Amadora travel guide for food lovers
We are very well aware that Amadora, a city nearby Lisbon, doesn’t always enjoy the best reputation. Amadora is a part of Greater Lisbon and it’s mostly a residential area. Even though it has a personality of its own and plenty of local life, the truth is that many people who reside in Amadora actually travel to Lisbon for work and, for the most part, spend their nights here.
Photo by Vitor Oliveira on Wikitravel
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But this doesn’t mean that Amadora isn’t worth a visit, if you’re into discovering what real daily life is like for those in and around the Portuguese capital. For starters, it’s very easy to get to Amadora, as the blue line of the Lisbon metro network, the same one which departs from Baixa-Chiado, in the heart of the city, will get you there in just about 20 minutes.
Photo by CM Amadora
Furthermore, there are plenty of things which could potentially keep you engaged in Amadora. From outdoor green spaces such as the extensive and lush Parque das Artes e do Desporto (Estr. Serra da Mira) or the comic book themed Parque da BD – Turma da Mónica (R. Maria Alda Barbosa Nogueira), pictured here above; to shopping opportunities (check out the peculiar UBBO Shopping Resort, at Av. Cruzeiro Seixas 5, which is one of the country’s largest malls); and even diverse cultural programming all year round. With its decidedly suburban vibes, Amadora is also a great spot to marvel at street art – check out Amadora’s street art map here to know exactly where to go for the best murals.
Street art by @odeith. Photo by I Support Street Art
We often travel to Amadora, mostly to visit friends who live there and to go out to eat. There are a lot of restaurants who cater to the classical Portuguese taste but that also focus on international flavors, mostly those of the migrant communities which make up a large part of the population in Amadora.
Today we focus on the best Portuguese food restaurants and cafes in Amadora, as we know, when you visit us here in Portugal, you’re probably looking to sample what the local cuisine is all about.
Best restaurants for Portuguese food in Amadora
Maria Azeitona
This is, hands down, one of our favorite restaurants in Amadora. But we can’t say that, with this one, we’re putting the spotlight on a yet undiscovered or underrated place. It’s hard to get a table at Maria Azeitona, and that just goes to confirm that this is a much beloved eatery not only by us, by many of Amadora’s residents, as well as Lisbon folks who travel to the neighboring city to eat here. In fact, they have such an efficient home delivery system that it reaches all the way to central Lisbon, as its regular customers are indeed a bit from all over the place. Maria Azeitona is all about honest Portuguese food, yet with a contemporary touch. You can come here for petiscos with a great and accessible wine list, delicious mains and beautifully crafted desserts by the Mom of one of the owners.
📍Rua Alfredo Keil 16, 2700-036 Amadora
Photo by Maria Azeitona on The Fork
Os Magalhães
This establishment specializes in home style food, which may not be groundbreaking when it comes to creativity, but that is just what customers crave when they want something that doesn’t surprise yet it hits the spot. Os Magalhães also serves a rather impressive list of appetizers and snacks, focusing on classics such as shells, scrambles and, when in season, braised snails. All in all, a safe bet in Amadora for a straightforward taste of what traditional Portuguese cuisine is all about.
📍Rua João de Deus 33, 2700-843 Amadora
www.facebook.com/RestauranteOsMagalhaes
Photo by The Fork
Maria Cachucha Petisqueira
Petisqueira is the Portuguese word which indicates a restaurant which focuses on petiscos, that is, our range of appetizers and snacks, similar to tapas in Spain. This is, quite probably, one of the most fun ways of eating out around here, particularly if you are with a group of friends with whom you can share a variety of little plates. At Maria Cachucha in Amadora, there’s indeed plenty to choose from, from cheese and charcuterie platters to fried snacks, seafood and more.
📍Rua Elias Garcia 78D, 2700-329 Amadora
www.facebook.com/mariacachuchapetisqueira
Photo by Maria Cachucha on Facebook
As Colunas
Located on the same street as Maria Cachucha above, As Colunas has been running for over 20 years. They focus on preparing uncommon meats, such as crocodile, camel and even kangaroo. But you don’t have to go for something so exotic if that’s not appealing to you, as they also prepare amazing typical Portuguese dishes.
📍Rua Elias Garcia 51C, 2700-843 Amadora
Photo by Visit Portugal
Brilha Mar
This seafood restaurant became popular as a part of Amadora’s dining scene back in the 80s. It’s one of those places locals keep going back to, not only because the food they prepare is honestly good, but also because the service is friendly and the overall atmosphere feels very familiar and welcoming. Come to Brilha Mar for a super cozy Portuguese food experience, revolving around grilled fish and seafood.
📍Estrada da Falagueira 12, 2700-356 Amadora
Photo by Restaurant Guru
KasaNova
The neighborhood of Damaia in Amadora is full of life! And, wherever there is a lively Portuguese bairro, there ought to be at least one good churrasqueira, that is, a restaurant specializing in grills such as BBQed piri-piri chicken, amongst others. KasaNova is a great spot to eat in but also to order some food for take away. Curiosity time: before the age of apps such as Uber Eats, the most common take-away and home-delivery kind of food in Portugal, besides pizza, used to be grilled chicken.
