A city that loves to snack
Lisbon eats generously and unpretentiously. Neighbourhood cafes, known as pastelarias, are open from early morning, and simple tascas, family-run taverns, serve hearty lunches at reasonable prices. Portuguese cooking relies on excellent ingredients: fish straight from the Atlantic, olive oil, garlic, herbs and good bread.
Petiscos are the Portuguese answer to tapas, small plates for sharing with a glass of wine. Typical choices include garlic prawns, clams in a white wine and coriander sauce, fried cod cakes and octopus salad.
The pastry question
The pastel de nata, a small custard tart in crisp, flaky pastry, is the city's emblem. The version from the historic bakery in Belém, made to a closely guarded recipe and known as pastéis de Belém, draws long queues, but excellent tarts are sold all over the city. Eat them warm, sprinkled with cinnamon and icing sugar, alongside a bica, Lisbon's name for a short espresso.
Beyond nata, look for travesseiros, almond-filled puff pastries associated with Sintra, and bolas de Berlim, cream-filled doughnuts sold on beaches in summer.
Sardines, cod and the bifana
In June, the city celebrates its popular saints' festivities, and the smell of grilled sardines fills the old neighbourhoods. Outside that season they still appear on menus, simply grilled and served on bread. Bacalhau, salted cod, is a national obsession, with countless recipes; bacalhau à Brás, shredded with eggs, onions and crispy potato, is a good place to start.
For a quick, cheap lunch, the bifana, a thin slice of pork marinated in garlic and wine and served in a soft roll, is a Lisbon classic, best with mustard and a cold beer.
Seafood restaurants, known as marisqueiras, display shellfish by weight, so check the price per kilo before ordering crab, lobster or the prized goose barnacles. A plate of garlicky clams or a seafood rice is a more predictable and very satisfying alternative.
Drinks and markets
Ginjinha, a sweet sour cherry liqueur, is sold by the glass from tiny bars around Rossio, sometimes with a cherry or two. Portuguese wines are excellent value; try a crisp vinho verde from the north or a robust red from the Alentejo or the Douro.
The Mercado da Ribeira at Cais do Sodré combines a traditional market with a large food hall where many well-known local kitchens have stands, making it a good place to sample several dishes at once.
For a sweet souvenir, buy a box of tarts to take home on the day you leave, or pick up tinned sardines and other preserved fish from one of the beautifully decorated shops in the Baixa, which make light, durable gifts for a cabin bag.
Good to know
- Bread, olives and cheese placed on your table are usually charged if you eat them; send them back if you do not want them.
- Order a galão for a milky coffee served in a glass.
- Lunch is often the best-value meal, with set dishes of the day at many tascas.