La
tasca
is to Portugal what the local bistro or neighborhood canteen is to France.
In a decor that is sometimes haphazard, always secondary, a simple table, a regular atmosphere and generous cuisine are the hallmarks of the place.
They serve traditional Portuguese recipes, often regional, at good value for money.
To discover
Figaro stay in the Azores |
11 days |
The jewels of the Atlantic
Trips to Portugal: tailor-made tours, hotels and stays from our partners
A certain idea of good casual… Portuguese style.
Going there also means experiencing a Portugal that tries to defy the passage of time.
Some
tascas
have been pegged to their neighborhood for generations.
Others threaten to disappear.
Since the day of the opening, they have been displaying their hastily scribbled specialties of the day and for which we recommend that you opt, like the regulars.
Know it all the same: the regional cheeses, breads and olives that appear almost magically on the table at the start of the meal are often chargeable.
Here is our selection in Lisbon.
Tasca Estrela d'Ouro (Graça district)
Pastéis de bacalhau, a specialty of this traditional canteen.
Natalia Mylova - stock.adobe.com
This tasca fits in a corridor so narrow that one wonders how the busy waiters still manage to slalom between the tables.
Quite an art!
When snails are in season, everyone flocks there.
But all year round, the establishment offers delicious
pastéis de bacalhau
(a kind of cod fritters), grilled fish from the catch of the day and delicious grilled meats.
Reservation essential to avoid (probable) disappointment.
Estrela d'Ouro, rua da Graça 24, 1170-270 Lisboa, Tel: + 351 21 886 5230.
To read also48 hours in Lisbon, for its clean air and its sweetness of life
Imperial Campo de Ourique (Campo de Ourique neighborhood)
Minho cuisine finds pride of place here.
Judge for yourself: generous portions as the north promises, with a definite penchant for
bacalhau a bras
(cod returned with julienned potatoes mixed with beaten eggs) on Tuesdays and Saturdays and good
favas à portuguesa
, an invigorating dish composed broad beans and sausage, mint and meat broth.
Imperial de Campo de Ourique, R. Correia Teles 67, 1350-097 Lisboa, Tel: +351 21 388 6096. Main course from €9
Read alsoFrom Alfama to Belém, the best things to do in Lisbon
Zé da Mouraria (Mouraria district)
A table that is a local institution to taste, on Saturday at lunch, the delicious
bacalhau com grao
, cod accompanied by chickpeas and potatoes, all served in a family hubbub.
And family, this tasca is, which combines extendable tables and paper tablecloths, embers, bacalhau and portions that discourage you from coming alone.
A word of advice: arrive early!
Zé da Mouraria, R. João do Outeiro 24, 1100-341 Lisboa, Tel: +35121 886 5436. From €19 for a large dish to share (€22.50 for the bacalhau).
Read alsoWhere to sleep in Lisbon for less than 150 euros?
Our ten favorite hotels in the Portuguese capital
Maca Verde (Santa Apolonia district)
Originally, long before it was fashionable, Maça Verde was called “Green Apple” and it served burgers.
Today all that remains of this world is a name and a decoration marked by a few touches of green and apple motifs.
Right next to the Santa Apolonia station, this address is ideal for tasting the flavors of Beira, the
lagarada de bacalhau,
the
chafana (
goat stew reminiscent of the flavors of coq au vin
)
or the delicious
choco frito
(fried cuttlefish ) when returning from a train trip or away from the Alfama crowds.
Maça Verde, rua dos Caminhos de Ferro, 84, Tel: + 351
965 512 266
.
From €7.50 for the main course.
Toscana Casa de Pasto (Alcântara district)
You could pass this discreet tasca many times before spotting it.
Yet it is an address acclaimed by lovers of grilled meat and fish since it opened in 1978. So no stylistic effects, but the essential is elsewhere, in the window revealing the catch of the day: regulars choose their fish there, grilled to perfection, just salted and served with a simple accompaniment, too.
