Here are what we think are seven of the best restaurants in Chiado:
- Alma
- Aprazível
- Bairro do Avillez
- Belcanto
- Pizzeria Mezzogiorno
- SEA ME – Peixaria Moderna
- A Casa da India
Introduction
Chiado is a lively neighborhood located in the hilly part of Lisbon’s city center. The area was given its name in honor of António Ribeiro Chiado, a prominent member of the Portuguese Modernist Movement and a 16th-century poet known for his literary works.
Tourists and locals alike enjoy visiting Chiado because it offers a variety of outlets, eateries, and cultural attractions.
The area is also saturated with upmarket hotels and fine dining.
Largo do Chiado, a square renowned for its historical significance, and the Chiado Museum, which holds a collection of Portuguese art and literature, are both located in the neighborhood.
This thriving neighborhood offers a wide variety of cuisine, ranging from traditional Portuguese dishes to Mediterranean meals. If you’re in Chiado, and looking for the finest dining places, you can check out the dining options we’ve discussed in this article.
Best Restaurants in Chiado
Alma
The Alma – translates to ‘Soul’ in Portuguese. Alma is a signature cuisine restaurant located right in the heart of the vibrant Chiado neighborhood. Launched by one of Portugal’s most celebrated chefs, Henrique Sá Pessoa, Alma won its first Michelin Star in 2016, and was elevated to two stars in 2019.
You can anticipate a scrumptious gastronomic journey – We are talking signature cuisine fit for a king.
Friendly multilingual staff will receive you with a hearty welcome at the door. Right after, they’ll escort you to your table and even help with choosing the menu.
If you’re not familiar with Portuguese cuisine, the waitstaff will explain everything to you, including how to eat each serving.
Alma offers two tasting menus and a seasonal a la carte menu. The tasting menus include a Costa a Costa option – a five-course meal featuring local coastal cuisine for 120€.
The second option is the “Alma’ – a menu option featuring new interpretations of traditional Portuguese cuisine. This menu is 110€.
The a la carte option lets you choose your own menu.
Since the stylish restaurant is at the center of the trendy Chiado neighborhood, it’s surrounded by a plethora of bars, restaurants, tourist attractions, and shops. The Chiado neighborhood itself is not far from the Carmo Convent Ruins, the Santa Justa Lift, Rossio Square, and Praça do Comércio. Be sure to book a reservation in advance.
Official website: Alma – Henrique Sá Pessoa – Michelin star (almalisboa.pt)
Address: Rua Anchieta 15 Chiado, Lisbon
Aprazível
If you’re looking for a place that’s off the beaten track in Chiado, check out Aprazível. Tucked in downtown Lisbon, this less touristy eatery is rather quiet and not as busy. It’s unlikely you would stumble across this restaurant unless you’re a local who knows about it.
Since it’s tucked in a garden patio, dining at Aprazível is a true escape from the vibe of busy Chiado. Should you visit with a friend, you can sit on the covered patio where the ambiance is relaxing.
Their menu is rather short and it includes a selection of tasty meals. Everyone will find something to treat their palate. Starters include cheese plates, clams bulhão-pato style, and pica pau veal.
You can have one of three salad offerings, or prawn curry 21.50€, Portuguese style steak 25€, and linguine nero with salmon 16.50€, Bacalhau à Bras 17.50€, cod cakes 17.50€.
Hamburgers and cheeseburgers range from 16€ – 18€.
Aprazível offers a cool and relaxing atmosphere, with friendly, professional service. The waiting times are not long either.
Aprazível restaurant isn’t located on Rua Ivens as indicated on Google maps. Instead, you can get there by taking a corridor off Rua Garrett.
Bairro do Avillez
A stop at Bairro do Avillez promises hearty meals that will not disappoint. Expect to leave this place with a smile on your face – and of course, with a full belly.
Pioneered by one of Portugal’s most celebrated chefs, José Avillez, Bairro do Avillez features four different settings under one roof. It combines a patio, a pizzeria, a tavern, and a seafood bar.
Every setting has a unique vibe, so it’s up to you to decide where you want to dine.
For a more intimate experience, you can dine at the tavern or at the pizza parlor. The open-air patio is the perfect setting to try Portugal’s traditional cuisine as you cherish serene surroundings.
Overall, the restaurant has an intricate interior design, adorned with meticulous decorations. A combination of warm and bright lighting creates that intimate, relaxed yet energetic atmosphere.
The menu features appetizing dishes and sensational cocktails. Like many have recommended, the octopus dish is a must-try.
You can also try the mushroom risotto, olive cod, lobster bisque, and beef tartare.
The dishes come in Tapas-sized portions, meaning you get served with many small dishes.
They also serve seafood ranging from Mediterranean to European cuisines.
Customers who have been to Bairro do Avillez have commended the wait staff for being charming, kind, and attentive. Even the service isn’t rushed.
If you arrive late on some evenings, there can be a long wait time. Book your table in advance to avoid the waiting hassle. Official website: Bairro do Avillez
Like other upmarket restaurants in Lisbon, the bill can average around 40€-45€.
Address: Rua Nova da Trindade, 18
Belcanto Restaurant
Belcanto is another esteemed restaurant that lives up to the expectations of many people yearning for an exceptional dining experience.
Accorded with 2 Michelin Stars, Belcanto has also been recognized among the “World’s top 50 restaurants”.
José Avillez is the lead chef, a master at fusing modern culinary art with traditional Portuguese cuisine.
