Fine Dining in Lisbon – Our 8 Favourite Gourmet Restaurants

The vivid hues of Lisbon never cease to startle and delight. The rich blues of the azulejo tiles that seem to adorn every building from grand palaces to simple dwellings. The verdant greens of quiet courtyards and lush parks. The vibrant yellow of the tiny trams that somehow manage to traverse the steep, winding, narrow streets. Portuguese cuisine is similarly imbued with a bounty of flavours, textures and colours, gifted by the small country’s remarkable diversity of soils and climates. From the rich pork from pigs grazing on acorns in oak forests and lamb raised on luxuriant pastures to olives from the broad, fertile Tagus river valley and, most of all, a surfeit of incomparable seafood, all the ingredients are on hand for great cuisine. And that is to say nothing of the diversity of Portugal’s wines: the country’s vintners produce literally hundreds of distinct varieties. Add a host of talented, innovative chefs and you have the recipe for the remarkable wealth and diversity of gourmet fine dining in Lisbon.

We’ve put together our selection of the best fine dining in Lisbon – in random order – where an inviting ambience, welcoming service and, naturally, superb food coalesce to form an exquisite culinary experience. Like any global city with a love of great food, Lisbon offers a smorgasbord of cuisines from around the world. We’ve concentrated on eateries with Portuguese cooking at heart, either preserving revered traditions or using them as inspiration for adventurous experimentation.

A venerable Lisbon fine dining institution, Gambrinus has devoted itself to serving authentic, meticulously prepared Portuguese dishes from local ingredients since 1936. The house specialities, which change every day of the week, include bacalhau à chico (roasted salt cod), lombinhos de linguado Gambrinus (melt-in-your-mouth sole prepared to a house recipe), or the hearty classic stew cozido à portuguesa. These are accompanied by an extensive à la carte menu. Savour these delights in the richly timbered dining room, unchanged since the ’60s, or alternatively grab a stool at the bar and sample the marvellous petiscos – the croquets are irresistible! (Oh, and don’t be surprised by the sound of kisses – that’s how the staff attract each other’s attention.)

• R. das Portas de Santo Antão 23, 1150-264 Lisbon (metro Rossio or Restauradores)
• Daily midday–midnight
• Book online

A frequent fixture on lists of the world’s best restaurants, Belcanto showcases chef José Avillez’s homage to Portuguese gastronomic traditions, a philosophy which has earned his restaurant two Michelin stars. He skilfully reshapes and revises regional dishes to meld new textures and tastes that never fail to surprise. The à la carte selection is marvellous, but we suggest one of the degustation menus, featuring sumptuous delights such as carrot with pine nut milk and olive, or the fabulous “Garden of the Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs” (egg, crunchy bread and mushrooms). The prestigious cellar means we also heartily recommend wine pairing, and this singular culinary adventure takes place in a subtly elegant setting beneath vaulted ceilings.

• R. Serpa Pinto 10A, 1200-026 Lisbon (metro Baixa-Chiado)
• Tue–Sat 12:30pm–3pm & 7pm–midnight
• Book online

Our tip: We also recommend José Avillez’s Encanto right next door. Here he focuses solely on vegetarian cuisine, for which he’s also been awarded a Michelin star.

Henrique Sá Pessoa has earned double Michelin-starred status for his gourmet restaurant in Chiado, where he flavours his adventurous takes on Portuguese dishes with influences absorbed during his travels around the globe to create a unique fusion cuisine. The setting for this singular Lisbon fine dining experience artfully combines the contemporary with the historic – the 18th-century building once housed a warehouse for Livraria Bertrand, one of the world’s oldest bookstores. We suggest one of the two tasting menus: Costa a Costa, paying tribute to the bounty of Portugal’s waters, or Alma, featuring variations on traditional regional dishes. The small but perfectly formed à la carte menu is also filled with delights. Henrique himself regularly pops into the dining room, chatting with guests and helping with service.

