The “Classic” Restaurants in Lisbon

If there are people who arrive in Lisbon and have never heard about Gambrinus or Faz Figura, little have they heard about Lisbon. Those restaurants that have been on the top quality restaurant lists for over ten years and are what we call the “Classics”. But more than based on longevity, this term applies to those restaurants that have stood out for their special and traditional service that has become familiar to locals. Those restaurants that maintain their cooking loyal to the typical Portuguese flavours and a decoration that makes them stand out for a particular reason. These are the restaurants that have become a reference in Lisbon. They are an obligatory stop for those who are visiting Lisbon for a short, or long, period of time and would like to leave with a real flavour of the city. Every city has a restaurant that has marked a time, a style of cooking, or a new decoration. But more than that, its a restaurant that has maintained a loyal clientele, for the characteristics of the service, for their kindness, for the quality of their dishes and for their location. This is the case of “The Ivy” or “Rules” in London, the “21 Club” or “Four Seasons” in New York, or “Chez Dumonet-Josephine” in Paris. In Lisbon, the cafés are famous for the people who would gather there and have discussions, such as in Café Nicola or Café A Brasileira. But there are also a few restaurants that are part of the History of Lisbon and still today sustain their position as great gastronomical experiences. Try Lisbon. Try the “Classics”. Restaurants are nominated alphabetically. Adega Tia Matilde This restaurant opened its doors as a “tasca” (a local small traditional restaurant) in the 1920’s. Since then it has bettered its food to keep satisfying the demanding palate of the Portuguese. And it has manage to satisfy it indeed! From all the cod (bacalhau) dishes and the fish stew, to the chicken rice, Adega Tia Matilde guarantees the best traditional flavours for several decades. Come and try...             Address: Rua da Beneficiência,77 (M: Praça de Espanha) Telephone: +351 217 972 172 Opening Times: 12h-16h and 19h30-24h. Closed Saturday dinner and Sunday Average Price:  30€ Alcântara Café To transform an old and abandoned typography into a restaurant must not be an easy task. To transform this restaurant into one of the best of the city, with an avant-garde cuisine for the time it inaugurated, must be even harder. To maintain the quality of this restaurant for nearly twenty years explains why Alcântara Café is a reference in the city of Lisbon. They converted a space with large windows and a huge surface into a cosy and modern place. After nearly two decades, the Alcântara Café has established itself as a “Classic” restaurant in Lisbon, where families, friends and visitors come to eat. Apart from the comfortable environment, the Alcântara Café offers a carefully prepared cuisine, particularly the Bife à Alcântara Café and some fish dishes. Come and try... Address: Rua Maria Luisa Holstein, 6  (Alcântara) Telephone: +351 213 637 176 Opening times: 20h-01h Average Price: €35 Aviz Restaurant - Hotel Aviz It’s been in the Chiado, in the Amoreiras and in Estoril, to finally install itself in a Hotel with the same name on the Rua Duque de Palmela near the Marquês de Pombal. Throughout its seventy years of history, various celebrities have visited this restaurant and tried its original recipes and its peaceful environment, including Amália Rodrigues, Frank Sinatra, Ana Gardner and Maria Callas. Some if the employees, who add to the restaurants charm,  work there for nearly forty years. The Aviz restaurant is a place that remind us of other times, with a cuisine adapted to the contemporary palate. Come and try... Address: Rua Duque de Palmela, 32 (M: Marquês de Pombal) Telephone: +351 210 402 104 Opening Times: 07h - 10h30 e 12h30 - 15h e 19h30 - 22h30 Average Price: €40 Bica do Sapato This restaurant has become a “Classic” restaurant in Lisbon. Since the moment it opened that it is one of the most “in” places of the city. With a group of partners that include John  Malcovich, Catherine Deneuve and Fernando Fernandes and José Miranda, responsible for Pap’Açorda, the Bica do Sapato has a guaranteed success. Situated in of the warehouses near the Santa Apolónia station and on the bank of the Tagus river, the “Bica”, as it is often referred to, is an open space restaurant with an impressive view. Bica do Sapato is divided into three spaces, the cafeteria, the restaurant (both with mediterranean food), and the top floor where Japanese food is served. The design is modern and the kitchen creates traditional dishes in an experimental way. The fish soup is delicious, as well as the braised grouper in a bed of spinach. To try the sushi made by Ricrado Efigénio, you need to wait for dinner time. Come and try... Address: Avenida Infante Dom Henrique Armazém B, Cais da Pedra à Bica do Sapato (M: Santa Apolónia) Telephone: +351 218 810 320 Opening Times: 12h30 - 14h30 e 20h - 23h Average Price: €35 Faz Figura To be able to enjoy the views in Lisbon you need to climb a steep and inhospitable street to get to the viewpoints. But, as you arrive at the top of the hill, you quickly forget how much it took to get you up there. The picture gets better if on the top of one of those hills is one of the most prestigious restaurants in town. Better yet, if you can take a car up, and have a vallet paking waiting for you. This is the way Faz Figura receives its visitors and it makes a great figure. The restaurant has had a face-wash, and