Top 10 Foods You MUST Try in Lisbon
-What You MUST EAT on your first trip to Lisbon-
I’ve laid out the top 10 foods you MUST try when you’re in Lisbon because I couldn’t let you miss the opportunity to enjoy this much good food, now could I?
Food is an incredible way to delve into the culture of a new place. You’ll get to meet locals (if you go to the right places) and you get to enjoy firsthand what locals have been enjoying their whole lives.
It’s a delicious and easy way to bond with people that you may not have much else in common with!
I can’t count how many food conversations I’ve had with people all over the world! We gush and gab about all of the scrumptious food that we’ve enjoyed and it’s wonderful.
Thankfully, Lisbon is one of those places filled to the brim with absolutely, positively yummy food.
I hope you enjoy this list! Now let’s dive right in!
#1 Have a Bifana
A Bifana is the perfect late night meal in my opinion. It’s a lovingly baked crusty roll filled with a juicy, garlic flavored pork loin. You can also top your Bifana with cheese or an egg.
MMMMMMMM.
We recommend heading to the ever popular, O Trevo (as touted by Anthony Bourdain) or saunt on over to another local favorite, Beira Gare.
For a beef version of this sandwich, order a “Prego” from Rui dos Pregos.
#2 Piri-Piri Chicken
In truth, Piri Piri is a spice from Africa and most Portugese aren’t spicy fanatics. But back in the 80’s, a South-African based, Portuguese restaurant owner named Fernando would change the way people all over the world saw Portuguese chicken.
Don’t get me wrong. The Portugese love their chicken and rightfully so.
This is fall off the bone, juicy to it’s core chicken. What’s not love?
It’s just that the locals aren’t spicing their chicken up, like they’re doing at Nando’s. So if you want to do as the locals do, there are two routes you can take.
The first is to get a take-away at Churrasqueira Rio de Miel. There’s most likely gonna be a long line of locals, but trust me (and Devour Food Tours)…it’ll be worth it.
Or for a sit down meal in a hip part of town go to Curico at the LX Factory.
#3 Naughty Natas
A 20 minute bus ride from the city center is an area called Belem.
Belem is known for its stunning Tower and a little custard filled tart known as a pasteis de nata, or nata for short.
This little tart is full of flavor and even the pickiest of eaters won’t be able to deny how tasty this stuff is.
You could say that they’re very “more-ish”. I had at least a dozen or so of these while we were in Lisbon!
I recommend going to the place that started it all, known as Pasteis de Belem. They began creating their confections next to the Mosterio dos Jeronimos back in 1837 and the same secret recipe is still being used to this day!
If you don’t want to travel all the way to Belem for another 5 or 6 of these bad boys, then head to Manteigaria for your fix. Don’t forget to order some bica, a simple shot of bitter espresso, for a perfect morning pairing!
Yes, it is socially acceptable to eat these at all hours of the day! Isn’t it wonderful?
#4 Have a Cheeky Shot of Ginjinha
The portugese have this quirky tradition where you can take a shot of cherry liquor as an afternoon pick me up.
Usually the shots are 1 euro each, which is crazy cheap. It’s the epitome of cheap and cheerful.
The cherry flavour is really nice but I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel a little extra bubbly after having my shot. I’d say it’s not so strong that you’d be flat on your face after having one. Though if you’re a weak drinker like me, I suggest only having one.
But this treat is perfect for getting you into that early evening groove.
After the trip, I learned that it’s apparently tradition to sip Ginjinha. Whoops! We totally backed them.
Oh well, we certainly had a good time lol.
But if you want to do it the correct way, then you’ll want to sip the ginjinha. I recommend ordering it “com ginja”, this means with a cherry at the bottom.
Once you’ve sipped on your refreshment, you’re supposed to suck on the cherry at the bottom to finish. Be sure to watch out for the seed!
And for all you choco-holics out there, you can also have this drink served in a little chocolate cup. Perhaps it’s not the most traditional way to enjoy ginjinha, but it is mighty delicious!
#5 Time Out Market (Mercado da Ribeira)
If you’ve never heard of Time Out, they are a “media company” technically, but I consider them one of my go to websites to visit before I travel anywhere as they usually have fantastic suggestions! Well, in Lisbon, they have their very own food hall!
Crazy, right?
Here they’ve brought together some of the city’s best and brightest eateries under one roof.
Time Out Market is located in a hall known as the Mercado da Ribeira. While it’s exterior is ornate and picturesque, the interior is full of delectable gourmet food stalls, bars, and shops.
This is a fantastic place to go to whether you’d like something authentically Lisbon (like pudding from Pudim Do Abade) or if you want to try something a little different (like fusion style sushi from Confraria). This market is a must do for anyone who is a foodie at heart.
When you go I’d make sure to leave room for a beer and dessert too. Basically, be prepared to pig out.
(Oh, also be prepared to spend a little bit of extra money in here. It’s pricier than the average place in Lisbon. To be fair Lisbon isn’t very pricey at all, but still.)
Ooo, almost forgot! Don’t forget to check out A Vida Portuguesa within the market. It’s a souvenir shop that only sells authentic, old Portuguese products. So if you’re in need of gifts for friends, family or even just yourself…then this is the perfect option!
