eat like Bourdain
🇵🇹 Where Bourdain Ate in Lisbon
11 places across No Reservations
“Lisbon is one of the most beautiful, underrated cities in Europe. The food is fantastic and nobody talks about it enough.”
Bourdain visited Lisbon for No Reservations and fell for its understated charm. He loved the seafood, the pastéis de nata, the port wine, and the melancholy beauty of the city. Lisbon represents the kind of destination he championed — not overhyped, just genuinely wonderful.
What Bourdain Loved About Lisbon
Pastéis de nata — the custard tarts that are an obsession
The seafood — grilled sardines, octopus, and bacalhau done a hundred ways
Port wine and the drinking culture along the Tagus
The fado taverns — music, wine, and food in the Alfama district
The markets — fresh produce and fish that define Portuguese cooking
Episodes Featuring Lisbon
No Reservations — S7 E1: Portugal
Falls for Portuguese food, wine, and culture
Travel Tips for Eating in Lisbon
Tony's Advice
Go to Belém. Wait in line for the original pastéis de nata. It's worth it. Then walk the waterfront.
What to Skip
- ✕Tourist restaurants in the Baixa with 'typical Portuguese food' signs
- ✕Overpriced fado dinner shows sold by street touts
Every Place Bourdain Visited in Lisbon
11 placesRamiro
Av Alm Reis
A local favorite. Modernizing traditional Portuguese food. They started with seafood: Barnacles, shrimp, crab, clams, they ended with the steak sandwich.
Tasca do Chico
Rua do Diário de Notícias
Tony met with a writer and a Fado singer in this bar to discuss the revolutionary period of the country
Sol e Pesca
Rua Nova do Carvalho
Tony met with a local band to try food from this fishing store turned restaurant that serves canned seafood from the area.
A Ginjinha
Largo de São Domingos
A liqueur made from morello cherries, ginjinha has been sold from this spot for 70 years
Cantinho do Avillez
R Duques De Bragança
Tony had lunch here with a famous Portuguese musician. They sampled peixihos da horta (tempura green beans), morcela (blood sausage), pig trotters with cilantro, a golden egg dish with cepes (mushroom) and cheese, and a hazelnut dessert.
Bistro 100 Maneiras
R Misericórdia
Modern take on traditional Portuguese dishes. They tried deep-fried codfish tripe; game pie with truffles, rabbit, and São Jorge cheese; horse heart and other offal; and cabrito (milk-fed young goat) served on rice mixed with the goat liver and tongue, mushroom, onion, and chicken.
Alma
Rua Anchieta
After shopping at the fish market, Chef Henrique Sa Pessoa makes Tony a meal. Mackerel, pork with sweet potato purée served over bok choy, a semi-salted cod called Bacalhau with chickpea purée.
O Trevo
Pc Luis De Camões
Tony had beer and bifana, a sandwich with thin slices of marinated pork, with mustard and chili oil.
Market Alvalade Norte
Large fish market where Tony and Chef Henrique Sa Pessoa visited. They also have produce, cheese, and meat.
Doca de Alcântara / Doca do Espanhol
They launched a boat near here to fish for octopus. Tony seemed miserable and cold with his "inappropriate footwear." The crew members then prepared the freshly caught octopus and they ate it with some cold beer.
Chinquilho Junqueirense
R Diogo Cão
Tony played a game called Chinquilho which involves throwing a 7-lb weight at a small explosive
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