do Heroísmo, the 56-hectare farm’s old stone buildings have been carefully researched and restored into a living museum of old workshops, a grocer, a tavern, and guestrooms. This quinta (farm) was once at the heart of Terceira’s orange trade and later made wine and loquat brandy.

To reach the restaurant – A Venda do Ti Manel da Quinta – you’ll step through an old mercearia (grocer), straight from the early 20th century. Upstairs is the tavern, which feels like dining in someone’s home, complete with black-and-white family photos. We started with couvert – a tray of bar snacks typical to Terceira Island. It included pickled green fava beans in a spicy onion sauce, lupin beans, olives, boiled corn, and fresh cheese.  

For mains, we were encouraged to order the alcatra, but the beef stew only comes in a two-person serve (and we were stuffed from days of eating heavy meals). Besides, the menu here offered a handful of island dishes you’ll be hard pressed to find elsewhere. Much of the produce used is grown organically at the farm, so we went for a fantastic vegetable soup. To follow, we shared the polvo guisado à moda Terceirense, a Terceira-style octopus stew. Pretty? No. Packed with flavour? Yes!

Address: Canada do Martelo, Terceira PT, Cantinho, São Francisco das Almas 24, 9700-576 São Mateus da Calheta
What to order: local snacks to start; alcatra; local style fish soup; octopus stew
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, by phone or email

Quinta dos Acores

Quinta dos Açores is a well-known local dairy brand that makes cheese, jams, and ice cream. It has a couple of restaurants on the island – very popular with the locals – but the main reason I wanted to visit was for the grocery shop and the ice cream counter.

The location outside of Angra is an easy turn off one of the main roads, the VR. I went for the Dona Amélia and fig jam ice cream flavours, two that worked well together and reflected the island. The restaurant has panoramic views back over the city of Angra do Heroísmo and the sea.

On the way in, pick up cheese, jams, cakes, spirits, gourmet Azorean food souvenirs, and even sausages or steak from a butcher counter.

Address: Espaço Quinta dos Açores, Pico Redondo, 149, São Bento, 9700-211 Angra do Heroísmo
What to order: Drop in for lunch or dinner… or just a cheeky ice cream
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

Other restaurants to try on Terceira Island

We went during a big festival in Angra, so a couple of nights were spent eating street food. It means I still have quite a few restaurants I’d love to try. Next time I visit Terceira Island, I’ll definitely return to Caneta and Taberna Roberto…. Plus, I’m keen to try some of the below:

• Restaurant Rocha – sea views, specialising in meals cooked on a roof tile
• Fonte das Sete Bicas  – Recommended by a Portuguese restaurant guide for the fish alcatra
• O Pescador – A top-rated and highly recommended seafood restaurant in Praia da Vitória
• Queijo Vaquinha  – cheesemaker that you can drop into for a tasting
• Galinha do Diniz – restaurant famous for its fried chicken 
• Coffee Cabana – coffee farm that grows, roasts and brews its own beans
• Tasca das Tias – a taverna in Angra with a cute vibe
• O Forno Pastelaria – a top spot to try local sweets like the Dona Amélia cake
• A Canadinha – a no-frills Terceiran tasca

Anywhere else I should add my Terceira Island food guide? Leave me a comment….

Keep reading

• 3-day itinerary for Terceira Island
• 9 islands of the Azores: what you need to know
• 4-day itinerary for São Miguel Island
• What to eat in the Azores Islands
• Guide to São Miguel’s hot springs
• 10 perfect days in Portugal: A fast-paced classic itinerary
• 8 best poncha bars on Madeira Island

The post Where to eat on Terceira Island, Azores appeared first on Olá Daniela.

While I’m usually based in Lisbon, I recently spent five nights in Tomar, eating at restaurants across the Templar city night and day. Not every place I ate at is included in this list – only the best Tomar restaurants that I’d genuinely return to. Of these, my favourites would be Bela Vista, Chico Elias, Casa das Ratas, Curry Indian Kitchen, and Insensato Café.

This guide brings together my favourite restaurants and places to eat in Tomar, plus the best cafes, bakeries and spots to stop for a drink. Enjoy, and please leave suggestions for places I should try next visit!

Best restaurants in Tomar

Bela Vista – €€

One of the best dishes we’ve ever eaten in Portugal was at Bela Vista in Tomar. I’d spotted the romantic setting on a previous visit to Tomar, and we locked it in on the recommendation of friends. This place, called ‘beautiful view’, has century-old wisteria vines that wrap across the veranda, framing the city of Tomar, its Templar Castle, and the Nabão River. Idyllic.

We doubled down and ordered a full dose of the cabrito assado – roasted kid (though I noted the English menu said lamb, cabrito is generally goat). The slow-roasted meat is clearly cooked for hours upon hours, becoming at once melt-in-the-mouth soft with some crunchy caramelised bits. A generous portion arrived on a huge platter with roasted potatoes seasoned with spices, garlic and olive oil, along with my favourite Portuguese side that seems to be common around the middle Tejo region – cabbage with beans and cornbread. The vegetable soup to start and leite creme (crème brûlée) to end were the perfect bookends. Call ahead to reserve a table on the terrace.

Address: R. Marquês de Pombal N°68, Tomar)
What to order: cabrito
Reservations: Book ahead by phone for a terrace table

Read next… Guide to Tomar: Portugal’s city of Templar legends

Chico Elias – €€€

Step back in time at Chico Elias, a family-fun restaurant open since 1963 that still cooks original recipes of the matriarch, Maria do Céu Simões, in a wood-fired oven. After a two-minute drive from town (or a longer uphill walk), you’ll enter a classic dining room where wooden furniture is draped in white tablecloths, the ceiling in green, and newspaper clippings line every wall. 

To dine here, you’ll have to reserve a table the day before (or earlier) and pre-order your mains when you call. We went for the bacalhau with pork and potatoes, and the duck with cabbage and rice, and for an entree we shared the petingas (small sardines) baked with onions, olive oil, vinegar, and breadcrumbs. I’m not sure if we’ve ever had warmer or more caring service in Portugal. Our host even brought us some of the house white and red wines in two small carafes so we could pair them with each dish.

Address: R. Conde de Tomar 92A, 2300-302 Tomar
What to order: bacalhau com carne (salted cod with meat); rabbit cooked in a pumpkin
Reservations: Essential! You order your mains when you book by phone at least one day ahead.

Casa das Ratas – €/€€

Casa das Ratas is one of Tomar’s oldest tascas, though sadly it was forced to shift location about five years ago. While the owner sadly lost a legal battle against the original adega’s (wine-house) landlord to keep this piece of Tomar’s 20th-century history, not all is lost. Casa das Ratas has combined with Casa Matreno across the street. 

Inside, the interiors have a vintage feel with pastel tiles and tonnes of Portuguese memorabilia and vintage items lining the shelves. The menu is traditional Portuguese with the only twist being that every dish receives extra care or small improvements. Go for the specials of the day – on a Sunday, that meant we tried the exceptional duck rice (truly very good), and the bacalhau (salted cod) of the day, which was with cabbage and cornbread.

Address: R. Dr. Joaquim Jacinto 7, 2300-577 Tomar
What to order: daily specials
Reservations: Essential on weekends, optional on weekdays.

Curry Indian House – €/€€

Some of the best Indian food in Portugal was certainly not on my Tomar restaurant bingo card. This sleek, modern restaurant (close to Tomar’s train station) is where you can order dozens of classic and lesser-known curries, tandoor specials and Indian snacks. The owner, Ganesh, is super kind, and while he grew up in Mumbai, he lived almost a decade in the UK, and then in other parts of Portugal. So the menu includes curries you’ll expect to find at British-Indian restaurants, such as butter chicken, madras, and tikka masala. 

The smell found us before we located the door of Curry Indian House. I quickly realised just how good this would be, so we decided to go wild ordering pappadams and dips, onion bhaji, a malai chicken tikka entree, rice, garlic naan and two curries – lamb madras and a chicken jalfrezi. The idea was that we’d take the leftovers home for lunch, but sadly, we didn’t leave with half as much as we’d hoped, as we kept going back for ‘just one more’ spoonful of the rich and layered curries. It’s also one of the best restaurants to savour vegetarian food in Tomar. 

Address: R. 10 de Agosto de 1385 RC 26, 2300-553 Tomar
What to order: whatever you fancy, but definitely garlic naan
Reservations: Recommended on weekends, otherwise optional.

Read next… Best day trips from Tomar

Clandestino – €

For a buzzy, fun restaurant to eat with the locals in Tomar, try Clandestino. This spot leans into petiscos, Portugal’s answer to tapas – though a single plate is large enough to feed one person. The vibe was great, the staff were super attentive and sweet (and we weren’t forgotten about, despite choosing to sit on the street), and the menu features a stack of classic Portuguese snacks and small plates. 

There’s a good and interesting selection of wines; I spotted some small and cool Portuguese producers in the fridge. We went for a light local red from Casal das Freiras, the closest winery, which did a collab with the well-known Niepoort. Make a reservation for Friday or Saturday nights.

Address: R. Dr. Joaquim Jacinto 48 A, 2300-577 Tomar
What to order: chicken hearts, ovos rotos
Reservations: Recommended on weekends.

Biscaia – €

For a super quick lunch or dinner, Biscaia is a gem. The terrace of this no-frills spot was always full at lunch, with people enjoying interesting salads or the house specialty – pulled pork sandwiches. I ordered the soup – a classic caldo verde (cabbage and potato soup) – and I could tell from the chouriço floating on top that while the menu is simple, the ingredients chosen are of the highest quality. I ordered my pernil de porco sandwich with gooey sheep’s cheese, but you could also have it with egg and bacon, or pumpkin jam. One to repeat.

Address: R. da Silva Magalhães 77, 2300-390 Tomar
What to order: pork sandwich or salad
Reservations: Possible.

A Lúria – €€€€

Hidden in a small village outside Tomar, A Lúria is a traditional Portuguese restaurant that has been open since 1979. While it likely began with humble beginnings, these days A Lúria is a bit of a Portuguese institution with white tablecloths and a shiny dining room whose slick interiors include a touch of Templar symbolism.

We started with petingas (little sardines) cooked with onion, olive oil, and a good splash of vinegar – an excellent, hot, fishy entree. A friend mentioned something called “Hunt Crispy” in English, and we couldn’t work out what it was. Basically, it’s a meat pattie with the mushy texture and flavour of alheira sausage served in a crispy bowl of filo pastry. For mains, we skipped past a steaming pot of lamprey rice, one of the house specialties, since it was a baking 34°C day. Instead, we went for the branded porco preto. We’re huge fans of black pork, so we were curious if this brand-name meat would be superior. It was certainly some beautifully grilled, high-quality pork.

Address: Portela de, R. da Alegria 34, 2300-182 Tomar
What to order: enguia (eels)
Reservations: Highly recommended on weekends – we slipped in on a Friday, but there were signs about 90-minute waits on the door.

O Tabuleiro – €

For a cheap and cheerful Portuguese, O Tabuleiro is one of the restaurants in Tomar frequently mentioned – so I went to try it out. While I wasn’t blown away by the arroz do peixe (fish rice stew), the prices are good, and I know this tasca can accommodate groups, so I’d give it another try next round, going for something off the grill.

Address: R. Serpa Pinto 146, Tomar
What to order: grilled steak or pork
Reservations: Recommended on weekends.

Read next… Tomar’s colourful festival that falls every four years

Snack bars & cafés in Tomar

Café Paraíso – €

I love historic spaces, and Café Paraíso is iconic in Tomar. This huge café-bar has been open on the main pedestrian street since 1911, always in the hands of the same family. The space underwent a huge renovation in 1946, with Porto architect Francisco Granja mixing Art Deco and Bauhaus elements, and since then, little has changed. He brought in glass from Venice, the Bauhaus chairs from Germany, and an Italian craftsman who painted the columns to imitate marble. At the front sits the wooden counter of the old newsagent that sold cigarettes and newspapers until the ‘90s.

