Eating with your Eyes in Lisbon

While scouting around the country, Raphael and I try to look for places where the locals nosh. Usually the places we get recommendations to are Ma and Pa shops, where more often than not, we are delightfully surprised with delicious comfort foods that may be a specialty to the region. Although we’ve been to many, many places over the years, I’d like to share some of these places that recommended to us by our team for the food, but also the decor and ambiance, within our beautiful city of Lisbon.

Casa Do Alentejo: When you step through the doors, you will feel like you’ve both time traveled and transported into another space and time that all of your five senses can experience. Looking around, the place is filled with delicately detailed architectural eye candy and touchable Azulejo tiles. Your ears will notice the closing out of the surrounding city’s noise and relish in the stillness. Your sense of smell may either pick up the musty scent of “good old times” or if you visit at the right time during restaurant serving hours, you will pick up the appetizing scent of the Alentejo cuisine. Rafael being originally from Alentejo, loves Carne de Porco à Alentejana and this place does a great rendition outside of Alentejo.

Ourives Petisqueira: Although located in the super touristy area of Alfama, this cool and charming tapas place has all of the greatest hits, perfect for sharing. This location sits near the top of a hill so it’s a perfect place to rest your tired legs to enjoy some happy hour appetizers while on a romantic pit stop. Chat with your server and ask them to show you the steampunk-esque vault with some authentic artifacts discovered during a renovation. The vault is now used as a key centrepiece in their decor.

Bairro do Avillez: This place holds a special place in our hearts. We lived close by this restaurant so had many a meals there. It’s both a first choice as well as a last resort, when thinking of where to go with our guests to the city. The chef is Michelin star recognized, José Avillez, but the restaurant is multi-faceted with different areas to choose from when making reservations. You can choose between a tavern style eatery called Taberna, a pizzeria called Pizzaria, a gastropub called Mini Bar, a seafood focused menu called Páteo, all within the Bairro do Avillez restaurant. These distinct areas are also differently styled so that one can experience the ambience independently. This is an example of a masterclass in creating the intended atmospheres by design.

Let us know your favourite places in Lisbon (and beyond), for their food or interior design.

Ate ja,

Mia and Rafael