• R. Anchieta 15, 1200-224 Lisbon (metro Baixa-Chiado)
• Tue–Sat midday–3:30pm & 7pm–midnight
• Book online

Matiz takes its inspiration from the remarkable abundance of regional ingredients and from Portugal’s rich culinary history, imbuing traditional dishes with contemporary creativity. German-born chef Daniel Schlaipfer has long been immersed in the gastronomy of Portugal, and his passion is manifested in superb dishes featuring black pork from Alentejo, Mirandesa aged beef or the delicious Algarve cataplana seafood stew. The sommelier has curated a list showcasing the exceptional diversity of Portugal’s viticulture, and the dining room, on the ground floor of Sofitel Lisbon Liberdade, blends understated elegance with a welcoming, typically Lisboan vibe. Oh, and the pastéis de nata are irresistible!

• Av. da Liberdade 127, 1269-038 Lisbon (metro Avenida)
• Daily 7am–10:30pm (lunch 12:30pm–3pm, dinner 7:30pm–10:30pm), bar 10am–1am
• Book online

SEM’s philosophy revolves around working with carefully chosen regional producers and avoiding food waste – if that sounds laudable but dry, the food is anything but! The eight-course degustation menus are sophisticated and beautifully presented, drawing unexpected textures and flavours from perhaps-familiar ingredients which are presented in a new and original context. And naturally, the dishes are constantly changing, depending on the seasonality of the produce. The beers and wines on the drinks menu also come from small producers; wine pairing is warmly recommended! The sustainable philosophy extends to the upcycled furniture in the intimate, stylish venue in Alfama.

• R. das Escolas Gerais 120, 1100-220 Lisbon (Tram 28E or 12E, or take the Elevador do Castelo at R. dos Fanqueiros 176 then walk)
• Wed–Sun 7pm–midnight
• Book online

Another wonderfully executed farm-to-table concept, Prado – Portuguese for “meadow” – celebrates the best produce the country has to offer from land and sea. Chef António Galapito takes local dishes as the starting point for his creations, which are beautifully presented, fresh, authentic and delectable. Because everything depends on the availability of the right seasonal and local ingredients, the menu is constantly changing, but expect dishes featuring squid from the Azores, Alentejo pork and the freshest vegetables. Organic, bio-dynamic wines complement the food perfectly, while the minimalist, airy space exudes Lisbon culinary history – it’s a converted fish canning factory.

• Tv. das Pedras Negras 2, 1100-404 Lisbon (metro Baixa-Chiado)
• Dinner Tue–Sat 7pm–1am, lunch Thu–Sat midday–5pm
• Book online

The olive tree hanging from the ceiling is the perfect metaphor for head chef Alexandre Silva’s philosophy at his high-concept, Michelin-starred Lisbon fine dining restaurant Loco: daring gastronomy that remains connected to its Portuguese roots. The food comes to you, from the large open kitchen which reaches into the sleek, intimate dining room, in the form of a series of 16 “moments”. Each exquisite, artfully plated course is designed to tell a story, both about the country’s cuisine and about the ingredients themselves. We recommend choosing the wine-pairing menu, featuring lesser-known drops from small-scale Portuguese vintners.

• R. Navegantes n°53-B, 1200-731 Lisbon (tram 25E or bus 773/774)
• Tue–Sat 7pm–1am
• Book online

The gastronomic philosophy at 100 Maneiras is tightly intertwined with the biography of head chef Ljubomir Stanisic, who fled his native Bosnia in his late teens to come to Portugal. His cuisine blends the influence of his origins with the rich traditions and marvellous raw materials of his adopted home, and has been rewarded with a Michelin star. Three degustation menus of around 18 courses, including the all-vegetarian Ecos do 100, are impeccably served in a sultry, stone and velvet interior. We can also warmly recommend the all-signature cocktails!

• R. do Teixeira 39, 1200-459 Lisbon (metro Restauradores)
• Daily 7pm–1am (last reservation 8:30pm)
• Book online

Our tip: We also recommend Ljubomir’s 100 Maneiras Bistro, where he adds French and Italian accents to his Portuguese/Yugoslav “comfort food”.

• Largo da Trindade 9, 1200-466 Lisbon (metro Baixa-Chiado)
• Mon–Fri 6:30pm–2am, Sat–Sun midday–3pm & 6:30pm–2am
• Book online

Now all that remains for us is to wish you “bom apetite!” and “boa viagem!” on your journey of culinary discovery in Lisbon!