Restaurants | The Lisbon Connection

January 24, 2009January 25, 2016

Cheap traditional restaurants in Lisbon at Praça da Figueira & Portuguese soup (sopa)

The Praça da Figueira (Square of the Fig Tree) is a large square in the centre of Lisbon. Around 1885, a large covered market of 8,000 m² was built. This market existed until 1949, when it was demolished. Since then the square has been an open space, with four-storey buildings, occupied by hotels, cafés/small restaurants and several shops.

Lisbon Praca da Figueira view from Praca dom Pedro IV

Praça da Figueira, view from Rossio (Praca Dom Pedro IV)

Praca da Figueira by day bus

The square is also an important traffic hub, with bus and metro stops. In 1971 a bronze equestrian statue representing King John (1357-1433), by sculptor Leopoldo de Almeida, was inaugurated in the square. In 1999/2000, during the last renovation of the square, the statue was relocated from the middle to a corner of the square, in order to make it visible from the Praça do Comércio.

Lisbon Praca da Figueira Pastelaria Tentacao Praca da Figeira3 Marcelo Brito

Ola (hello), you’re welcome! The very friendly waiter Marcelo Brito.

Pastelaria ‘Tentacao (‘Temptation’)’, Praca da Figueira, for lunch (or breakfast, delicious pastries!) I enjoyed roasted salmon, vegetables and boiled potatoes (salmão grillado) € 7.

Lisbon Praca da Figueira Pastelaria Montacao Praca da Figeira1

It’s nice to enjoy the sun and to view the hustle and bustle of the square.

Lisbon Praca da Figuera PastelariaTentacao

Not too many tourists here….

Lisbon Praca da Figueira Pastelaria a Videirinho

‘Pastelaria Videirinha‘

Another nice place to sit outside for lunch: ‘Pastelaria Videirinha‘ (‘little vineyard’), owner Filipe Barbosa is preparing the tables outside.

Pratos do dia

menu of the day from € 3.80 – 5.00

Lisbon Praca da Figueira Pastelaria A Videirinha sopa soup

Soup (sopa)

Very tasty bean soup (sopa de feijado verde), a cheap replacement for a full meal (€ 0,95). Don’t be too surprised to see a Portuguese ordering a soup to finish the meal. Soups made from a variety of vegetables are commonly available, one of the most popular being caldo verde made from moderately thin potato purée, thinly chopped collard greens and slices of chouriço.

Praca da Figueria A Videirinha Restaurant bar Lisbon

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November 7, 2008February 5, 2018

Restaurant/bar ‘Tropical do Meco’ in Aldeio do Meco (40 km from Lisbon): great gastronomy

Aldeio do Meco is a small rural village, about 1 km away from the fabulous and famous sandy Meco beaches, ca. 40 km from Lisbon. In Meco village you can find a few trendy bars and a number of restaurants offering the best local gastronomy, in particular seafood and fish dishes, but in case you love meat there’s plenty of choice.

Meco Village Restaurant Tropical do Meco terrace

Restaurant/bar “Tropical do Meco”, Meco village in September

During our stay in Meco village we ate in several restaurants in the previous days. Our favorite: Restaurant/bar “Tropical do Meco“. At night the weather is turning a bit colder in this time of the year (end of September and close to the Atlantic!), so we enjoyed our dinner at the veranda (smoking allowed).

Meco Restaurant Tropical do Meco smoking allowed veranda

Restaurant/bar “Tropical do Meco”

Restaurant’s specialties (especialidades): Mexilhões de cebolada (Mussels prepared with onions) ; Caldeirada de Peixe-espada com amêijoa (a fishstew of scabbard fish and small clams); Filetes de Peixe-espada preto fritos com arroz de tomate (Fried black scabbard fish fillets with tomato rice).

Aldeio do Meco restaurant Tropical do Meco fish espetada Restaurante Aldeio do Meco ‘Tropical do Meco’ picanha

Our choice: Espetada Tamboril Camarao, € 12,50 and Picanha Carvao (Grilled Picanha, € 11,00) .

