Tasca da Esquina in Campo de Ourique, Lisbon: chef Vitor Sobral's modern tasca, petiscos rooted in Alentejano cooking with Lusophone touches.
Signature dishes: Croquetes of duck, Crab toast
Must order: A round of petiscos and the daily fish.
Address: Rua Domingos Sequeira 41C, 1350-119 Lisboa, Lisbon
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.
