In addition to a rich history, gorgeous vistas, and the trademark yellow Tram 28, Lisbon has a vibrant food scene. I must admit, I visited at least four food establishments per day during my trip – and I have no regrets! Not only did eating in Lisbon not break the bank, but my expectations were exceeded almost every time I sat down to dine. From classic Portuguese seafood dishes and pastries to inventive vegan eateries, Lisbon has it all. So here you have it: 3 days of good eats, Lisbon Style!
Day 1
The first order of business upon arriving in Lisbon was coffee. Luckily, the Copenhagen Coffee Lab was right across from my apartment. To shake off the jet lag (only semi-successfully) I opted for a chai latte with espresso and a cinnamon bun. The chai latte was aromatic and soothing, and it helped me fight off the urge to dose off in the middle of the café. The cinnamon bun was fluffy, gooey perfection.
Since we ate breakfast at 8:00am before settling into our apartment, we got hungry before lunchtime. We decided to check out Manteigaria to taste our first pastel de nata – or custard tart.
Picture the flakiest, most buttery puff pastry you can imagine, pair it with silky vanilla custard, and you'll have a good idea of what a custard tart is like. They are baked in an incredibly hot oven that bakes the pastry and intentionally browns the top of the custard, without cooking it all the way through. Paired with cappuccinos, our pastéis de nata were the perfect mid-morning snack.
For lunch, we went to AO 26, an inventive vegan restaurant in the heart of Chiado, a shopping hub of the city. I ordered the lentil curry, which came with a side of basmati rice topped with crispy shallots, a pomegranate salad, and a few wedges of sweet potato. The curry was aromatic and flavorful. It was a hearty meal; I completely forgot it was all vegan as I was eating!
For dinner, we checked out Solar 31. Ordinarily, I would never order a whole fish for dinner. I feel like I don't need my food staring back at me while I eat it! But Solar 31 is known for their roasted whole fish, so I took a leap of faith – I'm so glad I made the exception.
The fish was one of the best seafood dishes I've ever had. I ordered the seabass, and it was flaky, tender, and perfectly cooked. For dessert, I got the lemon tart topped with fresh fruit. The candied nuts were an excellent touch.
Day 2
After a long, much-needed sleep, I was ready for another full day of eating! I started my day with breakfast at Quase Cafe. They offered a wide array of breakfast foods, including yogurt, pancakes, smoked salmon, eggs and various toasts. I ordered the greek yogurt with fruit and granola, a side of vegan pancakes, and caramelized onion and goat cheese toast. I could not believe how huge the portions were, especially for the price! Needless to say, it was too much food for one person, but everything was excellent.
For lunch, we headed over to Time Out Market Lisbon, where Time Out Magazine has cultivated an array of the best restaurants and food vendors all in one place. In the market, you can find all kinds of cuisines, including Italian, American, Japanese, Thai, and Portuguese.
I opted to try the sushi at Confraria, specifically ordering a white fish tempura roll topped with seared salmon and roe. It was heavenly!
For dinner, we headed to the upscale Jncquoi. This is my only recommendation that is not so wallet-friendly. But it was an early birthday dinner, so what can I say? From start to finish, it was a lovely experience. The dining room is a grand hall, with lofty ceilings and a mock dinosaur skeleton in the center.
Hot tip: no matter how tempting, try not to eat the entire bread basket before your meal.
We ordered the asparagus soup, snapper ceviche, shrimp curry, roasted cod, and a chocolate hazelnut tart for dessert. Each dish was better than the last. Check out Jncquoi for a special occasion, and you won't be disappointed.
Day 3
We've finally made it to day 3! I hope you're still hungry. For breakfast, my mom ran across the street to grab coffee and pastries from Copenhagen Coffee Lab. Instead of having a big breakfast, we opted to snack throughout the day.
First, we stopped at Brigadeirando in LX Factory, which is reminiscent of an outdoor Chelsea Market. Brigadeiros are originally from Brazil, but we were lucky enough to try them in Lisbon. The truffles are traditionally made out of condensed milk, butter, and cocoa powder. Make sure to grab cappuccinos to wash down the decadent chocolate.
Our next snack stop was Arcadia Chocolates. Can you tell I have a sweet tooth? We got an assortment of chocolates, from truffles to caramels. Everything was delicious!
On day 3, we had to work for our dinner. We signed up for a vegetarian cooking class at the Lisbon Cooking Academy. It was just my mom and I, one other couple, and the chef! The food was great, and so was the company. We cooked the only traditional Portuguese dishes the chef knew that were vegetarian. We made a Portuguese version of shakshuka, fried green beans, and for dessert, pastéis de nata. The green beans were so tasty, even though we waited about twenty minutes to eat them! I think it was the combination of flour and cornstarch in the beer batter that made them so crispy. I may be biased, but I think the pastéis de nata that we baked were even better than the ones at Manteigaria (even if they got a little too burnt).
So there you have it: 3 days of good eats in Lisbon. You really can't help but eat well when you're in this city! I can't recommend a visit enough.