The espetada is a typical Portuguese dish made of chunks of beef or fish rubbed in garlic and salt, skewered onto a bay leaf stick with vegetables such as onions and bell peppers and left to grill over smouldering wood chips.

Picanha (meat from Brazil) is generally considered to be the number one cut, even better than beef fillet. Picanha (pick-ahn-yeh) is much better than a steak, meltin-in-your mouth !

Meco restaurant Tropical do Meco owners Sergio Nuno and mother

The restaurant service was really great, professional and friendly.

‘Tropical do Meco’ owners Hugo, Sergio (brothers) and their mother Teresa. Besides being a great restaurant, Tropical de Meco is also thé place for the Meco beachcrowd for late night cocktails and other drinks (try a caipinrinha!).

Restaurante Tropical do Medo kitchen

Restaurant ‘Tropical do Meco’

We also got invited to a tour of the kitchen: Teresa, Isabel, Gladys, Clarice and Niso.

Restaurant ‘Tropical Meco’ Meco wine Montado and liqueur Moscatel Roxo

Restaurant ‘Tropical do Meco’

To accompany our food we enjoyed a bottle of Montado white wine from the Alentejo region (€ 5,50), a superb choice! While drinking our coffees a glass of a delicious liqueur was offered by the restaurant: ‘Moscatel Roxo’, a liqueurous wine from the Setúbal Peninsula.

Restaurant ‘Tropical do Meco’, Rua do Comércio 28, Aldeia do Meco, Sesimbra, Setúbal Facebook. Closed Tuesday.

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July 18, 2008April 24, 2018

Famous Cafe ‘A Brasileira’: wonderful Art Deco style & poet Pessoa’s table

Elegant shopping street Rua Garrett, lIsbon, that leads from the Baixa to Chiado, is named after the author and poet Joao Almeida Garrett (1799-1854). The area is also an important cultural area, with several museums and theatres.

winkelen Rua Garrett2
Rua Garett, June 2008.

On the background cafe ‘A Brasileira’ s terrace. You will see young locals here just socialising or window shopping.

Lisbon shopping Rua Garrett building

Rua Garrett, Lisbon

The most famous street of Lisbon, that mixes traditional chic and modern commercial shops, is also beloved by tourists.

Pessoa statue Cafe A Brasileira tourists

Cafe ‘A Brasileira’ (Rua Garrett 120) is famous for having had the enigmatic poet Fernando Pessoa (1888-1935) among his customers.

Pessoa still has his table in bronze on the terrace (the work of sculptor Lagoa Henriques).

Portugal’s famous writer has no idea he’s mobbed by lots of tourists, all day long!

The downstairs seating area is a favourite with locals for a set lunch of traditional Portuguese specialties. The cafe once was the setting for tertulías literárias (lively discussion groups) in which debate would often culminate in chair throwing, cup smashing and brawls.

Lisbon shopping: Rua Garett cafe a Brasileira outside

‘A Brasileira’ (‘The Brazilian woman’), opened in 1905 as a shop selling genuine Brazilian coffee.

It was the first shop to sell the ‘bica’, a small cup of strong coffee, similar to espresso.

Lisbon shopping Rua Garrett cafe A Brasileira inside

The interior of ‘A Brasileira’ is grandiose: decorated in Art Deco style, with a green-and-gold entrance, mirrored walls, brass fittings, and a long oak bar.

However: bad service and inattentive staff for tourists. It’s a very popular tourist destination, and prices are high.

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July 15, 2008August 18, 2015

Restaurant ‘A Travessa’, one of Lisbon’s best & unique location

We had heard great things about ‘A Travessa’, a trendy restaurant located in a former convent in Bairro da Madragoa, and one of Lisbon’s best: from food, service to location.

