Best restaurants in Alfama

Today I will be telling you about some of the best restaurants in Alfama. Whenever one travels to Lisbon, visiting the amazing neighborhood of Alfama is obviously in the bucket list! Alfama is this peaceful area in Lisbon where you can watch the locals minding their little business, hanging their washed clothes to dry in the balconies, or hear their casual conversations about the daily life. Alfama is where generations of families have lived for years. It is one of the most authentic neighborhoods in Lisbon. You will certainly fall in love with all its details, its narrow alleys, its architecture, its stories and anecdotes.

Walking Alfama will open your appetite for sure. And having lunch or dinner in Alfama is a great excuse to stay a little longer in the neighborhood! This is why I’ve decided to gather in this article some of best restaurants in Alfama. Read on to find out which ones they are!

For some seafood: CervejAlfama

If you want to eat seafood, this restaurant will please you for sure! CervejAlfama is located at Rua dos Remédios, 121, in Alfama. They serve fresh fishes, crustaceans and molluscs. And as you probably know, the Portuguese traditional food is mostly based on seafood. And the people I know who sometimes crave for this kind of dishes always go to this restaurant!

For a quick but nice lunch: Petisqueira Conqvistador

This place is perfect to have a nice lunch and head to the next landmarks of Lisbon. Despite its close location to the Castelo São Jorge, Petisqueira Conqvistador is quite intimate. You would think it would be crowded and filled with tourists, but the place is small, calm since it is located in a dead-end, at Travessa de São Bartolomeu, 4. The food is really good and typical of Portuguese cuisine. The waiters are friendly and mindful.

For a romantic dinner: Duetos da Sé

Located at Travessa do Almargem, 1, you will find this charming restaurant! The Duetos da Sé restaurant is where you should go if you want to take your lover to a romantic place, may it be just for having a drink or to have dinner. You can enjoy a delicious meal, a glass of red wine while listening to live music. If you get the opportunity, listening to a jazz or a fado performance in Alfama really is must-do.

For some petiscos: Maruto

Next on my list of the best restaurants in Alfama is the Maruto. This place is found at Rua Cais de Santarém, 30. At the Maruto, you will be able to eat what we call the “petiscos”, which are like tapas, small delicious dishes. They serve high quality Portuguese cheeses, marmelada, alheiras (a type of sausage), toasts, sandwiches, soups, and many more! This is a great place if you want to eat a snack and enjoy a cold beer in the afternoon. You will love to relax in the Maruto after walking Alfama, since it is a few steps away from the last stop of our tour.

For some traditional food: Farol de Santa Luzia

At the Farol de Santa Luzia, you will find several tasteful traditional Portuguese dishes as well as vegetarian and vegan ones like crumbled leek with garlic, olive oil and eggs or sautéed mushrooms with asparagus. Most Portuguese traditional food is based on fish and meat, and some restaurants don’t even mention these options on their menu. So, I deeply appreciate it and the restaurant chefs are creative enough and actually propose decent vegetarian and vegan dishes, other than simple omelets. You will find the Farol de Santa Luzia at Largo de Santa Luzia, 5!

For some tasteful vegan dishes: Princesa do Castelo

If you’re looking for another vegan restaurants, you can try the Princesa do Castelo at Rua do Salvador, 64A. The staff is very kind and thoughtful. They are very considerate of allergies. The place is small, so the atmosphere is very relaxed and chill. All their dishes are vegan and trustworthy. Plus, their menu changes everyday because they have different chefs. So you will have plenty of choices, depending on your preferences. The yummiest vegan dishes of Alfama are at Princesa do Castelo.

For a relaxed moment: Portas do Sol

Next on my list of the best restaurants in Alfama is Portas do Sol. Be careful, because this place is pretty popular. But it is definitely worth it! The view from the restaurant is amazing, it offers a beautiful scenario of Lisbon. Try to go there, especially during the Festas de Santo António in June, when you can enjoy some grilled sardines and party with the locals.

For Italian lovers: Pizzaria Romana BIO

With so many “pizzarias” around Alfama, it is hard to find a place where you will eat a truly Italian pizza. This is when Pizzaria Romana BIO comes into the picture.

Pizzaria Romana BIO‘s first restaurant is located in Rome, and was built in 1958, being active since then. Now in Portugal, you can find this restaurant in Alfama .Located near the Chafariz d’El Rei and the Sé de Lisboa Cathedral, this Italian style pizzaria is the perfect place to have lunch when visiting the area. To get there, you can take the train to Campo Cebolas or the bus to Limoeiro and you will easily find the place.

With fresh ingredients everyday, amazing salads as starters, vegetarian options and a wide variety of pizzas to choose from, this pizzaria is definitely the best in Alfama.

Opened from Monday to Sunday from 12 pm to 10:30 pm.

Price ranges from twelve euros to eighteen euros

Location: Rua de São João da Praça 75, 1100-519 Lisboa

For music lovers: Fado em Si

© Fado em Si

If you are looking for a true Lisbon experience, you must see a Fado performance. However, you also need to eat, right? So, why don’t you combine the two?

Take a break from the usual sightseeing tours around Lisbon and just enjoy a good evening of Fado while you have dinner at one of the best restaurants in Alfama.

Fado em Si is a Fado restaurant in which you can experience a live show while you eat. Musicians enter the room, set the mood and start singing Fado every fifteen minutes singing about three songs everytime, so it gives you time to eat and relax while you see the performance, making this a one-of-a-kind restaurant in the area.

With plenty of typical Portuguese dishes and also vegan options, this is a must-go restaurant in Alfama!

Fado em Si is open from monday to saturday from 7:30 pm to 01:00 am and on sundays from 7:30 pm to 2:00 am. In my opinion, the best day to go is on Sundays.

Price ranges from thirty euros to forty euros per person.

Location: Rua de São João da Praça 18, 1100-520 Lisboa

For Portuguese food lovers: Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau

© Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau

Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau is a food-shop where you will find the best “bolinho de bacalhau” in the world.

Located in Alfama near the Castle of S. Jorge, it’s the perfect place for a quick snack before returning to your walk around Alfama.

Although this is not quite a restaurant, it’s a very pleasant place to go if you love food, especially Portuguese food!

When visiting the Baixa neighborhood, you can stop by the other one which is located at Rua Augusta, 106. There, you will find combined decorative elements of classic architecture, with art exbihitions. You will have an awesome experience visiting this place!

Pastel de Bacalhau is a typical Portuguese specialty, which combines the famous cheese from Serra da Estrela and the worldwide known “bolinho de Bacalhau“. It simply is a codfish pastry filled with Serra da Estrela cheese, making this a one-of-a-kind traditional specialty and the only restaurant in Portugal that sells it is the Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau. It is opened everyday from 10 am to 10 pm.

Price ranges from five euros – to fifteen euros depending on the quantity of “Pasteis de Bacalhau” you want and if you want a glass of Port wine to go with it or not.

Location: Rua de Santa Cruz do Castelo, 3ºA

You now know some of the best restaurants in Alfama. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading this article and that it has been useful. Don’t hesitate to contact us if you need further information about anything! The best way to explore Alfama is to walk aimlessly around the neighborhood, enter the places and talk to the locals. All these restaurants are good, each for its own reasons. Feel free to share your own thoughts and experiences. Tell us which ones were your favorites! In my opinion, the Portuguese food is the best in the world! So, I think that, either way, you will be very satisfied with the dishes you’ll have during your stay in Lisbon!

See you soon in Lisbon!

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