If you’re looking for the best local cuisine in Lisbon, this guide will help you find it. Lisbon has a wide range of cuisines to choose from, from high-end seafood delicacies to street snacks that may be purchased from sellers.
It’s common to hear that Portugal is one of Europe’s best-kept culinary secrets. One may find a lot more to Lisbon than only its beautiful architecture, steep geography, and friendly locals, even if the city isn’t widely known for its culinary offerings.
Here are some of the tastiest cuisines to sample when visiting Lisbon and the best venues to get them.
1.Algeria
Algeria has a Smokey flavor thanks to the combination of bread and oil. The only Portuguese sausage designed to be eaten whole, rather than sliced up, is this one. They’re usually grilled or baked at home. They’re frequently deep-fried and served with handmade chips and a fried egg on top at restaurants, making them a hearty meal for the price.
2.Bacalhau
For many Portuguese, this is their national food. As a delicacy in Lisbon, it is a salted codfish preserved in salt. Seafood is abundant throughout the country, and there are countless cooking methods. The most common are scrambled eggs, olives, and fried potatoes. A mayonnaise blanket is one of the most popular ways to serve it, but there are many different methods to make it.
3.Jaquinzinhos Or Carapauzinhos
These little guys are a crispy treat with floured and deep-fried horse mackerel fillets. Tasca’s (Portuguese “greasy spoon” cafes) offer them red bean or tomato rice, respectively. The whole fish is eaten in one bite, so don’t be scared off by the prospect. Fried, they’re not soft enough to remind you that you’re ingesting an entire fish.
4.Bifana
It has a beautiful flavour and can be found on nearly every food truck in Lisbon. Thinly sliced pork is dipped in white wine and garlic for the traditional snack known as bifana. Then it’s served on a bun with your choice of mustard or spicy sauce. All former Portuguese territories, including Macau and China, are likewise famous for this cuisine.
5.Feijoada (Bean Stew)
Every element had to be utilized to its best potential in rural areas. Feijoada, a pork and bean stew akin to cassoulet, incorporates flavorful cured sausages and less-than-appealing cuts of pork. Ribs and belly pieces are arranged next to ears and noses that have been hacked off. The locals will think you’re insane, but they won’t object if you leave those portions on your plate. Feijoada is known for its strong smoky flavour and the fact that it will likely keep you from eating or moving for several hours.
6.Seitan And Beans
Even if there are numerous non-vegetarian foods in Lisbon, this city does not solely cater to meat-eaters. Seitan and Beans is a dish consisting of seitan meat and beans in a warm carrot sauce. Although the combo may seem strange at first, we promise it works.
7.Ameijoas A Bulhao Pato (Clams With Sauce)
To start a meal in Lisbon, don’t miss out on the delectable ameijoada de bu hao pato. Clams are cooked in white wine, garlic, and olive oil sauce prepared from clam juice or lemon juice.
Ameijoas, a bulhao pato, is frequently served with bread for dipping into the sauce. Other seafood meals like cod benefit from the particular flavors of this dish because of its widespread appeal. Ameijoas, a bulhao pato, can be found in nearly all of Lisbon’s seafood and beachfront eateries.
8.Prego (Steak Sandwich)
Nothing says “feast” like a steak sandwich, followed by a glass of wine to wash it all down. Please leave it to the Portuguese to savour the freshest, succulent seafood and shellfish. Cervejaria Ramiro, one of Lisbon’s most renowned seafood restaurants, serves a thin piece of garlic-marinated beef on papa Seco bread roll, typically with crappy industrialized mustard, as a classic end-of-meal fare at these establishments. It doesn’t make any sense from a culinary standpoint, but it works.
9.Favas Com Enchidos (Broad Bean Stew With Sausages)
This slow-cooked broad bean stew features short ribs, belly pork, and a variety of cured sausages, including chouriço, farinheira, and morcilla (blood sausage with cumin). Adding large amounts of mint and coriander to the stew gives it a unique flavour you won’t find in most other beef stews.
10.Petiscos
Originally, tapas were used to protect drinks from dust and insects by covering them with a little snack. Tapar, the verbal noun meaning “to cover,” is the root of the Spanish word tapas. Although their portion sizes are comparable to those of tapas, petiscos were created as a way to serve more minor pieces of larger entrees. Petiscos can be done with many of the recipes in this guide.
