Top 5 Restaurant Highlights of Lisbon, Portugal

Lisbon’s fantastic food scene is very easy to fall in love with. From creative cocktails and fresh seafood to historic eateries and award-winning chefs, what’s not to love? Portugal’s capital city has so much to offer in terms of architecture and history, but their gastronomy is equally as impressive.

Here are a few of my culinary highlights that I enjoyed on my trip to Lisbon!

Tempus Lounge Bar

While in Lisbon, I called the luxurious Corinthia Hotel home for a few days, which you can read more about my stay here. Before heading out to dinner for my first night, I decided to sample some delicious cocktails at the hotel’s Tempus Lounge Bar. Tempus provides a laid-back environment, overlooking the Corinthia’s lush terrace garden. Bar Manager Nélson Antunes hosted a fun cocktail lab evening for us and he made each of us our own unique drink based on what we liked.  Mine was a a mixture of white wine with strawberries.  It was very tasty. They also offer a tailored selection of premium wines, beers, teas, and light meals which makes it the perfect setting to enjoy the twilight hours.

Bairro do Avillez

Restaurant Bairro do Avillez is located in the famous Chiado District. This is easily the most elegant, trendy, and charming part of Lisbon, making it the perfect place to dine on our first night! The restaurant is spacious with different eating areas; we enjoyed eating in the Taberna where you’ll find the heartiest food. Speaking of the food, you are in great hands with Portuguese Chef José Avillez who has earned three Michelin Stars so far in his career.  We ordered several tapas dishes, including fried octopus, ceviche, tuna tartar and a plate of cured hams and cheeses.

Pharmacia Restaurant

I was immediately drawn to Pharmacia Restaurant once I stepped inside and was transported to an early 20th century, pharamacy-themed space. This unique restaurant offers traditional petiscos (Portuguese for “tapas”) that can easily be shared between a group of friends.  The croquettes were my favorite dish. You cannot leave Pharmacia without trying their fun drinks, or pharmaceutical concoctions if you use your imagination! You can order “Morphine” which is a delicious sparkling wine with pineapple drinks or LSD, which consists of a Portuguese berry liquor and sparkling rose wine, and so many others!

Mar do Inferno

You’ll discover the charming seaside town of Cascais just 30 minutes west of Lisbon, yet it feels like worlds away! While it’s technically not inside the capital’s city center, Mar do Inferno Restaurant is so worth the drive. Located over the sparkling blue water, ordering seafood here is a no-brainer thanks to the fresh fish caught on a daily basis. Mar do Inferno is a family business that has been managed by Maria de Lourdes Tirano and her two sons for over thirty years now, so clearly they are doing something right! We ordered a few plates of delicious seafood combination platters which included scallops, lobsters, and clams. The lobsters were my favorite.

Típico

Last but certainly not least, I was lucky to enjoy another gastronomic gem inside the Corinthia Lisbon Hotel. On my final evening, I dined at Típico which is dedicated to the best of Portuguese cooking. They pride themselves on using seasonal produce to create traditional dishes. A specialty of theirs is shellfish cataplana and their live carving station is a focal point of the restaurant where you can have a unique glimpse into how the fresh ingredients are prepared. We started with a poached lobster tail, followed by a grouper with cauliflower, and for dessert a meringue with chocolate sauce and vanilla ice cream.

I really enjoyed eating my way through the vibrant city of Lisbon. Seafood lovers will certainly not be disappointed, but you can find a range of dishes and international cuisines in this bustling capital. There is immense culinary talent in Lisbon and I cannot wait to return for a second helping!