Lisbon

Lisbon definitely stole our heart. The city is vibrant but cozy, culinairy but accessible, trendy but authentic. We felt at home right away and so did our culinary heart. No wonder it became the city where we live half of the time! Ed always dives into all the good food this city has to offer and it lead to one of our best articles ever! Modern wine bars, coffee and breakfast in Lisbon, dining experiences and other creative food concepts – this is the list you need. We update this article regularly.

Lisbon is full of nice cozy places to have good wine combined with amazing food, Portuguese cheeses and other appetizers. Ed found us 6 amazing, modern ones. All very different, all very worth visiting!

Bom Bom Bom
@bombombomlisboa: a natural wine bar with a very, very good kitchen! With shared dining dishes on a chalkboard, live music regularly and (Portuguese) natural wines, this place is unique in Lisbon.

Holy Wine 
@holywinelisbon: propably the smallest wine bar you will ever go! It’s retro, kind of mysterious and all about natural wines. You’ll get good advice and you can try some wines and choose what you like. They also organise wine tastings sometimes, so keep an eye on their page.

Insaciável
@insaciavel.lisboa has definitely become our go to when it comes to wine bars! This cute bar, with a big terrace (not very often in Lisbon) was just a 5-minute walk from our house. We love the chill vibe at Insaciável and their natural wines are great (and change often!). Always nice people – the staff and the guests.

IF IF IF
@if_if_if_bar: if you’re looking for something truly unique, go to IF IF IF! This is a Georgian wine bar, serving the best wines this country has to offer. You will be amazed by the quality of the wines! Their cafe is small and cozy and they also have some bites to go with the wine – like Georgian dumplings. A must go if you’re not afraid to try something new!

Black Sheep
@blacksheeplisboa is a wine bar right next to the cute square/park Praca das Flores. At this square, people from all nationalities gather from around the afternoon until late to have a good glass of wine. At Black Sheep, you can buy a glass of wine and take it outside. Or you can sit inside, in their arty, modern wine bar.

By the Wine
@bythewinelisboa has a typical wine bar atmosphere and a long bar to sit. They offer (affordable) wines by the glass and nice cheeses and other small bites to go with them. My personal favorite; the vinho verde combined with the semi-cured soft cheese

Gandaia
@gandaia.club is a sensual, beautifully decorated restaurant. Candles, white linen and retro plates, but they also have a cute garden. The menu flirts between tradition and modern cuisine and each dish is so creative and perfectly executed. Loving the little details, like the smoked butter from the Azores that comes with the bread. Super friendly staff and also a rooftop bar bove. Perfect for a romantic night!

After Dark
@afterdark.lisbon – When we talk about sharing true passion, this is what we mean! At After Dark, the chef brings his Brazilian youth infused with Japanese influences straight to the plate. The flavors are absolutely next level – fresh, bold, and full of delightful surprises. And the wines are very thoughtfully curated to complement the Japanese dishes perfectly.

Familjen
Personal, warm and refreshing: that’s the best way to describe our experience at @familjen_lisbon! Bold, daring flavours for those who are not afraid of a little spice. As the name suggests, Familjen is a cozy family business, reflected in their small, shared dining menu. LOVED the kale tempura and the green asparagus with pistachio sauce!

Gancho
A new vibe to an area with an old soul—Gancho in Alfama has a fusion menu that offers classic & modern Italian and French dishes with a Portuguese twist (or the other way around). And we LOVE it! Think deviled eggs, amazing pasta, but also dishes like bacalhau with a crispy topping.

Touta
@toutaballoutabrings you Lebanese flavours – but not in the way you would expect. The chef combines her own roots with her innovative take on food and also brings Portuguese influences. Not just a simple hummus, but one with a home made oil infusion. Freekeh prepared as a risotto with an irresistible cream of mushroom, coffee and cardamom. As true Middle Eastern food lovers, our dinner at Touta brought a smile on our face throughout the night

Bar Alimentar
@bar__alimentar is a place we keep coming back to. A vibrant, relaxed atmosphere and sharing dishes that are just perfect. They’re creative and daring, like the cannoli with whipped codfish – super delicious! Also love their wine list. Make a reservation upfront, especially in weekends.

Possible World
@possibleworldlisbon – just when we thought Lisbon couldn’t get any cooler, Possible World opened up! The cocktails are worth coming for on their own, but the rest is just as wild. Bright starters, bold dishes (even vegan) and the kind of welcome that turns dinner into a vibe. Also love their music, there’s often a DJ playing.

Arca
@arca_lisboa is perfect if you’re looking for a refined, modern cuisine. Super fresh and surprising dishes. It’s a tiny place with an upbeat atmosphere and reminds us of past dishes we had at top-level restaurants. We highly recommend Arca!

Arzul
@alzurrest is quite new and has a unique touch; they combine the Portuguese and Peruvian kitchen and make the most creative dishes! The staff is very friendly and loves to explain about their products and ways of preparing the food.