11.Bacalhau (Cod)
Bacalhau, or dried and salted cod, is a staple of the local diet in the Portuguese capital. For centuries the meal has been a staple for sailors on long voyages worldwide when they ate preserved fish to keep them going. However, there are numerous ways to enjoy the local fish, making it one of Portugal’s most renowned dishes.
Bacalhau, a bras, or shredded cod mixed with potatoes, eggs, onions, chopped parsley, garlic, and olives, is a popular meal in Portugal. A variety of preparations of the local delicacy, bacalhau, are available in almost every restaurant in Lisbon.
12.Tandoori Chicken
All across the world, there is a wide variety of Indian cuisine, and Lisbon is no exception. Tandoori Chicken, made with the finest ingredients, is sure to make even the most jaded eater’s mouth swim. In addition, if you’re craving Indian food in Lisbon, you may find a wide variety of options.
13.Arroz De Pato (Duck Rice)
When it comes to Portuguese meat dishes, there are few better than duck rice. The meaty bird is shredded and baked into the fragrant Carolino rice (prepared with duck stock, onions, and garlic) before being topped with the fiery chouriço sausage and orange slices. It originates in Alentejo, where many of Portugal’s heartier meals may be found, but it swiftly spreads throughout the country.
14.Tosta Mista And Torrada
In my opinion, Tosta mistas are one of the best ways to use Flamengo cheese (a ham and cheese toastie). Ask for a tosta de queijo if you only want cheese.
If you’re at a PO de forma or PO caseiro café, you can choose between the two types of bread. Stringy cheese and butter are both excellent accompaniments to any meal. Order “toast” (Uma torrada) at any café, and you’ll get two doorstops of bread with butter melted on both sides served up to you.
15.Bacalhau Bras
When the fish has been drained of its water and then shredded and mixed with an egg, finely chopped onion, and crispy small matchstick potatoes, then baked and garnished with parsley, it is known as Bacalhau A Bras in Lisbon. The name “Bras” is supposed to correspond to the name of the meal’s originator, who most likely first served the dish in the Barrio Alto district of Lisbon, today a nightlife hotspot, in the early 1900s.
16.Chicken Piri Piri
Piri Piri comes from the Portuguese colonies in Africa, where it was first made. Anyone who goes to Lisbon must try it because it tastes so good. Even if you don’t like chicken and prefer mutton, this will be a treat for your taste buds. An exquisite pleasure like this one is impossible to resist!
17.Caldo Verde (Green Soup)
Caldo Verde is a traditional soup served as an appetizer or snack in Portugal. Almost any local Lisbon restaurant serves it at any time of day or year. Because the soup is made primarily of potatoes and kale, it is called “green soup.” Vegetarians can forgo the chorizo slices typically placed on top of this dish.
Caldo Verde is a simple dish, but finding a good one can be challenging. Despite the absence of dairy or cream in the recipe, the soup feels creamy when prepared correctly. In Lisbon, it’s a favourite late-night snack.
18.Croquettes
One of the best foods in Portugal is croquettes, a favorite snack or side dish. Croquet de Carne, a Portuguese beef croquette, is the most typical filling for Portuguese croquettes, which can be filled with various foods. Croquettes produced with beef and pork can be seen on the left, while those prepared with cuttlefish and their ink can be seen on the right.
19.Pasteis De Nata
Only three people are aware of this recipe, which is one of Lisbon’s most well-known dishes. Those descended from the original bakers are entitled to the dish’s trademark. It’s a circle of puff pastry filled with a thick, creamy egg custard. Every person who eats this dish will find something they enjoy about it.
20.Chouriço
Chouriço, a famous Portuguese sausage with paprika flavoring, is milder than its Spanish cousin. In addition to snacking on this adaptable meat, the people of Lisbon cook with it.
Chouriço is a common ingredient on the menus of many Lisbon restaurants. For a truly unique dining experience, request the tableside-cooked Chouriço Assado entrée.
21.Choco Frito (Deep Fried Cuttlefish)
In my perspective, cuttlefish is a step up from squid. Flesh, that is more malleable. On the other hand, the Portuguese seem to get it right every time. Taberna do Relojoeiro in Almada, south of the river, has a beautiful variation. We strongly advise making reservations in advance due to the limited capacity.
