The 32 best restaurants in Lisbon

The bitoque (a dish with steak, a fried egg, chips and rice served here with a delicious, garlic-heavy sauce) is probably the most famous dish at Adega Solar Minhoto – in fact, it recently made our list of the 10 best steaks in the world. The restaurant specialises in dishes from the Minho area of northern Portugal and you’ll find generous portions of regional comfort food on the menu, from rojões (fried pork) and cabidela (poultry and rice) to bacalhau à minhota and lamprey (available upon request when in season, though there have been better years for it). The restaurant can accommodate around 45 people across the two dining rooms and the outdoor seating area, but it’s best to arrive early as they don’t take reservations.

Named after the idyllic village of Azenhas do Mar, where this restaurant is located, this classic fish and seafood eatery features a glass-walled dining room overlooking the pool and the Azenhas do Mar beach. The views are spectacular, no matter if the skies are blue or if there’s a storm howling and choppy seas. There’s plenty to choose from, from amêijoas à Bulhão Pato (clams in a garlicky sauce) to octopus salad, from barnacles to crab, and even locally sourced fish sold by weight, which can either be grilled or salt-baked.

Perhaps the most iconic Michelin-starred restaurant in Portugal, Belcanto owes its fame to José Avillez and his impeccable team. Ranked 25th in the 50 Best list, and with two Michelin stars, Belcanto offers a unique experience from the moment you step through the door. In an elegant yet relaxed setting, designed to help everyone feel at ease and enjoy the experience, the chef offers two tasting menus. The classics menu (€235) showcases the restaurant’s signature dishes, while the landscapes menu (€250) tells the story of Belcanto’s constant evolution. Next door is vegetarian restaurant Encanto, where Avillez earned a Michelin star in under a year.

Boubou’s opened as a bistro in 2018, where meals quickly turned into feasts. Over time, thanks to her experimentation, Louise Bourrat found her way. Boubou’s is now a creative, dynamic and unique fine-dining restaurant, shaped by the Luso-French chef, who won France’s Top Chef TV show in 2022. There are two tasting menus (one of which is vegetarian), and diners can choose between a seven- and 10-course option (€95-€125). The tasting menus are undoubtedly the best way to get to know Louise and her cooking. The cuisine is international with a French touch, and the menu changes with the seasons and depending on what Louise feels inspired by.

Canalha opened around a year ago, but thanks to its immediate success, it feels as though it has been around for far longer. Credit must go to João Rodrigues, who, after leaving Feitoria (the Michelin-starred restaurant he led for 15 years) and travelling the country with his culinary project Residência, has settled on Rua da Junqueira, opening a straightforward restaurant where the focus is on quality ingredients. The chef explains: ‘At Canalha, we don’t hide our ingredients – you know exactly what you’re eating. It’s very direct cooking. If it’s squid, you’ll be able to identify the squid on your plate.’ This isn’t just a random example – grilled line-caught squid with sheep’s butter (€25) is one of his signature dishes. At the entrance, there’s a display of meat, fish, and seafood to be prepared to your liking, meaning there are plenty of off-menu options too. 

While it's true that steak served on a sizzling hot stone has been its claim to fame for years, there are many reasons why dozens of diners keep returning to Casa dos Passarinhos. This place is almost always busy, which is always a good sign. The menu is extensive, with about thirty starters, plus half a dozen daily specials, mostly grilled and stewed dishes. The grill is exemplary, as our critic José Margarido assures. Whether it's fish or meat, it’s always perfectly cooked. And then there's the fried cuttlefish, which seldom disappoints.

The area is in a state of chaos due to the construction works that have taken over Santa Apolónia, but Casanova remains steadfast in the spot it occupied back when Lux nightclub was the only thing around. Two decades later, interestingly, the nightclub and the pizzeria are the last ones standing. The pizzas continue to draw a devoted crowd. These days, it might not seem all that extraordinary, but it’s worth remembering that back in 2000 (when Maria Paola Porru first opened Casanova) it wasn’t so easy to find good thin, crispy pizzas baked in a wood-fired oven – and despite how common these kinds of pizzerias have become, it’s still hard to find ones where the quality is this high.

