Best Restaurants in Lisbon

Lisbon has quietly become one of the best foodie cities in Europe. Scratch that, best foodie cities in the world! With a salivating lineup of great restaurants for every budget, it’s one of those cities where it’s worth lining up your breakfast, lunch, and dinner plans for your entire visit, so that you don’t leave without hitting all your share of phenomenal restaurants in Lisbon.

After spending over a month living in the city, here is our list of 14 best restaurants in Lisbon. We’ve ranked our top restaurants in Lisbon, and in each review, we’ve included the estimated cost for two people to dine. This cost includes an appetizer, two entrees, two drinks, or drinks and tapas for two people, depending on the style of the restaurant.  Also, it is worth noting, that none of these meals were  comped, or sponsored and all of these restaurants were enjoyed as regular guests.

If you’re visiting during the summer, you will likely need a reservation at most of these restaurants, unless you opt for an early dinner. We had a fair amount of success showing up to restaurants in Lisbon right when they opened at 7pm, and getting in without a reservation. However, if you’re looking to eat later, or have a larger group, it’s best to book a table ahead of time.

Pro tip: to find more great restaurants in Lisbon, and all around Portugal for that matter, we’d recommend using Zomato. It’s like the Portuguese version of Yelp!

1. Local

High-end dining in a uniquely intimate setting, Local is an experience like no other and our absolute favorite restaurant in Lisbon. The unique concept of this restaurant is having three top quality chefs cook incredible Portuguese seafood cuisine for 10 people, all in a 100m2 hole-in-the-wall restaurant.

They do two seatings per night, 7pm and 9pm, and you need to book your spots in advance online. The menu is always changing based on the season, but every dish of our 5-course dinner was exceptional. Combined with the experience of sitting with 8 other friendly strangers with the same appreciation of great food, this was a unique, incredibly charming dinner that we can’t recommend more. 

Dinner for two: €150

2. A Cevicheria

This place gets a lot of hype, and it’s well-deserved. From the decor to the menu to the cocktails, it’s clear the amazing amount of thought and care that went into everything about A Cevicheria. 

Chef Kiko’s premier restaurant, A Cevicheria has drawn accolades from all over. Specializing in Peruvian cuisine, A Cevicheria is, to the surprise of no one, a cevicheria. They have various types of ceviche, from classic to tuna to octopus and beyond, and everything is to die for. 

No visit to this place is complete unless it begins with their famous Pisco Sours. Grab a couple at the bar before you order food, or if you are waiting for a table outside, grab one while you wait. They’re exceptional. 

Speaking of exceptional, you really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, but we’d highly suggest you do it right and get the tasting menu. With the tasting menu, you get six of the premier dishes from the menu, for €43 per person. This includes three different ceviches, a BBQ octopus dish, a seafood risotto, and a dessert. Everything we had blew our minds. Lauren was very apprehensive about the octopus dish, but the waiter dissuaded her from switching it to something else, and she ended up loving it! 

We can’t say enough about the amazing food, staff, and atmosphere of this place. Definitely one of our top picks of all the restaurants in Lisbon. If you go, make sure to go early as the wait outside can get quite long after 7pm. Although, that really just gives you more time for more pisco sours, so it can’t be that bad 😉 

Recommended dishes: Pisco Sour, Pure Ceviche, Tuna Ceviche, BBQ Octopus

Dinner for two: €120

3. Tapisco

This was the first dinner restaurant in Lisbon that we went to, and it remains one of our top three favourites even after a month’s worth of great restaurants. As the name implies, Tapisco is a tapas-style restaurant, featuring traditional Portuguese dishes with a creative flair. We recommend grabbing a seat at the bar, so you can watch the ongoings of the kitchen and see all the mouth-watering dishes as they come out. 

Tapisco is quite popular and typically does not take reservations, so if you don’t want to wait, we’d recommend you show up for opening at 7pm. However, if you’re looking to eat later, they do have a cool little bar at the window where you can grab a drink and hang out outside while you wait for a spot. We showed up the first time at 7pm and walked right in. The second time we went we showed up around 8pm and waited outside for over 1.5 hours. Albeit we were happy to have a couple of glasses of wine, after an hour of waiting, the novelty of the outside waiting bar starts to wear off. 

Recommended dishes: prawns al ajillo, la bomba de Lisboa, bacalhau a bras, duck breast with celeriac puree

Dinner for two: €60

4. Fares

A hidden gem, Fares is a small, inconspicuous restaurant tucked into the busy street of Rua de Sao Paulo. It’s relatively new and undiscovered but without a doubt one of our top choice recommendations for restaurants in Lisbon. The combination of amazing staff (shoutout toe Joe and Ramon), delicious middle-eastern tapas, a cozy atmosphere, and the best cocktails in Lisbon (yep, we said it), make this an absolute must-try restaurant in Lisbon. 

For two people we’d recommend splitting 3 tapas dishes, and don’t you do go without ordering at least one of their amazing cocktails. Ramon is a master of mixology. 

Recommended dishes: hummus with braised lamb, roasted tahini cauliflower, kefta, spicy cilantro mezcal, espresso cardamom martini, the fares smash

Dinner for two: €50

5. Prado

Prado is an innovative tapas restaurant, with dishes inspired by Portuguese and international cuisine alike. The menu changes almost daily based on the freshest fish, shellfish, and vegetables that the chef can get, so it’s best to ask the server for their favourites and recommendations.

They also feature a variety of orange wines on their menu, which we had never heard of. The server informed us that orange wines are essentially white wines that are made like red wines, where the wine actually ferments with the grape skins. Here’s a little bit more about it if you’re a wine lover. 

