Lisbon Food and Drink

Pasteis de Belem may just be the best place in Lisbon to get your hands on a pastel de nata tart. In fact, it was so good, it made the top of our pastel de nata bakery list!

The infamous custard tart is quintessentially Portuguese, and a must try while you’re in Lisbon. The Belem bakery sells equally amazing savoury and sweet treats, like their delicious chicken filled puff pastry, and homemade marmalade.

It has a long history of blessing the folks of Lisbon with fresh and tasty pastries. They first opened shop in 1837, with the original pastel de nata recipe passed from some monks at a nearly monastery. Pasteis de Belem has remained extremely popular to this day, with daily queues winding out of the bakery. So, you may have to wait to be served but it won’t be too long.

The pastries are a very decent price; you can expect to pay around €1.30 for a Pastel de nata.

This hole in the wall drinking spot is located in one of  Lisbon’s most iconic districts. The area around Os Amigos Da Severa is the birthplace of Fado music, and the bar itself is named after the legendary singer Maria Severa who founded the genre.

Maria Severa died just a few doors down so the bar has somewhat of a cult following. With walls adorned with fado memorabilia, neighbourhood regulars, and a stop on most of the city’s walking tours, it holds a distinctive place in the tapastry of Lisbon.

Maria Severa passed away just a few doors down, endowing the bar with a somewhat cult following. With its walls adorned with fado memorabilia, a haven for neighborhood locals, and a prominent stop on countless walking tours, it occupies a unique position within Lisbon’s cultural tapestry.

The bar’s owner since 1974, António, is a vibrant character and community legend in his own right. For the city’s visitors, this tiny bar is known for selling the famous local drink Ginjinha (sweet-ish cherry liqueur). There are no sit down spots, but if you want to try your hand at chatting with locals in Portuguese and enjoying an authentic experience, then Os Amigos Da Severa is ideal!

When I first visited Time Out Market in 2016, it blew my mind. I hadn’t seen anything like it and I loved the concept of being able to order what you want – even if it was from a different restaurant to who you were travelling with. This place was the pioneer for the many food halls we’ve seen popping up across bustling cities all over the globe in the last ten years.

Whilst it may have lost its uniqueness, it certainly hasn’t lost its draw to the millions of tourists that visit every single year to try out food from the 40 plus local eateries.

Is it ‘touristy’? Yes. Very. But you’d be hard pressed to find anywhere else with so much variety. It’s a perfect stop for a first visit to Lisbon when you’re wanting to try out an array of dishes. That, and it’s great for groups who don’t have to worry about splitting the bill at the end.

Would I head back after my first visit? I personally wouldn’t. What Time Out has in range, it loses in an overall experience. It gets very busy and whilst it’s decent if you’re on a budget, you can easily find authentic restaurants where your money will go further – even after factoring in paying a tip!

So it’s one to tick off when you’re in the area, but I’d encourage you to not spend too long there and head off to discover local places where you can relax a little more!

Manteigaria Silva sells the best in Portuguese charcuterie, cheese, wine, and bread. The old school deli is a significant part of the Lisbon food scene as they have been in business for a crazy 130 years!

It’s a bit of a tourist hot spot so gets quite busy. However, the staff are super knowledgeable and patient and more than happy to guide you through the foods.

The prices are decent, but of course, will rise with the quality. The cheese can be stored for up to a year in the fridge–perfect for those who fancy taking some bits home!