Erica Porru's restaurant has established itself as a cult spot in Beato. The daughter of the legendary Maria Paola, founder of the Casanostra and Casanova restaurants, Erica has been forging her own path in the kitchen after a career as a makeup artist in the film industry (to which the restaurant’s name pays homage). It’s no surprise, then, that Clube de Vídeo is filled with beautiful film posters, nor that its clientele is predominantly artists from various disciplines. Open only for lunch, it serves simple, well-executed pasta dishes, from lasagnas to conchiglioni with ricotta and pistachio, and always offers delightful desserts at fair prices, such as panna cotta and tiramisu. All in all, it’s a good vibe.

The owners of Copo Largo, Miguel Rodrigues and Filipe Ramalho, previously worked at other 21st-century taverns, having learned their craft at places like Sal Grosso and the now-closed Salmoura. This is Portuguese cuisine for the post-Maria de Lourdes Modesto, post-Avillez, post-Michelin generation: these are traditional recipes with bite, which often feature daring twists. Here you’ll find sharing plates, with bistro aesthetics and Portuguese flavours, plated without too much fanfare: think croquettes in brioche with jus, beef tongue with chickpeas and pennyroyal, pork with migas (a traditional bread-based dish), and sarrabulho (a pork blood-based dish) rice pudding.

Corrupio was born at the end of 2022, and the vision was clear from the start: focus on Portuguese cuisine, hand-pick the ingredients, and pair the dishes with the finest wines. Behind the counter are two alumni of O Frade: chef Daniel Ferreira and sous-chef Rafael Prates. The counter itself is the centrepiece of the restaurant, designed by Pedrita, who also created the wall panel. Each seat is unique, and the design is distinctive. The menu is perfect for sharing, with standout comforting dishes like the grilled croaker with fresh lemon and coriander rice, or goat with rice, sausages and orange. Be sure to ask about off-menu items as there's always a surprise or two (and from Monday to Friday, there's a separate lunch menu, with traditional Portuguese dishes).

Every single dish by Pedro Pena Bastos demands your attention, and in every dish, the chef experiments and demonstrates his great skill. They’re beautiful yes, but more than that, the dishes at Cura are full of soul and flavour. He pays close attention to the season and the best Portuguese ingredients on offer, presenting two menus: one with ten courses (€185) and another with five courses (€145). Cura is located in the Ritz, and it’s as bold as the hotel was when it first opened. The service is immaculate yet never overbearing.

First, a heads-up: you need to book in advance to secure a spot at Das Flores. Trying to get in without a reservation is almost impossible. The reason is simple: there are few places like this left in Lisbon, where the food is both good and affordable. Despite several threats of closure due to building renovations, Das Flores and its immaculate cooking remain intact. The freshly fried croquettes are a must, whether as a starter or a main dish accompanied by tomato rice. The cod and liver dishes are also renowned. In short, everything is homemade and served in generous portions – just make sure to save room for dessert.

At this Coura-inspired eatery – by which we mean it's run by people from Paredes de Coura, in the north of Portugal – there’s not one dish that disappoints. The seafood pasta, grilled octopus, and excellent grilled meats and fish are always safe bets. When they’re in season, it's one of the best places in the city to enjoy lamprey, which is sourced from Alto Minho. If you want to try the cozido à portuguesa (Portuguese stew), which is served on Wednesdays and Saturdays only, you’ll need to arrive early, as it is particularly popular. From starters to desserts, it's hard to pass up anything on the menu.

When it comes to French cuisine in Portugal, the name André Lança Cordeiro often comes up, but it wouldn’t be entirely accurate to call what the chef does at Essencial, his Bairro Alto restaurant, French cuisine. Instead, it’s more accurately described as exceptional cuisine that combines predominantly Portuguese ingredients with French techniques, inspired by the chef’s years in France. This results in dishes like vol-au-vent with lobster and sweetbreads or beef and truffle pithivier. For dessert, the salted caramel mille-feuille has been a standout from the start, as well as the pistachio and yuzu Paris-Brest. There are two menu options: a simpler one (€50), where customers choose a starter, main, and dessert, and a tasting menu (€85). The wine list is interesting and carefully curated by Daniel Rocha e Silva.

