Lisbon, anybody?

I have to go to Lisbon for a few days next month. The last time I visited I was 12 and didn’t pay much attention to where the restaurants were, although I do have very fond memories of Bom Jardim, or Rei del Frango (King of Chickens) which is still, apparently, there. Nineteen years ago, Bom Jardim was fantastic – a high-ceilinged, slightly dingy room where you were handed a spit-roasted chicken, a bowl of peri-peri oil and a small paintbrush with which to annoint your chicken. I hope it’s not changed.

Do any readers who have been in Lisbon more recently than me have restaurant recommendations, food shopping ideas or any useful bits of Portuguese? Please leave your comments below!

7 Replies to “Lisbon, anybody?”

  1. mmmmmm, went there many years ago so can’t remember any names

    but do remember having that traditional portuguese dish bacalhau (cod) and wasn’t overally taken with it

    but liked the vinho verde we washed it all down with!

    have fun…

    (do recall doing a lot of shopping in zara, though!)

  2. I forgot to mention: I went to college with a guy whose parents made port, though this was in Porto rather than Lisbon. His last name was Calem Ferreira, and the port in question was just Calem. I seem to remember it was quite nice, so if you see a bottle it might be worth grabbing. He, on the other hand, is categorically not worth grabbing, though I think he’s some sort of merchant banker in London now, so you’re probably safe.

  3. I went to a fabulous vege/vegan place called Terra in Barrio Alto. I’m not a vegetarian in the slighest, but it was very good – the buffet (don’t cringe) is 12 euros and great value – I thoroughly recommend it. And if you don’t speak much Portugese, buffet is perfact – you don’t have to struggle with a menu!

  4. Vegetarian…buffet? Neither word is filling me with optimism, but if nobody else comes up with anything I may just go out of sheer anthropological curiosity about how the Portuguese vegetarian lives.

  5. it’s been a while, but i do have fond memories of a restaurant in the bairro alto which i believe is called bota negra (it is a black boot in any case, my portuguese is terrible). i am sure that with a little detective work, you can find it out and let me know if it’s still as good!

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