The other thing I love about Café Paraíso is that it’s still the cool place to hang out in the city. It’s open from 8.30am until 2am six days a week, and the drinks are cheap – making it popular with students and one of the best places to go out at night here.

Address: R. Serpa Pinto 127, Tomar
What to order: coffee from 65c, beer from €1, toasted sandwiches, cake
Reservations: Not needed

Orchestra de Sabores – €

Tomar is a genuinely gorgeous small city, and one of the most beautiful places to explore is the city park that sits on an island in the middle of the Rio Nabão. Wander through here and you’ll find a casual café and ice-cream bar called “Flavour Orchestra”. It’s right next to the playground, making it a popular hangout for families. For us, the drawcard was views of the river and city, ice-cold beer, and plates of summer snails. A great spot for an afternoon pause or a late-morning coffee.

Address: Av. Marquês de Tomar 11, 2300-586 Tomar
What to order: snails, beer, gelato
Reservations: Not possible

Insensato Café-Livraria – €

Behind Insensato is a Lisbon couple who moved to Tomar to open their dream project, combining their love for books and healthy food. Inside the light-filled space, you’ll find a dozen tables and a wall of books. There’s a decent selection of thought-provoking reads in English (mostly touching on socialism, equality, and the impending climate catastrophe). Amazing, I left with two. 

I dropped by for afternoon tea, opting for the sumo do dia – a melon and strawberry juice, with a lemon and lavender teacake (both fantastic). You’ll find a full menu of sandwiches and brunch plates. Some dishes are vegan, and there’s the option to make most of the menu gluten-free. A cool spot with a great vibe, next time I’d return to this café-bookstore for lunch. Check out Instagram for pop-up themed evening events.

Address: R. da Silva Magalhães 25, 2300-593 Tomar
What to order: cafe, coffee, sandwiches
Reservations: Recommended on weekends, essential for evening events.

Read next… 36 hours in Coimbra

Taverna Antiqua – €

Dark and moody with medieval lute music, this candle-lit tavern feels perfectly in place in Tomar, a town that celebrates its history in every way. Taverna Antiqua is a well-themed spot, where the staff are dressed up and all the cups and plates are themed to look like you’ve stepped into the Middle Ages. The terrace overlooks the main square, and the price of beer is good too (for the 21st century).

Address: Praça da República 23, 2300-556 Tomar
What to order: beer or cider, but you can also stay for dinner
Reservations: Not needed for drinks, but recommended for meals on weekends.

Bakeries: Sweets and desserts in Tomar

When I travel around Portugal, I always visit local bakeries to taste the regional sweets. Every town and village in Portugal has some sort of doce linked back to the parish church or convent. It almost always involves the use of egg yolks and sugar – sometimes just those two ingredients!

In Tomar, you can try:

• Queijinhos doces – tiny, very sweet cakes made of almond paste and filled with an egg cream (pictured below left, right side)
• Estrelas de Tomar – little cakes made of cheese and almond
• Beija-me depressa – “kiss me quick!” is the translation of these tiny cakes made of egg and sugar. At Estrelas de Tomar bakery, where they were invented, you can get them by the dozen in a box with a 1960s illustration. (pictured below left, left side)
• Fatias de Tomar – it looks like a slice of cake or brioche, but it’s highly whipped egg yolks that have been sous-vided as a cake before being sliced. The slices are then boiled in a sugar syrup. (pictured below right)

Estrela de Tomar – €

Since opening in 1960, this Tomar pasteleria and café has been a staple of the small city. The bakery is focused on Tomar’s convent sweets and even created an iconic doce inspired by Portugal’s traditional sweets – the Beija-me Depressa. There are two sides to Estrela de Tomar: the large sitting room overlooking the river; and terrace tables on the main pedestrian street of Tomar, Rua Serpa Pinto.

Address: R. Serpa Pinto 12, Tomar
What to order: Estrelas de Tomar, beija-me depressa, fatias de Tomar, queijinhos doces
Reservations: Not possible

Pasteleria Tropical – €

I pay attention when I see the words “fabrico proprio”, which means the café-bakery actually makes the sweets it sells. In Tomar, Pasteleria Tropical is a great daily stop for coffee and toast, fresh bread, sweets, or even a birthday cake. They have three locations across the small city. The one nearest to us was open until 10pm every night and midnight on Saturday. It’s always a good time for cake.

Address: Av. Marquês de Tomar 25; R. Fábrica da Sola 17; R. Dr. João de Oliveira Casquilho
What to order: I ate the queijada de amêndoa (almond tart) on the recommendation of my server, but there are dozens and dozens of pastries to choose from.
Reservations: Not possible

What restaurants should I eat at next time I’m in Tomar, Portugal? If you have a tip, leave me a comment!

Keep reading….

• Lisbon’s best restaurants: 41 great places to eat
• My favourite tascas in Lisbon: Where to eat traditional Portuguese food
• Where to find the best Portuguese street food and snacks in Lisbon
• The best pastel de nata cooking classes in Lisbon and Porto
• The Best Food Tours & Experiences in Lisbon
• Lisbon restaurants open Sunday and Monday
• Local’s guide to the LX Factory, Lisbon’s creative micro neighbourhood
• Best places to eat octopus in Lisbon
• Best boat tours in Lisbon

The post Where to eat in Tomar: Best restaurants, cafés & bars appeared first on Olá Daniela.

I’ve lived in Lisbon since 2018 and spent years as a food critic before then, so I’m cautious when it comes to hyped-up spots. I’ll often wait a few months to see if the buzz sticks. There are plenty of modern party-vibe, natty-wine, share-plate spots I could list here – but unless there’s substance behind the style, I’m not spending my future house deposit dining there.

Here are the coolest restaurants to book in Lisbon right now – before everyone else does.

New Lisbon restaurants that you should book ahead

Bar Alimentar

This cool Lisbon restaurant is one of the most fun places to eat in the capital right now. The chef behind Tricky’s, João Magalhães Correia, joined forces with bartenders from Imprensa, one of the best cocktail and oyster bars in the city. The result is Bar Alimentar, a dining destination with the fun vibe of a bar and top-class creative, modern share plates that lean into Italian and Portuguese flavours.

Must-try: Bacalhau (salted codfish) cannoli; octopus fregola.
Vibe: Moody, romantic date night or buzzy night out with friends.
Address: Rua Nova da Piedade 62, 1200-299 Lisboa (Príncipe Real)
Reservations: Essential, book online.

Polémico

Young chef António Lobo Xavier opened Polémico in January and I suspect it’ll soon be one of the hottest tables in the city. Every plate we tried smashed it out of the park, and the wine list was fairly broad and reasonably priced for a neo-tasca or modern bistro in Lisbon. The vibe is nice and I’m looking for an excuse to go back with friends to sit in the semi-private dining room.

Must-try: Beef tartare bite, baked seafood rice.
Vibe: clean, modern bistro vibe set across a couple of rooms and a covered courtyard.
Address: Rua do Sol ao Rato 61, 1250-089 Lisboa (Campo de Ourique)
Reservations: Recommended, book online. 

Parra Wine Bistro

If you love wine, you’ll drink well here. The by-the-glass menu changes every two weeks, featuring Portuguese and international wines curated by co-owner Artur Emashev, a sommelier from Russia. But for me the main reason to visit Parra is the food, with share plates that change seasonally.

Must-try: Tartare on brioche with cured egg and a fat Cantabrian anchovy… oh how I dream of thee. 
Vibe: Moody wine bar clad in pink marble with red accents.
Address: Rua da Esperança 72, 1200-658 Lisboa (Santos)
Reservations: Essential, book online.

Rosetta’s

I didn’t expect to fall for Rosetta’s, a tiny, produce-driven restaurant in Lisbon’s Bairro Alto – but one bite in, I was sold. In 2024, Lisbon was inundated by a wave of overpriced contemporary share-plate spots, making me extra wary – but Rosetta’s is the real deal. The Instagram-famous crumbed Milanesa with pea salad was actually our low point but every other dish — from the grilled peaches with burrata to the zucchini fritters with dill — exceeded expectations. The wine list is excellent, if a little spendy, with lots of natural or low-intervention bottles.

Must-try: The menu changes season-to-season, but everything was excellent.
Vibe: Cosy cornershop with a handful of tables and moody lighting.
Address: R. da Rosa 39, 1200-190 Lisboa (Bairro Alto)
Reservations: Recommended, book online.

Read next… Lisbon’s best restaurants: 41 great places to eat

Modern Lisbon spots (that you’ll need to book ahead)

O Velho Eurico

Young chef Zé Paulo Rocha turned this old tasca into one of Lisbon’s hottest tables years ago. International press blew the place into the stratosphere, but still O Velho Eurico maintains its quality and authentic vibe. It reopened in May after four months of renovations, and it remains as popular as ever. They take reservations for the first sitting, so show up early and wait if desperate.

Must-try: Chambão beef sandwich, any fried pastry, the squid with orange.
Vibe: Like dining in the hull of a ship commandeered by a bunch of young and friendly apron-wearing pirates.
Address: Largo São Cristóvão 3, 1100-179 Lisboa (Baixa)
Reservations: Only for the first sitting – so you can show up for walk-ins.

If you can’t get in, try the neighbour: Tasca Baldracca.

Canalha

If you’re searching for one of the best restaurants in Lisbon this summer, Canalha should be on your list. This produce-driven Portuguese bistro comes from renowned chef João Rodrigues. It’s a relaxed neighbourhood spot with a flexible dining experience – you can walk in with €20 at lunch, or go all out with seafood and steak by weight. The menu features elevated versions of traditional Portuguese dishes, all rooted in seasonal ingredients and local flavor. 

Must-try: Daily specials, carabineiro (scarlet prawn) pasta, anything in season.
Vibe: Classic European bistro with marble countertops and dark wood panelling.
Address: R. da Junqueira 207, 1300-338 Lisboa (Belém)
Reservations: Book ahead online or by phone.

Read next – My perfect day in Setúbal & Arrábida Natural Park

Taberna Sal Grosso 

Gather friends, book the big table, and order everything on the menu – that’s the way I like to enjoy Sal Grosso. A large blackboard lists the day’s dishes, with Portuguese-inspired small and medium plates like tuna pica pau, fried quail, and sticky-sweet pork ribs. While it has Portuguese roots as one of the first modern tascas in Lisbon, the menu leans global with bold, creative combos. The original Alfama location is tiny and charming but it should be easier to find a table at the new São Bento addition.

Must-try: Fried baby squid, bacalhau (salted cod), lamb sandwich.
Vibe: Casual, fun and no frills.
Address: Calçada do Forte 22, 1100-256 Lisboa (Alfama) & R. Correia Garção 15, 1200-640 Lisboa (São Bento)
Reservations: Book ahead online, especially for the Alfama location – it’s tiny.

Vida de Tasca

In a city where ramen joints and burger bars are rapidly replacing old-school favorites, chef Leonor Godinho has done the opposite – opening a true Portuguese tasca in an old tasca when the owners retired. The vibe is refreshingly authentic, with minimal changes to the interiors – the major uplift is the food, as Godinho elevates tradition with touches such as made-to-order croquettes, and a short yet strong menu of daily specials. 

Must-try: Lisbon’s favourite dish, the bitoque – a thin steak topped with a fried egg.
Vibe: Typical neighbourhood tasca, but with a fresh backbone.
Address: R. Moniz Barreto 7, 1700-306 Lisboa (Roma)
Reservations: Book ahead online or by phone a day or three ahead.

Read next… My favourite tascas in Lisbon: Where to eat traditional Portuguese food

Omakase Ri

Lisbon is omakase mad at the moment, and one of the most popular is Omakase Ri – an energetic and vibey space that serves traditional edomae sushi. With just 10 seats, you’ll want to book ahead for this surprise Japanese tasting menu. Behind the counter is Brazilian sushi chef William Vargas and sake sommelier Gabriela Hatano.

