Gastronomic heritage and tradition are deeply rooted in Lisbon culture, and they are one of the main tourist attractions of the city.
Lisbon is a city which boasts a strong cultural and gastronomic heritage/influence of the people who inhabited it: Phoenicians, Arabs and Romans – and even today we can recognize part of said legacy in the typical local gastronomy. The gastronomy, wine, the mere act of sharing a meal or a drink with friends, are common behavior in the city’s life.
The closeness to the sea provides the local gastronomy with truly delicious fish and seafood dishes. Cod and baked sardine are irresistible dishes. In Lisbon you will also find the best of Mediterranean cuisine, bread, olive oil, cheese, sausages and a wide varieties of nibbles. As a dessert, the pastéis de nata (custard tart) offer the unique flavor of time-honored Lisbon sweet making. In the Autumn you’ll be taken aback by the charming scent of the roast chestnuts sold in the streets…
Rota de Tapas is a festival that allows to explore the city in search of the most amazing flavours, through a route by restaurants of Lisbon City Centre to enjoy a set of “tapas” and snacks, especially made for the occasion, accompanied by a beer and for a symbolic price.
A fish festival which celebrates the great gastronomic specialty of the city, fish in its diverse varieties and recipes.It boasts various activities such as: tastings, culinary demonstrations by guest restaurants and Chefs from all around the world as well as other events connected with the world of gastronomy.
‘Lisboa à Prova’ is a reference for tourism and the catering sector in Lisbon.Promoted by the Lisbon Municipality with the support of Lisbon Tourism and AHRESP – Hotel, Catering and Similar Businesses Association in Portugal, it is aimed at the catering establishments of the city of Lisbon and its main purposes are the enhancement of the catering sector, the promotion of Lisbon gastronomy as a tourist attraction factor and incentive for the catering sector to ever increase the quality of the services rendered as well as, self-evidently, proceeding with an evaluation of the quality and offer of each restaurant, assigning 1, 2 or 3 “forks” to the award-winning restaurants. See more about the 2024-2025 edition here (in Portuguese).
Through collaborative projects, annual gatherings, study tours, and continuous exchanges, our network fosters a dynamic community where cities learn from each other, share best practices, and co-create innovative solutions for the future of food and gastronomy.
We invite cities that share our commitment to food-driven urban transformation to join us in shaping a better food future.