changed its decoration. Now its a modern place with a balcony covered by large windows. From here you may see the Tagus river and the statue of Christ on the south coast of the river, protected from the winds coming in from the river that sometimes may cool down the mood. The house specialities include both fish and mea dishes. Partridge soup flavoured with mint, octopus with corn crust accompanied with sautéed vegetables and red onion vinaigrette, are some of the most delicious dishes. Come and see how well you will feel at Faz Figura, certainly an experience to remember! Come and try... Address: Rua do Paraíso, 15B (M: Santa Apolónio) Telephone: +351 218 868 981 Opening Times: 12h30 - 15h e 19h30 - 23h Average Price: €35 Gambrinus Any fish or seafood dish are obligatory at Gambrinus. Founded on the 14th of July of 1936, it changed its appearance in 1969, maintaining its decoration still today. A good excuse to leave the house, or to have an appetiser mid-afternoon, is the balcony at Gambrinus, where you can have some of the best croquetes in town. Finish off lunch or dinner with a crepe suzette, a delicious crepe made with tangerine and bitter orange. It is an old “tasca” (a local small traditional restaurant) converted into one of the most reknown restaurants in Lisbon, unfortunately pricing goes hand in hand with fame, but it is always worth a visit! Come and try... Address: Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, 23 (M: Restauradores)  Telephone: +351 213 421 466 Opening Times: 12h - 01h30 Average Price: € 70 Mercado de Santa Clara This is one of the oldest restaurants in Lisbon and it is situated in the middle of the Santa Clara market, near the convent. It was closed for three years, but the Mercado de Santa Clara has reopened with a great change in its decoration, but still faithful to the quality of its history and traditional gastronomy. Carlos Braz Lopes, also known for the creation of the “Best Chocolate Cake in the World”, has returned to his home, inside one of the most beautiful markets in the capital. However, the restaurant only opens at lunch time. For dinners, you need to book in advance for a group of over 15 people. Apart from the daily and mouth-watering buffet, you may also choose one of the dishes of the day. One of the most well-known dishes is a meat dish. Carlos Braz Lopes has revived the dish for which Lisbon is most known for, made in several ways, the Marrare, Faustino, Jansen, and Mercado de Santa Clara way. Another rebirth is the Cozido à Portuguesa on Sundays, the same system that existed before its closure. Come and try... Address: Largo de Santa Clara, 7 (Graça) Telephone: +351 210 996 164 Opening Times: 12h30 - 15h Average Price: €30 Pap’Açorda Situated in the Bairro Alto, whoever visits Lisbon on tourism will certainly pass by it. This is not the only reason why it has become a “Classic” in the dining scene. The food, the service and its longevity are some of the reasons for this place to establish itself as a “Classic”. The quality of its dishes, like the mixed fry-ups, the breaded sardine filets, the squid, the jaquinzinhos, the royal Açorda made with prawns and lobster, the breaded lamb chops, the marinated little mackerels, the breaded beans, the tuna carpaccio.... it’s an endless list... just to read it is mouth-watering. Come and Try... Address: Rua da Atalaia, 57-59 (M: Baixa/Chiado) Telephone: +351 213 464 811 Opening Times: 12h30 - 14h30 e 20h - 23h30. Sunday and Monday closed Average Price: €34 Tágide Tágide has been open for thirty years, but its building exists since the reconstruction period after the 1755 earthquake. Open in 1975, immediately it earned a Michelin star. With the passing of the years, Tágide was remodelled to improve and modernise its installations, maintaining the quality of its cuisine and service that make this a reference in Lisbon. The views from Tágide Situated in the heart of the Chiado, are impressive and if you are not feeling like eating lunch, have some mid-afternoon tea and scones. Here you may enjoy the Tasting Menu, with a choice between the season’s menu or the daily menu. And the dishes go from the Duck leg confit with slips and the Tágide risotto to the vegetarian dish, pumpkin risotto with truffles (and crunchy parmesan). Dinners are served only on weekends! Come and try... Address: Largo Academia Nacional de Belas Artes 18/20 (M: Baixa/Chiado) Telephone: +351 213 404 010 Opening Times: 12h30 - 19h Tuesday to Thursday, 12h30 - 00h Friday and Saturday Average Price: €23 lunch, €7,50 tea menu Tavares Founded in 1784, the Tavares restaurant has many stories to tell. It has been for centuries one of the most important references of the city. Eisenhower, Calouste Gulbenkian, Francisco Sá Carneiro and Amália Rodrigues were some of the most notable people in the world of politics, arts, or of the History of Portugal that were clients of this restaurant. After a period with less fame, the restaurant was brought back from the ashes in 2008 with a young and distinguished cook, José Avillez. Now the kitchen bets on the quality of its ingredients and presentation, with the signature of José Avillez, which makes it highly unlikely that you leave the Tavares restaurant unsatisfied. The decoration creates and sophisticated and pleasant atmosphere, maintaining the glamour and classical aspects of other times. Come and try... Address: Rua da Misericórdia, 37 (M:Baixa/Chiado) Telephone: +351 213 421 112 Opening Times: Closes at 23h Average Price: €75 Staying in Lisbon? Visit our website to find the best rates for the best hotels in the city