Must-try: Dive into the omakase menu with whatever fresh delights they serve up.
Vibe: Funky, fun, a bit punk and very cosy.
Address: Calçada do Forte 22, 1100-256 Lisboa (Alfama) & R. Correia Garção 15, 1200-640 Lisboa (São Bento)
Reservations: Only 10 seats, two sittings per night – book ahead, weeks ahead.

O Frade

O Frade’s progressive take on Alentejo cuisine has earned it a Michelin Bib Gourmand every year since 2020. The best seats are around the U-shaped marble bar, where you can watch the chefs plate each dish and try talha wines aged in the ancient terracotta amphoras. 

Must-try: Rabbit escabeche, any rice dish.  
Vibe: Cool yet friendly, and a little touristy at lunch (it is Belém after all).
Address: Calçada da Ajuda 14, 1300-598 Lisboa (Belém)
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not. Dinner will be easier than lunch.

If you can’t get in, O Frade has a second location at the Time Out Market.

Âmago

This intimate mod-European dining room, run by a husband-and-wife duo, seats just 10 guests at one long table. Everyone sits at Âmago at the same time for a unique communal experience, where the chefs prepare a 10-moment tasting menu.

Must-try: Modern European seasonal tasting menu.
Vibe: Intimate and informal.
Address: R. da Alegria 41C, 1250-182 Lisboaa (Príncipe Real)
Reservations: Book ahead.

Taberna do Mar 

Portuguese and Japanese flavors collide at Taberna do Mar. Chef Filipe Rodrigues invented the unforgettable grilled sardine nigiri here – a smoky, umami-packed bite that’s become something of a cult dish. You’ll find it on the well-priced tasting menu, which offers about 10 seafood-focused bites for just €35. The hack my friends do is order a double serve of the sardine nigiri, because one is just never enough. 

Must-try: Order the tasting menu with extra nigiri.
Vibe: Small, casual bar with a few tables and counter space.
Address: Calçada da Graça 20 B, 1100-266 Lisboa (Graça)
Reservations: Recommended, at least a few days ahead.

Lisbon diners with queues (go early, or prepare to wait)

Lupita

In the heart of Cais do Sodré, Lupita turns out naturally leavened pizzas, Basque cheesecake cake and natural wines. Sadly this deadly combo means it attracts huge queues. It’s usually at least a 45-minute wait for a pizza, and all the tourists know about it so it attracts queues well before the local dining time of 8pm-ish (sigh!). 

Early 2025, Lupita opened a second location in the very Portuguese suburb of Alvalade, so hopefully there’s some respite (though I doubt it, and yes the wait is worthy).

Must-try: pepperoni with spicy honey, and mushroom with lemon zest are two classics.
Vibe: Fast-paced, clean chaos
Address: Rua de S. Paulo 79, 1200-427 Lisboa (Cais do Sodré) & Av. da Igreja 15D, 1700-237 Lisboa (Alvalade)
Reservations: Arrive early and add your name to the door

If you can’t get in, you could try the Alvalade location – or Tozza, Rico’s Pizza, or Lero Lero are very good.

Panda Cantina

Another local favourite is Panda Cantina, a place that basically serves one dish: Chinese ramen. You’ll have a choice of pork, beef or tofu topping, and can pick your spice level from one to five. With five locations across the city, you’d think the buzz would die off but I think this is a student favourite as you can walk away for less than €10.

Must-try: Beef is my favourite at a spice level three.
Vibe: Clean, modern aesthetic with videos of panda playing.
Address: Too many to list – find one in Baixa, Chiado, Príncipe Real, Marquês and Campo Pequeno.
Reservations: Arrive early to avoid queues.

Read next… Where to eat in Baixa, Lisbon

Kau – BBQ pop-up

Kau’s Texas-style smoked barbecue is Portugal’s most consistently sold-out food pop-up. There’s a permanent spot on the way but for now the massive American-style truck and even bigger meat smoker pop up semi-regularly at craft breweries on Lisbon’s fringes. You can’t book but you can expect queues and items on the menu sell out, so go early.

Must-try: The brisket is unreal.
Vibe: Very casual, very busy, very efficient Texas-style barbecue.
Address: Check the Instagram.
Reservations: Not possible.

Read next… Where to find the best Portuguese street food and snacks in Lisbon

Lisbon classics to book ahead

Ramiro

Lisbon’s seafood temple isn’t a quiet date-night spot. Tiny, ice-cold beers land on the table almost automatically, slurping clams direct from the shell is encouraged, and there’s a loud soundtrack of seafood-incited excitement and tiny plastic hammers cracking open crab shells. Open since the 1950s, Ramiro is Lisbon’s most famous mariscos restaurant, loved for its quality of product and buzzing energy. A worthy, fun splurge.

Must-try: Carabineiro (scarlet prawns) if you can afford one.
Vibe: Loud, buzzy seafood institution with engaging, fast-paced staff.
Address: Av. Alm. Reis 1 H, 1150-007 Lisboa (Intendente)
Reservations: Book ahead online or by phone, or show up and wait.

If you can’t get in, Lisbon has lots of “marisqueiras” or “cervejarias” that specialise in seafood. While none quite match the energy of Ramiro you could try – Pinoquio, Nunes Real, Palacio, A Caravana, or A Marisqueira do Lis.

Ponto Final

Honestly, if you want to eat at Ponto Final this summer in Lisbon, it’s probably too late to book a table. Pinterest-worthy pictures of the canary-yellow tables stacked along a pier, jutting out into the river, have caused buzz for years. Thankfully beyond the unforgettable views the traditional Portuguese food is actually decent. If you really, really want to go – you can show up and queue for some time.

Must-try: Fish rice, grilled fish.
Vibe: Stick it on the ‘gram.
Address: R. do Ginjal 72, 2800-285 Almada (Cacilhas)
Reservations: Book months in advance!

If you can’t get in, try Atira-te ao Rio next door, which has a terrace with the same view and more refined Portuguese cuisine.

Último Porto

There’s no place like Último Porto. The smell of the grill hits you first before you spot groups of suits knocking back carafes of white wine, seated in cheap plastic garden chairs as shipping containers whiz around on the other side of a wire fence. This unusual waterfront restaurant is tucked next to the docks. But for the best grilled fish in Lisbon, Último Porto is the spot. It’s only open for lunch, and it pays to call ahead.

Must-try: Grilled fish, amêijoas à bulhão pato (clams with garlic and coriander).
Vibe: The worst view and best fish imaginable at a waterfront restaurant.
Address: R. Gen. Gomes Araújo 1, 1350-352 Lisboa (Santos)
Reservations: By phone, recommended – same day can be tricky

Tasquinha do Lagarto

Tasquinha do Lagarto opened in 1973 and is now one of the best traditional tascas in Lisbon. Inside you’ll be greeted by walls covered in Sporting football memorabilia and families gathering for lunch or dinner. It’s an affordable spot for classic Portuguese comfort food, where every dish is consistently excellent.

Must-try: Atum cebolada (tuna and onions), polvo á lagaeiro (baked octopus with potatoes).
Vibe: Local families out for a cheap, cheerful lunch or dinner with sports jerseys on every wall
Address: R. de Campolide 258, Lisboa (Campolide)
Reservations: By phone, recommended – or be prepared to wait a long time(with a beer in hand, of course)

That’s my list of the coolest restaurants and hottest tascas, taverns and tables in Lisbon right now. Anywhere you think I should add to the list? Leave a comment…

Keep reading….

• Lisbon’s best restaurants: 41 great places to eat
• My favourite tascas in Lisbon: Where to eat traditional Portuguese food
• Where to find the best Portuguese street food and snacks in Lisbon
• The best pastel de nata cooking classes in Lisbon and Porto
• The Best Food Tours & Experiences in Lisbon
• Lisbon restaurants open Sunday and Monday
• Local’s guide to the LX Factory, Lisbon’s creative micro neighbourhood
• Best places to eat octopus in Lisbon
• Best boat tours in Lisbon
• 9 places to visit in Portugal this summer

The post Where to eat in Lisbon this summer: guide to the hottest tables for 2025 appeared first on Olá Daniela.

There’s more to Belém than just custard tarts (though yes, you should absolutely still eat at least two from Pastéis de Belém). From fancy seafood lunches to cheap, no-frills tascas, from pizza to piglet sandwiches – here are my picks for where to eat in Belém.

I’ve split it into three sections – quick snacks, proper restaurants, bars – plus there’s a map at the bottom.

Read next: Local’s guide to Belém, Lisbon: Best things to do with a half-day or more

Quick lunch in Belém

Pastéis de Belém – bakery

Every day, thousands of people make the pilgrimage to Belém – some for the monastery, most for the tarts. I say go for both. Pastéis de Belém has been baking its famous custard tarts since 1837, using a tightly guarded recipe passed on from the Jerónimos Monastery next door. Now this pastry shop turns out more than 20,000 tarts a day — and yes, they really are worth the hype.

These custard tarts are different from others you’ll find around Lisbon: the filling is slightly more egg-forward, and the pastry is next-level crispy, flaking into golden shards with every bite. The queue can look intimidating but moves fast. For lunch, I suggest dining in – head through the centre doors to find the line for a table. 

For lunch, there’s a menu of savoury snacks (I have a small addiction to the duck pie) and toasted sandwiches, so you can smash down something salty before eating a dozen tarts. Try to order all at once as service here is amazing, but it’s also well-oiled chaos.

Address: R. de Belém 84 92, 1300-085 Lisboa (Belém)
Reservations: Not possible

Bonus tarts: It’s worth mentioning that Manteigaria has opened next door and across the road. Most locals will say either the OG Pasteís de Belém or newcomer Manteigaria do the best tarts in Portugal, and now you can try them side-by-side and decide for yourself. 

Afonso dos Leitões – piglet sandwiches

Leitão (roasted suckling pig) is one of the most delicious things you can eat in Portugal. Alfonso dos Leitões has a couple of stores in Lisbon serving a delicious piglet sandwich, complete with the classic ultra-peppery gravy. A great quick lunch in Belém. 

Address: R. da Junqueira 486, 1300-598 Lisboa (Belém)
Reservations: Not needed

Looking for a serious food tour in Lisbon? Go beyond the typical tourist bites with Culinary Backstreets. I highly recommend their four unique Lisbon food tours that dive deep into the city’s seafood traditions, colonial influences, and lesser-known neighborhoods.

Get 5% off with the code DANIELA5 when you book!

Otsumami & Pita.gr – Japanese & Greek food trucks

In Largo da Princesa, closer to the Tower of Belém, these two food trucks have built a loyal following and solid reputation for serving great food. Otsumami is a mini izakaya with Japanese street food, while Pita.gr is focused on proper Greek pita (with the chips and all).

Address: Lgo da Princesa, 1400-024 Lisboa (Belém)
Reservations: Not needed

Confeitaria Nacional Belém – classic bakery

Lisbon’s oldest bakery has a smaller outlet close to the Belém Tower, set on a small wharf that juts out from the river. It’s a cheap place to stop for baked sweets, a slice of quiche, toasted sandwich or simple lunch. The multiple terraces have amazing views of the river and landmarks, and it’s a relaxed spot for a coffee or a beer

Address: Av. Brasília, 1400-038 Lisboa (Belém Tower)
Reservations: Not possible

Read next: Local’s guide to Belém, Lisbon: Best things to do with a half-day or more

Pão Pão Queijo Queijo – sandwich bar

For a quick fix close to the monastery, this popular sandwich bar always has a queue and you can get shoarma, baguettes, wraps and loaded salads. Pão Pão Queijo Queijo is a no-frills spot so you don’t want to overthink it.

Address: R. de Belém 126, 1300-086 Lisboa (Belém)
Reservations: Not possible

Top restaurants in Belém

Want to spend more time eating, less time sightseeing?  Book this two-hour Belém tuk-tuk tour and tick off the most iconic sights with João’s Journeys in an electric tuk-tuk. (I highly recommend!)

