Choosing places to eat in Lisbon is not a problem at all because Lisbon is the capital of Portugal. Nevertheless, the information doesn’t start on this and end on that: the opportunities are endless, but that’s when the confusion as to which choice to make can arise. Ah, don’t worry in this case! Here they are for you: the following 12 best places where you can eat healthy and cheap in Lisbon where you can try tasty Portuguese cuisine. This is our experience.
Below are some useful tips that would assist one in eating in Lisbon.
To start, here are some basic tips if you are looking for places to eat well and cheap in Lisbon:
- Avoid Tourist Areas: Some say that food in areas congested by tourists is relatively expensive and less authentic. Choose restaurants in less busy areas where locals go. Here you can read a little about establishments similar to those near popular attractions but located on side streets.
- Order Typical Portuguese Dishes: Local foods are relatively cheaper compared to international dishes and offer a true taste of the country.
- Cash Payments: Many places mentioned in this guide do not accept card payments. It’s advisable to check before dining or look for signs indicating cash-only policies.
- ATM Withdrawals: Ensure you have a credit card with no foreign transaction fees. Revolut is a recommended choice. Keep in mind that some ATMs may charge fees.
8 Lisbon Restaurants Where You Can Eat Tasty and Relatively Cheap
- Casa da Índia
- Location: Centrally located near Luís de Camões Square, just a 3-minute walk.
- What to Eat: Casa da Índia serves practically all typical Portuguese dishes for incredibly low prices. They offer various meats such as octopus, barbecues, and various sorts of fish, etc. Coupled with this, they have various sorts of stews in which the cod can be enjoyed.
- Hours: Open from 12:00 p.m to 1:00 a.m in the morning, Mondays to Saturdays only.
Upon ordering, get into the Pastelaria Emenda which is almost adjacent to Casa Velho’s and take a cup of coffee with a pastel de nata. This is, in fact, somewhat of a non-conventional and quite authentic region as well.
- Solar Dos Bicos
- Location: Second to the SE Cathedral, most of the guests using the hotel will spend 5-7 minutes in the car to get to the following one.
- What to Eat: This is a perfect place that can offer you the taste of such a classical Portuguese dish as cod, octopus, and sardine. Gambling starting from a few Euros is cheap when compared to that – cod à brás for 14 Euros, sardines for 12 Euros.
- Hours: It currently has a license that permits its operation as a twenty-four/seven establishment; However, the facility is opened from 11:00 am to 11:00 pm.
- Morgadinha
- Location: Highly recommended in Alfama especially if you are around the viewpoint of Santa Lucía, around 5 minutes away on foot.
- What to Eat: Here, they have varieties of fish and among them include the following; octopus, sardines, cod among others. The prices average between 10 euros up to 15 euros depending on the dish that is to be served.
- Hours: They are situated in VOB building and their working days are from Tuesday to Saturday and they are closed during Sunday and Monday. Business is conducted from noon to noon of the following day, only excluding Mondays.
- Cerqueira
- Location: Situated à l’emplacement d’une maison de ville, dans la partie supérieure de la ville, à cinq minutes à pied de à place Martim Moniz.
- What to Eat: For the fish you can prepare cod, swordfish, salmon, or any fish of your choice, for the meats you could prepare bitoque, beef steak, pork ribs. Related to that, portion servings are good, and the cost of the food is quite moderate and ranges between 7 to 13 Euros.
- Hours: Open hours are on Saturday and Sunday; 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm & 6:00 pm to 11:00 pm. Other days are only in the evening 6:00 PM – 11:00 PM.
- A Tigelinha
- Location: Neighboring Plaza Martim Moniz; and right beside the last station of tram 28 routes.
- What to Eat: It is a restaurant that could be described as specialized in the homemade Portuguese foods of good quality that are sold at a very cheap rate. Definitely, fried fish should be tasted, and sea bream, or grilled sardines.
- Hours: Closed on Mondays. They operate from 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. On other days of the week.
- Cervejaria Paço Real
- Location: Sited in walking distance of about thirty minutes to Rua Augusta town and thirty minutes from Magdalena Church.
- What to Eat: All kinds of fresh fish one can imagine such as sea-bream, fresh sardines, cod etc for only 10 euros. The meat dishes are also good, particularly, the bitoque and the steaks, which costs between 8 to 9 euros only.
- Hours: Open daily 7:00 A.M to 8:00 P.M.
- Estrela da Sé Restaurant
- Location: Located near it is the next place on the list known as the San Antonio church that is in Sé de Lisboa.
- What to Eat: Or you can take traditional meals or other meals that might be served like cod à brás, fried alheira, Alentejo pork, or bitoque. Typically, carrying one liter of beer, one will have to spend 12 euros.
- Hours: Monday to Saturday, 12 noon to 10 PM, Sundays:– closed.
Note: Of course, it is also important to note that this restaurant does not accept credit/debit cards so it is necessary to have cash at all times.
- Com Certeza
- Location: That is why the near of the Lisbon Cathedral does not contain reflections of a circa-centered world, in contrast to the nears studied by Baudrillard.
- What to Eat: Meals are affordable with fish such as cod, octopus, stew, while a duck rice is slightly above at 15 -18 euros per portion.
- Hours: Open for lunch at 12:30 in the midday and dinner starting from 7:30 in the evening until midnight; this restaurant is closed from Sundays through to Mondays.
Conclusion
This case allows to unveil Lisbon through its food.
To say that Lisbon does not provide options for having a great and satisfying meal that does not necessarily have to be costly is therefore saying the truth. Thus, the reader can devote his or her attention to what may well be the most conventional Portuguese meals in some of the best dining areas of Lisbon, which are spread across the downtown area and the nicer and homier neighborhoods. Enjoy delicious dishes in Lisbon, and remember that excellent dishes can be tasted in off-road restaurants.