Why Lisbon is the ideal city for foodies

The city has become one of the must-visit destinations in the past few years, and with so much gorgeous national produce, it’s easy to see why. Kate Smith explores what’s on offer

Packed with farmer’s markets, traditional tavernas and numerous wine bars, the city’s thriving food and drink scene rivals any of its European counterparts

Getting lost in Lisbon is easy, and something I would highly recommend to anyone who plans on visiting. Once the jewel in Portugal’s global empire, the capital is a maze of cobbled streets, ornately decorated religious monasteries and fortified Moorish castles that dominate the city’s skyline. But there’s much, much more to Lisbon than its picturesque setting and awe-inspiring architecture.

As soon as the plane touches down, my thoughts turn straight to the icon of Portuguese patisserie – the famed pasteis de nata (Portuguese custard tart). Tummy rumbling, I was keen to complete my mission as quickly as possible and immediately make the steep climb to the Bairro Alto district. I soon catch the enticing aromas of gently baking egg custard intertwined with subtle cinnamon spice from nearby Manteigaria. This bakery has truly perfected the art of making the delicate Portuguese pastries. Unlike the touristy Pasteis de Belem – home to the original Portuguese egg custard tart – Manteigaria offers the rare opportunity to watch every step involved in the making of the tarts.

After liberally coating my oven-warm pasteis de nata in cinnamon, I make my way to the back of the bakery to get a glimpse into the open kitchen and become immediately entranced. Sitting behind the glass divide, I watch on in fascination as the patissier vigorously pounds chunks of butter into the pastry dough, before repeatedly rolling and folding it to create the intricate layered structure of these beautifully flaky pastry tarts. Meanwhile, trays upon trays of golden, caramelised pasteis de nata make their way straight out of the industrial-sized oven and directly into the hands of expectant customers.

Having satisfied my sugar cravings, it is time for something more savoury. By this point my friends have managed to navigate their way up through the crisscrossing sun-baked streets to meet me in time for lunch. The main problem when you come to Lisbon is choosing what to eat! Turn any corner and you’re guaranteed to find something to tempt you, from traditional Portuguese food to more international flavours. This is exactly our experience as we dodge the trams in search of something to fuel the busy day of sightseeing ahead of us. After a brief moment of indecision, we opt for La Bottega Piadina, drawn in by the promise of fresh Italian flatbreads full to bursting with Parma ham, mozzarella, parmesan, pesto and olives. In next to no time we have devoured our gigantic piadinas, leaving behind only a few rocket leaves as evidence of our gluttony. Now we are ready to explore.

Manteigaria is one of the best custard tart shops in the city and allows customers to watch them being made

Clamber up Lisbon’s dizzying hillside streets and you’ll find numerous miradouros (or viewpoints) from which to admire the stunning cityscape. Feeling particularly adventurous, we decide to make straight for the highest viewpoint in town – Castelo de Sao Jorge. Our leisurely pace perfectly matches the relaxed atmosphere of the city and we soon stumble across a hole-in-the-wall bar tucked away beneath a stone stairway. We promptly join the locals who stand outside Ginginha do Carmo, sipping their small cups of ginjinha (cherry liqueur) and nattering over glasses of ice-cold beer. At only €1.35 (£1.20) a shot, it seems a shame not to.

Thirst quenched, we continued onwards in the direction of Castelo de Sao Jorge. We did make another small detour to nose around the farmers’ market in Praca da Figueira. You can buy anything here, from fresh fruit and vegetables and local cheeses to cured meats, sangria and the Portuguese speciality of tinned fish. The proprietor of the canned fish stall instantly ushers us over and starts to ply us with samples of bacalhau (cod), atum (tuna) and sardinhas (sardines). We do eventually make it to the Moorish castle and spend the rest of the afternoon taking in the 360-degree views perched atop the fortified stone walls.

Ginjinha is Lisbon’s locally made cherry liqueur, usually served in a shot glass with a piece of fruit at the bottom

Our very successful day seeking out the finest food and drink Lisbon has to offer continues well into the evening. Indeed, we don’t have to venture far from our accommodation to find specialist wine bar By The Wine and were spoilt for choice with the extensive range of Portuguese wines from Douro Valley dry reds to semi-sweet rosé wines and fresh Vinho Verde. The food also showcases Portugal’s high-quality local produce; oysters sourced from the Sado river, jamon Iberico de Bellota ham and semi-soft Azeitao cheese to name just a few. Embracing the celebratory atmosphere of Portugal’s post-Euro 2016, win we join the crowds of local revellers at quirky Pensao Amor (a former Lisbon brothel) for some after-dinner cocktails.

Day two begins at a more leisurely pace with a wander around the ruins of Convento do Carmo and a brief stop at Manteigaria to satisfy our growing pasteis de nata addiction. Eager to get a different perspective of the city, we take the ferry from Cais do Sodre to Cacilhas and admire Lisbon’s historic architectural beauty, the Ponte 25 de Abril bridge and the towering Christ the Redeemer statue. All of this sightseeing has, however, leaves us gasping for some ice-cold refreshment. As the ferry comes into dock, our eyes are immediately drawn to the sight of Mercado da Ribeira. This old market has undergone a dramatic transformation and is now a buzzing hub of small street food stalls owned by some of Portugal’s most renowned restaurateurs and specialist producers. Standing out amongst this feast of gastronomic plenty is Santini – a shining red and white beacon of ice cream excellence. According to Portuguese chef Nuno Mendes, Santini makes the best ice cream in the world – and I would definitely agree.

That night we leave earlier than usual to put our names down for a table at the rustic Taberna da Rua das Flores. There is a queue, but considering its tiny size and big reputation this isn’t a surprise. Our patience is dutifully rewarded with an array of creative tapas dishes including succulent octopus and sweet potato, crispy lamb cutlets, marinated mackerel tartare and delicately cooked stingray. But there’s still just enough room to share a velvety dark chocolate mousse and traditional Portuguese rice pudding.

If you have enough time, make the trip to Sintra. The area is a Unesco World Heritage site and less than an hour away from Lisbon by train. We escape the tourists by hiking through the serene forests and gardens up to the multi-coloured Palacio Nacional da Pena and the ruins of Castelo dos Mouros. The imperial grandeur and elegance of Palacio Nacional da Pena are made even more strikingly beautiful by the unique blue and white azulejos (Portuguese tiles) that decorate the exterior and interior walls – really worth the hike. After our day of physical excursion, cocktails are most certainly on the menu. Fortunately, we have just enough energy to climb the several flights of stairs up to Park – a rooftop bar situated on top of a multi-storey car park. Sundown is the perfect time to arrive and the city becomes even more stunning in the moonlight.

And so comes our final day in Lisbon, but there was still one more foodie challenge left to fulfill – the epic francesinha. Although literally translating as “little frenchie”, there really isn’t anything little about this sandwich. I shamelessly shy away, but my companion heroically tackles the humongous meat-filled monstrosity, which comes smothered in cheese, tomato sauce and topped with a fried egg. After a long slog, he emerges triumphant, but the side portion of chips are unfortunately one step too far. Maybe not the wisest meal choice for the plane ride home?

Guide courtesy of Great British Chefs. Visit their site for more food and travel guides

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