O Frade – modern take on Alentejo cuisine

Sérgio Frade’s progressive take on Alentejo flavours earned O Frade a Michelin Bib Gourmand back in 2020. Every dish here is fantastic, but definitely order one of the killer rice dishes: rice with lobster, rice with corvina fish, rice with duck. It’s a spot to try Portugal’s talha wines, a special tradition of ageing vinho in terracotta that dates back to Roman times. Book ahead, especially to sit around the U-shaped bar inside to watch the chefs at work.

Address: Calçada da Ajuda 14, 1300-598 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: The menu changes season-to-season, go at lunch for the well-priced daily special
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

Guelra – chic seafood spot

From the same owner of O Frade comes Guelra, a fish-focused diner that has creativity at the forefront. It’s a two-storey restaurant (with a huge leafy terrace) close to the monuments in Belém. I really love the interior, especially the bar, and I’ll return for the curious seafood snacks, from Bacalhau³ (salted cod three ways) to a tuna katsu sandwich.

Address: R. de Belém 35, 1300-085 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: Seafood snacks! Reinterpretations of Portuguese seafood dishes
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not – lots of tables

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Canalha – produce-driven Portuguese bistro

Book ahead if you want a table at Canalha, a produce-driven Portuguese bistro from one of Portugal’s top chefs, João Rodrigues. It’s a relaxed neighbourhood spot where you can spend €20 or €200. Expect chef versions of humble, traditional dishes, plus exquisite seafood and steak by weight. It all changes by season.

Address: R. da Junqueira 207, 1300-338 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: Daily specials, carabineiro (scarlet prawn) pasta, anything in season
Reservations: Book ahead online or by phone

Read next… Where to eat in Lisbon this summer: guide to the hottest tables for 2025

Ruoto – pizza

I was quite sad when my local Neapolitan pizza spot shut (due to building structural issues), but this spot comes from the same owner. Expect top-tier pizzas made using Italian ingredients, with the exception of the fresh cheeses – mozzarella and burrata – that are made here in Portugal. If there’s no space inside Ruoto, take advantage of the parkland nearby.

Address: Tv. Marta Pinto 12, 1300-390 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: Choose from the nine pizzas, or there are a couple of pasta and lasagna options.
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in or takeaway if not

Read next… Where to find the best Portuguese street food and snacks in Lisbon

Clube Naval de Lisboa – riverfront traditional Portuguese

There are plenty of riverfront restaurants in Belém, but few I’d highly recommend. Some are too expensive and pretentious without reason, while others fall below the mark. Clube Naval de Lisboa, linked to the naval club, is a waterfront gem for traditional Portuguese food and one of my friends goes here almost every Sunday. Prices are higher than a tasca but the views more than make up for it.

Address: Av. Brasília, 1300-501 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: Grilled fish, or from the selections of petiscos (Portuguese tapas).
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

Read next… Where to eat in Baixa, Lisbon

O Prado – traditional tasca

Go early if you want an outdoor table at this popular traditional tasca. Here you can eat homely and comforting Portuguese dishes, such as grilled fish, seafood rice, and daily specials. Expect it to be busy but very reasonably priced.

Address: R. da Junqueira 472, 1300-341 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: In a tasca your best bet is to go for the prato do dia – ask what the daily specials are.
Reservations: Call ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

Bonus tasca: Try Frazão – an overlooked spot that is truly local. You’ll need Google Translate to decipher the menu here.

Nunes Real Marisqueira – seafood temple

This Belém institution is a glamorous, over-the-top art deco temple with seafood at the centre. You can splurge big on lobster rice and dive into a wine list as deep as the ocean, or keep it calmer with seafood by weight. It’s a worthy spot for some of the best fresh clams, prawns, lobster, oysters, crab, sea urchin, scallops and fish – book ahead.

Address: R. Bartolomeu Dias 172 E F, 1400-031 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: Try the lobster bitoque – a seafood take on a Lisbon classic dish.
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

Read next… How to spend 48 hours in Lisbon

Miolo – brunch café

This light-filled all-day café in downtown Belém is a gem hidden in plain sight. Grab a table within the pretty space and enjoy a coffee or juice with creative breakfast and brunch plates. Miolo is a good spot for more creative vegetarian food in Belém. If you missed lunch, don’t panic as the kitchen is open until they close.

Address: R. de Belém 36, 1300-083 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: the banana bread!
Reservations: Walk-in only

Bonus café: Augusto, up the road from O Frade, is another gorgeous café with a brunch menu.

Taberna dos Ferreiros – modern Portuguese

I’m yet to visit this top-rated Portuguese tavern, but judging by the reviews and photos the food is made with a lot of love, adding some modern techniques to traditional Portuguese cuisine. The small space of Taberna dos Ferreiros is tucked down a side street.

Address: Tv. Ferreiros a Belém 5, 1300-085 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: Portuguese classics, like bacalhau à Bras or pica pau
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

Samurai Belém – all-you-can-eat sushi

Whenever I’m craving basic, cheap sushi, I make an order at Samurai Belém. You can pick up takeaway boxes for around €6.70 and go sit in the park, or go wild with the all-you-can-eat à la carte sushi buffet – just €13 at lunch, or €17 at dinner. Everything is prepared fresh for you, from the sushi rolls to the sizzling plates of prawns.

Address: R. da Junqueira 502, 1300-341 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: Box 621 and 625 is my takeaway order! Everything is good though.
Reservations: Walk-in is easy

Where to drink in Belém

Adega Belém Urban Winery

Lisbon’s only urban winery is a rustic family-run beauty set in an old mechanic’s workshop. Adega Belém Urban Winery is not open every day and hours are limited, so check the schedule before dropping in for a tasting. Better yet, I highly recommend booking the winery tour and tasting (email or call). I’ve never heard anyone explain the science behind wine like David does and it gave me a whole new appreciation for the work in every drop. Give Lilly the cellar dog a scratch from me.

Address: Tv. Paulo Jorge 9, 1300-444 Lisboa (Belém)
What to order: Besides trying the wines, don’t skip the snacks – local bread, high-quality Portuguese cheese and charcuterie. Heaven.
Reservations: Book a guided tasting, or check the drop-in hours.

Salty Floor

This natural wine bar is hidden in the shadow of Jerónimos Monastery. Salty Floor is an unpretentious space where you can sit in the sunshine with a glass while patting the owner’s dogs and reading a book or chatting with friends.

Address: R. dos Jerónimos 18C, 1400-206 Lisboa (Belém)
Reservations: Walk in

Quiosque Belém

You never go wrong with a quiosque (kiosk) in Lisbon. You’ll find these small, round metal stalls close to parks around the city, and it’s a good spot for a basic beer or wine in Belém.

Address: R. Vieira Portuense 1, 1300-571 Lisboa (Belém)
Reservations: Walk in

Riverside bars

If you walk along the river, between the Belém Tower and the bridge, you’ll stumble upon dozens of pop-up and permanent bars. One of the cutest is Wine With a View, a tiny food truck that’s always parked up next to the tower. I also love Ostras Sobre Rodas, an oyster and wine truck with freshly shucked bivalves from Setúbal.

Map of where to eat and drink in Belém

That’s my guide covering where to eat and drink in Belém. Looking for a full list for Lisbon? Try here.

Keep reading…

• Local’s guide to Belém, Lisbon: Best things to do with a half-day or more
• Local’s guide to Lisbon’s best restaurants: 41 great places to eat (2025)
• Where to find the best Portuguese street food and snacks in Lisbon
• Best places to eat octopus in Lisbon
• Lisbon restaurants open Sunday and Monday
• 13 best day trips from Lisbon

The post Where to eat in Belém: the best restaurants, snacks and bars appeared first on Olá Daniela.

I arrived in Galicia pretty pumped to eat my way across the state. This region is famous across Spain for its seafood. From the icy Atlantic Ocean they harvest goose barnacles, scallops, oysters, mussels, prawns, and all types of fish. A lot of it gets shipped across the country, but some of the best (and cheapest) remains here at the source.

Good seafood doesn’t need much. Freshness and a sprinkle of salt can be seasoning enough. Santiago de Compostela’s restaurants offer an appealing mix between allowing the hero product to shine simply or adding a creative chef’s touch while paying homage to tradition.

I find tapas traditions vary from city to city, region to region in Spain, and in Santiago de Compostela we received a free tapa with each drink – which meant we got to taste so much more in our three days there. Here’s where to eat and a list of the best restaurants and tapas bars in Santiago de Compostela.

Abastos 2.0

My favourite thing about Abastos 2.0 might be that the menu lists the food miles of the seafood (all 100 kilometres or less on our visit, in case you’re wondering). It’s a showcase of local produce, pointing to the different villages where each prawn or scallop has come from. Abastos 2.0 is connected to the huge daily market, a place where fresh Galician seafood is stacked high each day. The chefs have their pick of the best, and they know how to treat it right. 

Seafood is the star here and the ever-changing menu offers a mix of subtle and more creative dishes. The scallop, oysters and clams were served barely touched, while the xarda (horse mackerel) was dressed up in a refreshing, zesty ceviche-like dish. A glow-up that took the cheaper fish from second-thought to stand-out of the night. We also loved the octopus, which arrived with a fantastic char flavour from the grill. 

During our November visit, we could only reserve the restaurant – but it looks like there is a market bar and terrace open other times of the year.

Address: Praza de Abastos, Rúa das Ameas, 13 -18, 15703 Santiago de Compostela
 What to order: grilled octopus and whatever seafood your heart desires
 Reservations: Essential

O Testo

After a number of days in Galicia eating at more traditional spots, we wanted something a little bit different and our local host recommended O Testo. This spot reminded me of some of my favourite modern taverns in Lisbon. It’s the sort of chic-yet-casual place that pays tribute to the heart and soul of Galician cuisine while having fun, putting some modern spins on dishes, and still keeping things affordable. 

I’m a sucker for anything anchovy, so we started with a fantastic potato and jamon croquette and an anchovy toast. The XO mussels were fun but our highlight was again the xarda done here with an Asian spin. O Testo calls itself a market bar, and how could you not feel inspired after a visit to the daily mercado, so I’d expect things to change throughout the seasons.

Address: Rua de Abril Ares, 4, 15704 Santiago de Compostela
 What to order: anchovy toast and xarda
 Reservations: Recommended. If you can’t get in here, try A Maceta, the sister restaurant.

DeLito

A good friend mentioned he ate a delicious Galician Rubia steak in Lisbon once. A breed of cattle from the region known for its fatty marbling. Queue a day-long mission to find a steakhouse serving rubia gallega, a surprisingly difficult challenge in a city with chuleton steaks hanging in almost every window in a region famous for its beef. I almost wished he hadn’t said anything as we found spot after spot offering Galician beef but from a different race.

We ended up at DeLito, a great restaurant I found pumping at lunchtime (perhaps thanks to a great value lunch deal around €18). We eyed up the huge fridge filled with cuts of ageing beef and returned at dinner time for a steak feast. The super friendly grill chef came down to show us the cut, ask us how we wanted the chuleton rubia gallega and then later served it with potato wedges and pimentos padrón. A great dinner! It was worth the hunt.

Address: Rúa de San Pedro, 26, 15703 Santiago de Compostela, A Coruña, Spain
 What to order: chuleton rubia gallega
 Reservations: Recommended.

Mercado de Abastos de Santiago

On a Friday morning we popped into the Praza de Abastos market, an unmissable place in Santiago de Compostela for anyone interested in food, fresh produce or local life. While wandering the isles of seafood, the sign “abrimos ostras” caught our eye. A lovely producer offered three types of oysters grown near Ilhas Arousa, all around €2 a pop. She suggested we take them around the corner where a little wine bar would serve us a fresh and zesty albariño to pair with them. Since we’d made ourselves comfortable, we grabbed some steamed zamburiñas (scallops) too. 

