Lisbon is an incredibly pretty city break destination and a must-visit for foodies. The city’s food scene continues to boom, with new restaurants launching regularly, drawing on the endless bounty from the coastline, mountains and vineyards. While dining out here is certainly a stylish experience, food is held in high regard by lisboetas and eating out is a necessity rather than a luxury.
Alma
Housed in an 18th-century warehouse once used for storing books for one of the world’s oldest bookshops, this fine dining restaurant is one of the biggest gastronomic references in Lisbon. The dining room features an open kitchen, granting guests a view of Sá Pessoa and his team in action. Menu options include Costa a Costa, with 5 dishes, exclusively inspired by the sea, and Alma, with five dishes chosen by the chef - alongside an à la carte menu.
Cantina
Cantina is situated in the spot everyone’s talking about - the LX Factory, an old industrial space that’s been turned into a warren of hip work spaces, shops, cafes, pop ups and photography studios. The interiors of this bar and restaurant pay tribute to its industrial past... bag a seat on the raised platform for views over the open bar and kitchen where light, classic Portuguese food is prepared using a small wood-fired oven.
Prado
António Galapito opened Prado at the foot of the Cathedral of Lisbon, where he works with organic meat and vegetables, using seasonal ingredients recommended by their Portuguese producers, so the menu is ever-changing. Every day, something is different, from meat cuts to fish species.
Pesca
This trendy dinery is a fabulous garden on a large terrace in the city, specialising in fish and seafood with excellent vegetable sides. Don't miss the cocktails to enjoy with oysters and be sure to try braised mullet, with bread crumbs, artichoke puree, fava beans and there is an army of suppliers of products that the chef chooses with visits to their lands.
Loco
In the shadow of the Basílica da Estrela, Lisbon's latest hot table comes courtesy of chef Alexandre Silva, whose bold and modern take on Portuguese cuisine taps both tradition and travel on its way to a personality-rich gastronomic adventure. It offers a daily-changing, description-free tasting menu (you choose 18 'moments' with or without a cheese option), each steeped in sustainability and seasonality.