Portugal
The restaurant has the finest clams near Lisbon and a view of one of Europe's most beautiful beaches. The journey there has captivating views of Serra da Sintra and the coastline. Spend a day at the beach then slide into the restaurant for a late lunch of ameijoas de bulhao pato (clams in garlic sauce) and camaroes (prawns) washed down with vinho verde (Quinta da Aveleda). On your way home stop off for dinner on the coast road between Guincho and Cascais at either Porto da Santa Maria (where presidents and football managers dine) or the Faroleiro
Take the train from Cais do Sodre in Lisbon to Cascais, jump in a cab towards Guincho beach, a 2km sweep of fine white sand. Drive along the coast road, passing Sintra range on your right and the coastline on your left. Drive past Cabo da Roca and Pe da Serra towards Almocageme. This beautiful village will lead you towards Adraga road. Follow it to the end.
Google map: bit.ly/10fjL7j
These tasty custard treats can be found in one sole bakery at the edge of the city. The recipe is hundreds of years old and is a closely guarded secret. The bakery is open till late and is very popular among locals and tourists alike.
www.pasteisdebelem.pt/
Rua de Belem 84, 1300-085
+35121 3637423
Google map: bit.ly/YclLwo
A warm welcome after a marvelous walk in Lisbon! Cafe Pois is a very relaxing and friendly place, just what you want after a hot morning of walking around the historic Alfama district of Lisbon. The food is not the traditional Portuguese, it is salads with couscous, smoked salmon and hummus, these are just a few of the delights on offer. I will definitely return to this restaurant on my next visit to this charming area of Lisbon.
www.poiscafe.com/
Rua São João da Praça 93-95, 1100-521 Lisboa
+351 218862497
Google map: bit.ly/NlQ4eE
Despite the bi-lingual menu and proximity to Lisbon's premier roundabout, this isn't tourist food - our fellow diners are ageing tango-partners and Benfica FC's faithful, fortifying themselves for the night to come. A poached egg floats on a raft of toast, in a broth teeming with scallions. Rupture it and watch the yolk form into little pebbles, bumping against globes of olive oil. Salt cod is muscular and tarry from the overhead grill, the vegetables glinting in garlic butter. As a 'Padaria' or bakery by day, dessert can be chosen from the luminous cases of pastries and sponges around the bar.
244 Avenida de Liberdade, Lisbon
Metro Station: Marques de Pombal
+351 213562362
Google map: bit.ly/Lcl3Fj
Vegan-friendly, organic, international, Portugese, gourmet, salad bar, buffet, juice bar, beer/wine, take-out. Terra, meaning "earth", serves vegetarian meals made from mostly organic ingredients with many vegan options. The kitchen relies on the riches of ethnic vegetarian cuisine of the East as well as flavours of Portuguese and Mediterranean traditions. Specialties are presented in a buffet consisting of dishes like sushi, curry, veggie kebabs, and shoarma by way of salads and vegetarian versions of traditional Portuguese. Natural juices, bio soft drinks, beer, Mevushal and non-Mevushal kosher wine, and desserts. Set in a charming old building with a private garden, eat inside the cozy restaurant or al fresco in the shadow of century old trees, sometimes with live music. English spoken. Also a shop selling fair trade artifacts, bio snacks, incense, handcrafted soaps.
www.restauranteterra.pt/Terra/Bem_vindo.html
Rua da Palmeira, 15, Lisboa (1200-311)
+351 213421407/8
Google map: bit.ly/JkJaWo
The warren of tiny streets in Alfama come to life after dark, covered with lanterns and streamers, makeshift restaurants spring up on every corner serving the local specialty – grilled sardines. There is a wonderful friendly atmosphere and the air is filled with live music and fragrant smoke. The freshly grilled sardines, served simply with bread and salad are delicious. Then wash them down with sangria or a beer, get lost in the crowd and dance the night away.
We spent Easter this year in Lisbon which is full of fabulous places to eat, but the best by a mile was our 'splash out' meal at Olivier Restaurant. By Lisbon standards it's pricy, but compared to a similar meal in London it's an absolute bargain when compared to other 'celeb chef' places. I had the most tender melt in your mouth buttered fish and my plus one had a perfectly cooked steak with champagne, decent wine and finishing off with the best crepes suzette ever. Go treat yourself if you're in Lisbon!
www.restaurante-olivier.com
Rua do Alecrim, 23, 1200 - 014 Lisbon
Google map: bit.ly/KfgdaW
A lovely, relaxed restaurant in a former convent fuses incredible food with a warm atmosphere. Very romantic, reasonably priced and inventive; you're presented with an assortment of incredible starters for 12 euros - don't be scared.
