What is there to eat in Lisbon? You absolutely must know food is an essential part of the trip. You will discover delicious and inexpensive cuisine.
You eat mostly fish, accompanied by white rice and vegetables. Every good meal in Lisbon restaurants starts with a hot soup, even in summer. It continues with the main course, which contains rice, meat or fish and vegetables in a single course. And then comes dessert. Below is everything you must eat on your trip to Lisbon.
What to eat in Lisbon: low-cost cuisine
In most restaurants, as soon as you sit down at the table, you are served a small starter, even if you did not order it. It usually consists of olives and a few other appetisers. You pay for it, but you are free not to consume it without finding it in your bill at the end of the meal.
What is typical eating in Lisbon?
Typical Lisbon cuisine is based on fish and rice, especially cod and sardines. Meat is also eaten, but less frequently. Let's take a detailed look at the five best typical things you are sure to taste on a trip to Lisbon.
Green Heat
caldo verde is a typical Portuguese soup made with green vegetables and served in a small bowl. It cannot be considered a past, but just a way to open the appetite by eating something hot, hydrating and healthy (even in summer)
Sardinhas
Sardines in Lisbon can be found in all restaurants and in all sauces. The most common are sardines grilled and seasoned with a sauce of garlic, oil, lemon and parsley. Can the Can is a restaurant in Lisbon that serves only canned fish, mainly sardines.
Besides being a restaurant, it is also a museum about the history and graphics of the Portuguese canning industry, which has a long and fascinating history that starts with wars, conquests and exports. You can admire Can the Can's canning collection online here.
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Cod
It is said that there are 365 recipes for cooking Cod in Portugal, one for each day of the year. Bacalhau con natas is cod prepared with cream and potatoes, and cod salads are common. Bacalhau à Gomez de Sa is codfish made with potatoes and boiled eggs. Bacalhau com espinafres and Bacalhau espiritual involve baking in a crispy flan. You can find more Bacalhau recipes here.
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Bolinhas di bacalhau are delicious cod fritters that you will find almost everywhere in Lisbon.
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Carne de Porco in Alentejana
Alentejo is a region of Portugal south of Lisbon. Alentejo influences are many in the city and one of the most delicious consequences is a dish that you can find almost everywhere: Carne de porco à alentejana. This is a dish of pork cooked with clams. As far-fetched a combination as it may seem, you will certainly find it very successful.
Casa do Alentejo is an Alentejo restaurant near Rossio. Before being a restaurant, it is an old cultural centre and meeting place for the Alentejo community in Lisbon with a library, a small theatre and a wonderful inner courtyard. The official website of Casa do Alentejo can be found here.
Pasteis de Belem
Pasteis de Belem are an institution in Lisbon. They are crunchy pastries filled with cream and sprinkled with cinnamon. The ones they make in ordinary pastry shops are called Pasteis de Nata, the original ones you only find in Belem are Pasteis de Belem.
Pastéis de Belem is the historic pastry shop next to the Monastero dos Jeronimos that invented the original recipe.
You can find it at Rua Belém 84-92 in Lisbon. If you don't feel like standing in a long queue, you can alternatively try the pasteis da NATA at Rua da Prata, 78 in Lisbon where you can accompany them with a Porto Tonico (a must-try cocktail!).
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Where to eat in Lisbon?
Restaurants in Lisbon are usually cheap. The restaurants in Lisbon's centre and most beautiful neighbourhoods are often in beautiful locations and are full of authenticity and atmosphere. Spending too much and eating badly in Lisbon in a bad place is really a mission.
In addition to the restaurants mentioned above, we recommend a marisqueria that is perfect for eating Arroz de Marisco and other traditional dishes on the cheap: it is called Uma marisqueria and is closed on Sundays.
Below is a video guide to three restaurants in Lisbon where you can eat well and spend little:
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