What to Eat in Lisbon: Local Dishes, Where Locals Eat & the Best Food Tours
What to eat in Lisbon: pastéis de nata, bacalhau (salt cod), charcoal-grilled sardines, the bifana pork sandwich and petiscos, plus the Time Out Market, ginjinha and a Fado dinner - the dishes to order and where.
The short version: in Lisbon, eat a pastel de nata warm from the oven, a bifana (garlicky pork in a bread roll) standing at the counter, bacalhau in one of its hundred forms and, from June to September, grilled sardines. For a traditional tasca lunch, get to O Velho Eurico early; for a bifana, As Bifanas do Afonso in the Baixa; for custard tarts, Pastéis de Belém or Manteigaria. Drink a glass of ginjinha, the cherry liqueur, and Portuguese wine by the glass. And if you only have a day or two, a guided food tour gets you to the right places in three hours. Below: what to eat, exactly where to eat it, what to drink, and the food experiences worth booking.
Book a Lisbon food tour
Short on time? Let a local walk you to the right places.
Our top pick is the Food and Wine Tasting Walk: 3 hours, rated 4.9 from 5,131 reviews on GetYourGuide.
What to eat in Lisbon, and where to eat it
| Dish | What it is | Where to eat it in Lisbon |
|---|---|---|
| Pastel de nata | Crisp, flaky custard tart, best warm with cinnamon and icing sugar | Pastéis de Belém; Manteigaria; Aloma |
| Bifana | Thin slices of pork marinated in garlic and white wine, in a soft bread roll | As Bifanas do Afonso; O Trevo |
| Bacalhau à Brás | Salt cod scrambled with egg, onion and thin fried potatoes | O Velho Eurico; Bairro do Avillez |
| Grilled sardines | Whole sardines grilled over charcoal, the taste of Lisbon’s summer festivals | Tascas all over the city from June to September; a modern take as nigiri at A Taberna do Mar |
| Cataplana | Seafood stew cooked in a hinged copper pan | Cervejaria Trindade |
| Marisco | Seafood by weight: prawns, crab, clams, ending with a steak sandwich (prego) | Cervejaria Ramiro |
| Frango piri piri | Chargrilled chicken with chilli oil | Taberna da Rua das Flores |
| Pezinhos de coentrada | Pig’s trotters with coriander, a classic tasca petisco (small dish) | Pigmeu |
| Bolo-rei | The ring-shaped Christmas cake with candied fruit | Confeitaria Nacional |
Where to eat in Lisbon
Lisbon’s everyday food is the tasca, a small family restaurant with a handwritten menu, a daily dish (prato do dia) and house wine. The best meals are often the simplest: grilled fish, a bowl of soup, a bifana at the counter. Lunch runs from about 12:30 to 15:00 and dinner from 19:30; the popular small places fill at opening time, so arrive early or book. These are the neighbourhoods to eat in.
Alfama, the Castle and Mouraria
The old hill quarters below the Castle are where Lisbon’s tasca tradition is strongest. O Velho Eurico, on Largo de São Cristóvão between the Castle and Mouraria, is the one everyone wants: bacalhau à Brás, octopus lagareiro (roasted with olive oil and garlic), codfish cakes and croquettes, for about 20 euros with drinks. It is very hard to book, so arrive at opening for lunch or dinner. In Alfama, Gancho on Rua do Vigário is a modern tasca for small plates such as chicken cabidela arancini and a beef tartare à Brás.
Below the cathedral, Prado is listed in the Michelin Guide (Michelin listing) for seasonal farm-to-table cooking, such as cockles with spinach and coriander, with biodynamic wines. Down by the river near Santa Apolónia, Zunzum Gastrobar holds a Bib Gourmand (Michelin listing): shellfish rice, a roast beef sandwich and its own francesinha, with a terrace over the Tagus. Up in Graça, A Taberna do Mar turns sardines into nigiri and flans on a ten-course menu.