Restaurante A Travessa inside

Restaurant ‘A Travessa’ Lisbon

The building used to be a 17th century convent. Set in the very peaceful quarter in Santo (Lapa) this is one of the most atmospheric restaurants in Lisbon. There are at least three dining areas; the main room, a small side room and a terrace in the old courtyard. In the bar right next to the restaurant you can have an appetizer while waiting for your table. In winter, you can dine inside by the fireplace, and in summertime ‘al fresco’ in the wide courtyard.

Restaurant A Travessa dining outside

Restaurant ‘A Travessa’ Lisbon

The menu is Portuguese-Belgian, but international as well. Before you order they do provide you with some original hors d’oeuvres. The wine list includes many of Portugal’s best, including an extensive selection of Douro reds. The place is stunning, the people are really nice and the food is excellent!

There’s no parking area – so don’t go driving, instead use a taxi.

A Travessa (website including the history of the Convent and a virtual tour)
Travessa do Convento das Bernardas, 12
Bairro da Madragoa – Santo
1200-638 Lisbon
Tel: (+351) 21 390 20 34 / 21 394 08 00

Prices: more expensive than average. Open on 24, 25 & 31 December and 1st January.

Viviane Durieu owner A Travessa restaurant Lisbon

The creator of restaurant ‘A Travessa’ in Lisbon is Viviane Durieu (Belgian origine), read her story and Viviane’s favorite places in Lisbon

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July 12, 2008April 16, 2021

Viviane Durieu, creator of ‘A Travessa’ Lisbon, famous restaurant & 17th-century convent

Viviane Durieu is creator of ‘A Travessa’, one of Lisbons best restaurants, set in a 17th-century convent, with a picturesque courty yard.

Lisbon people Viivane Durieu 3

“When I arrived in Lisbon in December 1969, two days before Christmas, I thought the climate and the light were fantastic. Especially because I had arrived from Belgium where it’s cloudy for nine months of the year and we only get a few months of blue sky. I remember being surprised to see the leaves still on the trees at that time of year.

I fell in love with the city, and still I’m fascinated by the humanism of the Portuguese and the beautiful light.

Viviane Durieu restaurant

My background is in photography, I worked in this field until we opened restaurant ‘A Travessa’, which only started as a bit of a joke between me, my husband and a friend.

We opened a small restaurant with good products: coffee that you couldn’t find in Portugal at that time, good bread and good wine, just round the corner from the current ‘A Travessa’, next to the Portuguese Parliament building and surrounded by embassies. Because we were French speakers we got lots of clients from the Belgian and French embassies. It was a hit. We just developed from there and it’s been 30 years this year since we opened. Time flies…..!”

‘A Travessa’ , Travessa do Convento das Bernardas, 12 Bairro da Madragoa – Santo, more details about the restaurant and the menu

“I live in the historic area near the Sao Jorge Castle (Castelo de São Jorge), a delight for residents, with limited car access. The narrow streets of uneven cobbles make life in the centre of the city like living in a village”.

Lisbon entrance Castelo Sao Jorge

Castelo Sao Jorge, entrance

“When I arrived in Lisbon, I use to go to Sintra a lot. As it’s colder there, I felt closer to Belgium and I dreamt about having a house there. World Heritage Site, this historic town lies 40 km from Lisbon, a must for any visitor!”

Sintra Palacio Nacional da Pena

Sintra: National Palace da Pena, now a museum. The very old Palace stands on the top of a hill above the town of Sintra. On a clear day it can easily seen from Lisbon.

“In Lisbon, I like to shop in the Baixa and Chiado areas. I don’t like shopping centers, I prefer traditional shops, it’s much nicer to walk around the town”.

Lisbon shopping Rua do Carmo Ana Salazar

Lisbon, Rua do Carmo, Baixa

“i like going to Belém. The Jeronimus Monastery and the famous classic Belém custard tarts (Pasteis de Belém) , always warm, are real musts! And I like the shows at Centro Cultural de Belém, which has got the best concert hall in Lisbon.”