Maluca
@maluca.lisbon is all about passion for food and wine. The owners show real attention to good products and special ways of preparing them – like pickling vegetables. Our favourites were the beetroot tartare and the mushrooms.

Palacio do Grilo
@palaciodogrilo – Looking for an insane but super exciting and unique way of dining in Lisbon? We are still overwhelmed by our experience at Palacio do Grilo! In this mysterious castle people perform ‘living art’ while you enjoy shared dining dishes and wonder what’s coming next. The surroundings are a-ma-zing and the food is good (and for a very reasonable price!). What a way to start our visit to Lisbon. Come early to take beautiful pictures and don’t leave without dessert – definitely try the dark crème brulee!

Liberty Cafe
@libertycafe.lisbon – we LOVE going for brunch, and Liberty truly is unlike anything else. Their pancakes, tostadas, other dishes and desserts are out of this world. Each with so much creativity and of such good quality! Tip of the day; treat yourself to a glass of their Portugese sparkling wine to go with your food.

Albi
@albi_lisboa is a super cozy brunch & lunch spot with a tranquil, earthy interior. Their menu is amazing; definitely try their focaccia, super delicious. From Thursday to Saturday also open till 21:00!

Monka 
@cafe_monka became a favourite right away. The toasts they make here are SO good! From the bread (from their own bakery @monka_bakery) to the toppings; the quality and taste is amazing. They serve different specials every week and if you want to try their amazing pastry, be quick! The first time we went they were sold out, so we got back and got ourselves a savoury pastry with cheese and za’atar.

Tact
@tact.cafe knows how to make you enjoy pure and quality products. Simply put together your own brunch by choosing your bread and add ons and have a cup of coffee with it! Also love their ‘baked cottage cheese’, served with fresh fruits.

Do Beco
We went to @dobeco_padaria especially for their famous ‘tornado eggs’. This creamy omelette is served with chili oil on a fresh brioche bun. Their pastry is also to die for, just take a look on their page!

Fabric
As Middle Eastern foodlovers, @fabric_lisboa is another favourite lunch spot. They serve delicious challa’s with falafel, eggplant and more. If you’re really hungry, we recommend one of their ‘plates’, that come with hummus, veggies and several sauces. The nice outside terrace is super cozy and right in the heart of Santos.

Comoba
@comoba_lisboa in the heart of the city is a popular place for coffee, lunch and breakfast in Lisbon and has a Scandinavian kind of vibe. Lots of healthy food like chia pudding and good salads! They do walk-ins only but we got a spot very quickly, a very good option for breakfast in Lisbon.

Dramatico
@dramatico.lisboa in Príncipe Real: a super small place with really dedicated baristas, true quality coffee! They really take time to make that perfect coffee – a top favourite.

94 degrees
@ninetyfourdegrees is located Santo António and is a minimalistic specialty coffee shop with amazing flat whites and cold specialties. Also one of our regular spots!

Baoba
We’ve had the best coffee in Lisbon at @baobacafe.portugal and went back for it several times. This joint has their own farm in Brazil and also won the price of coffee of the year 2021 by @timeoutlisboa. Truly deserved!

Calmo
@calmo.cafe.lisbon is a small coffee spot with one of the best cold brews we had in Lisbon! A nice and calm surrounding that also allows dogs and laptops.

Buna
@bunaportugal has great coffee and a great view! A little tip, from their terrace in a cozy street the famous tram #tram28lisbon drives by many times an hour. We actually enjoyed it more this way than being on the tram itself.

Happy with our tips for coffee and breakfast in Lisbon? Check out our articles on other destinations here!

These three cocktail bars are absolute winners when it comes to creativity, quality and atmosphere. It seems like cocktails also bring conversations, since we talked to so many nice people – guests & owners!

Uni
@uni_cocktail: space for 9 people (make a reservation!) and cocktails composed of 10 to 15 ingredients. The bar looks like a volcanic rock – so cool!

Furia
@furia.lisboa: red light, good music and innovative cocktails. An intimate setting that would also be perfect for a date night or meeting up with friends

Catfish
@catfishbar.lx run by a passionate couple with lots of experience in making cocktails; loved that they can also create one based on your personal wishes

A nice cocktail or glass of wine while overlooking beautiful Lisbon? This city has lots of rooftop bars and we have selected 3 in different parts of Lisbon. Cheers!

Java
@java_lisboa (Cais do Sodre): a Mediterranean rooftop with a round bar around the corner of the famous ‘pink street’, but not very touristic. Good wines and a nice vibe.

LX Hostel
@lx.hostel (Alcântara): this rooftop bar on top of LX Hostel is located right beneath the the famous ‘Ponte 25 Abril’ and gives a wonderful sight on this bridge. In this creative district @lxfactory is a unique place to have a drink, shop and make good pictures.

Rooftop Mundial
@rooftopbarmundial: on top of a hotel and a bit more commercial, but if you’re looking for the best views of Lisbon, you can’t miss out on this one! With a 360° view this place is nice to watch the sunset and enjoy a glass of rosé.