Adega da Tia Matilde PORTUGUESE We once overheard a Portuguese father here telling his son, “Food like this will make a man out of you.” Indeed, it’s a great place to sample the savory and hearty specialties of Ribatejo, including cabrito assado (roast mountain kid), arroz de frango (chicken with rice), pato corado com arroz (duck rice), and pungent caldeirada (fish stew). The Portuguese love this large, busy place in the Praça de Espanha area—foreign visitors are rare.
Rua da Beneficência 77. www.adegatiamatilde.com. 21/797-21-72. Main courses 10€–31€. Mon–Fri noon–4pm, 7:30–11pm; Sat noon–4pm. Metro: Praça d’Espanha. Bus: 31.
Comida de Santo PORTUGUESE/BRAZILIAN From your first drop of caipirinha to the last spoonful of papaya puree, this is a tropical taste-bud adventure. One of Lisbon’s oldest Brazilian restaurants, it’s inspired by the cooking of Salvador da Bahia famed for its use of coconut, lime, and delicate spices. Typical dishes include vatapá, made with fish, palm oil, cashew nuts, and dried shrimp; or cured beef with cassava and catupiry cheese.
Dom Feijão PORTUGUESE This is hallowed ground for lovers of true Portuguese cuisine, so book in advance, because local families often besiege this retro open-plan dining room off the Avenida de Roma shopping street. Like many in this mid-20th-century neighborhood, it’s rooted in the robust cooking of northern Portugal, serving baked turbot or roast young goat. Nobody is quite sure how it got the name, which translates as “Sir Bean.”
Largo Machado de Assis, 7D. www.domfeijao.com. 21/846-40-38. Mains 10€–17€. Mon–Sat noon–3:30pm, 7–10:30pm. Metro: Roma.
O Polícia MEDITERRANEAN Named for the ex-cop who founded it in 1900, this discreet little gem has a decor and menu that seems little changed in decades. The classic Portuguese food is consistently good, but you’re in for a special treat if baked porgy (pargo no forno) is on the specials board. Close to the Gulbenkian Museum, this place is popular for business lunches.
Rua Marquês Sá da Bandeira, 112A. www.restauranteopolicia.com. 21/796-35-05. Mains 12€–17€. Mon–Fri noon–3pm, 7–10pm; Sat noon–3pm. Metro: São Sebastião.
Rabo D’Pexe AZOREAN/JAPANESE Portugal’s mid-Atlantic Azores islands are renowned for wonderful seafood and free-range beef. This place serves it up, flying in 80% of its fish and meat from the archipelago. Fish takes pride of place. You can choose spectacular array of species in the ice tray, then watch them prepare it the open kitchen. As well as traditional Portuguese preparations, there are expert sushi chefs on hand if you want it raw. Dishes are beautifully presented in a light-filled interior.
Casa dos Passarinhos TRADITIONAL PORTUGUESE Solid comfort food at affordable prices—that’s the promise of good tascas like this one, and it’s a potent draw. Even more alluring: the idea of cooking for yourself. Bife na pedra (steak on the stone)—it comes raw for you to grill on a hot stone—is very popular here. It’s smoky and smelly but also lots of fun. If you don’t want to work for your supper, the octopus is recommended, as is the tuna steak and Iberian pork (called secretos). Arrive before 1pm or you’ll have to wait, as that’s when local workers arrive for lunch.
Jesus é Goês GOAN Culinary exchanges between India and Portugal have been producing delicious results for 500 years. Nowhere more fruitfully than in the state of Goa, a Portuguese outpost until the 1960s. Chef Jesus Lee recreates the tropical charm and tangy flavors of his homeland in the brightly colored shrine to gastronomic intermingling. Try shrimp masala or spiced cilantro chicken. On no account should you miss the date-filled samosas with ginger and cardamom ice-cream.
Rua de São José, 23. 21/154-58-12. Mains 8€–19€. Tues–Fri noon–3pm, 7–11pm; Sat noon–3pm, 7pm–midnight. Metro: Restauradores.
Os Tibetanos VEGETARIAN When it opened in the 1980s, this was the first vegetarian restaurant in Lisbon, and 20 years later, it’s still going strong. The decor and cuisine pay tribute to the people of Tibet, offering several variations on the stuffed Himalayan dumplings known as momos. There is a range of other internationally inspired dishes that change with the seasons, but could include oven-baked tofu steaks with goat’s cheese and pesto, or beetroot pancakes with roasted squash.
Rua do Salitre 117. www.tibetanos.com. 21/314-20-38. Mains 8€–13€. Mon–Fri 12:15–2:45pm, 7:30–10:30pm; Sat 12:45–3:30pm, 8–11pm; Sun 12:45–3:30pm, 7:30–10:30pm. Metro: Restauradores.
6
Exploring Lisbon
Lisbon’s historic center is compact. Most attractions can be reached by foot or by hopping onto the historic streetcars, elevators, and funiculars. Safe and mostly efficient public transport and relatively cheap taxis will get you to farther-flung attractions like historic Belém, modernist Parque das Nações, or the Gulbenkian museum. To really see the city, allow at least 3 days, more if you make side trips to Sintra and
in port wine.