The market itself is insane – the sort of place I dream about having in my neighbourhood. The stone structure, which dates back to 1937, has eight long halls and a central courtyard. There seemed to be two halls just for fresh seafood, one or two for meat, others had a mix of cheesemongers, baked goods and fresh produce. The final hall houses a number of small restaurants with tables – we heard Salvaxe is a great stall to eat more creative local food in Santiago de Compostela. 

Address: Rúa das Ameas, s/n, 15704 Santiago de Compostela

Read next… Malpica’s daily octopus auction, on Galicia’s Costa da Morte

Xachegou

In Portugal I love to eat in tascas – the cheap and cheerful dining rooms that fuel the locals. So I asked our host where she likes to eat, and Xachegou came up as a no-frills local place where the regulars will look at you like “what are you doing here?”. Perfect. 

This pub with food keeps things simple, with a small, smoky kitchen and generous menu. We went for the zorza, a traditional Galician dish of chopped pork marinated with garlic, salt and paprika. We’d seen it on menus everywhere, and this seemed like a good spot to order. It came on a bed of fries with sliced cheese on top. Comforting, delicious. Sit back, sip the €2.80-a-glass wines and watch the locals fill the bar.

Address: Rúa da Algalia de Abaixo, 27, 15704 Santiago de Compostela
 What to order: zorza, sandwiches and Galician comfort food
 Reservations: Not needed

NuMaru Korean

The last cuisine I expected to eat in the north of Spain was Korean food. After years living away from Australia I’ve become a bit accustomed to disappointing Asian restaurants but the reviews were superb so we gave it a shot. As we sat down to lunch, this spot was filled with mostly people of Korean or Asian descent. A good sign! And the food, it was magnificent. 

At lunch the €16 deal included soup and little snacks, a main of your choice, drink and dessert. This spot filled a place in my heart that had been missing for some time. That said, I don’t recommend eating spicy food and drinking a beer before being locked in exam conditions for two hours. Still, zero regrets.

Address: Avenida do Mestre Mateo 19 OR Rúa de Vista Alegre 58, Santiago de Compostela
 What to order: lunch menu, bibimbap, duruchigi spicy pork, any Korean favourites
 Reservations: Possible. If you don’t make one, go early for lunch – it packed out.

Bonus: Bar Estrella, Pontevedra

I can’t say enough good things about this little traditional Galician restaurant in Pontevedra. I have an eagle-eye for finding good spots on Google Maps (that comes from experience and years of obsession) and this might be the best gem yet. It was our first lunch in Galicia, and to be honest it set the bar so high. We never tasted scallops as sweet and succulent or octopus as smooth and fresh again across the trip. One to repeat.

Address: Rúa Figueroa, 1, 36002 Pontevedra, Spain
 What to order: scallops, pulpo á feira
 Reservations: We popped in an hour ahead and made one

Best bars with free tapas in Santiago de Compostela

Bar Tita – classic bar

Our first stop in Santiago de Compostela was Bar Tita for the legendary tortilla. I absolutely adore the way they do it up here – tortilla de Betanzos. This local variation on the Spanish classic is made without onion – just potatoes, egg, salt, olive oil – and it will always be barely set, still gooey inside. At Bar Tita you’ll receive a fairly generous free slice of really good tortilla with your drink.

Address: Rúa do Franco, 48, 15702 Santiago de Compostela

Nómade Santiago – natural wines

Since dinner is so late in Spain, there’s always time for a cheeky pre-dinner wine. And in Santiago de Compostela you seem to get a free tapa at any bar (and most restaurants), so we dropped into this trendy, kind of touristy spot. Nómade has a huge selection of really good, natural Galician wines by the glass. Despite the slightly salty (yet efficient) young waiter, we returned here twice as the mussels escabeche – made in-house with fresh mussels from the local market – were so good they had to be repeated.

Tip: You can book very chic private rooms above this wine bar at the Hostal Nomade Santiago.

Address: Rúa do Franco, 48, 15702 Santiago de Compostela

Nariño – tortilla

The other top spot for tortilla in Santiago de Compostela is Nariño. Slightly out of the historic downtown, this large neighbourhood cafe-bar is the sort of place you drop into for breakfast, lunch or dinner. We had a racion of tortilla here for breakfast, along with a slab of pan con tomate y jamon, but other patrons all received a little tapa of free tortilla even with a coffee. 

Address: Rúa dos Pelamios, 14, 15705 Santiago de Compostela

Xénese – wine

Xénese is another chic wine bar I found in Santiago de Compostela with an amazing selection of local and European wines by the glass, plus a handful of tasty local snacks. With our first wine we received a little plate with a small portion of traditional Galician pie and local olives. It was so good we ordered a small pie stuffed with zorza and cheese with the next wine. 

Address: Tránsito da Mercé, 6, 15703 Santiago de Compostela

Xuntanza – craft beer

One night we hopped to two craft beer spots in Santiago de Compostela before dinner. The first was Xuntanza, which had a decent selection of craft beers and gave us a choice of tapas – from arepas to tostas to mini pizza. The outdoor terrace was surprisingly beautiful on a November evening – made better by my IPA by Onda.

Address: Rúa de Xelmírez, 28, 15704 Santiago de Compostela

O Bandullo do Lambón – craft beer 

The second craft beer spot felt slightly more serious with more taps on the go, including a lot of Basqueland beers on tap, and a handful of fridges stocked with more unusual and exciting picks. Each drink here arrived with a mini cheeseboard loaded with a handful of different cheese, olives and crackers.

Address: Rúa da Raíña, 9, 15702 Santiago de Compostela

A Gramola – music

This is the story of how we accidentally joined a Celtic protest band while on vacation in Galicia. The piercing tones of a gaita (local bagpipe) rang out from A Gramola, enticing us into this bar where a band of almost a dozen locals were playing Celtic tavern music. Yes, Galicia has Celtic roots, which in modern times I think comes through most strongly in its traditional music. My partner Jorge told them we spoke Portuguese, so we were handed a songbook and became part of the troupe, standing there with a beer in hand singing in Galician – which is closer to Portuguese than Castillian Spanish. 

There were two bagpipers, drummers, guitarists, and even a lady playing two scallop shells. While we didn’t get a free tapa at A Gramola, one beer turned into three as we became part of this folk group (that became our trip highlight). While they were there that night to celebrate an anniversary of the Nunca Máis movement (which formed to demand more government action after an oil tanker spill caused an environmental catastrophe off the Galican coast in 2002), apparently A Gramola often has live music so definitely swing by after dinner.

Address: Praza de Cervantes, 10, 15704 Santiago de Compostela

Best specialty coffee cafés in Santiago de Compostela

Ratiños

It might be a small city but Santiago de Compostela has a handful of specialty coffee shops. Ratiños was the first to open, and it now has two locations. We poked our heads into the original in the centre, but the tiny space was jam-packed so we stopped at the second, larger and more relaxed spot on Rúa de San Pedro. It has free Wi–Fi and tables where you can cowork. 

Addresses: Praza de Entrepraciñas, 4 (original location), Rúa de San Pedro, 21 (second location)

Mori Coffee Shop

Maybe the nicest waitstaff we met in all of Galicia was at Mori. The barista here was super sweet and she poured a fantastic coffee, from beans roasted onsite. We also shared some breakfast, since I can’t skip the chance to eat tomato and jamon toasts. Upstairs there’s the possibility of coworking.

Address: Rúa Nova, 32, 15704 Santiago de Compostela

Where to stay in Santiago de Compostela

We stayed just north of the historic centre, close to Nariño (a café-bar mentioned above). Santiago de Compostela is a small, very walkable city so I suggest anywhere within a stone’s throw of the centre – such as the 4-star San Francisco Hotel Monumento (set in a historic monastery), 3-star Hotel San Miguel or 2-star Hotel Plaza Obradoiro.

My dream stay would be the Parador de Santiago, a regal historic hotel that overlooks the cathedral (and has parking), but my budget means I’d book the Hostal Nomade Santiago, which offers very chic private rooms above my favourite wine bar (mentioned above).

Anywhere else in Santiago de Compostela that I should eat at on my next visit? Leave me a comment!

Keep reading…

• My Guide to the Best San Sebastián Pintxo Bars
• How to spend 48 hours in Porto
• Portugal Road Trip: Where to stop between Porto and the Douro Valley
• Food Festival Guide: Best Gastronomic Events in Portugal
• Portugal & Spain Road Trip: Where to stop between Lisbon and Seville

The post Where to eat in Santiago de Compostela: Best restaurants and tapas bars appeared first on Olá Daniela.

The Sunday Mercado Agrícola do Santo da Serra is as real as they come. Here you’ll find a mix of locals selling produce grown on the island (nothing imported), street food stalls with local cider, wine and grills, and homemade goodies like bolo de mel cake and artisanal woodwork and basketry.

It’s a place to start your morning with a poncha, shop for groceries or fruit, dance with the informal parade of accordion folk songs, and then get your elbows on the bar of a local barraca, squeezing between locals to make your early lunch order. 

Here’s where to eat and what to order at the Santo da Serra Sunday farmer’s market, plus tips on shopping, how to get there and when it’s on.

Read next… 29 traditional Madeira dishes and food to try: What to eat and drink

Everything we ate and drank at the Santo da Serra market

Arriving in the late morning, we made a B-line for Barraca d’Avó, which I’d heard from Hit The Road Madeira serves a great poncha, but more importantly, serves a dentinho (free little snack) with the best milho frito. They were not wrong. Milho frito is a traditional Madeiran side dish that’s essentially fried polenta cubes with herbs.

Local produce that is actually grown on Madeira

With a poncha in hand, we wandered a little bit, taking in the rush of people and various stalls. Unlike the mercado in the heart of Funchal (which I find to be a bit overproduced and with a selection of imported tropical fruits giving a false impression of island produce), here you’ll find only what is grown in the soil of Madeira. 

On an October day that meant tonnes and tonnes of bananas, white sweet potato, quince, spicy peppers, strawberry guavas, pumpkins, lemons, mandarines, kiwis, papaya, fresh herbs, chayotes, monsterra fruits, and loads of tropical flowers.

Read next… 8 best poncha bars on Madeira Island

Eat harder-to-find traditional Madeiran dishes

Once we’d rounded the rustic covered market, I wanted to try some of the local traditional Madeiran dishes. I live in Lisbon, so when I visit different regions of Portugal I like to go deep and discover regional dishes. I knew that at the Sunday market the food would be more homely so I’d get to try things that can be harder to find in restaurants – like macarrão à Madeirense and sopa de trigo. 

The first stall, A.D.C. Santo da Serra, had both. I asked for a dentinho of macarrão, a rich pasta with meat, and a sweet local cider. My partner tried the sopa de trigo, a hearty wheat stew. The macaroni was great, but the soup was phenomenal. Just one of those hearty stew-like soups with chunks of potato, root vegetables, cooked grains of wheat and unidentified meats. Delish.

Then we shared a fluffy bread bun stuffed with steaming carne de vinha d’alhos, which is pork marinated with wine, herbs and garlic.

Taste vinho seco for the first (and last) time

I remembered one last traditional Madeiran drink that I’d heard about but it was hard to find – vinho seco. I thought I’d seen an older gentleman drinking something that looked wine like, so I popped by another stall – Barraca da Conceição – and asked for another dentinho of macarrão (I think it was even better here). This stall offered something different to its neighbours, with a big charcoal grill cooking pork ribs and big sausages, and fresh bolo de caco (a local bread) – made in front of you – hitting the slate. 

As for the vinho seco? Maybe the worst thing I’ve ever tried. We ended up pouring half down the drain and coyly returned half to the stall. I later mentioned it to a friend and fellow travel writer Joana Taborda, who lives on Madeira, and she said: “Have you read the Wikipedia page?”