Some of the best food we've eaten abroad, well worth the effort to find it, even if it took our cabbie four stops to ask for help!
www.atravessa.com/indexuk.html
Travesso do Convento das Bernardas, 12 Bairro da Madragoa, Santo 1200-638 Lisboa
+351 213902 034
Google map: bit.ly/qAYgtk
I found a great restaurant in the Alfama on Rua dos Remedios, I think it’s number 127.
It’s small and new, very homely, serving a lovely mix of Portuguese cuisine with an Italian accent. The owner, Nino, is of Italian/Portuguese descent and grew up in South Africa, so he speaks perfect English (Afrikaans too if that helps anyone) and it turned out we have mutual friends there too!
The first night I had a delicious Lasagna al forno, even better than my own, and my partner had a typically Portuguese dish, Feijoada a Portuguesa which is a pork and bean stew, very tasty and much better than it sounded.
They also have things like fish lasagne, Lasagna al Bacalhau, lots of pastas such as bolognese, putanesca, aglio olio, peperoncino with a breaded steak, prawns in a cream and cheese sauce, and Bacalhau com natas (cod with potato cream and cheese). They’ll do pretty much any combination you want and it’s all good. We ate there twice and wished we’d discovered it earlier.
With a nice bottle of wine, neither of our meals for two came to more than about €25, as the main courses are mostly well under €10. Even for Lisbon that’s good value and the place is fun!
The Alfama, as I’m sure anyone reading this will know, is a very typical and ancient area of Lisbon, full of lovely little corners and alleys, it used to be more or less a slum but is now clean and safe.
Alfama on Rua dos Remedios. Next to a metro station.
Fantastic custard tart available from most pastelarias around the city, although the original ones come from one shop in Belem (Antiga Fabrica dos Pasteis de Belem - you can spot it by the queues outside) where they call them Pasteis de Belem. Custard tart really doesn't do it justice, they are truly stunning and one is never enough.
At pastelerias across the city, or at Antiga Fabrica dos Pasteis de Belem, Rua de Belem 84-88, Belem
Excellent, friendly restaurant serving traditional, delicious Portuguese fare.
Reasonably priced food and an excellent wine list to boot.
The fish is particularly good and the customary cheeses and meats to start are the best I've tasted in Lisbon (especially the Queijo de Azetao).
Travessa de Queimada, Bairro Alto
Cachilas is worth a visit for the ferry ride across the estuary alone. But take the time to have a look around (it’s not too pretty, but very different from Lisbon) and sample some of the excellent seafood down at the port while you are there.
Ferries: Every 20-40 minutes from Cais do Sodre.
Great little traditional restaurant with azulejo décor, a menu of Portuguese staples and friendly service. No wonder it’s packed full of locals at lunchtime.
Location: Near the top of the Elevador, on Calcada do Combro.
A buzzing outdoor terrace, quality coffee, history and that atmospheric, cavernous interior – damn the critics, this Brazilian lady is a Lisbon classic.
Address: Rua Garrett No. 120, Largo do Chiado.
Telephone: (351) 213469541.
Boasting one of Lisbon’s best views, at U Terracao you can enjoy the panorama of this elegant city from a comfortable chair with the beverage of your choice at hand. Take a break from the climb up to the castle and have a look at where you are.
Address: Calc. Marques de Tancos No. 3, Lisbon.
Telephone: (351) 508507413.
We had great pizzas at this busy restaurant which clearly is popular with local people including families with kids. Well worth a short Metro ride to Roma station.
Travessa Henrique Cardoso 19b - off from Avenida da Roma.
Both these modern vegetarian restaurants served really tasty fresh food. We'd highly recommend them both.
Oriente Chaido - Rua Ivens, 28
Jardim dos Sentidos - Rua Mae d'Agua, 3
The best vegetarian restaurant in Lisbon (and one of the very best I've ever been to).
Amazing buffet with vegetarian versions of traditional Portuguese food. It is like being at home with a very talented Portuguese friend!
They have a wall full of awards and press clippings. Moby has been there and praised the place, as have several other very well-known artists.
It can get crowded, especially on weekends.
Rua da Palmeira, 15 1200-311 Lisboa
near garden of Principe Real and Barrio Alto
www.terra.vg
Situated in Colares Velho, overlooking the church square and bandstand is a beautifully restored 18th century grocery store converted into a restaurant and tea room (Salão de chá).
A great place for a romantic dinner. We had a wonderful meal, the staff were so friendly and with Fredo playing the guitar, what more could you ask for?
It's a small boat operator in Lisbon with intimate boats carrying up to 7 people and very cheap. Lovely music on board and superb service by the skipper.
We tried a Old Lisbon tour and it was very nice. Then the guy suggested us to have dinner in the Atira-te ao Rio restaurant in the south side of Lisbon near the bridge and we went on the boat and had a great meal and came back on the boat to Alcantara. If you don't take the tour, you should try the restaurant and you can go by boat as well.
www.marlinboattours.com, +351 919275509. Departures from Alcantara Docs and Belem, but better to call first.
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