SUSHICAFÉ AVENIDA

5 SABORES
Found within walking distance from the many hotels in Avenida da Liberdade, this is an excellent choice for a healthy lunch (dinners are only served on Fridays and Saturdays). It serves contemporary macrobiotic cuisine, most of it vegetarian and with some gluten-free options, using fresh and mostly-organic ingredients. The dining area has an attractive minimalist décor, and the prices are just as inviting.
Address: Rua Rodrigo Sampaio, 94C
Phone: 213546234

GUILTY
The fourth restaurant of local chef-restaurateur Olivier focuses on “guilty pleasures.” Instead of presenting his usual contemporary/Mediterranean cuisine, here the options are pizzas, burgers, pastas and salads. The décor follows the same inspiration as the other three spaces — a mix of comfort, elegance and sophistication.
Address: Rua Barata Salgueiro, 28A
Phone: 211 913 590

LUME BRANDO
It replaced a Moroccan restaurant, and instead of tagines the specialty is now fondues of exotic meats. That includes crocodile, kangaroo or ostrich, but if you’re not that open-minded to new culinary experiences, you can always go for the grilled fish or even a veggie option. As in many other restaurants in Bairro Alto, the dining area is not very big, so booking ahead is recommended.
Address: Rua da Atalaia, 70
Phone: 213 468 494

PHARMACIA
The name derives from the fact that it’s found in the same building as the Pharmacy Museum. It faces the Santa Catarina viewpoint, and has tables placed outside. The interior is inspired by classic old pharmacies, and the cuisine is traditional Portuguese “petiscos” (which you may call “tapas”). Perfect for groups, many of the dishes are meant to be shared by everyone at the table.
Address: Rua Marechal Saldanha, 1
Phone: 213 462 146

SUSHI CAFÉ AVENIDA
Is this yet another sushi restaurant? Yes, but this one differs in ambience and the standards of quality are aimed higher. It has a very attractive contemporary interior, divided into several areas, for more formal or casual experiences. The traditional sushi can also be enjoyed at the bar, while in a more elegant room you can also go for other lesser-known Japanese dishes.
Address: Rua Barata Salgueiro, 28
Phone: 211 928 158

This weekend is the grand opening of five (to be six later in the year) kiosk cafés down Lisbon’s main central avenue, Avenida da Liberdade. Each kiosk will serve its own specialty, from light meals to smoothies, and are found scattered down the boulevard.
You’ll find them just by walking down the Avenida, but to locate them on a map, look for the cross streets. One of them is Rua Alexandre Herculano, at which intersection are “Banana Café” and “Hot Dog Lovers.” The first one offers lights meals such as wraps, salads and smoothies, while the second one obviously specializes in hot dogs but also serves tapas and Portuguese wine.
Down by Rua das Pretas are the third and fourth kiosks, one serving rectangular slices of pizza, calzone, panini and bruschettas, while the other belongs to “the best chocolate cake in the world,” the famous cake that was born in Lisbon and that has now been exported internationally. In addition to the slices of chocolate there will also be other pastries, as well as sandwiches, ice cream and juices.
Towards the end of the avenue, by Restauradores Square, will be a second “Banana Café” which will be identical to the first one above.
These kiosks will open every day at 9AM and will close at 11PM (2AM on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays), so you may find the refreshment of your choice and sit in the open air on the pavement cafés at almost any time of the day.

UPDATE: See our permanent Lisbon Restaurant Week page.

From March 31st to April 9th there is another edition of Lisbon’s Restaurant Week which happens twice a year. Once again, a number of restaurants are creating special menus and donating one euro per person to charity. In oder to have this special menu (all at a reduced price) you must book in advance.
The GoLisbon-recommended restaurants participating in this edition are:

Clara Chiado
Chiado Unique
Eleven
Gemelli
Opaq
Panorama
Quinta dos Frades
Sofisticato
Sommer
Tágide
Varanda

For the health-conscious, açaí has become a much-sought-after fruit for its antioxidant properties. Native to central South America (or more precisely, Brazil), it is now found in juices and shakes all over the world’s health food stores, and at a couple of places in Lisbon, brought from the former Portuguese colony.
Since last week you can also enjoy it as a juice or in a bowl at “Feel Rio,” a new fast food restaurant downtown.
Brazilian-owned, the inspiration are the flavors of Rio de Janeiro, and in addition to the fruit juices there are salads, sandwiches, paninis, and muffins.
Unfortunately there aren’t many seats inside, but you can always take something to go, and perhaps enjoy it in Rossio Square not very far (it’s a great money- and time-saving option).
“Feel Rio” is found on number 108 of Rua do Crucifixo, almost directly across the street from one of the exits of the Baixa-Chiado metro station and is open every day.