Belem Pasteis de Nata

Antiga Confeitaria, since 1837. The recepe of Lisbon’s most celebrated custard tarts is still a well-kept secret…open 7 days a week.

Lisbon Belem Pasteis de Belem
History: at the beginning of the Nineteenth Century, in Belém, next to the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos (the Heironymite Monastery) there was a sugar cane refinery linked to a small general store. As a result of the liberal revolution of 1820, all convents and monasteries in Portugal were shut down in 1834, the clergy and labourers expelled.

In an attempt at survival, someone from the monastery offered sweet pastries for sale in the shop; pastries that rapidly became known as ‘Pasteis de Belém’.

Graças a Maria Ventura

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June 29, 2008July 17, 2020

Erika Reusens’ (Belgian origin) favorite places in Lisbon & short ferry trip to restaurant Farol

Bom dia! My name is Erika Reusens, I was born in Belgium, I moved to Lisbon in 2004, which was quite an adventure, because I had to start all over again.

Lisbon people Erika

Erika Reusens (Belgian origin)

“I live in a quiet part of the historic area Bairro Alto, but ‘the place to be’ when it comes to nightlife! Bairro Alto means ‘High neighborhood’, as it is on top of one of the seven hills of Lisbon. It is a maze of narrow streets filled with trendy shops, galeries, charming grocery stores, small restaurants and bars”.

Bairro Alto Rua da Rosa

Lisbon, Bairro Alto area in the afternoon

“During the day it feels like living in a small village. Old people with coloured plastic bags are coming back from the market, having a chat with eachother while they slowly climb the steepy streets. The atmosphere is very relaxed. Typical Portuguese is the hanging laundry, drying in the wind. In the shops and in the cafes people take their time to make a friendly neighbourly talk.

For me Lisbon’s Tagus river is a very important part of my life. When I wake up the first thing I do is look out of the window to see the ‘mood’ and the colour of the river: sometimes wild or as smooth as a mirror, sometimes blue or ominous dark grey. In summertime the weather is gorgeous, and, thanks to the nearby river, there’s always a nice breeze!

Lisbon and the Tagus river are inseparable: I like it very much enjoying the calm water’s river on a Cais do Sodré’s terrace, reading a bit while slowly sipping a glass of Sangria and then take a (10-minutes) ferry trip to Cacilhas to the other side of the river”.

Ferry Lisbon Cacilhas

Lisbon ferry from Lisbon to the other side of the river: Cacilhas

Cacilhas is a picturesque neighbourhood in the banks of the river best known by its Cervejarias (popular beer houses) also offering shellfish, seafood, and fresh fish.

How to get there

I can recommend restaurant/Cervejaria O “Farol“ (lighthouse) just by the boat stop, the food is ‘finger licking’ good! From restaurant ‘O Farol’ I like to make a walk along the river, after passing some abandoned and ruinous warehouses you can have lunch or enjoy a drink at the outdoor terrace of ‘Atira-te ao rio’, a small paradise with wonderful views!

Restaurarant Attira-te ao Rio

Terrace ‘Atira-te ao rio’, Brasilian cafe/restaurant: wonderful views! (2008)

More about this restaurant (2019)

“The cemetery of São João (Cementerio do Alto de São João) is a very impressive and beautiful old graveyard: the alleys, the graves, the tranquility….one of the most attractive places to admire the river Tagus as well!

Cementery Sao Joao

“For me, Lisbon is an authentic, unique city!”

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April 30, 2008January 3, 2018

‘A Outre Face da Lua’ Lisbon: popular Vintage Shop & delicious sandwiches

Opened in October 2005, the ‘A Outra Face da Lua’ (‘the other side of the moon’) shop has an exclusive selection of vintage clothing and accessories, recycled clothing by Carla Belchior, wallpaper, tin toys, Melissa shoes and traditional Portuguese products like Clarim soap and Bordalo Pinheiro products. You can find true bargains, unique and original items, especially in the sales season.

Outra face de lua 1