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Where to eat in Lisbon: my 15 favourite restaurants

Nobody eats well following the tour buses. These are the 15 restaurants in Lisbon I'd send a friend to: the cheap neighbourhood place, the one locals keep to themselves, the splurge that's genuinely worth it. No photo menus.

A Cevicheria★ 4.6 · €€€ · ~€45–80 pp · SeafoodChef Kiko Martins's tiny, always-buzzing Príncipe Real spot, famous for Peruvian-Portuguese ceviche under a giant octopus on the ceiling. Directions
Belcanto★ 4.6 · €€€€ · tasting from €120 · Fine diningJosé Avillez's two-Michelin-starred flagship in Chiado, the restaurant that put Lisbon on the world fine-dining map. Directions
Casa do Alentejo★ 4.2 · ~€15–25 · Portuguese · AlentejoA hidden Moorish-revival palace behind an unmarked door near Rossio: a jaw-dropping tiled courtyard and ballroom serving honest Alentejo cooking. Directions
Cervejaria Ramiro★ 4.4 · ~€30–50 · SeafoodLisbon's temple of shellfish: tiger prawns, percebes, garlicky clams and a steak sandwich to finish, served loud and unfussy. Directions
Eleven★ 4.4 · €€€€ · tasting from €120 · MediterraneanA Michelin-starred restaurant perched above Eduardo VII park with sweeping views to the river. Directions
Javá Rooftop★ 4.4 · €€ · ~€20–35 pp · MediterraneanA stylish rooftop restaurant and bar with sweeping views over Lisbon and the river, serving Mediterranean plates and cocktails. Directions
Loco★ 4.7 · €€€€ · tasting from €120 · Fine diningChef Alexandre Silva's Michelin-starred restaurant near the Basílica da Estrela, serving a long, surprising parade of small creative plates. Directions
Manteigaria★ 4.8 · ~€1.30/tart · Pastries · Custard tartsThe custard-tart rival the locals swear by: crisp, blistered pastéis de nata baked in front of you in Chiado, served warm with a ring of the bell each batch. Directions
Nannarella★ 4.7 · € · ~€4 · GelatoThe gelato that kicked off Lisbon's artisan-gelato craze: proper Roman-style scoops piled high, often with a little queue out the door. Directions
Neighbourhood Café★ 4.6 · € · ~€12–18 · BrunchA buzzy all-day brunch spot loved for its breakfast burritos and standout Turkish eggs. Directions
Pastéis de Belém★ 4.6 · ~€1.40/tart · Pastries · Custard tartsThe original custard tart, baked to a secret 1837 recipe behind the monastery: flaky, warm, dusted with cinnamon. Directions
Ponto Final★ 4.3 · €€ · ~€25–35 pp · Portuguese seafoodPossibly Lisbon's most photographed table: a row of blue tables right at the water's edge in Cacilhas, across the river and reached by a short ferry from Cais do Sodré. Directions
Quest★ 4.8 · € · ~€8–14 · BrunchA South African brunch café famous for its giant cinnamon rolls in a rotating line-up of flavours: the apple-crumble is the local favourite. Directions
Sala de Corte★ 4.5 · €€€ · ~€45–80 pp · SteakhouseLisbon's go-to steakhouse by the river at Cais do Sodré, serving dry-aged cuts over coals with serious sides. Directions
Taberna da Rua das Flores★ 4.3 · ~€20–30 · Modern Portuguese · PetiscosA tiny, hugely popular Chiado tavern with a daily chalkboard of creative petiscos. Directions