The rooms worth a reservation in Lisbon, from neighbourhood bistros to the new classics.
The restaurants worth the trip in Lisbon. bistros, neo-classics, neighbourhood favourites, and the rooms locals book first.
Cervejaria Ramiro in Lisbon: a 1950s seafood hall on Avenida Almirante Reis where goose barnacles, tiger prawns and clams come straight off the boat.
Signature: Goose barnacles, Tiger prawns, Steak sandwich
Order: Ameijoas a Bulhao Pato then a prego no pao to close.
100 Maneiras in Lisbon's Bairro Alto: Ljubomir Stanisic's Bosnian-Portuguese tasting room, ten courses nightly. Reservation essential.
Signature: Tasting menu
Order: Whichever ten-course tasting menu the kitchen is running this season.
Bairro do Avillez in Chiado, Lisbon: Jose Avillez's 1000 sqm complex housing the Taberna, Pateo, Mini Bar and Pizzaria Lisboa under one roof.
Signature: Octopus a lagareiro, Bairro suckling pig
Order: The Taberna's exploding olives and a glass of Esporao branco.
Cantinho do Avillez in Chiado, Lisbon: Jose Avillez's longest-running room, open since 2011, small plates that travel from Portugal to South America.
Signature: Black pork Alentejo style, Scallops with avocado
Order: The deep-fried green beans alongside Alentejo-style black pork.
Solar dos Presuntos in Restauradores, Lisbon: a family seafood institution open since 1974, famous for cured ham, Minho cuisine and a celebrity wall.
Signature: Arroz de marisco, Roast kid, Bacalhau a Braz
Order: The plate of presunto first, then arroz de marisco for two.
Taberna da Rua das Flores in Chiado, Lisbon: Andre Magalhaes cooks Portugal's colonial-route flavours from a blackboard menu, cash only, no bookings.
Signature: Daily blackboard
Order: Whatever Magalhaes has chalked on the board for the day.
Prado in Lisbon's Baixa: Antonio Galapito cooks farm-to-table Portuguese in a converted fish factory with Roman ruins, biodynamic wine list.
Signature: Whole fish, Seasonal vegetables
Order: The vegetable starters and whichever whole fish landed that morning.
A Cevicheria in Lisbon's Principe Real: Kiko Martins's no-reservations Peruvian counter with a giant octopus over the bar, ceviche from Portuguese fish.
Signature: Ceviche puro, Ceviche portugues
Order: The Ceviche portugues, codfish with rosemary vinegar.
Boa-Bao in Chiado, Lisbon: pan-Asian street food from Thailand, Vietnam, Korea, Malaysia and Japan, served in a 1920s Asian-market themed room since 2017.
Signature: Pad thai, Bao buns, Penang curry
Order: Two bao buns then the kao soi, soup-fried noodle hybrid.
O Velho Eurico in Lisbon's Mouraria: Ze Paulo Rocha's neo-tasca behind Sao Cristovao church, modern takes on Portuguese classics, books months ahead.
Signature: Octopus salad, Bacalhau a Bras
Order: The octopus salad and a glass of vinho verde.
Clube de Jornalistas in Lapa, Lisbon: an 18th-century mansion turned restaurant with a tile-lined private room and a garden for summer service.
Signature: Bacalhau confit, Roast lamb
Order: Bacalhau confit at lunch, served in the inner garden.
Sea Me Peixaria Moderna in Chiado, Lisbon: a fishmonger that doubles as a restaurant, Portuguese seafood with a Japanese twist on Rua do Loreto.
Signature: Tuna tataki, Whole fish grilled
Order: Pick a fish from the counter, ask them to grill it whole.
Mini Bar Teatro in Chiado, Lisbon: Jose Avillez's gastrobar in the Sao Luiz theatre, dishes named after stage terms, open from 7pm to 1am daily.
Signature: Ferrero Rocher foie gras bonbon, Liquid olive
Order: The Now On tasting menu, eight theatrical small plates.
Tasca da Esquina in Campo de Ourique, Lisbon: chef Vitor Sobral's modern tasca, petiscos rooted in Alentejano cooking with Lusophone touches.
Signature: Croquetes of duck, Crab toast
Order: A round of petiscos and the daily fish.
Tasca Kome in Lisbon's Baixa: a Japanese-run kitchen on Rua da Madalena, serving takoyaki, salmon zukedon and ika somen sashimi, no fusion gimmicks.
Signature: Takoyaki, Salmon zukedon, Ika somen
Order: Salmon zukedon if you only have time for one bowl.
O Talho in Lisbon's Sao Sebastiao: Kiko Martins's steakhouse you enter through a butcher counter, dry-aged Portuguese beef, Mirandesa breed.
Signature: Dry-aged ribeye, Mirandesa tartare
Order: The Mirandesa ribeye on the bone, sliced at the table.
Casa do Alentejo in Lisbon's Restauradores: a 17th-century palace with a Moorish patio serving the bread soups, migas and pork of the Alentejo.
Signature: Acorda alentejana, Migas com entrecosto, Carne de porco a alentejana
Order: Acorda alentejana, the bread-and-coriander soup, with a poached egg.
Pap'Acorda in Cais do Sodre, Lisbon: a Bairro Alto classic reborn at Mercado da Ribeira, still cooking Manuela Brandao's signature seafood acorda.
Signature: Acorda de marisco, Chocolate mousse
Order: Acorda de marisco, the bread-and-shellfish stew that named the room.
Ze dos Cornos in Lisbon's Mouraria: a tile-walled tasca on Beco dos Surradores, charcoal-grilled pork ribs at 12 euros, cash only, no bookings.
Signature: Garlic pork ribs, Pataniscas de bacalhau
Order: Charcoal-grilled pork ribs with rice and beans.
Damas in Lisbon's Graca: a bakery-bar-bistro hybrid on Rua da Voz do Operario, modern Portuguese plates by day, live music and natural wine by night.
Signature: Daily specials, Natural wines
Order: Whatever the chef wrote on the blackboard plus a glass of natural pet-nat.
Cervejaria Trindade in Chiado, Lisbon: an 1836 beer hall in the old Trinitarian convent, blue azulejos walls, prawns, steaks and Sagres on tap.
Signature: Steak Trindade, Tiger prawns
Order: Steak Trindade in beer sauce and a Sagres on tap.
Peak food season in Lisbon is year-round.
Local dining hours: lunch around 12:30, dinner from 19:30.
service is typically included; small extra is welcome but not expected.
Ask the next local you meet what they would order. Lisbon rewards trust.