Wiki: “This wine is generally considered to be of poor quality by winemakers and has adverse health effects.,,,”

Me: Okay, it’s cheap wine sure…

Wiki: “Dry wine has a short aftertaste, high levels of acidity with highly toxic alcohols, a pronounced fruity aroma, an intense violet-purple color…”

Me: Highly toxic alcohol? Um…

Wiki: “…dry wine is banned by the European Union due to the harmful effects on health caused by its consumption…”

Me: Sorry, what?

Wiki: “…dry wine has methanol concentrations around 100 times higher than those permitted by EU law. These concentrations of methanol cause serious eye damage.”

Right, so that will be my first and last sip of vinho seco. 

What I would eat next time I visit the Sunday market

If I had more stomach space I would have tried the roast chicken. There was a stall at the front with a non-stop queue selling whole rotisserie chickens for €7 a pop. People were buying them quick smart, maybe to take for a Sunday picnic lunch. Apparently the nearby Quinta do Santo da Serra is a beautiful public park to explore with great views. It would be a nice spot to sit with chicken, bolo de caco and goodies from the market.

There’s also a stall at the back, near the bathroom, that was serving huge portions of the macarrão pasta and once it was ready had a massive, local queue. Plus there was a butcher selling espetada skewers for you grill yourself in the corner over charcoal.

Read next… It’s worth a flight to Madeira just to eat these espetadas

Other things to do at the Santo da Serra market

At one point, a young man with an accordion walked through the covered market, followed by a troupe with a couple of simple percussion instruments. Together they were belting out Madeiran folk songs, collecting spectators as they went around in a sort of makeshift parade.

At some point they stopped and locals started dancing, some joined in the singing. It was really beautiful to see. I’ve seen plenty of Madeiran folk dancing and songs during the May Festival of Flowers, but they were always professional groups with costumes etc. That was amazing, but it nice to see this more organic expression of local culture.

While I spent most of my time in the main food hall, across the road there is a second part of the market that seems to be filled mostly with uninteresting shops – stalls selling clothing made in China or souvenir textiles etc. Right near the front I did find another secret chicken grill and next to that someone was selling handmade baskets, which are traditional to the town of Camucha on the island.

Everything you need to know about the Santo da Serra market

When is the market

Every Sunday! It sounds like it starts around 9am and goes into the mid to late afternoon. I did notice people started to eat lunch or at least snack early, so I recommend coming by 11am to explore the market and start scouting what you want to eat to beat the crowds and avoid missing out.

Where is the Santo da Serra market

It’s in a village called Santo António da Serra on Madeira Island. It’s tucked away in the hills in the south-east of Madeira Island. You’ll find the market has a permanent home in the heart of the village.

After, you can visit the nearby gardens of Quinta do Santo da Serra and then go for a round of golf at Clube de Golf Santo da Serra, a spectacular 27-hole course.

How to get to the Mercado de Santo da Serra

It takes around 30 minutes to drive form Funchal, the island capital, to Santo da Serra. You can also take bus 77, which leaves Funchal at 8.30am and 10.30am on Sundays (please confirm this with recent timetables).

You can also join a guided tour to visit the market. My pick is this top-rated guided day trip that includes a handful of other stops turning it into a fun day out.

That’s my experience from the Mercado Santo da Serra. Have you been? What did you think?

Keep reading about Madeira Island…

• Ultimate guide to exploring Madeira Island
• The 4 best hikes (that I’ve done) on Madeira Island
• 8 best poncha bars on Madeira Island
• It’s worth a flight to Madeira just to eat these espetadas
• 29 traditional Madeira dishes and food to try
• Itinerary: Our magical 5-day Madeira Island road trip
• Where to eat and drink in Madeira
• My 10 favourite Portugal trips in 2024
• Fall in Portugal: 8 places to visit this autumn

The post Sunday in Madeira at the Santo da Serra Farmers Market appeared first on Olá Daniela.

You eat well in Lisbon, without spending a lot – especially if you like lunch. I can’t get enough of the barebones local places where a lunch menu gives you a meal, soup, coffee, beer or wine, dessert and change from a €10 note. Yes, even in this economy.

Eating out at Lisbon restaurants you’ll find the first European offering from a respected Japanese joint through to Portuguese classics at every price point. Generally speaking, the Portuguese food is excellent and the international food can leave a little bit to be desired but there are shining exceptions to both of those rules.

Portuguese food isn’t easy to sum up in a sentence or two so it’s worth taking a look at my guide to 25 of the most common dishes before you get started.

Tips: table snacks dropped on your table are not free. Ask them to take them away if you don’t want them. Also a “dose” feeds two people, so a half dose is for one. Portuguese maths! When you leave the city, don’t be afraid to try small town tascas – often you’ll eat like royalty.

Looking for a serious food tour in Lisbon? Go beyond the typical tourist bites with Culinary Backstreets. I highly recommend their four unique Lisbon food tours that dive deep into the city’s seafood traditions, colonial influences, and lesser-known neighborhoods.

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Favourite restaurants and tascas for Portuguese food in Lisbon

In Australia I loved fine dining and wild new concepts but since moving here in 2018 I prefer to hunt out the local gems and Lisbon restaurants that don’t make the guidebooks or listicles, or chef-owned Lisbon restaurants rediscovering what Portuguese food can be. I’ve split this section into traditional for my favourite basic, classic, no frills spots, and progressive Lisbon restaurants for the local chefs doing nose-to-tail dining or modern Portuguese without the ego. 

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Lisbon’s best traditional Portuguese restaurants

Ultimo Porto – €€

For the best grilled fish in Lisbon, go to Ultimo Porto. The unusual waterfront restaurant is jammed up against the docks, so don’t be surprised if giant trucks carting shipping containers whiz past a terrace full of suits. It’s all part of the charm. Pick a fish, wait for the grill and tuck in. It’s only open for lunch.

 Address: R. Gen. Gomes Araújo 1, 1350-352 Lisboa (Santos)
 What to order: grilled fish and amêijoas à bulhão pato (clams with garlic and coriander)
 Reservations: By phone, recommended

Note: It’s tricky to find this spot by car as Google Maps leads you astray. I recommend going to “Rocha do Conde d’Óbidos” and crossing the pedestrian-only swing bridge of the same name. On weekends that swing bridge is permanently left open, so you’ll have to gothe long way around on Saturdays.

O Tachadas – €€

At the front of this tiny tasca, the grill chef’s eyes barely stray from whatever telenovela or old movie is on the TV as he flips steaks, squid and pork chops over the flames. O Tachadas is a typical old-fashioned tasca and I love it. We like to come for a giant T-bone steak the size of your (rather large) plate. Be prepared for the “whack, whack, whack” as your €16ish cut of steak is hacked off the bone on a chopping block right next to the grill. 

 Address: Rua da Esperança 178, 1200-808 Lisboa (Santos)
 What to order: costeleta de novilho (the steak), bacalhau à Bras (codfish with potato and egg)
 Reservations: By phone, recommended

Note: The Portuguese tend to leave steak a little on the rare side (which I love) so you may have to send it back for a second grilling if you like anything beyond medium rare.

Tasquinha do Lagarto – €

Open since 1973, this tasca started as a café and snack bar with games tables and has since become one of Lisbon’s best addresses. The first thing you’ll notice in Tasquinha do Lagarto is the sports paraphernalia lining every wall, particularly that of Lisbon’s football team Sporting. Inside the menu is short but well priced. I’ve tried almost all of it and every visit the food has been fantastic. 

 Address: R. de Campolide 258, Lisboa (Campolide)
 What to order: atum cebolada (tuna and onions), polvo á lagaeiro (baked octopus with potatoes)
 Reservations: by phone

Zé da Mouraria – €

Bring friends when you dine at Zé da Mouraria. And don’t turn up for dinner, like we did the first three times (whoops). At first glance, the prices seem steeper than other spots, but order a meal and they’ll deliver an entire frying pan or dinner tray of food. My guess is one dish is enough to feed three. Unless you want to follow in the footsteps of a solo diner we watched quickly make new friends when his family sized meal arrived.

 Address: R. João do Outeiro 24, 1100-292 Lisboa (Mouraria) + now a second and third location.
 What to order: bacalhau com grão (salted cod with chickpeas)
 Reservations: Call ahead – numbers here

➼ Want someone to shortcut your Portugal research? ➼ Talk to me – I offer 1:1 video calls and can plan your perfect Portugal itinerary. Find out more here.

Read next… Where to find the best Portuguese street food and snacks in Lisbon

Zé dos Cornos – €

Ribs, ribs, ribs. They do them savoury style in Portugal, garlicky and salty instead of drowned in barbecue sauce. Share a rack straight off the charcoal grill for €12 with a tomato salad and bean rice. Zé dos Cornos ticks all the tasca (cheap restaurant) boxes. There are tiles on the wall, paper tablecloths, the news or football on the TV and an owner/chef/waiter that shows his love for his regulars by teasing them relentlessly. There’s always a line but (as with most places) they’ll happily serve you beers while you wait on the street. And we all know that a queue with a beer is basically a bar anyway. 

 Address: Beco Surradores 5, 1100-591 Lisboa (Mouraria)
 What to order: Piano (ribs)
 Reservations: Show up early or prepare to wait

Zé is short for José, a name that is very popular generally and apparently even more popular in Lisbon among chefs and restaurant owners.

Casa do Alentejo – €

This cultural club set in a historic palace is an ode to my favourite region of Portugal. It happens to be hidden in plain sight on one of Lisbon’s most touristic streets. Some in-the-know tourists may pause and pop their heads in to snap pictures of the spectacular courtyard, straight out of Morocco, but they’re missing the best part. Let the small plates stack up as you knock back beers in the courtyard of the Tavern at Casa do Alentejo and prepare for the (pleasant) surprise when you see your bill at the end. For something more formal or spectacular, head upstairs to the restaurant where ornate banquet halls and reasonably priced traditional meals beckon.

 Address: R. das Portas de Santo Antão 58, 1150-268 Lisboa (Restauradores/Rossio)
 What to order: migas (bread mash), flaming chorizo
 Reservations: You can book the upstairs restaurant (also gorgeous) online, or call the tavern for an inside table. They don’t take terrace bookings.

Solar dos Nunes — €€/€€€

Solar dos Nunes is a Lisbon institution open since 1988, which becomes apparent when you step inside the front door to find a cosy space with white tablecloths and photo frames covering every wall. This Portuguese restaurant specialises in Alentejo cuisine, and it’s picked up many awards and had many celebrity faces pass through. It has an old-world European feel, the sort of place to expect a business lunch to stretch out past  4pm. On the menu you’ll find everything from fan favourites to obscure recipes. Most importantly, it often has sericaia, my favourite dessert. 

 Address: R. dos Lusíadas 68, 1300-366 Lisboa (Alcântara)
 What to order: delicious presunto, stewed boar
 Reservations: By phone or online, recommended

Vida de Tasca – €

Vida de Tasca was my most anticipated Lisbon restaurant opening for 2024. In a city where ramen and burger bars are swallowing up old classics at an alarming rate Chef Leonor Godinho opened up a new tasca (local tavern) in the bones of Casa Alberto. The place is an ode to tasca culture, and little more has been done than a lick of paint on the chairs. As a trained chef, Godinho adds those small touches to serve cooked-to-order croquettes and pasteís de bacalhau alongside a short menu with two daily specials, where you’ll always find Lisbon’s favourite dish, the bitoque (thin steak with fried egg and sauce). 

 Address: R. Moniz Barreto 7, 1700-306 Lisboa (Roma)
 What to order: bitoque (thin steak with egg
 Reservations: Book ahead online or by phone

Ramiro – €€€

Before your beer has finished a waiter drops another in front of you. Fortunate, because you’re doing serious manual labour for your meal, with a small hammer bang-bang-banging crab legs open to reach the tender flesh. Ramiro, the most famous Lisbon seafood restaurant, isn’t a quiet date night. It’s the sort of place to take friends and share bowls of clams swimming in olive oil, garlic and coriander or experience the life-changing sweetest of a carabineiro (scarlet prawn). Cheap, no. Worth it, yes.