Pizzerias rarely come recommended in travel guides (unless, of course, it’s an Italy guidebook), and that’s because they tend to be essentially the same everywhere. But while you certainly won’t come to Lisbon with pizza in mind, if you’re looking for a simple and inexpensive meal in the city without having to go to a fast food restaurant, a pizzeria sounds like a perfect choice.
One of Lisbon’s favorite seems to be Capricciosa. When it first opened in 2005 in the Alcântara neighborhood, its large dining area made it a popular choice for large groups or birthday dinners. The branch at the beach of Carcavelos is also always packed in the summer, but both these spots are found in non-touristy areas. A third Capricciosa facing the river in Parque das Nações is more within the tourist path, but the latest branch is finally in a very accessible and central location — downtown.
You’ll find it in a square next to the monumental Rossio Station with other eateries that are perfect for a quick stop on a sightseeing tour of the city. All have tables outside on the terrace, and are open throughout the day.
Capricciosa has a large variety of pizzas made in a wood oven, at prices that go from 8.20 to 10.50.

Phone: 213 432 399

The February issue of Lonely Planet magazine (on sale worldwide) recommends “52 best weekends away.” One of them, in the category of “history and culture” is Sintra. It suggests that readers “take a trip back in time to imperial Portugal,” a place “blessed with palaces, villas and churches” and for more information it recommends the GoLisbon website. So here’s the direct link to our Sintra guide: Sintra, Portugal.

In another section of the magazine, it highlights Lisbon’s historic kiosks that have been recently restored. It says it’s one of the city’s “oldest street-drinking traditions” that has been revived, offering perfumed milk, iced tea, and traditional lemonade, “bringing an element of old-fashioned class” to the “hot” Chiado district.

But Portugal is featured a third time in this issue, in an article titled “10 Easy Trips You Can Book Now.” One of the ten is “the edge of the Old World,” Sagres. It was chosen for being a destination where you can “find a beach away from the crowds,” a place that’s Europe’s most southwestern point and with “Atlantic waves crashing onto the dramatically rugged beaches.” It’s also “a good base for exploring the rest of the Costa Vicentina Natural Park,” it concludes.

Born in Algarve a few years ago, the Faz Gostos restaurant has moved up to the capital. The new Lisbon space has a beautiful vaulted interior that’s part of a former convent, and features a simple but very elegant décor which includes a wall covered in randomly-arranged 18th-century tiles.
The menu lists traditional Portuguese cuisine given a personal touch and contemporary refinement by the chef, and perhaps best of all is the wine list with over 200 labels (Portuguese and international).
For a pre- or post-dinner drink, there’s the bar which mixes cocktails by the team of Cinco Lounge, one of the city’s best cocktail bars.
It’s open for lunch and dinner, and closes on Sundays and Mondays.

Address: Rua Nova da Trindade, 11 (Chiado)
Telephone: 21 347 22 49
Website: http://www.fazgostoslx.com/

Lisbon has a new seafood restaurant. One that is also a “modern fish market” and sushi bar.
Found in Chiado, it has a contemporary interior where it’s possible to buy fish to prepare at home or have it right there in the dining area.
Everything sold or served is the fresh “catch of the day” from various locations of the Portuguese coast. At the restaurant it is cooked in various ways, but essentially in a traditionally Portuguese style. It is also available uncooked, in the form of sushi.
From Thursday to Saturday, it stays open until 2AM and is also a nightlife destination, allowing you to stay until late with a glass of wine. DJs provide the accompanying sounds on those nights, usually jazz.

Address: Rua do Loreto, 21
Website: http://www.peixariamoderna.com/

The first D’Oliva

First it opened in the suburb of Matosinhos where it became one of the trendiest places to eat in the Porto district. Then came a second space in downtown Porto itself, and now there’s a third home in Lisbon. That’s restaurant D’Oliva which first drew attention for the tasteful renovation of its interior and then conquered the local population through its tasty Italian-Mediterranean cuisine.
In Lisbon it’s found just steps from the city’s main central avenue (Avenida da Liberdade), and the concept is the same: refinement in the décor and good food, but with an informal atmosphere.
Pastas, risottos, salads, meat and fish dishes make up the menu, some more elaborate than others. The chef is a native Italian who for a decade worked in the Lapa Palace restaurant.
At lunch time there’s the choice of a buffet or the regular à la carte service. Before dinner time, at 7PM, it follows another Italian tradition and serves “aperitivi,” meaning drinks accompanied by snacky food such as bruschettas.

Address: Rua Barata Salgueiro, 37
Closed on Sundays
Phone: 21 352 8292

Most of the bars in Bairro Alto are known for their cheap beer and caipirinhas, but the newest openings seem to all be devoted to wine. The latest one is called “Grapes & Bites,” and despite the English name it only serves Portuguese wines and “petiscos” (snacks).
There are close to 200 choices, many from the bottles on display, others presented on the wine list. They can be served by the glass or bottle.
There are also cocktails, but all made with national wines. To accompany the drinks there are cold cuts, Portuguese cheeses, bread and jams.
It took over the space of a former streetwear boutique, now decorated with big wine barrels standing as tables under the arched interior.
It surprisingly opens every day, even on Sundays, from 2PM to 2AM.
It’s located in the neighborhood’s trendiest shopping street, Rua do Norte, number 81.
Website: www.grapesandbites.com