Top Casual Dining in Portugal

Cafe de Sao Bento ★ 4.8 · Lisbon

Lapa · Rua de Sao Bento 212, 1200-821 Lisboa

Cafe de Sao Bento in Lisbon's Lapa: a 40-year-old steakhouse named after the parliament next door, garlic-mustard sirloin and dark wood booths.

Pateo Bairro do Avillez ★ 4.8 · Lisbon

chiado · Rua Nova da Trindade 18, 1200-303 Lisboa

Pateo at Bairro do Avillez in Chiado, Lisbon: the glass-roofed centre court of Jose Avillez's complex, modern Portuguese mains served at long tables.

Conga Casa das Bifanas ★ 4.8 · Porto

baixa · Rua do Bonjardim 318, 4000-115 Porto

Conga on Rua do Bonjardim in Porto has slow-cooked bifanas in a paprika-and-garlic broth since 1976, a stand-up counter where pork sandwiches and Super Bocks.

Tip: Closed Sundays. The lunch queue clears by 14:30; arrive then if you want a stool.

Ze dos Cornos ★ 4.7 · Lisbon

mouraria · Beco dos Surradores 5, 1100-510 Lisboa

Ze dos Cornos in Lisbon's Mouraria: a tile-walled tasca on Beco dos Surradores, charcoal pork ribs at 12 euros, cash only, queue for the long table.

Bistro 100 Maneiras ★ 4.7 · Lisbon

chiado · Largo da Trindade 9, 1200-466 Lisboa

Bistro 100 Maneiras on Largo da Trindade in Chiado: the casual sister of 100 Maneiras in Bairro Alto, opened by Ljubomir Stanisic with late hours and a noted.

La Madragoa Restaurante ★ 4.7 · Lisbon

Santos · Rua da Esperanca 91, 1200-656 Lisboa

La Madragoa in Lisbon's Santos: a 20-seat family-run room cooking arroz de marisco, bacalhau a lagareiro and grilled sardines with Douro wines.

Brasao Foz ★ 4.7 · Porto

foz · Rua de Gondarem 487, 4150-377 Porto

Brasao Foz on Rua de Gondarem in Porto is the Foz neighbourhood site of the Brasao group, with the pork-loin francesinha a antiga and truffled meat rissois.

Tip: Open daily, kitchen until 23:30. The back garden terrace is the move on summer evenings.

O Golfinho ★ 4.7 · Porto

baixa · Rua de Sa de Noronha 137, 4050-526 Porto

O Golfinho on Rua de Sa de Noronha in Porto is a small family tasca with a francesinha sauce locals defend, and a 10-table room that fills with regulars.

Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The bitoque is a quieter alternative for the queue-averse.

Tasquinha do Lagarto ★ 4.6 · Lisbon

Campolide · Rua de Campolide 258C, 1070-039 Lisboa

Tasquinha do Lagarto in Lisbon's Campolide: a 1973 family tasca with Sporting Lisbon shirts on the walls, atum cebolada and baked octopus to share.

O Magano ★ 4.6 · Lisbon

Campo de Ourique · Rua Tomas da Anunciacao 52, 1350-328 Lisboa

O Magano in Lisbon's Campo de Ourique: a 2002 Alentejano room from brothers Marco and Bruno Luis, petiscos, favas com chourico and pork-with-clams done right.

Tasca da Esquina Campo de Ourique ★ 4.6 · Lisbon

Campo de Ourique · Rua Domingos Sequeira 41C, 1350-119 Lisboa

Tasca da Esquina in Campo de Ourique, Lisbon: chef Vitor Sobral's modern tasca, petiscos rooted in Alentejano cooking with Lusophone touches and a daily fish.

A Tasquinha ★ 4.6 · Porto

baixa · Rua do Carmo 23, 4050-011 Porto

A Tasquinha on Rua do Carmo in Porto has served homestyle Portuguese plates since the 1980s, with cabrito assado on weekends, bacalhau a bras and a 90-cent.

Tip: Cash strongly preferred. The two-floor room fills quickly Saturday; book or arrive at 12:15.

Tasco ★ 4.6 · Porto

baixa · Rua do Almada 151A, 4050-037 Porto

Tasco on Rua do Almada in Porto is a petiscos-and-Douro-wine room with codfish croquettes, octopus salad and a 100-glass list of small-producer Portuguese.

Tip: Open daily. The 151A address is the original; the second site at 65 is the overflow room.

Cruz Sobral ★ 4.5 · Braga

Centro Historico · Campo das Hortas 7-8, 4700-210 Braga

Three and four generations of the Cruz Sobral family have kept this restaurant in Campo das Hortas running since 1926. The wood-fired oven never went out.

Tip: Small dining room. Book ahead for weekends or arrive at noon.

