The best restaurants in Príncipe Real, as chosen by local editors

When trends seemed to be heading in one direction, Luís Gaspar went against the grain and opened a restaurant serving traditional food, albeit with a contemporary twist. There’s never a day when Pica-Pau isn’t packed, proving that the focus on comforting dishes, following the principles of Maria de Lourdes Modesto, was the right call. The daily fixed dishes, the restaurant’s hallmark, are served both at lunch and dinner and are the main highlight. Additionally, there’s no shortage of snacks like codfish cakes, suckling pig patties, or the classic beef pica-pau (cubes of marinated beef served with pickles).

A Cevicheria wasn’t the first restaurant Kiko Martins opened in Lisbon (that would be O Talho), but it was the one that put the chef’s name on the global culinary map. As a result, it became one of the most sought-after dining spots in the city. A Cevicheria was created as a tribute to Peru’s national dish, serving it with salmon, tuna, and even cod. However, the standout, worth the wait in line, is the ceviche puro, made with seasonal white fish, sweet potato purée, onion, seaweed, and leche de tigre (tiger’s milk). During the pandemic, the restaurant added an outdoor terrace, the perfect place to enjoy a pisco sour, even if you’re not having a meal.

O Atalho Real is a meat lover's dream. It offers a variety of cuts and sizes, served either as they are or in a bun, with great side dishes to accompany them, too. The choice isn’t always easy, but we recommend going for the aged entrecôte or the Black Angus rump steak and pairing it with the coleslaw salad. On milder days or evenings, book a table on the outdoor terrace with views of the Botanical Garden. What more could you ask for?

She first gained attention with a more relaxed approach to cuisine, but in recent times, and after winning Top Chef in France in 2022, Louise Bourrat has become increasingly focused on fine dining. At Boubou’s, she now offers two tasting menus (€85-€95, one with meat and one vegetarian), and opting for these menus is undoubtedly the best way to get to know Louise’s approach to cooking. The cuisine is international with a French touch, and the menu changes with the seasons.

Just a few doors down on the other side of the street, Louise Bourrat focuses on fine dining at Boubou’s, but here, at Boubou’s Sandwich Club, everything is more laid-back. The menu is simple, featuring half a dozen sandwiches, each quite different from the others, which change as new ingredients come into season and when inspiration strikes the kitchen. Some sandwiches are already standouts, like the lamb dürüm, which is reminiscent of the DIY kebab the chef once served at her restaurant. Other highlights include a tongue sandwich with São Jorge cheese and sauerkraut, a sardine sandwich with peppers, burrata, and pesto, an octo dog – essentially a hot dog made with octopus and harissa aioli – and a crispy tofu sando.

They say Lisbon is the new Berlin, and Aparna Aurora, the owner of Chutnify, seems to agree. After making her debut in 2014 in the German capital, she brought her concept to Lisbon in August 2017. At her Indian restaurant the cooking is modern, without being fusion, eating with your hands is a must. The dishes are also highly artistic, from the papad basket starter to the dosas, such as the spicy duck or potato masala versions, and the bagare baingan, made with aubergine, peanuts, and coconut. For dessert, try the chocolate samosa and don’t miss the opportunity to explore the cocktails.

With electric blue walls, a bold neon sign lighting up the restaurant’s name, and music that can be heard from the street, it’s hard to miss Coyo Taco. The chain originated in Miami, where it was created by three friends and in November 2018, it arrived in Portugal, bringing with it the best of Mexican street food, from tacos to quesadillas and burritos. Oh, and margaritas too, of course.

Translated from the Neapolitan dialect, Obicà means ‘here it is’, a name that’s rather fitting for this new Italian restaurant in Príncipe Real. Looking for the city’s new mozzarella bar? Here it is. Looking for a great way to share food with friends and family? Here it is. This concept has already been tested in Rome (where the chain was born in 2004) and in other parts of the world, including Porto, where it made its Portuguese debut. The menu features dishes representing regions such as Genoa, Padua, Florence, Puglia, and Campania.

Although it closed its doors at the end of 2017, Antiga Casa Faz Frio, in Príncipe Real, didn’t become just another restaurant in the long list of now-closed Lisbon establishments. Instead, it changed hands and reopened as Faz Frio, with a fresh look, but crucially, with its history intact. Portuguese cuisine remains the main focus, now with updated dishes and greater investment in high-quality ingredients and produce. In its previous incarnation, the restaurant was known for always featuring a codfish dish on the daily menu, and that tradition continues now.

The menu is centred around pizzas, but even so, Jorge Marques (who also owns Faz Frio) is reluctant to call the place a pizzeria. Not because he doubts the quality of what’s being served – he knows just how good the cooking is – but because he doesn’t want to be boxed in. ‘The idea is for this to be a very chill, relaxed spot where you come with your friends to eat and have a drink,’ he says. At the weekend, it’s open until 2am, and a DJ provides the tunes. The extensive cocktail menu features creative options like the popping lolo, made with gin, elderflower liqueur, and popping candy. For nibbles, there are indulgent starters like meatballs. As for the pizzas, they offer unconventional options, starting with the margherita sbagliata, which has a base of mozzarella (from the Portuguese brand Ortodoxo) instead of tomato, with the tomato and basil added on top. For now, the bestseller seems to be the Chicago pie, a pizza bomb loaded with mozzarella and spicy salami.

