56 Best Restaurants in Lisbon, Portugal

Dating from 1905, Lisbon’s most famous café maintains its dazzling art deco interior, though you'll probably prefer to take a quick peek and then settle in at one of the handful of tables outside to watch the lively street scenes unfold. The coffee no longer comes exclusively from the former colony that gave the place its name, but it still serves some of the best in town, alongside tasty cakes, pastries, and artfully-presented fish and seafood dishes.

When you eat at this restaurant—situated in the luxurious Palácio do Governador and named for the Roman amphorae uncovered beneath the site—you'll feel as if you're dining in the vaulted halls of a castle. There's nothing old-fashioned about the food though: Chef Vera Silva has created a spectacular menu of dishes that combine traditional ingredients with modern techniques.

José Avillez, one of the city's most distinguished chefs, has created his own foodie "neighborhood" incorporating a range of dining styles. For formal meals, there's the spectacular Páteo (a wrought-iron balcony encircles the room, which is illuminated by an enormous skylight) and a more casual tavern called Taberna (the kind of place where haunches of ham hang over the bar). Then there's Pizzaria Lisboa, where the thin-crust pies are prepared with great care; and Mini Bar, a secluded and dimly-lit spot for intimate drinks and small plates for sharing. 

The cool, colorful restaurant on the ground floor of the Internacional Design Hotel in the heart of the Baixa is as cheeky and irreverent as its name suggests. Expect the unexpected on the menu, which takes the country's culinary traditions on fantastic flights of fancy in dishes like octopus with sweet potato, Bourbon, kimchi, and black garlic. The restaurant and the adjoining bar welcome non-guests.

With two Michelin stars, Belcanto is another jewel in the crown of celebrity chef José Avillez and is one of Lisbon's most celebrated restaurants. Widely credited with putting Avillez (and Portuguese cuisine) on the culinary world stage, the restaurant uses the latest gastronomic techniques to update traditional dishes. The dining room is just as refined, with every course placed before you with a flourish by an expert staff.

Once a staff canteen serving hearty Portuguese dishes to factory workers, Cantina LX has incorporated elements of its original 1870s incarnation into today’s industrial-chic space. Adventurous eaters enjoy the grilled rabbit, lamb, and octopus dishes, but there are always vegetarian options too.

A beloved local institution, Cantinho do Aziz is one of the best places in Lisbon to try African cuisine. The interior is cozy and welcoming, but in the summer you'll want to take a seat at one of the tables on the cobblestones outside. The menu at the low-key, relaxed spot features fragrant and spicy dishes like bakra (spicy lamb ribs) or prawns cooked with okra and coconut milk. There's always at least one vegan dish, and the homemade hot sauce will have you reaching for an ice cold beer or glass of wine. 

Originally a social club for the people hailing from the region of Alentejo, this hidden restaurant is found on the upper floor of a Moorish-style building from the 1800s. There's a formal dining room serving classic northern Portuguese dishes like carne de porco à alentejana (pork with clams), and a relaxed terrace specializing in petiscos and very affordable jugs of house wine.

Lisbon’s beer halls tend to be noisy, crowded places, but those looking for more sophisticated atmosphere should head to this upscale eatery with towering murals and handsome wood paneling tucked inside the Tivoli Avenida Liberdade hotel. You'll find traditional fish or meat dishes listed on the menu, and they’re served with flair by an attentive staff.

Although the name suggests it's only open to members of the press, the Brazilian-owned Journalists' Club is an excellent restaurant open to everyone. It has a cozy dining room lined with azulejo tiles, but in the summer everyone usually heads straight to the pleasant garden and plops down at one of the umbrella-shaded tables.

Tropical blues, greens, and yellows make this dining room a standout, as does the lively soundtrack coming from the speakers and the excellent dishes from northeast Brazil. Enjoy a classic feijoada (rich black bean and meat stew), sip a potent caipirinha, and finish your meal with a passionfruit mousse or fresh tropical fruit.

Occupying a corner of one of downtown’s grandest squares, Delfina Cantina Portuguesa bills itself as an upscale Portuguese deli. It's the house restaurant at the chic AlmaLusa boutique hotel, but all are welcome to enjoy the tapas-style small plates throughout the day and night, as well as more substantial meals like bacalhau à brás (rich shredded cod).