Baixa, Rossio and Chiado
The grid of streets between the river and Rossio is touristy, but it hides the best cheap lunch in the city. As Bifanas do Afonso (Rua da Madalena 146) does nothing but bifanas, at 3 to 4 euros, with a cold beer; it opens Monday to Saturday, 08:00 to 20:00, and is busiest at lunchtime. On Praça da Figueira, Confeitaria Nacional has made the same bolo-rei since 1875, along with pastéis de nata. In Chiado, Alcôa specialises in convent sweets and bakes pastéis de nata every hour, and Manteigaria is a branch of the bakery that calls itself the pastel de nata factory.
For a sit-down meal, Cervejaria Trindade is a historic beer hall for croquettes, cod fritters, prawns, steak with a fried egg and seafood cataplana. Ofício holds a Bib Gourmand (Michelin listing) for Portuguese dishes with a creative twist: alheira croquette, cod-tongue rice, Alentejo pork with beans. Bairro do Avillez is chef José Avillez’s food hall with four concepts under one roof, including Páteo for seafood and bacalhau com brás. Just north of the Baixa, in Intendente, Cervejaria Ramiro is the seafood house for prawns, crab, clams and a prego steak sandwich to finish, for about 40 euros; it takes walk-ins only, so expect a queue.
Bairro Alto and Príncipe Real
The Bairro Alto is the nightlife quarter, Príncipe Real its smarter neighbour. O Trevo is a small counter famous for its bifana and a daily canja (chicken soup); it is often full. Essencial is a small, intimate room listed in the Michelin Guide (Michelin listing), where chef André Lança Cordeiro applies French technique to Portuguese produce, with a set menu at around 50 euros. In Príncipe Real, Bar Alimentar is a candlelit room for whipped cod in caramelised onion cannoli and cocktails. For wine, Rosetta’s pours natural wines with sharing plates.
Cais do Sodré and the Time Out Market
The riverside district around the station is where Lisbon eats and drinks late. The Time Out Market Lisboa, in the Mercado da Ribeira on Avenida 24 de Julho, puts kiosks from well-known Lisbon chefs and restaurants under one roof, among them Pinóquio, Marisqueira Azul and Café de São Bento; it opens daily from 10:00 to midnight, until 02:00 from Thursday to Saturday. It is the easy way to taste many things in one stop. Between Chiado and Cais do Sodré, Taberna da Rua das Flores serves sharing plates such as piri piri chicken, meia desfeita (salt cod with chickpeas) and octopus salad; book ahead. For an aperitif, A Tabacaria, a former tobacco shop, serves fresh oysters with cocktails.
Belém
Come for the monuments and stay for the tarts. Pastéis de Belém (Rua de Belém 84 to 92) has made its custard tarts since 1837 and is open every day. Expect a queue at busy times. For lunch, Canalha holds a Bib Gourmand (Michelin listing): order the smoked eel, the tuna tiradito or the prato do dia.
Campo de Ourique
This residential grid west of the centre, at the end of tram 28, is where Lisbon families shop and eat. Aloma has won the city’s best pastel de nata contest five times. Lomar is the neighbourhood bakery for milk bread, mille-feuille and pastéis de nata. For a meal, Pigmeu holds a Bib Gourmand (Michelin listing) for nose-to-tail pork petiscos: pezinhos de coentrada, pig’s ear and the “bifana porcalhona”.
Quick picks
- Classic tasca: O Velho Eurico, arriving at opening time.
- Cheap and fast: a bifana at As Bifanas do Afonso or O Trevo; a pastel de nata at Manteigaria.
- Special night: Essencial in the Bairro Alto, or the Michelin-listed Prado.
- Best for seafood: Cervejaria Ramiro, or the cataplana at Cervejaria Trindade.
- Best value with a Michelin listing: Pigmeu, Canalha, Ofício and Zunzum, all Bib Gourmand.
Names link to Google Maps for directions. We checked these places in October 2026. Opening days change, especially out of season, so check before you go.
Where to shop for food
The Time Out Market Lisboa in the Mercado da Ribeira at Cais do Sodré is the city’s food hall, with more than 25 restaurant kiosks, bars and a handful of shops. For pastries to take away, Confeitaria Nacional on Praça da Figueira sells bolo-rei in the Christmas season, and both Pastéis de Belém and Manteigaria pack custard tarts in boxes for the road. Manteigaria has counters across the city, including Chiado, the Time Out Market, Belém and Campo de Ourique.
