Best Italian Restaurants in Lisbon


 

Even when you find yourself in a diverse country such as Portugal, filled with smells, foods and people so foreign from what you are used to, sometimes you just need a taste of home comforts.

Italian food has become the symbol of homestyle comfort food around the world thanks to the vast migration of the cuisine. From the furthest countries in the west to even the tips of Africa, Italian food remains the go to for a hearty meal that almost always satisfies.

by Nerise Gokpinar – Unsplash

Thank’s to its close proximity to the country itself, Lisbon and Italian food have a good relationship. There are many restaurants around the city that will satisfy your cravings through and through, it would be impossible to list them all. Let’s take a look at some of the top spots nearest to the center!

Casanostra in Lisbon

When in search of a specific cuisine one can usually always head over to Bairro Alto and walk the narrow streets until it pops up. This area is like a buffet for cuisines around the world, I’ve even had street ramen here (it was terrible, but that is beside the point).

The Italian restaurants in Bairro Alto are quiet lowkey and you often need to be told they are there before you even notice them amongst the plethora of Portuguese restaurants and youth bars.

Casanostra in Lisbon – by Casanostra – Uploaded by them

Casanostra looks like absolutely nothing from the outside, but inside the soul of Italy is alive. It has been a part of this neighborhood since 1986, proving to be one of the most authentically Italian restaurants in the city.

Open to adapting to both the times and the neighborhood, Casanostra has options for both meat eaters and plant eaters alike. They are also able to cater to gluten free eaters with a few pasta options.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday – Various Times
ADDRESS: Tv. do Poço da Cidade 60, 1200-043 Lisboa, Portugal
METRO STATION: Rossio – Lisboa

Bottega Montucci in Lisbon

Bottega Montucci is a slightly different Italian experience to what you’d expect from a pizza and pasta based establishment.

It is instead a wine tasting and tapas bar, specializing in Italian wines that are imported into Portugal.

Each wine tasting session is paired with light Italian snacks and dishes that are strategically prepared to compliment they wines used.

Bottega Montucci in Lisbon – by Bottega Montucci – Sourced from their Facebook

To add a local element, each wine tasting experience also includes a few samples of Portuguese wines. It’s a wonderful experience to be able to taste both simultaneously and have them paired with some fine dining tapas.

Booking at this spot is essential, as the experiences have become quite popular and sought after for travelers to Lisbon.

Sessions can be conducted in three different languages so that everyone present can follow with ease.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday – 7pm to 12am
ADDRESS: R. Monte Olivete 71, 1200-279 Lisboa, Portugal
METRO STATION: Rato

M’arrecreo Pizzeria in Lisbon

Authentic Italian calls for properly made pizzas, so back to Bairro Alto we go for another restaurant that is outdoing itself night after night.

M’arrecreo does pizza in a way I have not experienced before, not even in Italy itself. The juiciness of the tomato base paired with their house dough is not easily put into words, but I find myself thinking about it more often than I care to admit.

They don’t have vegan cheeses on offer in store just yet, but ordering any of their vegetarian pizzas, or just a simple margarita, without the cheese is still a feast worth waiting in line for.

M’arrecreo Pizzeria in Lisbon – by M’arrecreo Pizzeria – Sourced from their Facebook

I actually found out about M’arrecreo while eavesdropping on a couple during a free guided walking tour who could not stop talking about their meal there the night prior.

You’ll almost always incur a bit of a wait at the door, but they turn tables quite quickly are are exceptionally accommodating to walk-ins.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Opening Hours: Monday to Sunday – 12:30pm to 11pm
ADDRESS: Tv. Inglesinhos 36, 1200-223 Lisboa, Portugal
METRO STATION: Rossio – Lisboa

Prima Pasta in Lisbon

Prima Pasta is another Italian gem in the south of the Alfama in Lisbon. Compared to the other Italian restaurants in the city, this one is notably cheap especially for the incredible quality of the food.

To put it into perspective, a draught of beer at Prima Pasta will only set you back €3. If you’re dining with a parter you can budget around €40 for two bottles of wine, two entrees, two mains, a side salad to share, two desserts and coffee afterwards.

Prima Pasta – by Prima Pasta – Sourced from their Facebook

Even Lisbon locals take a break from the repetitive fish dishes every so often just to eat at this restaurant on the coast. Like most restaurants in Lisbon, they also do really great sangria!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Opening Hours: Monday to Saturday – 12pm to 3pm // 6:30pm to 12am
ADDRESS: R. da Madalena, 1100-318 Lisboa, Portugal
METRO STATION: Terreiro do Paço

Il Covo in Lisbon

Il Covo is the kind of restaurant you take your lover to for a romantic night out featuring fine Italian dining.

The space is intimate, to say the least, and you’ll be glad you left the rest of your friends and family behind.

Il Covo in Lisbon – by Il Covo – Uploaded by them

Il Covo is on the Tagus coast, somewhere between the Alfama and Belem . What’s great is that while the menu is authentic Italian, the restaurant has also made a point of embracing Portuguese wines to pair with each meal.

Because of the size of the space, a reservation for dinner is almost imperative. Do not leave without trying their tiramisu, the best in Portugal and in Italy… or so they say!

PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Opening Hours: Wednesday to Monday – 6pm to 12am
ADDRESS: R. do Cura 3A, 1200-644 Lisboa, Portugal
METRO STATION: Santos

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