 Address: Av. Alm. Reis 1 H, 1150-007 Lisboa (Intendente)
 What to order: seafood by weight – try the carabineiro (scarlet prawn)
 Reservations: Book ahead online or by phone, or show up and wait

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Espaco Açores – €€

If you can’t make it to the islands of the Azores, eating the food is the next best thing. An Azorean friend took us to Espaco Açores and it opened my mind a little, even after briefly visiting the spectacular Atlantic archipelago. If you’ve visited any of the Azorean islands or Madeira you’ll know how great lapas grelhadas (grilled limpets) are. Don’t miss the chance to try the polvo guisado (octopus stew) either.

 Address: Largo da Boa-Hora à Ajuda 19, 1300-098 Lisboa (Ajuda)
 What to order: limpets, polvo guisado (octopus stew)
 Reservations: It’s possible to book online or walk in.

O Lutador – €/€€

O Lutador is my local terrace bar and tasca where it’s fun to drop in for a cheeky bifana and imperial (that’s a pork sandwich and baby beer). In summer, locals stretch out here with plates of tiny snails, pica-pau and beer. The meals at this Lisbon restaurant are mostly under €15, but the snack game here is their strong suit.

 Address: R. da Junqueira 1C, 1300-383 Lisboa (Alcântara)
 What to order: pica pau (chopped steak in gravy with pickles), arroz de lingueirão (razor clam rice)
 Reservations: Go early for a terrace table, or book online

Heading to Porto? Read my guide on where to eat in Porto and discover Porto’s best coffee shops.

Carvoaria Jacto – €€/€€€

Don’t take your vegetarian friends to Carvoaria Jacto, a Lisbon steak institution that opened in 1953. Back then it would have been a tiny carvoaria or shop that sold coal. These days it’s a huge steak temple where the best cuts are seasoned and grilled over charcoal. In a sense the product has changed, but the soul and address is the same. While you’re going here for the (steak examples), the side of mushroom risotto is unmissable. Book ahead!

 Address: R. Maria Andrade 6A, 1170-216 Lisboa (Anjos)
 What to order: steak, the best you can afford
 Reservations: Book ahead!

Ponto Final – €€

You come here for the unforgettable view but fortunately the food is good too. You’ll need to take a 10-minute ferry ride to the south bank of the river and walk past the graffiti-covered abandoned warehouses that line the water. Definitely book a table (at least a month or two) ahead at Ponto Final to get a primo spot on the pier for sunset drinks and dinner with magical views across the water to Lisbon and out to sea. Apparently you can show up and queue for a while if you fail to book.

 Address: R. do Ginjal 72, 2800-285 Almada (Cacilhas)
 What to order: fish rice, grilled fish
 Reservations: Book months in advance! You can also try Atira-te ao Rio next door, which has a terrace with the same view.

Honestly this is just the beginning of my list of the best local and traditional restaurants to eat at in Lisbon. For extended reading, bookmark or pin my favourite 34 tascas in Lisbon and discover the best old-school, cheap eats.

Lisbon’s best progressive or modern Portuguese restaurants

Canalha – €€/€€€

If you’re a bit of a food nerd and a fan of chefs (guilty) then you have to get a table at Canalha. Top Portuguese chef João Rodrigues said goodbye to the two-star Michelin restaurant where he worked to embark on a year-long project popping up once a month in different regions of Portugal. It was an insanely ambitious and successful project, connecting local chefs and producers with mad food lovers. On his return he opened Canalha, which is run by chef Lívia Orofino. 

At its heart, Canalha might be best described as a produce-driven Portuguese bistro. I recall him describing it as a neighbourhood spot where you could spend €20 to €200, so everyone is welcome. Like traditional Portuguese tascas you’ll find a daily menu with well-priced dishes of the day. Then there’s a menu of seasonally changing dishes, and finally you can choose from what’s come in with the fisherman. That’s where you’ll do damage to the credit card! Book ahead.

 Address: R. da Junqueira 207, 1300-338 Lisboa (Belém)
 What to order: Daily specials, carabineiro (scarlet prawn) pasta, anything in season
 Reservations: Book ahead online or by phone

Read next… Where to eat in Belém or Local’s guide to Belém: Best things to do

O Velho Eurico – €

We first discovered O Velho Eurico when it was a killer, old-school tasca with some of the best polvo a lagareiro (olive oil octopus) and bacalhau no forno (baked salted cod) around. The owner retired, the name stayed and a surprise meal of petiscos (small plates like tapas) appeared one day with the 21-year-old Zé Paulo Rocha at the helm. At the new-old Eurico a hand-written chalkboard displays traditional dishes, cooked and eaten by parents, grandparents and great grandparents across Portugal, now made here buzzing with attitude. It’s one of Lisbon’s best modern Portuguese taverns or restaurants, so book ahead.

 Address: Largo São Cristóvão nº3, 1100-179 Lisboa (Castelo/Baixa)
 What to order: Lamb croquettes, arroz de pato, chambão sandwich…. 
 Reservations: Essential. Book online months ahead… or show up just before opening and queue. I believe they keep some tables free and only book the first seating, so when tables turn over you’ll get one.

Taberna Sal Grosso – €

Eating here is always great, but somehow everything tastes even best when you book the big table and order everything on the menu at Taberna Sal Grosso. A big black chalkboard dictates the dishes of the moment – usually small and medium-sized plates with everything from tuna pica pau to fried quail to sweet ribs. The food has a distinctively Portuguese root, but it’s more influenced by the world than other modern taverns in Lisbon. 

 Address: Calçada do Forte 22, 1100-256 Lisboa (Alfama) & R. Correia Garção 15, 1200-640 Lisboa (São Bento)
 What to order: Fried baby squid, bacalhau (salted cod), lamb sandwich 
 Reservations: Essential – book online.

Corrupio – €€

It was love at first sight when I entered Corrupio, a downtown Portuguese diner centred around a huge central bar. Even with groups of three or four I prefer to sit at the bar here as you can watch the chefs at work – putting modern spins on traditional Portuguese dishes – and eat atop a piece of art (tile art, no less). To round it out they play good Portuguese music and serve wines from smaller local producers. Two favourites of mine are the corvina (croaker) rice and the octopus salad.

 Address: R. Moeda 1 F/G, 1200-275 Lisboa (Cais do Sodré)
 What to order: Octopus salad, corvina rice 
 Reservations: Best to book online.

Read next: Best places to eat octopus in Lisbon

Obra – €€

Located along Lisbon’s luscious Green Street, Obra is a gem hiding in plain sight. The menu, with roots in Portuguese cooking, is designed to share. Yet the portions are generous  – so bring a few friends! The prawn brioche, a sandwich stuffed with creamy camarão, is a new classic, and I loved the rich depth of the octopus rice. There seemed to be a good number of vegetarian dishes too in case you’re with a vegetarian friend.

 Address: R. da Silva 21, 1200-446 Lisboa (“Green Street”, Santos)
 What to order: Prawn brioche sandwich, octopus rice
 Reservations: Book via Instagram if you can

Taberna da Rua das Flores – €€

I hate queues so I rarely make it to this beautiful restaurant, Taberna da Rua das Flores, which seems to be firmly on the tourist radar as one of Lisbon’s best restaurants. Opened by the brilliant André Magalhães, this was the first of Lisbon’s modern tavern movement, serving delicious traditional dishes with a chef touch in a casual setting. Here you’ll find a menu of top quality local produce used to create both Portuguese plates and dishes inspired by the world. The blackboard changes seasonally, so you never know what will be on offer – but if there scallops are there, don’t miss them.

 Address: Rua das Flores 103 109, 1200-194 Lisboa (Chiado)
 What to order: Scallops, whatever sounds good on the blackboard
 Reservations: Not possible – go early

➼ Wish someone could shortcut your Portugal research? ➼ Talk to me – I offer 1:1 video calls to help people cut through the noise and plan a perfect Portugal itinerary. Find out more here.

ZunZum – €€

Portugal’s top female chef, Marlene Vieira, is behind ZunZum, a clean and modern gastrobar. The former MasterChef judge is best known for elevating Portuguese cuisine to another level and highlights classic Portuguese ingredients in fresh, modern ways. Better yet, the bar mixes a great cocktail and there’s a grocer to take home Portuguese goods.

 Address: Terminal de Cruzeiros de Lisboa, Av. Infante D. Henrique Doca, R. do Jardim do Tabaco do, 1100-651 Lisboa (Alfama)
 What to order: The menu changes season-to-season, go at lunch for the well-priced daily special
 Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

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Brilhante – €€€

For a touch of old-world European dining with a Portuguese twist, try Brilhante. Dare I say this plush red-velvet, gold and leather-clad diner – where life revolves around the bar or in a cosy booth – would make for a brilliant date night. Chef Luís Gaspar has designed a deluxe menu that pays homage to 19th-century Lisbon cafés, with a classic steak (served with a creamy peppery sauce) at the menu’s heart. Beyond that you can indulge with lobster rice, caviar, beef tartare, foie gras and more.

 Address: R. Moeda 1G, 1200-066 Lisboa (Cais do Sodré)
 What to order: bife à Brilhante (the signature steak), lobster rice
 Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

Alma – €€€€ **

With two Michelin stars, chef Henrique Sá Pessoa’s Alma isn’t your everyday diner. There are two tasting menus: one that highlight classic Portuguese flavours, and the other that heroes the coast. With a dining partner you can do both and experience the best of the two. There’s also a la carte if you’re after a real treat yo’self lunch with mains around €40. As you’d expect at a Michelin-starred spot, the service is top, the snacks are great and the wine-list is long.

 Address: R. Anchieta 15, 1200-224 Lisboa (Chiado)
 What to order: Tasting menu
 Reservations: Required

Taberna Albricoque – €€

A stunning century-old dining room meets progressive Portuguese snacks at Taberna Albricoque. This restaurant, opened in 2019 by talented local chef Bertílio Gomes dishes up plates and petiscos inspired by the Algarve region in the south of Portugal. Here you’ll find cockle-filled pastries, oysters from the Ria Formosa and razor clams swimming in garlic and olive oil. It’s a gem next to Lisbon’s Santa Apolonia, where you’ll take a train to Porto, and right by Alfama, Lisbon’s oldest suburb and a place I associate with old ladies and hordes of tourists. Luckily it’s anything but generic.

 Address: Rua dos Caminhos de Ferro nº98, 1100-395 Lisboa (Alfama/Santa Apolonia)
 What to order: rissol de berbigão (signature cockle pastry) and anything seafood
 Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

Read next: Where to find the best Portuguese street food and snacks in Lisbon

Pigmeu – €€

This nose-to-tail pig concept run by local chef Miguel Azevedo Peres is all about pig. The Pigmeu menu nails the perfect mix of traditional and inventive and the bifana is killer, served in a gravy. During the snail season the bacon fat (toucinho) the chef uses really takes the summer staple to a new level. The testicles pica pau? Well, it’s not a favourite version of that dish, but certainly worth trying. The wine list also extends to a few natural and organic options you’re not likely to find at the average tasca. 

 Address: R. 4 de Infantaria 68, 1350-274 Lisboa (Campo de Ourique)
 What to order: The bifana, don’t miss it
 Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

O Frade – €€

Right now I’m loving the bold class of young Portuguese chefs pushing boundaries within their own cuisine. Cousins Carlos Afonso and Sérgio Frade’s progressive take on Alentejo flavours at O Frade earned them a Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2020. Everything is fantastic, but definitely order one of the killer rice dishes: rice with lobster, rice with corvina fish, rice with duck. 