Sure value, reasonable prices and family tables make it an essential tasca in Alcantara.
R. do Sacramento a Alcântara 70-98, 1350-352 Lisboa, Tel: +351 21 396 8633. Grilled fish from €10.
In Provinciana (Baixa)
It doesn't get much more typical than this family tasca, unchanged despite the success, the years and its location in the historic heart of Lisbon.
We come here for the grilled meat and fish of good quality accompanied by homemade fries cut with a knife, in gargantuan portions and at democratic prices.
The ransom of success?
You sometimes have to queue among locals passing through and always, the restaurant operating without reservation on a “first come, first served” basis.
In Provinciana, Travessa do Forno, 23/25 1150-193 Lisboa, +351 21 346 4704. Dishes around €7
O Velho Eurico (Alfama neighborhood)
Grilled octopus, one of the specialties of this traditional address now run by a young team.
O Velho Eurico
In the family of Lisbon tascas, here is one that has had a second life.
The “old Eurico”, owner of the place, having retired in 2018, a band of young graduates recovered the keys to the tavern.
And if the decor borrows from the contemporary register, the plate remains faithful to the classics of traditional Portuguese cuisine.
People come here above all to taste the delicious grilled octopus (
polvo a lagareira
), duck rice (
arroz de pato
) and
petiscos
to share.
Largo São Cristóvão 3 e 4, 1100-513 Lisboa, Reservations only by email: reservas.ovelhoeurico@gmail.com. From €8 for the main course.
Read alsoLisbon: our five favorite restaurants to learn about the Portuguese art of cod
Zé dos Cornos (Rossio)
The plethora of restaurants dotting this touristy neighborhood can make choosing difficult - and disappointing.
Tasca Zé dos
Cornos
is one of them, delighting its customers with simple and well-executed Portuguese cuisine, such as grilled
chouriço
, which it would be wise to follow with a good grilled meat or fish, or even a traditional sausage, the alheira, served with rice and fries, for the most daring carnivores.
Zé dos Cornos, Beco dos Surradores 5, 1100-591 Lisboa, Tel. : +351 218869641. Dishes around €10-12
Petisco Saloio (Campo Pequeno)
And if it was time for petiscar (in French version, to indulge in the art of sharing small dishes, petiscos being the Portuguese answer to Spanish tapas)?
Head for this tasca off the tourist radar, a few steps from the old bullfighting ring of Campo Pequeno.
The petisco is king here, in a short menu that lists some of the favorites of Portuguese cuisine: fried octopus,
beef
pica pau , garlic roasted prawns,
confit bacalhau,
oxtail turnovers and other classics, made with heart and without artifice.
Difficult to choose?
We will have to come back.
Petisco Saloio, Av. Barbosa Du Bocage 38, 1000-072 Lisboa, +351 21 796 2989.
O Cantinho do Alfredo (Campolide)
This is a
tasca
that looks like something out of a movie, so much does its décor incorporate elements of the traditional tasca: narrow door, zinc counter, neon, paper tablecloths and sturdy iron dishes.
But beyond that, it is the good grilled meat at unbeatable prices that justifies the undisputed success of this
Cantinho
.
For dessert, opt for the homemade and tasty “bolo de bolacha” (cookie cake).
Only downside: the service may be a bit harsh, but don't see anything personal there.
O Cantinho do Alfredo, Rua General Taborda, 44, 1070-271 Lisboa. Tel: +351 21 388 26 62. Main courses around €5, average price per person: less than €10.
Our advice
To learn about the history of Portuguese cuisine and some anecdotes skilfully distilled by enthusiasts of the cuisine and the national terroir, opt for a guided walk organized by "Culinary Backstreets".
In French, German or English, these tours explore the history of Portuguese neighborhoods, products and producers with knowledge, without pretension and far from the usual tourist routes.
Information and prices.
Published in November 2020, this article is subject to an update.