Although he was relatively unknown before 2022, today chef André Cruz is anything but overlooked. The calm and confidence with which he took on the challenge of leading Feitoria has made it one of the most exciting fine-dining restaurants in the city. There’s interaction at the table, both from the front-of-house team and the kitchen staff, as well as from the chef himself, who maintains a close relationship with small producers (as well as personally managing an organic garden and beehives, and raising animals). The result is ingredient-focused food that’s unpretentious, presented in two menus: a seven-course option (€160) and an eight-course option (€180), along with two vegetarian menus (€120 and €140).

Back in 2001, when Gil Fernandes was too young even to imagine himself in the kitchen, Fortaleza do Guincho earned its first Michelin star, which it has maintained to this day. Fast forward to 2024, and Gil is now the face of the restaurant. Taking inspiration from the sea which practically laps at the restaurant’s door and diving into its history, the chef showcases his craft through two tasting menus, featuring distinctly Portuguese flavours presented in a creative, dynamic, and highly skilled way. Since he took over from Miguel Rocha Vieira in 2018 – becoming, at just 28 years old, the youngest chef at that time to have a Michelin star – Gil has established himself as a breath of fresh air in this historic hotel.

A classic is always a classic, and few places have the ability to dazzle like Gambrinus. It’s the most famous establishment on Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, and here, everything is done the old way, whether at the bar or in the restaurant's dining area. The two spaces offer distinct experiences: the bar offers a sense of intimacy, while the dining room provides a more secluded atmosphere – perhaps why it’s so popular with the elite. Don’t be intimidated by the closed door and the weighty history; Gambrinus is worth a visit, even if only to try what are probably the best croquettes in Lisbon (and you don't need to spend much for that). If you do want to try more on the menu, there’s plenty to pique your interest – where else would you find partridge or lobster pie and crêpes Suzette on the menu?

It’s a permanent fixture on the list of the best Japanese restaurants in Lisbon, and even still, Go Juu goes almost unnoticed. The restaurant is led by a team of former disciples of Aya, the now-closed restaurant which played a significant part in the development of Japanese cuisine in Portugal (there’s even a paragraph in tribute to Aya and its former chef Takashi Yoshitake on Go Juu’s menu). Since opening in 2015, Go Juu has stayed true to traditional Japanese cuisine, using fresh ingredients prepared with refined, delicate technique. The experience differs between lunch and dinner, and for this reason, the omakase menus (€77–€110) are only served at the counter during dinner. From Thursday to Saturday evenings, these spots are primarily reserved for members of the Go Juu Club, though it’s still possible to secure a seat with advance booking.

If there’s a more authentic Minho-style restaurant in Lisbon, we’re not aware of it. Much of its charm comes from Senhor João, the heart of the restaurant, and Dona Adelaide, who runs the kitchen like no other. Whether you’re a long-time patron or a first-time visitor, this couple (who come from Ponte da Barca in the Minho region of northern Portugal) gives you a warm welcome that’s free of pretension, as if you were family. Depending on the day, you might find minhota-style cod, chanfana (goat stew), Portuguese stew, or roasted young goat. Depending on the season, Lamprey is also available.

The space is small but full of charm. The counter seats fewer than 20 people and is partly illuminated by red neon lights. The atmosphere is frenetic: the music is loud, conversations are lively, and in the kitchen (which is right in front of you), it’s hard to keep up with the fast-paced (yet highly organised) action. That’s Izakaya, the second restaurant from Tiago Penão, located just a few metres from Kappo. And that’s how izakayas in Japan are. Put simply, they can be described as places where food is served to accompany drinks. Just like in a proper Japanese tavern, there are plenty of sake options to pair with your meal (available either by the glass or bottle), as well as classic izakaya-style cocktails. As for the food, there’s plenty of small, sharable dishes (designed to be shared at the counter) for you to choose from.