 Address: Calçada da Ajuda 14, 1300-598 Lisboa (Belém)
 What to order: The menu changes season-to-season, go at lunch for the well-priced daily special
Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not

My favourite restaurants for non-Portuguese food in Lisbon

Rosetta’s – €€

It was unexpected love at first bite in Rosetta’s, a tiny produce-driven share-plate restaurant in Bairro Alto. To be honest, I entered with suspicion – in 2024 Lisbon received a huge wave of contemporary share plate spots where you’ll pay too much for very little, but to Rosetta’s I tip my hat. The dish I saw blowing up on Instagram was the crumbed Milanesa with a zesty pea salad, but that was our lowlight. Every other dish – the grilled peaches with burrata, the zucchini fritters with dill, the clams with beurre blanc and smoked ham – were 10/10. Great wine selection too, though on the pricier end.

 Address: R. da Rosa 39, 1200-190 Lisboa (Bairro Alto)
 What to order: The menu changes season-to-season, but everything was excellent
 Reservations: Book ahead online

Paloma Negra – €/€€

I’m a harsh taco critic after a recent trip to Mexico – and I’m happy to report I’ve cancelled my cheap flight alerts thanks to Paloma Negra. This little neighbourhood taqueria feels authentic and fun. The margs are strong, the tacos come fast – so order slowly. Go early enough to get one of the plastic tables in the small courtyard out back. I’m still trying to choose my favourite order – the al pastor, birria, carnitas and fried prawn are all really good. As is the aguachile and the oyster shots. 

 Address: R. Washington 98A, Lisboa (Penha da Franca)
 What to order: Tacos, tacos, tacos
 Reservations: Not possible

Panda Cantina – €

This Chinese canteen only serves one dish: Chinese ramen. And as you’d expect from a spot with just one dish, Panda Cantina does it really damn well. Have your soup/ramen with pork, beef or tofu (beef is best) and pick a spice level from one to five. Spice wise, I’m a three and Jorge is a four. We’ve both spent plenty of time giggling at Europeans who find paprika or ginger spicy, so be warned that a five is seriously hot. Great spot for lunch or cheap dinner – it’s around €10.50 a bowl. Go early and expect to queue.

 Address: There are now 4 locations around town: Baixa, Chiado, Principe Real and Marques
 What to order: Beef ramen is my favourite
 Reservations: Not possible

Read next… Where to eat in Baixa, Lisbon

Bom Bom Bom – €/€€

This spot is more of a vinyl and wine bar than a bistro, so I was pretty impressed by their short yet fantastic menu. There’s a blackboard with a selection of snacky, seasonal dishes such as burrata with strawberries and fennel, or cured horse mackerel in cucumber aguachile. Bom Bom Bom has great wines and an amazing vibe too, obviously.  

 Address: R. Angelina Vidal 5, 1170-166 Lisboa (Graça)
 What to order: Blackboard of changing specials – have trust and try it all
 Reservations: Possible for dinner by phone

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Tozzi – €

Tozzi is not-your-average pizza bar. Here you might find a margarita and diavola, but the other pizzas are topped with wild combinations like pork sausage, scamorza cheese, fermented mustard and dill microgreens. That said, the most important thing is the crust and at Tozzi find long-fermented dough that’s thin and crispy with a puffy crust.

 Address: R. Latino Coelho 69A, 1050-132 Lisboa (Saldanha)
 What to order: Pizza, your choice
 Reservations: Recommended

Lupita is also truly, truly fantastic for pizza, but waiting 45-minutes for a pizza or table isn’t so fun. Jezzus Pizzaria is also great, and Rico Pizza does perfect NY style pizza.

BouBou’s – €€€€

For an off-beat fine dining experience, the more relaxed BouBou’s is a gem in Lisbon’s Príncipe Real neighborhood. Ask for a table in the courtyard and enjoy a tasting menu designed by chef Louise Bourrat, who was winner of the French TV show Top Chef in 2022. You’ll have the choice of two tasting menus, each with 10 moments that makes the most of seasonality, aims for zero waste, and glorifies vegetables (in interesting ways) where possible. 

 Address: R. Latino Coelho 69A, 1050-132 Lisboa (Saldanha)
 What to order: tasting menu
 Reservations: Recommended

Vibe – €€€€

Another one for fine dining lovers, VIBE in Chiado is a fun Michelin-recommended experience by Italian-born chef Mattia Stanchieri. The menu – and cuisine – changes every four or five months, presenting an entirely new experience. I sat down in the moody dining room during Chapter 3: Thailand, which mixed Thai inspiration with European techniques and Portuguese tastes. The bread with sardine naam phrik dip? Fantastic, as was the pad Thai made with squid noodles, and a deconstructed mango sticky rice.

You have a choice of 7-course, 9-course and 12-course menus. Each plate has a matching card, found in a little box on the table, that tells a story about the dish, inspiration, or origins. With the smaller tasting menu priced at €80, this is one of the best-value fine dining experiences in Lisbon (for now).

 Address: R. Horta Seca 5 B, 1200-221 Lisboa (Chiado)
 What to order: 7-course, 9-course and 12-course tasting menus
 Reservations: Recommended

Guelra – €€

I’ve long been a fan of O Frade, one of Lisbon’s first new wave of taverns to reinvent traditional Portuguese cuisine (while not straying too far from the path). From the same owner comes Guelra, a fish-focused diner that has creativity at the forefront. Set in Belém, it’s a refreshing addition to the restaurant scene near one of Portugal’s most important monuments – Jeronymo’s Monastery. I really love the interior, especially the bar, and it’s here I’d come to enjoy a wine paired with some of the curious seafood snacks, from Bacalhau³ (salted cod three ways) to a tuna katsu sandwich.

 Address: R. de Belém 35, 1300-085 Lisboa (Belém)
 What to order: Seafood snacks! Reinterpretations of Portuguese seafood dishes
 Reservations: Book ahead if you can, try a walk-in if not – lots of tables

Bar Alimentar – €€

This buzzy Lisbon restaurant is one of the most fun places to eat in Lisbon right now – as you’d expect from a spot that is a collab between a top chef and creative bartenders. The chef at Tricky’s, João Magalhães Correia, joined forces with Imprensa, one of the best cocktail and oyster bars in the city. Bar Alimentar has the fun vibe of a bar and creative, modern share plates that lean into Italian and Portuguese flavours. Really good.

Address: Rua Nova da Piedade 62, 1200-299 Lisboa (Príncipe Real)
What to order: Bacalhau (salted codfish) cannoli; octopus fregola.
Reservations: Essential, book online.

Pausa by Ruvida – €/€€

For really fantastic pasta, Pausa is one of my favourites. This is the more casual focaccia wine bar connected to Ruvida, an off-beat Italian restaurant that is known for doing it all from scratch (and making pasta with the rolling pin). At Pausa you’ll find a menu of seriously good Italian charcuterie, focaccia pizzas, and simple and classic pastas. The pasta is served in a frying pan with a couple of wedges of focaccia so you can “scarpetta” any leftover sauce. Reasonably priced nice wines too!

 Address: R. de Cascais 15 (Alcântara) and R. de São João da Praça (Alfama)
 What to order: pasta or charcuterie
 Reservations: Easy for walk ins

Zula Bistro – €€

This little Middle Eastern-ish bistro is perfect for a cosy-yet-chic date night when you want something different. We had a fantastic beef tartare with potato latkes and a tahini aioli, lamb kebabs with harissa and potato gratin, and fillets of dourada (sea bass) with green orzo and dried lemon. There is a handful of outdoor tables in a very charming Lisbon square beside a historic fountain.

 Address: Rua da Esperança 6, 1200-267 Lisboa (Santos)
 What to order: A bit of everything
 Reservations: Recommended, especially for the terrace

Hachi Kare-Ya – €/€€

For Japanese curry in Lisbon there is no better spot than Hachi Kare-Ya. You’ll get an excellent curry with breaded chicken, pork or prawns, and even a tornado egg omelette over rice. Cheap, cheerful and really good. I just need to remember to ask them not to put sweet agridoce sauce on the meat.

 Address: R. Frei Francisco Foreiro 8, 1150-166 Lisboa (Anjos), now with a second location in Alameda
 What to order: Japanese curry
 Reservations: Recommended but not essential

Kefi Greek Bistro – €€

This modern Greek bistro comes to us from the people behind two of Lisbon’s great brunch spots (Seagull Method and Heim). What that means is excellent, well-plated food, affordable prices and a gorgeous space. Kefi is all about aesthetics with an interior entirely coated in sandstone tones and pops of that bright cobalt blue we all associate with Greece. The food is more Mediterranean with a Greek root, plated to please but not lacking in flavour. Best of all, it’s well-priced and ready to share.

 Address: Calçada da Estrela 187, 1200-665 Lisboa (Estrela)
 What to order: Everything is excellent
 Reservations: Recommended

AnNam – €

Vietnamese cuisine is a rare find in Lisbon and this newcomer is great for when cravings hit. Specialising in street food, AnNam is a super casual spot with bun cha, bo bun, pho and bahn mi, plus you can order off menu if there’s a Vietnamese dish you miss.

 Address: R. de Santa Marta 2 2A, 1150-295 Lisboa (Avenida Liberdade)
 What to order: Bo bun or pho
 Reservations: Go early at lunch, it’s small

Krua Thai – €

It’s Friday night and I don’t feel like cooking? Back in Australia I’d call my local Thai restaurant for an excellent pad thai and duck basil. That hasn’t been possible in Lisbon until now. Krua Thai is – by far – the best Thai food I’ve found in the city. This takeaway-only window offers all the Thai favourites (and then some) for under €10 a dish.

 Address: R. das Farinhas 8, 1100-179 Lisboa (Mouraria)
 What to order: Pad see ew, green curry
 Reservations: take away only

Taberna do Mar – €€/€€€

The grilled sardine nigiri hold a special place in my mind (and heart) and I think of them often. Chef Filipe Rodrigues, who runs this small restaurant, invented this bite – the perfect combination of Japan and Portugal – while working at Sea Me (one of Lisbon’s best seafood restaurants), and now serves it in the well-priced fishy tasting menu that includes (I believe) 10 bites for around €40. The hack my friends do is order a double serve of the sardine nigiri, because one is just never enough. 

 Address: Calçada da Graça 20 B, 1100-266 Lisboa (Graça)
 What to order: Tasting menu with extra nigiri
 Reservations: Essential

My “to-eat” list

I’m a last-minute planner by nature and my brain doesn’t really function when I’m hungry, which means my to-eat file keeps growing as I fall back on the same places. I’m publishing my current Lisbon restaurants “to-eat list” as much to remind myself to check these places out as to give you a few more potential options. I can promise that these spots are (probably) fantastic.

• Solar dos Presuntos
• Sala de João Sa
• Plano
• ISCO
• ARCA
• Old House
• Feitoria
• Tati
• Essencial
• Fogo

Frequently asked questions about eating out in Lisbon….

What are typical dishes and good places to eat in Lisbon, Portugal?

Step outside and you’ll find great places to eat all across the city. I suggest starting any visit to Lisbon with a local tasca – that’s a humble Portuguese bistro or tavern, and I’ve rounded up my favourite here. This is where you’ll find the locals with authentic traditional Portuguese food – if the menu is scrawled on a paper table in Portuguese only, you’ve found the opposite of a tourist trap.

What are the best street foods to try in Lisbon?

Bifanas, pasteis de bacalhau, ginjinha…. I’ve listed the best street food in Lisbon (and where to find it) here.

What are some good and cheap places to eat in Lisbon, Portugal?

Anywhere that’s a tasca is good and cheap, especially at lunch. Around the city there are some cheap-and-cheerful spots – scroll up and look for places with one euro sign €.

What are the best seafood restaurants in Lisbon?

Ramiro, listen above, would come out on top when it comes to seafood restaurants. In Portuguese you can search for “marisqueira” or “cervejaria” and you’ll find places that specialise in seafood, particularly prawns, shellfish, oysters etc sold by weight. You’ll find grilled fish on any traditional menu.

Loved this list of Lisbon’s best restaurants? Leave me a comment!

Keep reading…

• Where to find the best Portuguese street food and snacks in Lisbon
• Best places to eat octopus in Lisbon
• Lisbon restaurants open Sunday and Monday
• 13 best day trips from Lisbon

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