The 17 best seafood restaurants in Lisbon

The Portugese word cervejaria translates to brewery or beer hall, but Lisbon’s cervejarias are unlike the beer halls you’ll find elsewhere. Here, you’ll find great beer, yes, but you’ll also find seafood of exceptional quality. Cervejaria Ribadouro, which is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, is one of Lisbon's oldest and it maintains its expertise and high standards, ensuring that only the best, freshest seafood reaches customers’ tables. Located on Avenida da Liberdade, it boasts a luxurious terrace and kiosk. From your seat on the terrace, you may not see the aquariums or the seafood display but don't worry, as the menu is exactly the same as in the restaurant. The top seller, we're told, is the tiger prawn (apparently they go through about 20kg per day), but you can always ask for a platter with crab, goose barnacles, coastal prawns, or even lobster. The best part? The seafood is served until 1.30am.

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, even before stepping 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, everything is excellent. When you’ve polished that off, don’t forget to order a prego do lombo (steak sandwich). You know, for dessert.

Founded in 1973, Marisqueira do Lis is often overshadowed by the success of its neighbour, Ramiro (well, perhaps not entirely, as many diners end up here to avoid Ramiro's queues). It may not have its neighbour’s fame, but its quality is on par. The displays of lobsters, crabs, and crayfish are impressive. They have their own tanks and a wide selection of fresh seafood, as well as cuts of meat and fish on display. It frequently serves as a haven for those who enjoy a good snack while watching a game.

The intersection of Prior do Crato, Vieira da Silva, and Maria Pia streets in the Alcântara neighbourhood is known as ‘beer hall squareÆ. These days, there are four seafood restaurants there, one of which is aptly named O Palácio, where royally good seafood is served. Here, you’ll find velvet crabs, razor clams, goose barnacles, and other seafood delights, along with a highly recommended daily menu.

We often say that the best of the city can be found at the Time Out Market, and seafood is no exception. At Marisqueira Azul, the seafood is fresh, and the beer is always ice-cold. The goose barnacles come from the Berlengas islands, the prawns and razor clams from the Algarve, and the oysters from Setúbal. If you don’t want to choose, go for the seafood platter for two or three people, which offers a great selection of seafood. As well as the market, they also have a location in Praça do Comércio.

Mr. Eduardo set up in Parede to sell some codfish fritters and croquettes, but he quickly established seafood tanks to supply the restaurant, and the business became so successful that nowadays, no one even thinks of ordering a pastry. Instead, they go for a stuffed crab or clams in a coriander, garlic, and olive oil sauce, the dish which lends its name to the restaurant. The seafood platters are reasonably priced, with the most affordable including 300g of Mozambican prawns, 250g of goose barnacles, and 200g of shrimp from Espinho. Don’t be surprised if you have to wait for a table; make the most of your time to carefully consider your order, as the seafood menu is extensive.

Prawns from Guincho, goose barnacles from Roca, velvet crabs from Cascais: the seafood menu at Mar do Inferno (affectionately called ‘Lourdes’ or ‘Dona Lourdes’ by locals) features the finest specimens from nearby waters. If you're very hungry, go for the travessa do mar (seafood tray), with sea bass, bream, prawns, mussels, and sides. Or, stick with the seafood platter, which is just as impressive.

‘The largest and best seafood restaurant in the Setúbal district.’ This is a bold claim, but Cabrinha, a seafood restaurant that began building its reputation in Cacilhas more than half a century ago, has earned the right to make it. Lobsters, crayfish, prawns, clams, razor clams, crabs, whelks, wedge clams, goose barnacles, and oysters: the variety is vast, and the seafood is reliably fresh.