It’s no exaggeration to say that the opening of JNcQUOI marks something of a before and after for restaurants in Lisbon. Today, many restaurants are stylish, trendy, and boast impressive counters, but that wasn’t quite the case back in 2017. The quality of the food is also extremely high, which is unsurprising given the Amorim Luxury Group’s high standards, unwillingness to leave anything to chance, and readiness to invest whatever is necessary to provide the best experience. António Bóia, the group’s executive chef, is a champion of traditional cuisine but also introduces international dishes to the menu, now with the help of chef Filipe Carvalho (formerly of Fifty Seconds). There are different menus across the main restaurant (where the focal point of the dining room is a velociraptor skeleton), the Delibar (with its 48-seat counter), and the terrace, but one of JNcQUOI Avenida’s great strengths is that everything can be ordered anywhere. It’s a similar story a few doors down at JNcQUOI Asia, and here you’ll also find the tucked-away Chinese restaurant Frou Frou. Here, the dinosaur is replaced by a dragon, the décor embraces Asian motifs, and the open kitchen brings flavours from across the continent. And the story doesn’t end here.

A few years ago, Mrs. Yi used to run a restaurant out of her home in Mouraria. Eventually, she found a spot in the Columbia Shopping Centre – it might not be directly accessible from the street, but at least it’s open to the public, much to our delight. Here, she serves Chinese street food, mainly from the Sichuan and Shandong regions, to a cheerful crowd of loyal patrons, who range from Erasmus students to young Chinese diners and Portuguese fans of dishes like cumin-spiced skewers, spicy peanut soups, sweet potato noodles, and egg and leek pancakes. The must-try dish is the grilled pig’s trotters – an unexpected but delicious delicacy that Mrs. Yi always serves with a smile.

Occupying the spot that used to house the restaurant Calcutá, Laranja Tigre draws its inspiration from Goa, with chef Hugo Brito – known for his work at Boi-Cavalo – crafting the menu with a personal touch, steering away from strict traditionalism. The cuisine here is Goan, but not at all traditional. It’s contemporary, designed to Brito’s taste. To develop the menu, the chef studied Goan recipes, fully aware that this is neither his story nor the owners’ (Afonso de Melo and Ricardo Regal). For that reason, Hugo didn’t want to be bound by convention, using traditional cookbooks as a starting off point and adding his own twist (as he does, for example, with his roast chicken samosas). Other standout starters include prawn and Bulhão Pato pakoras and baji-puri with sweet potatoes from Aljezur. For mains, there are plenty of options, all ideal for sharing, such as soft-shell crab xec xec (Goan crab curry) or tiger prawn curry. Dishes like the pica-pau de novilho açoreano à Cafreal (in which beef from the Azores is prepared in a Goan style) and Iberian pork neck vindaloo are surprising additions to the menu and are already proving popular. 

When Lupita opened in 2019 at Cais do Sodré, Duda Ferreira wasn’t shy about his ambitions for the restaurant. ‘I want to make the best pizza in Lisbon,’ he declared. Nearly five years later, the pizzamaker has indeed become one of the very best. The buzz on the corner of Rua de São Paulo is proof of that. The secret may lie in the unconventional combinations on slow, naturally fermented dough, as well as the carefully selected ingredients. Leave your prejudices at the door, because it turns out pineapple pairs wonderfully with mozzarella, Viso cheese, bacon, pickled red onions, and coriander (€14). Perfect for dining in, taking to the park, or ordering at home.

Whether you’re after a hearty meal or something to snack on while enjoying a drink, Penalva da Graça could well be the answer. Few places in Lisbon offer such great value for seafood. We're talking barnacles, clams, shrimp, brown crabs, razor clams, spider crabs, and lobsters. The seafood rice is a house speciality, with a portion for two easily serving three (hence its popularity). Critic José Margarido says: ‘This is a glorious seafood restaurant that the average person can enjoy without breaking the bank. Plus they do a great beef pica-pau [cubes of marinated beef served with pickles], which is best enjoyed with some beers.’ There are also daily specials like cabidela (a poultry and rice dish), stewed cow trotters, and cozido à portuguesa (Portuguese stew).

Petisco Saloio is run by young folks who make good food without too much fuss – in short, it’s a great example of a Portuguese tavern in 2024. The restaurant is small and what’s on offer differs from lunch to dinner. At lunch, it operates with a menu where €12 includes bread for the table, main course, dessert, drink, and coffee. There are always three options: a meat dish, a fish dish, and a reliable bitoque (a dish with steak, a fried egg, chips and rice). In the evening, the menu is all about tapas and sharing plates, like beef pica-pau (cubes of marinated beef served with pickles), eggs with farinheira (a kind of smoked sausage), pork cheeks, or xerém (a kind of cornmeal porridge) with cockles.