What to drink in Lisbon
Start with ginjinha, the sweet liqueur made from sour cherries, served in a small glass, with or without the fruit. Ginjinha do Rossio on Rua das Portas de Santo Antão has poured it for more than a hundred years. For wine, look beyond the famous names: the Lisbon wine region around the city makes fresh whites from Arinto and reds from Touriga Nacional, with small, historic appellations at Bucelas, Colares and Carcavelos, and sweet Moscatel from Setúbal across the river. Vinho verde, the light, slightly sparkling wine from the north, is the classic with grilled fish, and Alentejo reds go with pork. In summer, order a porto tónico, white port with tonic. For natural wine, Rosetta’s in the Bairro Alto and Viagem das Horas in Arroios, open Monday to Friday, are the places to go. See our Lisbon wine tours guide to taste them at the wineries.
Food experiences to book in Lisbon
Lisbon is built on hills and its best food is spread across small tascas, bakeries and ginjinha counters, which makes a short visit hard to plan. A food tour solves that: a local guide walks you through Alfama, Mouraria or the Baixa in three to four hours, with tastings of bifana, bacalhau, cheese, wine and a pastel de nata along the way. A cooking class is the way to learn to make custard tarts yourself. These are the best-rated options on GetYourGuide.
| Experience | Length | Rating (reviews) | Best for | Book |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food and Wine Tasting Walk | 3 hours | 4.9 (5,131) | A first visit | Check availability |
| Baixa Food Tour with Dinner and Drinks | 3 hours | 4.9 (2,218) | Replacing dinner | Check availability |
| Eat and Walk Through Lisbon: Local Food and Wine | 3 hours | 4.9 (707) | Food and wine | Check availability |
| The Ultimate Food Tour with a Local | 3 hours | 4.8 (149) | A smaller group | Check availability |
Our pick: the Food and Wine Tasting Walk, rated 4.9 (5,131) on GetYourGuide.
Ratings as shown on GetYourGuide in October 2026. Check the listing for live prices and availability.
Food day trips from Lisbon
Across the Tagus, the Setúbal peninsula is Moscatel country, with wineries around Palmela and Azeitão, and west of the city the tiny Colares appellation grows vines in the sand by the Atlantic, close to Sintra. Our Lisbon wine tours page lists guided trips to both, and the 3-day Lisbon food and wine itinerary shows how to fit one into a short stay.
Frequently asked questions
What is the one thing to eat in Lisbon?
A pastel de nata, warm, with cinnamon. Pastéis de Belém, Manteigaria and Pastelaria Aloma are the places to compare. For a savoury classic, a bifana at As Bifanas do Afonso.
Where do locals eat in Lisbon?
In neighbourhood tascas and cervejarias rather than on the main squares: O Velho Eurico near the Castle, Cervejaria Ramiro in Intendente, O Trevo in the Bairro Alto and the bakeries and petisco bars of Campo de Ourique, such as Pigmeu.
Where can I eat cheaply in Lisbon?
Bifanas at As Bifanas do Afonso cost 3 to 4 euros, a tasca lunch at O Velho Eurico is about 20 euros with drinks, and a pastel de nata is a snack in itself. The prato do dia at a tasca is the best-value meal in town.
When can I eat grilled sardines in Lisbon?
Sardines are a summer fish, at their best from June to September. In June the city’s popular saints’ festivals fill Alfama and Mouraria with sardine grills in the streets.
Do I need to book restaurants in Lisbon?
For dinner at popular places, yes: Taberna da Rua das Flores, Essencial and the Bib Gourmand restaurants. O Velho Eurico is very hard to book, so arrive at opening, and Cervejaria Ramiro takes walk-ins only.
Is a Lisbon food tour worth it?
Yes, on a short visit: in one walk you taste the classics, learn how to order in a tasca and find the places to come back to. Compare them above or on our Lisbon food tours page.
Plan your Lisbon food trip
Lisbon food tours · Lisbon cooking classes · Lisbon wine tours · Lisbon fado dinner shows · Food experiences in Lisbon · 3-day Lisbon food and wine itinerary · Lisbon food itinerary · Pastel de nata and petiscos classes · Lisbon wine tours guide