When getting there, note that there are two Prados, one is more of a cafe/lunch spot, and the other is the main restaurant. They’re right around the corner from each other, so don’t worry if you end up at the wrong one. 

Dinner for two: €90

6. O Asiatico

One of the highly-acclaimed Chef Kiko’s six restaurants in the city, O Asiatico’s menu combines the heart and history of Asian street food, with top quality ingredients and advanced culinary techniques. Each one of their dishes emulates the style and skill of Chef Kiko, while also giving an authentic feeling of eating on a small stool in the streets of Bangkok, Phuket, or Ho Chi Min.

Their cocktail menu puts an Asian spin on a variety of classics, like a sake-based whiskey sour, or a soju-based Moscow mule. Definitely recommend starting with something from the cocktail menu.

The dishes all come in a form that’s indicative of traditional street food. For example, the Thai curry comes in a small cauldron with a ladle that you use to pour it over rice. The very cool atmosphere and exceptional service on top of it all make this one of our top choices!

Recommended dishes: Tuna tartare & swordfish spring rolls, Thai fried rice with pork, Thai green curry

Dinner for two: €80

7. Pesca

A Michelin star restaurant, Pesca is an exceptional culinary experience for a special occasion. Pesca features a seafood-centric menu of culinary masterpieces, inspired by the traditional dishes of the local region. They offer two different tasting menus, for €50 and €80 depending on how many dishes you’d like to try, as well as an a la carte menu. We opted for the a la carte, ordered two appetizers, two entrees, and a dessert, for around the same price as the tasting menu. They offer some fantastic cocktails as well, namely a smoked & aged negroni that will rock your socks.

We were impressed that, since we told them we were splitting everything, they split each course and plated it for each of us. And the plating was beautiful.

As mentioned, Pesca is a treat. Expect to pay higher prices, but expect a truly exceptional dining experience in return. A 5-star dining experience.

Dinner for two: €180

8. Big Fish Poke

The poke craze around the world is real, and these guys have taken it to the next level. Picture very high-end poke, with fresh, innovative ingredients and huge chunks of mouth-watering fish. Not just salmon and tuna, but also whitefish such as croaker and mackerel. 

The atmosphere is not that of your average poke place either. Most of the seating is at a beautifully polished horseshoe bar in the centre of the restaurant, and the service level is above and beyond what you’d every expect at a place that specializes in poke bowls. 

Recommended dishes: Rainbow poke bowl, seared scallop sashimi

Dinner for two: €60

9. Local Your Healthy Kitchen

Not to be confused with the similarly named “Local,” Local Your Healthy Kitchen has a variety of very fresh, healthy, mostly Asian inspired dishes and is a great option if you’re looking for something on the lighter side, without sacrificing flavour. 

We actually went to their original location in Cascais, and loved it, but they have another restaurant in Lisbon, down by the river, with the same offerings. 

Recommended dishes: Poke bowls, curries, tomato and burrata appetizer

Dinner for two: €45

Photo credit: Dallas Burger Joint

10. Dallas Burger Joint

This spot opened just a couple of weeks before we went and tried it out, but it’s the sister restaurant of Fares, so we knew it had to be amazing. It did not disappoint. You can’t go wrong with any of their burgers. The freshest ingredients help to create a burger that rivals the best of North America’s offerings.

Since we’ve left they’ve actually launched a collaboration Fares X Dallas burger – we can only imagine how good it must be…Give it a try and send us pictures…and sounds…and a soliloquy about how it makes you feel. K thanks. 

Recommended dishes: Classic cheeseburger, Italian burger

Dinner for two: €35

11. Boa-Bao

Boa-Bao is a great spot for high-quality and wide variety of Asian cuisine. From Thai to Vietnamese to Korean to Indonesian, you’ll find something to satisfy your craving at Boa-Bao. On a nice evening, they have a great little patio in the square where you can grab a table. 

Recommended dishes: Pork belly bao, Malaysian curry

Dinner for two: €60

12. Guacamole

This was our “Chipotle of Lisbon.” A more low-key, casual spot than most of the others on this list, this is a great spot for a quick, fresh, flavourful, and healthy lunch during any day in the city. Grab a spot outside on a nice day, some chips and guac, a couple burrito bowls and a couple of beers and you’ve got yourself a great lunch for two for around 20 euros.

Dinner for two: €20

13. Officina do Duque

Officina do Duque is a great little spot tucked into a quiet side street off of the busy Cacada do Duque. During the busy seasons, the tables and chairs of the restaurants in this area flood into the streets to allure the hungry tourists walking by. We’re always hesitant about these types of places as we think restaurants should use a pull strategy, and if they’re using a push strategy there must be something wrong. However, Officina do Doque doesn’t have any of that pushy, touristy vibe and has some great food at great prices! 

Would definitely recommend for lunch or for afternoon apps and drinks when puttering around the Bairro Alto area.  

Recommended dishes: Cuttlefish & beef sliders

Dinner for two: €40

14. Time Out Market

Time Out Market is a great concept that all foodie cities should try to emulate. Essentially, it’s like a high-end food court, where you can go and try different local and international cuisine from top chefs, in a simpler dining experience, without the top chef price tag. Many of the top Michelin-level restaurants have “sister” restaurants at Time Out Market, so you can taste some of their dishes in a more casual setting. 

Logistically, you choose a restaurant, order your food, and you’ll receive a buzzer that will go off when your food is ready to pick up. During busy times, it can be hard to find a table, so we’d recommend finding seats, then having someone go and place the orders for everyone. It sucks to be walking around with your food looking for a spot to sit down and eat, so lock down the seats first!

Dinner for two: €40

Here’s a Map of the Best Restaurants in Lisbon: