10 Authentic and Cheap Restaurants for Less than €15
There are still authentic and cheap restaurants in the heart of Lisbon where you can dine affordably, sometimes with complete menus for less than €15. These ‘tascas’ or ‘cantinas’ as they’re called in Portugal.
Article updated on February 7, 2024.
You’ll notice that:
- These are the kind of restaurants where you’ll find menus written with a marker on paper tablecloths.
- You’ll see menus that list ‘1/2 dose’ or ‘1 dose’. 1 dose is usually suitable for two people.
- And don’t forget, ‘couverts’ are the little appetizers like olives, spreads, cheese, butter, bread, etc., placed on the table at the beginning of the meal and charged separately. If it’s your first time visiting the capital, check out this article: When Visiting Lisbon for the First Time.
Now, let’s dig in!
Avenida da Liberdade
1. O Cartaxinho
This cozy little restaurant offers traditional Portuguese dishes such as Carne Alentejana, seen in the photo.
Carne Alentejana is a traditional dish that gets its name from the region located in the south of the country. It’s a dish that combines pork and clams, offering a contrast between tender meat and fresh seafood.
This typical Carne Alentejana recipe involves marinating pork in garlic, white wine, and spices, then sautéing it with onions and bacon. Clams are then added until they open, infusing the dish with their sea flavor.
This dish is often served with fried potatoes and a green salad. It’s a hearty and delicious dish that offers a unique blend of flavors and textures.
The average price of the dishes is around €10.
🕐 Sunday to Friday from 12 pm to 10:30 pm
📍R. de Santa Marta 20B, 1150-295 Lisbon
Bairro Alto
2. O Trevo
This small family restaurant offers simple and tasty cuisine, with specialties such as cozido à portuguesa and frango no churrasco (grilled chicken), and especially the famous Bifanas.
Bifana is a pork sandwich garnished with Portuguese mustard, onions, and other ingredients as desired. The name ‘bifana’ comes from the Portuguese word ‘bife’, which means ‘steak’.
To prepare bifanas, we cut pork into thin slices and marinate them in a sauce made from garlic, bay leaves, white wine, and other spices. The pork slices are then grilled or pan-fried until golden and tender. The sandwiches can be served with fries, salad, or other sides according to preferences. It’s a quick and tasty meal option, whether for lunch or a late-night snack.
🕐 Monday to Saturday from 7 am to 10:30 pm
Average price of a bifana: €4
📍Praça Luís de Camões 48, 1200-283 Lisbon
Baixa Chiado
3. A Licorista e o Bacalhoeiro
A Licorista specializes in traditional cuisine and offers flavorful dishes at reasonable prices. Here are some of the dishes offered by the restaurant for less than €15:
- Bacalhau à Brás: a dish of shredded cod mixed with onions, fried potatoes, scrambled eggs, and olives. This is a very popular dish in Portugal and costs around €13.
- Arroz de Polvo: a dish of rice cooked in octopus broth, served with tender and flavorful pieces of octopus. This dish costs around €14.
- Pastéis de Bacalhau: fried pastries made with salted codfish and potatoes, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. This appetizer costs around €3.
These dishes are all very popular in Portugal, and A Licorista prepares them with fresh and quality ingredients. The restaurant also offers a selection of Portuguese wines to accompany the meals.
🕐 Monday to Saturday from 12 pm to 3 pm and 7 pm to 11 pm
📍R. dos Sapateiros 218, 1100-587 Lisbon
4. A Provinciana
This restaurant, or rather ‘Tasca’, is perfect for the phrase ‘no frills, no fuss’. A typical and authentic Portuguese menu with soup as an appetizer, a hearty dish (codfish, pork, sardines, etc.), a drink, and coffee for less than €15.
With luck, you might even find the famous ‘Arroz de Cabidela‘, a traditional dish from the Minho region. To prepare the dish, chicken is cut into pieces and cooked with onions, garlic, spices, and vinegar. The chicken’s blood is then added to give the dish its color and distinctive flavor. Rice is added next, simmering in the sauce until cooked and infused with all the flavors of the dish. It might sound intimidating, but trying it is adopting it!
