Why the food in Lisbon is so exciting and good-value, and 7 of its best restaurants and bars to try – if you can score reservations
- With traditional and contemporary dining options and super-fresh produce from the Atlantic and inland, the Portuguese capital is a great choice for food lovers
- We’ve got the ultimate Lisbon food crawl – 7 restaurants and bars that are generating buzz for their inventive dishes and drinks. Just remember to book a table
After a Covid-induced hiatus, Lisbon’s dining scene is flourishing, thanks in part to the Portuguese capital being packed with tourists again.
Their arrival brings renewed interest in the city’s legendary pastel de nata (egg tarts), sardines and salt cod. It has also increased curiosity about Lisbon’s growing crop of restaurants.
They range from traditional to contemporary – and everything in between. And unlike those of more popular European cities such as Paris, Barcelona or London, Lisbon also offers value in addition to authenticity, tradition and fresh ingredients.
The buzz about Lisbon’s culinary offerings is certainly growing, and gastronomically the city is coming into its own – with chefs such as Josa Avillez among its leading advocates.
The Lisbon-born chef owns 14 restaurants around Portugal, as well as two in Macau and Dubai. His flagship restaurant, Belcanto, has been awarded two Michelin stars annually since 2014 and is 25th on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list for 2023.
“Portugal has a wide variety of landforms, climatic conditions, soils and a long coastline,” says Avillez, who believes in buying local wherever possible for his string of restaurants. “As such, each region has access to a repertoire of exceptional products.”
