What You Should Eat In Lisbon On Your First Visit

A riff on the combo above, bacalhau à brás brings all these elements together in a satisfying comfort dish of shredded codfish, onions and thinly chopped fried matchstick-thin potatoes bound in a creamy, runny, eggy mixture and studded with black olives. It’s briny, salty and moreish and rumoured to be Madeiran native and pro footballer Cristiano Ronaldo’s favourite dish – if you need a celeb endorsement. Sample bacalhau á bras at tascas (bistros) such as O Cartaxinho on Avenida da Liberdade or fresh seafood restaurants.

While not the most aesthetically attractive-looking fish dish, sardinhas assadas are synonymous with a Lisbon foodie experience. The classic, salt-seasoned Portuguese charcoal grilled sardines are usually served piping hot on a slice of bread and eaten whole – top to tail – with fingers. The dish will also generally come with boiled potatoes and roasted peppers or a simple salad. It’s a street food and festival fave, or order in tascas when you eat in Lisbon.

If you’re after a signature souvenir, Portugal’s retro sardine tins are a design delight, equalled only by the hand-wrapped service within traditional conserveiras (canned, conserved fish and preserves businesses). And it’s not only sardines on offer – try different types of canned fish before you buy. Peruse the selection at the tiny, family-owned Conserveira de Lisboa in Baixa, which has been doing its thing since 1930.

Arroz de pato (duck rice), arroz de marisco (seafood rice), arroz do polvo (octopus rice) – basically, all types of oven-baked short-grain rice stews with shredded or chopped meat or other seafood, rich stock, garlic, vegetables, tomatoes and, in the case of duck rice, chouriço (a Portuguese smoky paprika pork sausage). Unlike the drier Spanish paella, Portugal's equivalent rice dishes are soupier and heartily satisfying. Order up at tascas.

Even the most ardent seafood lover might have their fill of fish eventually. Bitoque, a thin beef steak topped with a fried egg and a sizzling pan sauce of wine, garlic, butter and onions with sliced potatoes or crispy fries on the side, is a Lisbon classic, and you can’t go wrong ordering this dish at any tasca. Enjoy this Portuguese favorite with imperiais (small cold beers) or a glass of house wine.

Pica-pau – cubes of tenderloin steak served rare in the garlicky, buttery wine sauce it’s been cooked in, with mixed pickled vegetables and sometimes a thick slice of bread or fried potato slices on the side, is another Lisbon must-try. This dish falls under the category of petiscos (aka Portuguese tapas), either eaten with toothpicks at petisqueiras (snack bars) or served up as casual bites with a drink at restaurants. Try at Pinóquio at Time Out Market Lisboa.

Surprisingly, neither salted cod nor pastel de nata are Portugal’s national dish; it’s this rich stew of boiled meats, blood sausages and wintry vegetables that’s as hearty as it sounds. There’s usually set days for tascas and restaurants to serve this comforting staple (usually Wednesday or Sunday), so check ahead and plan accordingly to try cozido. Often consumed by families for Sunday lunch with regional variations on the traditional cozido, the Lisbon-style traditional dish is heavy on the cured and smoked meats for added depth of flavour.

It’s not just about the food in Lisbon; local drinks, such as port wine, also have their own establishments. Try ginjinha, a sour morello cherry liqueur, at a centuries-old, cherry liqueur hole-in-the-wall wine bar, such as A Ginjinha, open from 10am. It has a flavour profile all of its own – sweet, fruity and sour with a touch of spice infused from whole cloves or cinnamon sticks. Ginjinha is served as small shots or edible chocolate cups (yum!) with a sour cherry at the base of the glass. Mind the pips and sticky floor – it's all part of the experience.

Your culinary journey into Lisbon's best restaurants serving traditional Portuguese food will having you Googling and wanting to prepare you own versions as soon as you return home. Avocado toast and scrambled eggs might never cut it again.