Petisco Saloio ★ 4.5 · Lisbon

Campo Pequeno · Avenida Barbosa du Bocage 38, 1000-072 Lisboa

Petisco Saloio in Lisbon's Campo Pequeno: a tiny petisco room locals book ahead, fixed lunch menus and evening small plates, ox-tail pie and croquetes.

Faz Frio ★ 4.5 · Lisbon

principe-real · Rua Dom Pedro V 96, 1250-094 Lisboa

Faz Frio in Lisbon's Principe Real: a 19th-century tavern with wooden booths, ox-tail, goat stew and the city's best octopus salad on a short menu.

Mercearia do Seculo ★ 4.5 · Lisbon

principe-real · Rua do Seculo 145, 1250-241 Lisboa

Mercearia do Seculo in Lisbon's Principe Real: a grocer-turned-restaurant where reservations are essential, dried tuna, bacalhau and octopus on a tight menu.

Puro 4050 ★ 4.5 · Porto

ribeira · Largo Sao Domingos 84, 4050-545 Porto

Puro 4050 on Largo Sao Domingos in Porto is a mozzarella-and-burrata bar from an Italian-Portuguese duo, with Iberian cured meats, Sicilian cheeses.

Tip: Roof terrace opens May to October. Aperitivo from 18:30 with prosecco and pizzette.

Mendi ★ 4.5 · Porto

boavista · Avenida da Boavista 1430, 4100-114 Porto

Mendi on Avenida da Boavista in Porto has run a tandoor-led Indian kitchen since 1997, with murgh makhani, kadi pakoda and a long vegetarian half of the menu.

Tip: Closed Sundays. Lunch and dinner; reserve on weekends and ask for a wall-side table away from the entrance.

Restaurante Tia Isabel ★ 4.4 · Braga

Maximinos · Avenida Frei Bartolomeu Mártires 32, 4715-385 Braga

Tia Isabel is the restaurant Braga residents send family to on Sundays. Papas de sarrabulho, stuffed bacalhau and roast kid are kitchen staples.

Restaurante Esperança Verde ★ 4.4 · Braga

Maximinos · Avenida Dr. Artur Soares 312, 4700-363 Braga

Michelin Guide-listed and led by chef Hugo Sousa, Esperanca Verde offers modern, produce-led tasting menus at a serious level a short way off the ring road.

Cervejaria Liberdade ★ 4.4 · Lisbon

Avenida · Avenida da Liberdade 185, 1269-050 Lisboa

Cervejaria Liberdade in Lisbon: a polished seafood hall inside the Tivoli Avenida, Berlenga gooseneck barnacles, Algarve prawns and Aveiro oysters daily.

Solar 31 da Calcada ★ 4.4 · Lisbon

alfama · Calcada Garcia 31, 1100-258 Lisboa

Solar 31 da Calcada in Lisbon's Alfama: a fish-counter restaurant grilling whole sea bass and dourada to order, with arroz de marisco for two.

Pateo 13 ★ 4.4 · Lisbon

alfama · Calcadinha de Santo Estevao 13, 1100-502 Lisboa

Pateo 13 in Lisbon's Alfama: a courtyard tasca grilling sardines and chicken over charcoal, picnic tables, sangria, summer queues from June onwards.

Taberna do Largo ★ 4.4 · Porto

ribeira · Largo Sao Domingos 69, 4050-545 Porto

Taberna do Largo on Largo Sao Domingos in Porto is a small wine-and-petiscos counter with Iberian acorn ham, queijo da Serra and a regional Portuguese wine.

Tip: Closed Sunday. Counter seats only; arrive by 19:30 to claim one.

Arcoense ★ 4.3 · Braga

Maximinos · Rua Engenheiro José Justino de Amorim 96, 4715-023 Braga

Founded in the 1970s on the outskirts of Braga, Arcoense built its reputation on certified Bisaro pork, Minho cod and padeiro roast kid. Reservations advised.

Tip: Six kilometres from the centre. Reservations essential at weekends.

Cervejaria Pinoquio ★ 4.3 · Lisbon

Restauradores · Praca dos Restauradores 79, 1250-188 Lisboa

Cervejaria Pinoquio on Lisbon's Praca dos Restauradores: a no-fuss Portuguese seafood room serving from morning to late night, clams and arroz de marisco.

O Piteu da Graca ★ 4.3 · Lisbon

Graca · Largo da Graca 95, 1170-165 Lisboa

O Piteu da Graca in Lisbon's Graca: a workers' tasca lined in azulejos, baked octopus, duck rice and an Alentejo wine card, full at lunch every weekday.

Tasca do Jaime ★ 4.3 · Lisbon

Graca · Rua da Graca 84, 1170-166 Lisboa

Tasca do Jaime in Lisbon's Graca: a tiled tasca with a daily blackboard, iscas com elas and pataniscas at workers' prices, cash only, no bookings.