It’s not uncommon to wait in line to get in, but don’t hesitate to fetch an ‘Imperial’ beer at the bar, Sagres or Super Bock. You get to choose your camp!
🕐 Monday to Saturday from 12 pm to 3:30 pm and 7 pm to 10 pm
📍Tv. do Forno 23, 1150-193 Lisbon
5. Super Mário
Not far from Bairro Alto, you’ll find this tasca that offers this carrot rice we particularly appreciate. Along with tomato rice and the delicious Polvo a Lagareiro (octopus with garlic and olive oil) with prices for 1/2 dose – 1 dose.
Average price per person with house wine and dessert: €15
🕐 Monday to Saturday from 12 pm to 10:30 pm
📍R. do Duque 9, 1200-158 Lisbon
Martim Moniz
6. Cerqueira Restaurant
Not far from Martim Moniz Square, you’ll find this small, unpretentious restaurant with unbeatable prices. I wouldn’t recommend the chicken, but the fish dishes like dorado or swordfish (espada) are the most interesting on the menu. Fresh, perfectly grilled, great for a low-calorie meal at an affordable cost. Dishes range from €10 to €14.
🕐 Monday to Friday from 6 pm to 11 pm Saturday-Sunday from 12 pm to 3 pm and 6 pm to 11 pm
📍CC de Sant’Ana 49, 1150-301 Lisbon
Mouraria
7. Aviz
This restaurant offers all the specialties we love:
- grilled chicken, grilled fish, lulas (calamari in the photo), sardines, homemade fries, dry rice with carrots, and other Portuguese stewed dishes. You’ll always have the choice between a half portion (for less than €10) and a full portion, which is €3-4 more expensive. Plenty to enjoy at a reasonable price!
🕐 Sunday to Friday 8am – 10pm
📍R. das Olarias 2, 1100-133 Lisboa
8. Zé dos Cornos
This tavern offers delicious pork ribs! For us, it’s the best address in the city center! Their daily specials are also always delicious, such as the famous feijoada a transmontana (Portuguese cassoulet) or the famous Arroz de pato (duck rice). Their dishes range from €8 to €16.
🕐 Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday: 12pm – 4pm, Friday and Saturday: 11:45am – 4pm, 7pm – 10pm
📍Beco Surradores 5, 1100-591 Lisboa
Principe real
9. Frangasqueira Nacional
This small restaurant with limited seating is known for its grilled meat dishes, especially grilled chickens that you won’t want to miss. It’s a whole chicken marinated in a sauce made from garlic, lemon, olive oil, and herbs, then slowly grilled over charcoal or wood fire. The chicken is basted with marinade during cooking to give it an even richer and more flavorful taste. The final result is juicy and tender chicken with a crispy, golden skin.
Their standout is, of course, their sauce. No good grilled food without good sauce (o piri-piri for us)! As a side, this restaurant offers nice composed salads.
The atmosphere is casual and lively, and we appreciate the few outdoor tables. Whole marinated grilled chicken for €10.
🕐 Monday, Thursday to Saturday from 6:30 pm to 10 pm
📍Tv. Monte do Carmo 19, 1200-276 Lisbon
Santos
10. A Merendeira
This Portuguese snack bar is open every day/night until 7 am and offers a €6.30 menu:
- The famous caldo verde (green soup), pão com chorizo (bread with chorizo), a drink, rice pudding, and coffee. It’s fresh, simple, and hearty. Much healthier than any fast food.
A true institution for us Portuguese, thousands of Pão com Chorizo are baked in wood-fired ovens every week. A mandatory stop after an aperitif to ensure a good night’s sleep before heading home.
🕐 Every day from 11 am to 7 am No credit cards / Cash only
More restaurants for eating after midnight
📍 Av. 24 de Julho 54, 1200-657 Lisbon
Epilogue
We hope these recommendations will help you discover a part of Portuguese cuisine at a lower cost in authentic and affordable Lisbon restaurants. Just like us, you’ll enjoy exploring these particularly genuine places.
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