BAIRRO DO AVILLEZ For our third and final lunch on our short trip to Lisbon, we decided to try somewhere a little more modern and trendy, after already eating at two very traditional restaurants. Celebrated Portuguese chef José Avillez opened Bairro do Avillez in August 2016. Situated in Lisbon’s fashionable Chiado district, the restaurant occupies part of the former Convento da Trindade, with architectural features dating back to the 13th century. The impressive interior com

MOMA GRILL UPDATE SEPTEMBER 2026 - GOOGLE SAYS MOMA GRILL IS PERMANENTLY CLOSED This long-established Baixa restaurant was still operating in August 2025 but has since closed. The premises at Rua dos Correeiros 22 are now occupied by O CASTIÇO 2. Previous review when it was Moma This charming restaurant was the second traditional place we visited during our short trip to Lisbon. To reach it, you need to navigate past the numerous aggressive street touts who wave menus featuri

O SOLAR DOS LEITOES This hidden restaurant is situated on the outskirts of Monsanto and offers delicious traditional Portuguese cuisine, including some of the best grilled fish in Lisbon. This family business has been operating for three generations and is situated in a remote, rundown residential area in Buraca. It is not easy to find and is definitely off the tourist track. Even taxis equipped with GPS often have trouble locating it! Don't let this discourage you. You will

TABERNA REAL DO FADO As we were in Portugal and Porto, it seemed a good idea to take in a Fado evening. This Fado Taberna is a perfect way to end the day with a group of friends or in a romantic environment with a loved one, and it is a good introduction to Fado music. I loved the guitarists’ performance, and the performers’ voices were outstanding, even though I did not know what they were singing about. The dinner was perfect for the price: €40 per person for all the food

RESTAURANTE O LUSITANO This is our second visit to this restaurant in Matosinhos, just north of Porto. All the seafood is cooked on the outside grills. It is near the sea and the fish market, so all the fish should be fresh. Restaurant after fish restaurant greets you on this street with the beaches a stone’s throw away, but this is our place to go. You can eat at the outdoor tables (which now have glass borders since covid; in the past, they were just in the street) or insid

A visit to Porto and the Port Houses/Lodges across the River Duero in Vila Nova de Gaia. To get there, it is a pleasant walk across the famous Dom Luís I Bridge. We chose to visit. COCKBURN’S PORT LODGE On arrival, we chose the €20 tour, which everyone seemed to have. This includes three port tastings at the end of the tour. More expensive tours, up to €65, include a vintage port tasting and a cheeseboard to complement the wine. Our excellent tour guide, whose name I unfortun

RESTAURANTE O LUSITANO Jonathon Lipsin adds his second trip across the border into Portugal and Porto. I am writing this because I promised the woman who presides over this place that I would. A few weeks ago, according to my Portuguese sources, she asked about it, so if I ever wanted to go back, I had better do it, and I did! There is a special restaurant I would like to tell you about in Matosinhos, Porto, near the water and the fish market. On this street with the beaches

A Food experience across the border in Porto, Portugal by Jonathon Lipsin RESTAURANTE FLÔR DO BALDO Today, my friends took me here in Porto, Portugal, to a working man’s restaurant seemingly in the middle of nowhere. It is by a river with big trees not unlike those in California looming outside the windows of an industrial-style, huge dining room. There is a wood-fired oven and long banquet-type tables, all with dishes set upside down as is the custom here. True enough, cl

Our first stop is the beach town of Praia da Rocha. I last came here in 1998. I noticed that the main strip does not resemble that time. It is now full of karaoke bars and shops selling tourist ware, apart from the classical Bella Vista Hotel and Spa. We spent our first two nights at the HOTEL DA ROCHA Four Stars Avenida Tomás Cabreira, 8500-802 Praia da Rocha, Portimão +351 282 424 081 www.hoteldarocha.com It is a nice, clean hotel with friendly staff. The swimming pool

CANTO We came to Canto, a recent creation of Simon Shaw, of El Gato Negro Tapas fame, on an unusually sunny Sunday Lunchtime In Manchester, for a meal before going to the football at Old Trafford later that day. You will find this younger sibling of Simon’s in the heart of Manchester’s latest to be redeveloped neighbourhood, Ancoats, on Cutting Room Square. It is quite a stunning, ample space with blue Portuguese tiles that reminded me of a recent visit to Braga. They use th