I read every article I could about dining in Portugal, and I think we ended up with a top-notch mix of restaurants. Read on for the scoop on the restaurants in Portugal you can’t miss!
Where to Eat in Porto
Cafeina offers stylish and upscale dining in the high-end Foz neighborhood.
Restaurante Lider was our only miss of the trip. I was not feeling this place at all. It felt very authentic in that it was way outside of the normal tourist area, but the dining room had no atmosphere. While the food was okay, I thought it was quite pricey for my least favorite meal of the trip. Service was friendly, but the waitress spoke no English, so it was hard to navigate the menu. Instead try seafood at O Gaveto.or Tasquinha Zé Povinho.
Brasao Aliados is known for its Francesinha sandwich, a Porto classic. This sandwich is the city’s take on a croque monsieur but way heavier. It’s made with wet-cured ham, linguiça, fresh sausage, steak, or roast meat, covered with melted cheese and a hot, thick tomato and beer sauce, and served with french fries. Get the fried artichoke with black aioli and a porto tonico, and don’t move for the rest of the day.
Pedro Limao was perhaps my favorite spot of the whole trip. 37 Euros got us a delicious multi-course
tasting menu in a cozy dining room. (PERMANENTLY CLOSED)
Where to Eat in the Douro Valley
DOC was a stop on our Douro Valley Tour… It has a beautiful setting on the water and serves high-end, delicious food from a Portuguese celebrity chef. It is the nicest restaurant in the valley, with another outpost in Porto.
Where to Eat in Coimbra
Fangas—We had an awesome meat and cheese platter at this tiny, friendly restaurant. The friendly waiter combined the sausage and cheese plates for us. The resulting platter was huge and perfect with some local wine. We were only in town briefly, but if you have time, consider the Michelin-starred O Palco or the casual, authentic O Mimo
Where to Eat in Alentejo
Basillii—I was pleasantly surprised by the on-site restaurant at Torre de Palma. The veal was one of the best dinners of my trip. Breakfast was included in our rate and plentiful, with lots of delicious pastries.
Adega Mayor was the only winery we were able to make an appointment at. We skipped the tour and headed straight for the tasting. They did hefty pours, so we were able to try all their higher-end wines and even split some glasses, having more than enough to drink. We brought home a bottle of the wonderful Grande Reserva red.
Where to Eat in Lisbon
A Cevicheria — a Peruvian ceviche spot might sound like a weird choice for Portugal but you’ll recognize the octopus hanging from the ceiling from every article about Lisbon. The Portuguese know their way around fish, and I loved the bright, flavorful ceviches and my pisco sour. We squeezed this in as “first dinner” at 5-ish when no self-respecting local would ever eat, and it was still jam-packed (no reservations), and it was all light enough that we still had room for “second dinner” at 8.
Tasca da Esquina is located in a less touristy area. This tapas spot was one of the few places we ate that was actually full of locals with nary an American in sight. Get the cod carpaccio with potatoes and egg.
Cervejaria Ramiro is one of many seafood restaurants in Portugal. But Anthony Bourdain made this, shellfish-focused, no-frills seafood restaurant famous. At the time we visited you had to email for reservations, but it appears reservations are now easily accessible on their website. When we dined there, the wait to get in if you didn’t have a reservation was epic. They don’t trouble themselves with things like side dishes, so come ready to stuff yourself with super fresh garlic shrimp, oysters, lobster, and crusty, buttery bread. I wouldn’t have been willing to wait in the line, but with a reservation, it’s well worth trying what many say is Lisbon’s best seafood restaurant. Don’t miss the “prego” steak sandwich for dessert. Yes, I said dessert, just go with me on this.
Cantiho do Avillez – Local celebrity chef Jose Avillez has multiple renowned restaurants. Everything was good, although nothing was super memorable. Try the deep fried green beans and the professor style eggs.
Landeau Chocolate – Go for the chocolate cake. It’s unbelievable – simultaneously rich and light. It’s the cake all other cakes aspire to be. Bring cash because they don’t take foreign credit cards.
Fábrica do Pastel Feijão – Pastel de Nata (custard tarts) are rightfully famous and found everywhere. Don’t miss them, of course, but try these incredible white bean pastries for something a little different. The chef revived an old recipe and spiffed it up, and now he dishes out these award-winning little delights at a tiny Alfama storefront. We visited on our food tour, but it’s worth a stop regardless. I loved the crunch of the creme brulee like top contrasting with the creamy white bean and almond filling.
Treasures of Lisboa Food Tour is excellent, and I highly recommend it. It’s a great excuse to see the winding roads of the Alfama neighborhood with a knowledgeable guide and of course, you get to taste plenty of delicious food from family-owned businesses in the hood. Ruthie, the owner/guide, is bubbly and obviously loves the city, and it was an awesome way to spend a morning.
Are you curious about what else there is to see besides restaurants in Portugal? Don’t miss our one-week in Portugal itineraries. Or, if you’re heading to Spain, check out our one-week itinerary for food lovers or our guide to 3-days in Barcelona.
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