Lisbon recs?

[librarygirl]

I'm headed to Portugal in just over a week and was looking for any restaurant recs in Lisbon. I have a few I've noted from my guidebooks but would love any personal ones from ladies who have been (it will be my first visit to Portugal). My husband and I are open to all cuisines.

Also, if anyone has a place they'd recommend for fado? I definitely would like for as an authentic experience as possible, sans the mass tour bus groups.

Thanks in advance!

[Deleted]

I just listed Lisbon in the 'favorite cities' thread, and it inspired me to go back and look through all of my photos. We went last year over the holidays and had such a wonderful time. Sigh.

For restaurants, we did not eat at any of the hot new Lisbon restaurants. Someone recommended Sea Me for seafood, but we walked by and it was super trendy/expensive and only took reservations. Like pp, we just wandered around in Bairro Alto and Chiada and found some great little places. I would stay away from Baixa - it's a main drag that was pretty much the only part of the city that felt touristy. We had one meal there and it was overpriced and mediocre. We were there for a full week, and we ate at Portuguese restaurants the first several days, then we had to mix it up a bit (it's a lot of cod). Bairro Alto is your best bet. There are also some great wine bars around there, and the regional wine is so inexpensive but good!

For sightseeing, Belem is a must. The monastery is gorgeous and the famous pastry shop "Pasteis de Belem" really lives up to the hype (and it's worth the line). You can't miss it - if you take the train to Belem and go to the monastery, there's a little strip of restaurants and shops, and the pastry shop will have a line down the sidewalk. Along that same strip is the Museu Nacional dos Coches (antique royal coach museum), sort of a random museum that is a worthwhile quick stop. We really enjoyed our daytrip to Sintra, it's an easy 40 minute train ride and the castle ruins and palace are lovely. For a somewhat off-beat experience in Lisbon, the Museu du Azulejo (tile art museum) was also worthwhile. My husband is not a museum person, and while I am I never like to spend an entire trip in and out of museums. However, the two I mentioned were really unique and did not take up a ton of time.

We didn't get to see fado, which in retrospect seems crazy. However, like you I was looking for an authentic place and I couldn't find one! When you walk around in the street, you'll see tons of flyers, etc. but they didn't feel like the real deal. If you're staying at a hotel, I'd ask the front desk for a recommendation, and emphasize what you're looking for. We rented an apartment so we didn't have that resource.

Have a great time!

[wise_rita]

We adored Cantinho Do Bem Estar, the smallest restaurant I've ever seen (so guaranteed queue). Bocca was impressive, though we did a NYE set menu. Be sure to sample the little tarts and cherry liquor shots!