Eating out in Lisbon is easy, with many options to suit all tastes and budgets. Portugal has always been a country where it is very easy to find a place to eat, from the simplest tasca (bar) to the most fashionable and expensive restaurants. In recent years, the Baixa has changed to meet the demands of increasingly international tourists from all corners of the world, and this is where you will find the most options. I will not list specific restaurants, in fact that is not the purpose of this article, but rather tell you what to expect when visiting Lisbon and where to go.
The Downtown
The city centre is naturally the most visited area of the capital and it is there that you will find a good number of restaurants. In the old days, there were small restaurants downtown that served small meals for all the people who worked there. Before the Expo and Saldanha, most of the offices were downtown and so there were lots of cafés that also served light meals. They still exist, but in smaller numbers. Even so, there are still many places where you can enjoy a meal without spending too much and, perhaps even more importantly, where you can eat quickly so as not to waste too much time and make the most of the city. This type of restaurant is ideal for lunch. Then, along with this type of restaurant, there is a whole range of places where you can eat very well. Most of them are in downtown, Chiado and Bairro Alto.
Other areas
In addition to Baixa, there are also restaurants all over the city. One area I recommend is Alvalade (Alvalade metro station), which is a little far from the city centre but has some interesting options. There is also a lot of variety in Expo (Oriente metro station), from simple cafés to more modern options by the river. Here you have the advantage of being able to stroll around this area a bit and if it is warm it can be very nice to be there by the river enjoying the view. An area that has been reborn in recent years is Cais do Sodré. Once a somewhat forgotten area (despite being so central), it now has many options of cafés and restaurants that you can try. Further on in Alcântara, in the docks (cross through the underpass if you are walking), there is an area with restaurants a little like in Expo. It is a pleasant area to walk around and has some restaurant options, although I recommend it more for dinner because the prices are higher. On the other side in Alcântara there are also some options, especially in Lx Factory which is an alternative space that might be interesting to explore. Continuing towards Belém there are some options that you can try and further on in Algés (tram 15) there are also some restaurants that are not on the tourist circuit. Finally in the Avenidas Novas area (Saldanha metro station) between Picoas and Campo Pequeno there are some restaurants on the streets that run across Avenida da República, including the area that goes from Saldanha to Arroios, called Estefânia.
Markets and Shopping Malls
In recent years, many of Lisbon's markets have been revitalized and now offer many options for eating. The best known is in Cais do Sodré and is called Ribeira Market. It gained new life with the entry of Time Out Market which occupies half of the building with trendy restaurants. It is an open-plan space and has plenty of options for eating or having a drink. The other half still houses the traditional market. The same philosophy has been applied to other markets in Lisbon, such as Campo de Ourique and Algés.
And what about shopping malls? I'm neither totally for nor totally against them. I think they have their place and because they have very long opening hours in Portugal and offer many cheap options, they are very popular places for Portuguese people. Don't expect to eat very well or with many regional or typical options, but one thing is certain: they are some of the cheapest places to eat in Lisbon, they have many options that are not only fast food and they have the great advantage of being able to eat quickly if you are short on time. Just like street restaurants, shopping mall restaurants have also had to adapt in recent times. Not only do they have competition from traditional neighborhood restaurants and cafes, but they also have competition from other shopping malls. There are usually menus, usually a main course, drink and coffee or some that also include dessert for a fixed price. Even so, be careful when choosing because there are many options, from simple sandwiches to more traditional options. To find out where the main shopping malls in Lisbon are, read the article on shopping areas here