Whether you’ve just touched down in Portugal, or you’ve lived there for years, food is of utmost importance in this capital city. Booming with pastries, bacalao (salted cod) and house wines, it’s tough to go wrong.
Some of my favourite meals in this city have been by ducking through alleyways and up hills, stumbling upon areas where there were masses of Portuguese people eating in what seemed like a hidden restaurant to the unknowing tourist.
What I love most about Portuguese dining is that each restaurant seems to be run like a family restaurant. Between the minimalistic tablecloths, and the simplistic plates, the Portuguese love to deliver a lot with only a little. The best part of it (at least my favourite part) is that most restaurants are light on the wallet, and always served with a smile.
So, if you only had 24 hours in Lisbon to eat your way around the city (which would be a shame, as there’s at least 15 restaurants you need to check out (detailed in my Guide To Portugal), here’s where I would take you:
Table of Contents
Breakfast – Manteigaria
You wake up. The sun is shining into your cozy little Airbnb in Matrim Moniz, and you know today is going to be an amazing day. While getting dressed, you know there’s only one thing that can satisfy your hunger, and it’s exactly what thousands of Portuguese are waking up to on their plates.
The famous Pastel de Nata.
Known around the world as a Portuguese custard tart, this beautiful little pastry is served hot, usually alongside an espresso. Sprinkled with powdered sugar and cinnamon, this sweet start to your day more often than not burns your mouth, yet keeps you hungry for at least one more.
While you could purchase a Pastel from the supermarket or a nearby bakery, I much prefer going right to the factory, where you can see your beautiful mouth burning treat come out of the oven (main post picture).
Just inside the Praca de Camoes sits Manteigaria. Essentially a Pasteis de Nata factory, the chefs here make and sell thousands of these beautiful tarts, pumping them out like clockwork. I love that you can go into the back and see them making the tarts. Molding pastry into a small tin, filling it with their secret custard recipe, and putting the massive tray into the oven, I could spend hours watching the magic and basking in the smell.
Although they’re all fresh, there’s something beautiful about getting one right out of the oven. You’ll know when a fresh batch has just finished, as they ding a bell that rings into the Praca de Camoes square, and people hustle in to get their fix.
For the 8 months I spent in Portugal, this small shop was my happy place.
Note: when you visit Lisbon, some people will say that you HAVE to try the Pasteis de Belem (below). I never found them to be as good, but to each their own!
Lunch – O Eurico
After savouring your pastel, you decide to explore the city a bit. Going up the Santa Justa elevator and doing the hike up to the castle to see the best miradouros (views) in the city, you’re packing as much as you can into your day.
Just as you finish throwing some money into the hat of a great busker, suddenly realize how hungry you are. It’s almost 2pm and definitely time for lunch! It’s a good thing that the spot you’ve ingeniously picked out isn’t too far away.
O Eurico is a bit hidden and well worth the adventure to find it. You won’t hear much English here, but that’s a great excuse to practice your Portuguese! I love this place because the food is about as authentic as it gets.
Crammed into a tight space, waiters are running around with pitchers of house wine and plates piled high with gambas (shrimp). You’ll be spending around 10-15 euros here, and it is well worth it. You can’t go wrong, but the bigger the group you go with, the better so you get to try everything!
As is traditional in Portuguese dining, make sure to get a side of fries, salad, and of course house wine. The rest is up to you, but the steak and seafood are the favourites of the Portuguese, with this small joint specializing in shrimp. Make sure you’re hungry!
Dinner
You’ve been having an incredible day so far, and the sun is still high in the sky. Getting lost in alleyways and stumbling upon gorgeous gems (like Casa Independete or the LX Factory), you finally end up in the Comercio Plaza, walking from busker to busker and appreciating the architecture.
Watching the sun slowly go down by the Ponte 25 de Abril (April 25 Bridge), you realize you have one thing on your mind: where are you going to go for dinner?
There are two amazing options. Both delicious. Both cheap. Both a dining experience you’ll never forget.
