103 Best Restaurants in Lisbon, Portugal

Locals head to this small pastry shop whenever they crave something sweet. It’s around the corner from the Jardim da Parada, and not far from the Mercado de Campo de Ourique.

Widely considered one of Lisbon's best pizzerias, Lupita is the product of a Brazilian chef turning out Italian-style pies. The dining room is no-frills—guests sit on tiny stools at low tables, and the line is usually down the block—and the pizzas are both simple and playful. There are standard margherita, pepperoni, and the like, but also burrata, carbonara, and shakshuka pies. There's even an unironic pineapple-and-bacon option.

The custard tarts at this tiny shop rival those of the famous shop in Belém for the title of the best pastéis de nata in town. A bell is rung every time a batch emerges warm from the oven. Eat at the counter and watch the tarts being made, or take away a box of half a dozen to enjoy later.

This trendy café and restaurant aims to be exactly what its name implies: a gathering spot for residents and locals in Intendente. The terrace is almost always busy, and laptops are welcome inside, allowing people to work and socialize. It's a rare café that functions well from breakfast and coffee straight through to dinner and cocktails. 

This typical restaurant opened in 1966, and very little has changed since then; it's a wonderful journey back in time. The menu hits all the Portuguese classics—including fire-grilled steaks, amêijoas à Bulhão Pato (clams steamed in wine and garlic), and a full-on cozido à portuguêsa (stew with all the meats you can think of)—but the main reason to go is the impeccably fresh fish and seafood.

Before the World Expo in Lisbon in 1998, this place was called Green Apple (in English) and was just another snack bar selling hamburgers. After the Expo, owners Zé Carlos and Dona Laura translated the name and the menu back into Portuguese. Now it's a spacious tavern with lots of light and Portuguese flavors on the plates.

Offering a little respite from the rowdy nightlife of Pink Street, this cute café-bar doubles as a bookstore, and it's not unusual to see live jazz or jam sessions. The bright primary colors and painted ceiling give it the look of a cozy kids' corner, but the coffees and cocktails are strictly for grown-ups.

Shortly after opening, this restaurant was distinguished with the Associazione Verace Pizza Napoletana certificate of authenticity. The ingredients are imported directly from Naples and used not just in the pizzas but in all the Italian specialties.

The late-night fueling stop of choice for many a hard-partying Lisboeta, A Merendeira's specialty is as simple as it is delicious: pão com chouriço (sausage baked into a bread roll). Grab one to go, or sit down and enjoy it with a bowl of caldo verde (cabbage soup).

This peachy pink all-day café serves breakfast and brunch plates nonstop along with coffee and cocktails. Find plenty of vegetarian and vegan-friendly options in the extensive menu that mixes brunch culture and Portuguese cuisine with a healthy homemade twist.

Perhaps the best place in the city to watch the sunset, the menu here is like at every other kiosk in the city, but there's friendly table service and great people-watching.

This relaxed coastal eatery runs the gamut from great breakfast and brunch options to natural wines. A warm Ukrainian-Russian couple opened this dog-friendly café and bar close to the beach. Choose from a great selection of wine by the glass or bottle and an all-day menu with dishes such as traditional cheese pancakes called syrniki and a confit duck burger.

The self-anointed Beer Museum is a spectacularly colorful temple to the brew; it also hosts a branch of the Casa Portuguesa de Pastel do Bacalhau, a pit stop that is all about the codfish cake—a traditional Portuguese snack that here (to the horror of gastronomic traditionalists) comes with a rich creamy cheese filling. They also serve light lunches and good coffee.

An Italian family opened this small ice-cream shop around the corner from the Parliament building (and just a short walk from the Jardim do Príncipe Real), and it immediately drew locals who don’t mind waiting in line to try the variety of flavors. They're served in a cup or cone, with or without whipped cream on top.

This offshoot of a long-established uptown restaurant is worth seeking out if you yearn for classic Mughlai food. There's a huge range of dishes, with plenty of vegetarian options, all excellent value. Service is friendly and efficient, too!

Neighbourhood was a pioneer in Lisbon's specialty coffee scene when it opened in 2019, and it still offers a wide selection of top-quality caffeinated drinks, including batch brew and V60. There are also snacks like banana bread, and bigger meals like breakfast burritos and Turkish eggs.

One of the most fun vegetarian restaurants in town, O Gambuzino lists its ever-changing daily specials on a chalkboard menu but always highlights fresh vegetables and other products from a place called the Fruta Feia ("Ugly Fruit") co-op. You get the sustainability angle, but the pleasure is also there, with a menu full of global influences. Sample dishes include kimchi rice balls, gazpacho served in crunchy puri wheat puffs, and lettuce tacos filled with giant mushrooms that were locally grown in recycled coffee grounds.

A good selection of pastries, a decent brunch menu, great coffee, and friendly service make this French-style café a good choice at the start of your day, whatever time that may be. Brunch is served until 3 pm, and light lunch options are also available.

One of the city's best tascas (traditional no-frills restaurants), O Zé da Mouraria features hearty traditional fare every lunchtime. It's a simple place but the servings are large enough to share, the wine list is decent, and the food is an excellent value.

A highlight among the food trucks in the hipster venue 8 Marvila, Oficina Craft Snackery specializes in "decadent," artisanal smashed-patty burgers. The menu is brief but hits all the bases, ranging from a double beef burger with bacon and cheddar to a portobello burger with red coleslaw and lime sauce. There are chicken and fish options too.

The south of the river is more than just seafood. If you’re craving Italian, Valdo Gatti serves artisanal wood-fired pizza crafted with Italian and Portuguese ingredients. The dough is left to rise slowly for two days before it reaches your plate.  

Delicious vegan dishes (think mango-and-tofu curry or seitan steak) ensure that there's always a line for a table in this restaurant's extremely colorful dining room or on the pleasant patio next to the botanical gardens. It’s part of a Buddhist center where a small shop stocks books, incense, homeopathic medicines, and other products, and yoga and meditation classes take place upstairs.

This tiny welcoming Italian restaurant serves small plates designed to be shared among friends. There are excellent imported cheeses, sausages, and wines alongside mains and desserts typical of the Sardinia region.

Portugal produces fantastic oysters, and this solar-powered food truck located next to the Discoveries Monument is a top spot to try them. “Oysters on Wheels” brings fresh bivalves from the Sado River, an hour south of Lisbon, to the capital. Pair a couple or a dozen with a glass of Portuguese sparkling wine and enjoy the million-dollar waterfront views.

Although the name translates as "Bread Bread Cheese Cheese," this bustling place serves much more than these two staples. Expect lines out the door as hungry sightseers and locals line up to take their pick from a huge variety of sandwiches, salads, falafel, and wraps.

The food at this wood-paneled restaurant is expertly prepared and comes in portions big enough to share. It’s a popular choice in the neighborhood, especially in the summer when they bring out the grilled fish.

Many a Lisboeta would argue that Careca, which has been cooking up pastries since 1954, serves the best sweet croissants in town. Try them for yourself at this simple-but-smart café—best enjoyed outside on the terrace with a coffee or fresh orange juice.

The cakes and pastries in this shop, from the classic pastéis de nata to croissants and Christmas miniatures, are high quality and made fresh daily.

You’ll likely walk past this pastry shop on your way to the castle; step inside to see bakers whipping up a fresh batch of pastéis de nata.