#6 Salgados
Today I’ll be recommending two salgados (savory treats) for you to give a try: croquetes and pasteis de bacalhau.
Croquetes is a little ball of meat and gravy covered in breadcrumbs then deep fried to perfection. For the most phenomenal croquetes in Lisbon, you’ll have to go to Croqueteria. They’re a food stall in Time Out Market entirely dedicated to croquetes, so you know they know their ish.
Next for the pasteis de bacalhau (cod cakes). We’ll be mentioning cod in our list very soon, but for now we’ll discuss the snack version of this Lisbon’s most beloved way of enjoying cod.
Conveniently, I’ll be recommending getting your cod cake at another food stall in the Time Out Market. The stall is called Olho Bacalhau and, what do you know, they are completely dedicated to their savory treat as well. They specialize and only serve pasteis de bacalhau so you can trust that every bite was prepared to perfection.
#7 Chocolate
Most of this list has been quite savory so I thought I would highlight Lisbon’s sweet side a little here.
For fantastic chocolate, including hot chocolate and brownies, you must go to the family-run Bettina & Niccolo Corallo.
Or for a more classic take on Portuguese pastries, you can’t miss Confeitaria Nacional. An ornately decorated shop filled to the brim with pastries, this establishment has been baking in the heart of Lisbon since 1829.
Plus, I heard they are the official supplier of confectionaries to the Portuguese presidential palace which gives them a HUGE seal of approval. The only down-side is, due to popularity, this shop can overflow with tourists. So make sure you avoid this by visiting early or late.
For a less touristy version, if needed, an equally scrumptious alternative is to enjoy your pastries at Palesteria Versailles. Equally as elegant and delicious with far fewer crowds to deal with.
#8 Cozido à Portuguesa
Let me just quickly mention something about this dish. It’s not the most visually appealing meal you’ve ever seen. But think of it like a quality plate of nachos. They look a little bit of a mess, but every single bite brings you closer and closer to food heaven.
Now that we’ve got that out of the way…
Cozido a Portuguesa is a traditional stew (though you can eat this meal with or without the broth). Cozido usually includes all of the meats. Expect beef, pork, chicken, and sausages to be included in this hearty meal.
But it doesn’t end there. They make sure to even it all out by loading up the other half of your plate with veggies like potatoes, cabbages, turnips, and carrots.
Many restaurants in Lisbon will have a particular day of the week dedicated to making this dish. Since you’re most likely to be in Lisbon over a weekend, I’m recommending the buffet at O Padeiro. They serve all you can eat cozido on Friday and Sundays. That gives you two chances to give this tradition a try!
#9 Vinho Verde
Vinho Verde translates to green wine. It is green both literally and figuratively, as it is young wine.
It’s fresh and light flavour can be enjoyed with many of your sit-down meals during your stay in Lisbon. It pairs especially well with seafood!
Wherever I go I make sure not only to try the traditional food, but also the traditional alcoholic refreshments.
I think it’s fun to see all of the creative ways that cultures have created spirits over time and history.
All this to say, it’s not just vinho verde that you should take some time to try, but also moscatel, port, and madeira wine if you get the chance!
Head to Grapes & Bites for a selection of over 650 varieties of Portuegese wine. They also offer tastings if you want a more formal introduction.
#10 Cod
Being right next to the water, Lisbon is known for its seafood and, more specifically, its cod, also known as bacalhua.
Cod isn’t just any ingredient in Portuguese cuisine, it’s a downright staple. In fact, it’s so popular every region has its own style of bacalhua (cod). There are over 365 traditional recipes! You could legitimately try a new recipe every day of the year!
Now you probably won’t have time to try all 365 recipes, but I recommend trying a traditional Lisbon recipe, called Bacalhua A Bras from D’Bacalhua.
Bonus: Sardines
I know I might’ve lost you on this one. So many people are not big fans of sardines, I know.
But Lisbon is known for its seafood and especially for its canned sardines. They even have places called Conserveiras where they only sell tinned/canned fish.
They usually have extremely colorful and beautifully eye catching designs. Plus, for those of you that don’t like sardines…they have other seafood options as well!
I suggest visiting Comur Conserveira de Portugal no matter what because the inside of their shops are amazing! You can see me in a library of canned fish above but this isn’t even the most extravagant shop they have.
You can see which shop you’d like to go to here.
Or if you’d like a freshly grilled version, stroll on over to Ultimo Porto. If it’s sardine season (between June and October), you can get these hot off the grill from local street vendors!
So after reading about the top 10 food you must try in Lisbon, are you hungry yet?
I know I am.
What I would do for a Bifana and a few natas right now!
Writing this post has made me realize that I need to go back to Portugal soon! I would love to explore the Northern region more, but I’m definitely going to have to stop by Lisbon for at least a day or two.
The atmosphere and culture of Lisbon is too beautiful for me to resist. For more posts on Lisbon and traveling around Europe, click here.
Or if you need help figuring out what to do in Lisbon, click here for my top 10 things to do in Lisbon.
I hope you’ll fall in love with Lisbon and it’s delicious treats as much as I did.
Until next time,
Angelica Fitzpatrick
