Lisbon's seafood restaurants - The best seafood restaurants in Lisbon (2024)

Every day there’s commotion: inside, with the waiters running around juggling plates and glasses of beer, outside with the queue that takes up the whole street – on weekends it goes all the way to the corner of the building. Young and old, Lisboners and tourists, they all wantto savour the best seafood in this renowned establishment, built in 1956. From Bulhão Pato clams (cooked in oliveoil, garlic, and coriander) to edible crabs, spider crabs, gooseneck barnacles or lobster, all these animals are there,in the aquariums, waiting tobe cooked and served. Finish your meal with a loin steak sandwich, which here is considered “dessert” – Anthony Bourdain loved the experience and the play on words. Arrive early (or very late) to avoid the crowds.

It’s a foolproof recommendation for anyone who asks: “and a cheap and cool place to have dinner?”. Água pela Barba fits the bill, with a largely fish and seafood- oriented menu, always in sharing quantities. From fried fish tacos to ceviche, to seafood rice and crab sandwiches, here the only non-ocean exceptions are two pork dishes and amazing desserts – be selfish and order the canilhas (stuffed biscuits) for yourself.

When they turned a bar into Peixaria da Esquina, the trio Vítor Sobral, Hugo Nascimento and Luís Espadana explained that the idea had been brewing in their heads for a while. By chance, the marinated dishesare some of the best on the menu - try the salmon marinated in passionfruit, ginger and coriander. You should also order the fried cuttlefish with aioli, the cured swordfish, and end with a steak sandwich (fish and meat options are equally as good). If you’re more of a grilled fish fan, you can also find that here.

This is a must for tourists and Lisboners alike, if only for its mussels, gambas à la plancha or the house’s secret, the steak sandwich (here called bife no pão). Book a table on the terrace and proudly show your seafood platter to passers-by.

Until last summer, its head chef was Paulo Morais and the city’s famous sushiman has trained the team that currently works there. But the most interesting thing about Rabo d’Pêxe is that you can share fish even with people who hate the idea of raw food. How? Choose a fish on display and they serve it to you half raw, half grilled. There are also sushi platters, surf and turf, and a covered terrace that’s perfect for cold winter days.