A rare find in Lisbon, this organic pizzeria is a must-visit for lovers of thin-crust pizza. The restaurant is unpretentious and simple, but those who come here do so to enjoy great food. Guests can watch the dough being rolled out right in front of them until it’s smooth and minimally elastic. They’ll also savour organic mozzarella from Italy and vegetables sourced from a Portuguese organic farm, among other organic products.

The Portuguese version of Jamie Oliver's Italian spans three floors with 174 seats, including a private dining room on the lower ground floor and two terraces offering stunning views of the castle. The décor is similar to other Jamie’s Italian restaurants around the world, with hams and garlic hanging at the bar near the entrance, and wood, blue, and copper accents throughout. The menu is extensive, with dish names written in English to ‘preserve the British spirit.’ The ‘most famous’ dishes are highlighted, as are Jools’ (Jamie’s wife) favourites.

Back when aged beef wasn’t a common feature on many restaurant menus, Olivier da Costa opened KOB (Knowledge of Beef), offering various cuts of meat from countries like Australia, Japan, Ireland, and Spain, as well as Portugal – all aged for up to 60 days. During the pandemic, the modern and sophisticated restaurant added an inviting outdoor terrace, which is still there today. It’s worth checking out the selection of starters and desserts.

It’s a Lisbon classic with an unbeatable view of the city, making La Paparrucha not just a great restaurant but also a luxurious viewpoint. It was one of the city’s first Argentinian restaurants (a country renowned for its expertise in meat) and the parrillada plata (a mixed grill of beef and pork for two) is a great place to start. The La Paparrucha mixed skewer (with beef, onion, and peppers) is also a popular choice. The menu features picanha as well, which can be paired with corn on the cob, grilled vegetables from the parrilla (grill), or sautéed turnip greens, along with the essential fries and rice. During weekday lunches, a more affordable menu is available.

No matter how hidden it may be – if you’re not paying attention, you might not spot the entrance – Lost In is always a great choice. The sheltered, secluded terrace and the stunning views of Lisbon are unbeatable at any time of day, especially since the menu is so versatile. It offers full dishes, quick bites, and a variety of salads.

Madame Bô is a character created by a group of friends — Catarina Coutinho, Pedro Vasconcelos, Maria Villas Boas, and Charles Declos — who are behind this Asian dumpling restaurant in Príncipe Real. The dumplings, made with the expertise of Leonor Godinho, chef at Dr Bernard BoaVida, come in five varieties, each identified by colour. Yellow dumplings are filled with chicken and mushrooms, black with beef, purple with pork, green with vegetables and tofu, and white with shrimp. The space is small, but ordering a takeaway is always an option, and you can even buy the dumplings frozen to enjoy at home.

Pão de Canerla was closed for a long time (although the terrace remained open) and was given a fresh look before reopening, but the café and restaurant’s charm is still intact. While the terrace remains the same, everything inside has changed and the space is now more modern and functional (the café and the restaurant are finally properly linked up). The menu also got an upgrade from chef Joana Duarte, who previously worked as sous-chef at Tapisco. On weekends, as always, the buffet brunch takes centre stage but now, the selection is more diverse and the layout is better organised. There are boards of charcuterie and cheeses, salads and savoury snacks, soup, various breads, and, of course, a generous array of cakes and desserts.

Margaux Marcy and Pierre d'Andrimont have given us some of the city's most vibrant gastronomic projects in recent years. Café Janis, Farès, Javá and Palma Cantina all quickly became trendy spots with bucketloads of style and good vibes. Rosamar, located where chef Kiko’s O Asiático once stood in Bairro Alto, is on the same path. It’s beautiful and striking, with an unexpected interior terrace, and focuses on fish and seafood dishes. However, don’t expect traditional recipes. The oysters, one of the menu’s highlights, are a prime example. There are the classic au naturel ones, but also creative options like creamy coconut, made with coconut, lemongrass, kaffir lime, habanero, garlic, and white onion. As you’d expect from this kind of place, fresh dishes like turbot sashimi or amberjack ceviche are also on offer. At the bar near the entrance, only oysters and small snacks are served, perfectly paired with the cocktails, which are another key feature of Rosamar.

Seagull Method Café, in Príncipe Real, comes from the owners of the minimalist Heim in Santos and Kefi, the city’s new Greek spot. Here, the décor remains simple, with stone walls and a few seagull illustrations to honour the name, as well as large picture windows complete with small tables decorated with flowers, the perfect places to enjoy a breeze during the hot summer months. The menu features plenty of egg dishes, toast with avocado or smoked salmon, açaí, croissants, and granola. For dessert, as you’d expect from a place like this, the pancakes stand out, served in highly Instagrammable stacks.

The menu at Sumaya is extensive and very comprehensive, designed to showcase the traditional oven-baked and grilled dishes of Lebanon, many of which are prepared according to owner Tarek Mabsout’s grandmother’s recipes. Another major focus of this restaurant is its wine selection: in addition to Portuguese labels, which are a must, it features Lebanese wines, including reds, rosés, and whites cultivated in the Bekaa Valley, often considered the green heart of Lebanon. The best way to embark on this culinary journey is to order a platter (available for one, two, or four people).