Portugal boasts 356 recipes for codfish, pastries to calm even the sweetest sweet tooth and imported African spices that will knock your socks off. In Lisbon, people like to eat big, eating a three-course meal at both lunch and dinner. It is a common misconception that the Portuguese only eat fish, though cod is a staple of many meals. Here’s your guide to the best eats (not just fish) in Lisbon, Portugal.
Sample the local favorites. Lisbon's signature dish is the bacalhau a lagareiro (oven-baked cod with olive oil and small potatoes). It’s a large and heavy meal that will stick to your belly, but it has a wonderful flavor and a rich cultural history. You’ll also want to try the salade de polvo (squid salad), ameijoa de bulhao pato (clams in a thin duck sauce), porco de alentejana (pork and clams) bacalhau a braz (salt cod) and a favorite for sugar fiends: mousse de chocolate. Yes, that’s right, good old-fashioned chocolate mousse.
Search the narrow streets in Alfama for an authentic and local meal. Locals eat lunch around 2 p.m. and when you stumble across a restaurant with a Portuguese-only menu and a ton of locals, you’ll know you’ve found your gem. Understand that the tiny restaurants in Alfama look and feel like dives because it isn’t what’s on the outside that counts in this little neighborhood. Peel away the layers for a perfectly delicious and authentic Portuguese meal.
Bairro Alto is a step away from the tourist-filled Alfama district and this is an area on your gastronomical tour that you won’t want to miss. At A Componesa, trendy food meets Portuguese staples to provide a truly authentic and unique food experience. The ubiquitous azulejo-tiled mosaics provide the Portuguese ambiance while the best arroz de polvo (octopus rice) provides the taste. In Bairro Alto and at A Componesa, a three-course menu, including wine, will cost no more than EUR 20, while the a la carte offerings will please those on a budget at about EUR 10.
Portugal is the seventh largest wine producer in the world and while port is the most well-known, madeira is of equal importance. Don’t miss the selection of wines at Adivinho (off of Madalena), which is a young wine shop with an old wine cellar. Check out Adivinho’s rotating schedule of events, tastings and lovely wine selection. Don’t leave Lisbon without tasting or buying the Esperao Reserve.
The Portuguese love baked goods and the best patisseries can be found in the historical Rossio Square. Check out the alfresco dining at Pasteleria Suica. Order a pasteis de nata (pudding/mousse) and a bica (Portuguese espresso) and enjoy your sweets while watching all the activity on the open square.
Fado might be what many consider the flamenco of Portugal. This traditional Portuguese song is an emotional draw to the Portuguese culture. Sung with the accompaniment of three or four guitars, it is a must-see for visitors. The best place to see Fado is Senhor Vinho in the Lapa area with its upscale decorations and fixed cover. Even if you’re just going for the song, you’ll still pay for the food, which is an array of codfish cakes, olives, bread, pâté and sausages.
Tasco da Se is a local favorite in the Alfama neighborhood. Like all the restaurans in this district, it has a faceless front, but tucked in behind the doors is a hidden gem. The cover will be served immediately to you and will include something like a fish pâté, cheese paste, and some sort of meat, cheese and bread plate. If the cover doesn’t interest you, don’t worry; you only pay for what you eat. For your meal, order the porco de alentejana (pork with clams).
Another food friend you’ll find in Alfalma is the quaint little Lautasco, which is located in a backyard. The ambiance is spectacular! Enjoy the sparkle of the small lights that are crammed into the gum trees while you enjoy all the traditional Portuguese starters like petiscos. I recommend the fish, which could be getting a bit ubiquitous at this point, but when in Rome...
Check out Adega Ze da Viola. You’ll notice it by its gaudy facade: an Azulejos-tiled mosaic of a monk, which will more than certainly encourage you to enter on curiosity alone. Sample the joaquizinhos fritos, which is Adega Ze da Viola’s signature dish. These microfish are grilled to Portugeuse perfection.