The restaurant has made a name for itself by offering patrons a remarkably intimate experience amidst its somber and chic atmosphere. With its diverse and creative cuisine, Belcanto promises an unforgettable dining experience that will take you on a Portuguese gastronomic journey.
An exclusive dining experience:
Inside, the mood is quiet and intimate, an ideal spot to have dinner with your better half. But far from the laid-back mood, it’s the dining experience that separates this restaurant from other eateries in Chiado.
Once you book a reservation – and anyone who has been to Belcanto will tell you it’s not easy to score one – you can sit at the passionate Chef’s table or at the luxurious dining space.
The full Belcanto dining experience includes three tasting menus. You can opt for the six-course classic meal or go with a nine-course classic menu, priced at €175 and €195 respectively. The third option is a €250 special tasting menu served in the kitchen. All menus are served with exquisite wine pairings. For those who want a personalized dish, the restaurant also offers a la carte menu options. Customers have commended the restaurant for delivering a fast, expert, and efficient service.
Official website: https://belcanto.pt/index.php?lang=en You should book months in advance.
Address: Rua Serpa Pinto 10A, Lisbon.
Pizzeria Messogiorno
When in Chiado and craving a taste of authentic Italian pizza with a thin crust topped with tomatoes, pasta, or cocktails, stop by Mezzogiorno. The pizzeria is in the ideal location—it is in the center of the action but nestled away from the bustling street, in a sizable outdoor courtyard – the same as Aprazível.
The menu features a variety of appetizing pizzas. Some of their selections you can try include Marinara, Margherita, Puttanesca, Siciliana, Montanara, Brigante and Porcina.
Apart from pizza, you can also treat your taste buds to other hearty meals like Caprese, Caesar con Pollo, and Lasagna.
For those who are vegan or vegetarian, they have specials on the menu. You’ll also love their wine list.
Depending on your mood, you can opt to sit inside by the bright, contemporary-style open kitchen where the ambiance is warm and cheerful, or you can book a table outside on the open-air patio.
Most diners who have stopped by Mezzogiorno have praised the restaurant for its fast service. They also love the fact that the waiters were charming and friendly. On arrival, a waiter will receive you with a smile on their face and escort you to your table.
Considering the pizzeria is in central Chiado, the prices are reasonable. Pasta and risotto dishes run from 17€ – 19€. Calzones are 17€, and pizzas run from 12.50€ to 18€. For desserts they offer tiramisu, pana cotta, Nutella crêpes, cheesecake, and gelato.
Address: Rua Garrett, 19
SEA Me – Peixaria Moderna
For a relish of the best seafood gastronomic experience when in Baixa/Chiado, stop by the Sea Me – Peixaria Moderna. It’s one of the finest restaurants around the neighborhood, popular among locals and visitors alike for its selection of seafood menu combined with a lively, energetic vibe.
Its name, Peixeria Moderna, translates to “modern fish market”. Ideally, it’s a traditional fish market fusing Portuguese and Japanese seafood, culinary, and wine selections. The stylish restaurant features an exceptionally hip and contemporary interior design while evoking the feel of a traditional market.
Once you get to your reserved table, a waiter will approach you to get your order. The waiter will accompany you past a counter that displays a variety of fish species, including the day’s freshest catch. You can then decide if you want a fresh dish prepared or have something already listed on the menu.
If you are unfamiliar with the menu, they’ll help you decide on what delicacies to try, and even explain how to eat the specials. Once you choose what to have, a chef will prepare your order.
Also part of the restaurant includes a sushi bar and an open kitchen area. At the Sushi bar, you get to experience a distinctive type of vibe with the menu fusing traditional Portuguese dishes with Asian culinary experience. Here you can try Japanese delicacies like sardine Sushi (a must try!) and Teppanyaki.
Diners who have been here have praised their Garlic Prawns, Tiger Prawn, Sardines, and Oysters from the fresh selection.
With a variety of seafood dishes on the menu, you’ll actually be spoilt for choice. Whether it’s moist, succulent grilled seafood or a crispy, crunchy deep-fried fish– everything is done to perfection – plus you get to eat fresh, flavorful food.
From Thursday to Saturday, you can catch live entertainment.
Prices can be steep but not outrageous considering their rich-flavored selection of seafood combined with a warm, pleasant ambiance.
If you are like me, and you cannot get enough seafood while you are in Lisbon, get more suggestions in my article Finding the best seafood in Lisbon
Address: Rua do Loreto 21
A Casa da Índia
While most of the restaurants on our list are more upscale restaurants, this one is not. It’s barely in the Chiado neighborhood – but close enough. And in spite of the name, they do NOT serve Indian cuisine.
They sell traditional Portuguese fish and game in a very unpretentious setting. The menu changes daily, but offerings may include bacalhau, grilled goat, grilled rabbit, grilled tuna. Try the piri piri chicken. Much of the menu is in the range of 10€ – 15€.
A Casa da Índia is usually crowded, and it is open until 10:30pm. Happy hour is from 3 pm until 6 pm, and they offer .70 pints of Sagres.
Address: Rua do Loreto, 45
Finally, if you are out and about on Rua Garrett or Rua do Loreto, don’t hesitate to dash in to any of the colorful pastelarias or pastry shops, along those streets and sample some of the snacks, bolas (cakes), or pastéis (pastries). For more information, read my article, The big difference between Pastéis de Belém and Pastéis de Nata
To learn more about the Chiado neighborhood, see my articles Largo do Chiado – the little square that has it all and Discover Lisbon’s Praça Luís de Camões
Thank you for reading about 7 of the best restaurants in Chiado. I hope you found one that you loved. I am not associated with any of these restaurants, and prices may change.