Option 1: Restaurante Cabacas (15-20 euros)
This steakhouse is a little non-traditional, in the sense that you’re the grill master. With the options of steak or fish, all their meals are served on a wooden platter, fitted with a piping hot stone tablet.
Much like a Korean BBQ restaurant, you’re in charge of the grilling and ensuring that the steak comes out to your liking. If you need some help to get that perfect level of cooking, I’d say call a friend as the waiter are extremely busy heating up stones and cleaning tables in this packed restaurant. I’m also not sure if the word for “medium rare” translates very well.
Served with two sauces and a bowl of salt, this place is perfect for a sit down experience. Come with some friends, get some house wine, fries and salad, and you’ll be sure to leave happy.
Option 2: Frangasquieria Nacionale (10-15 euro)
Oh my G-d. This place is amazing.
Every time one of my friends says they’re going to Portugal, I tell them to make sure to check out this restaurant. However, know that it’s not for the faint of heart.
A bit off the beaten track by Rato station, Frangasquieria Nacionale has the best chicken I’ve ever had in my entire life.
I’ve had a lot of chicken. This place is top.
Just a small kitchen, this place has no room for seating and serves you a meal in a bucket, filled to the brim with a combination of chicken, ribs and sausage. All slathered in their perfectly spicy and oily BBQ sauce. If I were a vegetarian and looking to convert for one meal, this would be a great place to do it.
Unfortunately there’s nowhere to sit, so when my friend Steve Flaherty and I went our first time, we ate on the steps of a nearby church. Make sure to grab extra napkins, as this is a dirty meal.
If you’re not feeling too hungry, you could absolutely split a combo box with a friend. However, make sure that you get some of the sides too. The homemade chips are great. The rice is incredible (I don’t know if they lather it in butter or what, but they do something amazing). Honestly, everything here is just great. I’m thinking about hopping on a plane just to go there right now…
A Romantic Midnight Snack
After an incredible day of meals and exploring, you’re pooped. But, given that you’re only here for so long, you can’t pass up the chance to go out.
That means after your quick nap, it’s time to check out Bairro Alto. The area is teeming with bars, and during the late hours has students poring out onto the streets.
There’s something for everyone here, especially if you’re interested in 1 euro pints and mingling with people from all over the world. Or, if beer isn’t your thing, the bars all make giant boozy mojitos and caipirinhas. Of course there’s house wine everywhere too! With underground salsa clubs and pub crawls galore, this was my favourite area to go out in during my exchange.
If you’re interested in some culture, Fado (traditional Portuguese music), can be found nightly at the Tasca do Chico in Bairro Alto. This tiny bar gets extremely busy, so you might want to make a reservation. However, this place is a can’t miss, as the singers and guitar players don’t get much better. Perfect for a date night – especially if you try the flaming sausage on the menu!
Note that you might have to stand for the first bit of the performance at Tasca do Chico, but if you’re quick you can snag a table as someone gets up to leave between a set. Don’t come here with a large group, and make sure to listen during the performance – otherwise you’ll get shushed!
24 hours in Lisbon and you’ve done it like a local. Seeing what you need to see, eating what you absolutely must eat, and having the best time while at it. Maybe you’ve improved your Portuguese or made a new friend along the way!
Hopefully one day you can come back to this city and experience it for all of it’s deliciousness, one pasteis de nata at a time.
Other Places to Eat
TimeOut Market has a huge number of vendors and is cool to see on it’s own. On the more Gourmet side of things where you can easily find something for everyone.
Bifanas do Afonso sells great bifanas, a Portuguese staple. A bifana is a small marinated pork sandwich that you lob mustard onto. Can spot who has them by the giant vats of bubbling meat inside restaurant windows.
Ramiro has the biggest shrimp I’ve ever seen in my life (below). On the expensive side of things, but it’s THE spot in town for seafood. Amazing crab, fish and anything else that lives in the ocean.
