Portugal

linen. The menu is printed in English. You can start with excellent shellfish soup. Fish
dishes garnished with vegetables include filets with tomato sauce, and baked sole. Polvo
à lagareiro (octopus with broiled potatoes, olive oil, and garlic) is a justifiably popular
specialty. If you prefer fowl or meat, try frango na prata (chicken broiled in foil with
potatoes) or pork with clams Alentejana-style. The owner-manager recommends açorda
de marisco, a stewlike breaded shellfish-and-egg dish. The dessert list is extensive, even
listing a banana split. The chefs still cook exactly as their parents and grandparents did,
and that seems to please the mainly local clientele.
Rua Tomás Ribeiro 63. & 21/353-87-80. Main courses 9€–18€. MC, V. Mon–Sat 8am–11pm. Metro:
Picoas. Bus: 36, 45, 90, or 101.
Cervejaria Brilhante PORTUGUESE/SEAFOOD Lisboans from every walk of life
stop here for a stein of beer and mariscos (seafood). The tavern is decorated with stone
arches, wood-paneled walls, and pictorial tiles of sea life. The front window is packed
with an appetizing array of king crabs, oysters, lobsters, baby clams, shrimp, and even
barnacles. The price changes every day, depending on the market, and you pay by the
kilo. This is hearty, robust eating, although attracting a waiter’s attention is a challenge.
Rua das Portas de Santo Antão 105 (opposite the Coliseu). & 21/346-14-07. Main courses 12€–22€;. AE,
DC, MC, V. Daily noon–midnight. Metro: Rossio or Restauradores. Bus: 1, 2, 36, 44, or 45.
Cervejaria Trindade PORTUGUESE Cervejaria Trindade is a combination German
beer hall and Portuguese tavern. In operation since 1836, it’s the oldest tavern in
Lisbon, owned by the brewers of Sagres beer. It was built on the foundations of the 13thcentury
Convento dos Frades Tinos, which was destroyed by the 1755 earthquake. Surrounded
by walls tiled with Portuguese scenes, you can order tasty little steaks and heaps
of crisp french-fried potatoes. Many Portuguese diners prefer the bife na frigideira (steak
with mustard sauce and a fried egg, served in a clay frying pan). But the tavern also
features shellfish; the house specialties are amêijoas (clams) à Trindade and giant prawns.
For dessert, try a slice of queijo da serra (cheese from the mountains) and coffee. Meals
are served in the inner courtyard on sunny days.
Rua Nova de Trindade 20C. & 21/342-35-06. www.cervejariatrindade.pt. Main courses 8€–33€. AE, DC,
MC, V. Daily noon–2am. Metro: Chiado. Bus: 15, 20, 51, or 100.
Hard Rock Cafe AMERICAN Set on two floors of a historic 18th-century palace,
this is one of approximately 140 branches of one of the world’s most visible restaurant
franchises. Because it’s at the lower end of the Avenida da Liberdade, in a neighborhood
jammed with cheaper, more colorful, and more aggressively ethnic Portuguese restaurants,
you may want to skip it. The cafe contains a collection of “museum quality” rock-
’n’-roll memorabilia—in this case, clothing worn by Elton John, Madonna, David
Bowie, and some of The Beatles—stiff drinks and juicy burgers, a vintage American
Cadillac suspended surrealistically from the ceiling, and most endearing of all, a youthful
and enthusiastic Portuguese staff who seem genuinely interested in whether you have a
good time. Menu items that seem to never go out of style are the Tupelo chicken tenders,
Santa Fe spring rolls, and Hard Rock nachos. A DJ spins danceable tunes every Friday
and Saturday 11pm until 1am; and there’s live music from local Portuguese bands every
Sunday and Monday 11pm to 1am.
Av. da Liberdade 2. & 21/324-52-80. www.hardrock.com. Reservations not accepted except for parties
of 6 or more. Burgers, salads, and main courses 8.50€–20€. AE, DC, MC, V. Daily noon–1am. Bar open until
at least 2am. Metro: Rossio or Restauradores.
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SETTLING INTO LISBON 5
WHERE TO DINE