Miguel Azevedo Peres runs one of the few places in the country that adheres strictly to the nose-to-tail principle, meaning that every part of the animal is used. This is a noble and challenging mission in itself, but Peres doesn’t stop there: he also pays close attention to the choice of producers, always seeking to work with regenerative agriculture. Pigmeu’s dishes elevate parts of the animal which are typically overlooked. Want our advice? Be open-minded: if ever there was a place to take a culinary risk, this is it. Whether it’s pig’s feet with coriander, brains, testicles, or ears, they’re always prepared in unexpected ways. Don’t leave without trying the porcalhona bifana, a particularly messy take on the traditional Portuguese beef sandwich.

Today, everyone talks about seasonality, local producers, and sustainability, but six years ago, Prado’s António Galapito was one of the few chefs to follow those principles. This commitment has helped the restaurant (which is located near the cathedral) to win over a legion of fans, including many food enthusiasts and industry professionals, with ease. The menu is concise and the focus is strictly on the ingredients, which are almost always from small producers and which dictate these gimmick-free dishes. Now, Prado also offers a tasting menu (€75) with the aim of serving good food with the restaurant’s signature attention to ingredients and techniques.

Ask anyone in the know where you can get a good seafood platter in Lisbon, and their immediate answer will almost always be Ramiro. No matter the time, you’ll probably have to wait for a table, but don’t worry – the service is quick and getting more efficient all the time. At the entrance, before you even step inside, you’ll need to take a ticket and wait for your number to be called with an indication of where you’ll be seated. Once at the table, it’s time to order. From goose barnacles to langoustines, clams to crab – and not forgetting the scarlet prawns – everything is excellent. When you’ve polished that off, make sure to order a prego do lombo (steak sandwich). You know, for dessert.

One of the standout winners at the inaugural Michelin Guide Portugal gala, João Sá perfectly summed up Sála, which he has run for five years on Rua dos Bacalhoeiros, in his acceptance speech: ‘It’s an independent, small, but ambitious place.’ The cuisine is a blend of flavours, a gastronomic journey that begins in Lisbon and extends to other regions, from India to Africa. There are dishes like muamba, from Central Africa, moqueca from Brazil, tom yum from Thailand and curries from Goa, but there are also traditional Portuguese dishes like caldeirada and coentrada. There are two tasting menus (110€ e 140€), in which meat appears only as a garnish and never as a main dish. For Friday and Saturday lunch, there’s also a shorter menu for just €50.

João Magalhães Correia’s restaurant won us over as soon as it opened. When Time Out food critic Alfredo Lacerda visited, he wrote about leaving in a state of euphoria, and by the end of 2022, it was an easy decision to name Tricky’s the Restaurant of the Year. In 2024, it’s still well worth reserving a table here, if only to see what the chef is up to. And João certainly knows what he’s doing; as Lacerda put it when João was also named Chef of the Year by Time Out: ‘His small plates are umami bombs, little jewels packed with precious gems, blending three main influences: Italy, China, and Southeast Asia.’ And on top of all that, there’s the atmosphere of the space, the music, and the unconventional wine selection that sets Tricky's apart.

The more relaxed version of Marlene Vieira, who also runs the fine dining restaurant Marlene, can be found at Zunzum Gastrobar, her first project near the Cruise Terminal, and the name says it all: in Portuguese, zunzum translates to buzz, or even rumour, so the name captures the restaurant’s desire to cause a stir, but also its casual, down-to-earth atmosphere. This is fine dining without the prohibitive prices – take, for example, the filhós (a kind of fried dough) with cockles in a garlicky sauce. The techniques are global, but the ingredients and flavours are unmistakably Portuguese. Here, the chef often experiments with dishes that might later feature at Marlene. Be sure to keep an eye on Zunzum’s schedule as well, because Marlene frequently invites other chefs for special pop-ups. Recently, chefs such as Renato Cunha (Ferrugem) and Michele Marques (Mercearia Gadanha) have collaborated with Marlene at Zunzum Gastrobar, making it even buzzier.