A long-time foodie favorite with a cool, contemporary design, this restaurant has undergone many changes over the decades but continues to impress with its food, drink, and attentive service. Alongside the fish and meat dishes that dominate the menu, there are sophisticated petiscos (appetizers) available from 3 pm. Diners can choose to eat in the handsome dining room or outside on the pretty, tiled terrace. 

Expect culinary wizardry at this award-winning restaurant headed by acclaimed chef André Cruz, who honed his talents in Portugal and South America. There's no à la carte menu, but diners can take their pick from traditional or vegetarian tasting menus of seven or nine courses each.

Bringing along the famously glitzy chandelier from its much-missed location in Bairro Alto, this cutting-edge restaurant is now located within the cool confines of the Time Out Market in Cais do Sodré. The menu still lists cutting-edge versions of Portuguese classics—tuna with allspice, and a famous açorda, that bread-based stew rich in seafood (the luxury version contains lobster) and flavored with garlic and cilantro.

Although it’s quite spacious and comfortable inside, most people choose to sit at one of the many tables outside facing Restauradores Square. Waiters rush from table to table, mostly serving super fresh seafood and grilled fish and meats.

Seasonal, locally-sourced ingredients are the stars of the show at this chic but relaxed restaurant, where plants hang from the ceiling and contemporary furnishings keep things feeling serene. The presentation is on par with some of the city's most acclaimed restaurants.

You don't need to be a guest at snazzy Chiado hotel The Ivens in order to snag at table at its most glamorous restaurant, but you will need to book in advance: these are some of the most coveted seats in town. Perch yourself on one of the high seats for communal dining and watch the talented mixologists create the perfect cocktail to accompany light sharing dishes like tuna tartare with wasabi pearls and avocado. Negroni lovers are in for a treat: there's an entire menu dedicated to the drink, and the Negroni de Cacau is dangerously delicious. 

This restaurant is a modern spin on Lisbon's traditional fish markets and beer halls, with a dash of Japanese flair. Take your pick from vast glass display cabinets of fish and crustaceans, and have it prepared on the spot in a variety of ways, whether it's dunked whole into the cooking pot or fileted and tossed onto the grill. Alongside the Chiado original, there's a smaller branch inside Time Out market. 

This restaurant facing the courtyard of the Hotel Valverde focuses on contemporary Portuguese cuisine reinterpreted by the chef. Its brunch and afternoon tea is popular among locals who work nearby and those looking for a more intimate spot.

In business for nearly a century, "The House of the Little Birds" is a lunchtime favorite for workers in the nearby office complex, and at night it draws mainly locals from the neighborhood in search of a home-cooked meal. Come for the house specialties, which include the famous naco na pedra (steak cooked on a hot stone), vitela barrosã (tender veal from the north), and açorda de gambas (shrimp and bread stew).

Imaginative small plates are the main attraction at this trendy seafood-focused spot, which also has nice vegan options. The ceviche is hugely popular, and with good reason. There's even a fish-free version made with tofu.

In this traditional restaurant, one of the oldest in Lisbon, the courteous staff serve up Portuguese classics and pair them with one of the 600 choices on the wine list. In the charmingly old-fashioned dining room, bottles are on display like works of art.

Chef Henrique Sá Pessoa’s fine-dining restaurant moved from its original location in Santos to Chiado in 2015, but the name was the only thing that was inherited from the previous space. The decor became darker and minimalist, and the entire menu was changed, adding a slight Asian touch to the contemporary Portuguese cuisine. His hard work paid off—the restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in just a few months, and by 2022 had gained a second of the coveted stars. 

Take a seat beneath twisting grape vines for drinks and snacks at one of the most inviting terraces in Alfama. The menu is strong on fresh ingredients and healthier versions of fast-food favorites, prepared with care. There are vegetarian and gluten-free versions of many of the most popular items on the menu, including hemp fried chicken (the veggie version is made with cauliflower) and a signature Big Antù burger. 

In an alley between Praça dos Restauradores and Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, this eatery known locally as Rei dos Frangos (King of Chickens) specializes in spit-roasted chicken served with a home-made peri-peri sauce that locals swear is the best in the city. One chicken easily serves two hungry diners, but leave room for the famously crispy fries.

The largest of Cacilhas's many marisqueiras (traditional seafood restaurants), Cabrinha has been doing a roaring business among locals and out-of-towners since 1978. Crustaceans of all shapes and sizes are priced by weight, while steaks, grilled fish, and the famous seafood stew will satisfy a hearty appetite without blowing the budget.