📍Rua Basílio Teles 2, 2720-064 Amadora
www.facebook.com/www.restaurantekasanova.pt
Photo by Kasanova
Chafariz das Gravatas
Chafariz da Gravatas is the sister business of restaurant Adega das Gravatas (Tv. Pregoeiro 15), in the Lisbon neighborhood of Carnide, and of Brasa da Gravatas (R. dos Arneiros 70A), which we have highlighted in our Benfica Travel Guide for Food Lovers. All of these restaurants have in common that they are decorated with hanging ties (this is what the Portuguese word gravata stands for). Besides the looks, they all serve bonafide Portuguese food, making them the kind of restaurants locals like to go to frequently.
📍Rua Elias Garcia 109, 2700-315 Amadora
www.adegadasgravatas.com/chafarizdasgravatas
Photo by Lucas Ribeiro on TripAdvisor
The Parq
In a place with so many straightforward Portuguese restaurants (which we do truly love, don’t get us wrong), more contemporary The Parq is a welcome respite. Located inside the urban park of Neudel, The Parq is the kind of place that screams “leisure!” out loud. Here you can eat well, drink accordingly, and enjoy the tranquil lush surroundings. If you don’t know what to order when you visit The Parq, we highly recommend the surf & turf, featuring deliciously tender strips of grilled beef and tiger prawns.
📍Av. São Jorge da Mina, 2720-704 Amadora
www.facebook.com/theparqrestaurante
Photo by The Parq
Alentejo.Come
Regional cuisine from the Alentejo, to the south of Lisbon, is one of Portugal’s most praised. If you’d like to explore the gastronomy of this region while in Amadora, head straight to Alentejo.Come, a restaurant which does a wonderful job at showcasing the region’s best flavors, recipes and, quite importantly too, wines. Do not miss the pork with migas, the deer steak, or the fried wild boar. When it comes to flavors of the sea, the highlight goes towards the caldo de cação, a rich broth prepared with dogfish shark.
📍Rua Sebastião da Gama 1, 2700-768 Amadora
Photo by The Fork
Jorge dos Caracóis
Caracóis, that is, snails, are a much sought-after snack to enjoy with a chilled beer, specially between spring and summer, in the center-south of Portugal. Back in 1992, owner Jorge was running a petiscos restaurant in Lisbon, where snails were one of the best sellers, affording him the nickname, Jorge dos Caracóis, that is, Snails Jorge. Eventually, Jorge decided to dedicate himself entirely to snails. Here in Amadora, he has a take-away only restaurant, where snails are sold both alive, and cooked, that is, ready to be enjoyed. To sit down to enjoy this peculiar Portuguese delicacy, you ought to visit Jorge dos Caracóis’s location in Fernão Ferro (Av. 5 de Outubro 3718).
📍Rua Elias Garcia 176a, 2700-332 Amadora
Photo by Os Melhores Restaurantes
O Porcalho
The name of this restaurant refers to Vasco Porcalho, a nobleman of Amadora from back in the 14th century. In the dining room you’ll find decoration items which refer to this historical period, in a tribute to the origins of the city we know of today. In the team’s own words, they’re all about “simple food”, which means down-to-earth Portuguese dishes such as grills and one pot wonders. If something is not broken, why try to fix it, right?
📍Rua Luís Gomes 15, 2700-416 Amadora
www.facebook.com/p/Restaurante-O-Porcalho-100063943147693
Photo by O Porcalho
Beira Alta
Beira Alta is synonymous with delicious Portuguese traditional food served in generous portions, just like you would normally find at restaurants in the central region of Portugal where this restaurant got its name from. If that wasn’t enough to entice you to visit Beira Alta in Amadora, know that the prices are very appealing as well, making this a very popular restaurant in the city, which we’d say it’s very worth a visit.
📍Av. Dom Nuno Álvares Pereira 56, 2700-257 Amadora
www.facebook.com/restaurantebaamadora
Photo by Beira Alta
Brasa do Bairro
Brasa no Bairro translates as “the neighborhood’s embers” or “the neighborhood’s grill”, anticipating that, at this restaurant, the focus goes towards grilled food. We’re talking about beautiful cuts of meats as well as fish, whose flavor gets enhanced by the smokiness of charcoal grilling. Besides grills, Brasa do Bairro’s menu also features other classics of Portuguese comfort food, such as a variety of salt cod dishes, octopus, meat stews, and more.
📍Rua Faustino da Fonseca 7A, 2610-123 Amadora
www.facebook.com/p/Brasa-do-Bairro-100043995408869
Photo by Lifecooler
O Bandarra
Bacalhau à Brás, that is, shredded cod sauteed with fried matchstick potatoes, onions, eggs, olives and parsley, is one of Lisbon’s most typical dishes. In fact, it was born in Bairro Alto itself! Here at O Bandarra, they prepare cod in this way, but they also take the Brás approach to cook other proteins such as tuna or chicken (pictured here). The results are very tasty! At O Bandarra, fresh fish grills are also a highlight, and the menu features many options for those seeking the most traditional flavors from across Portugal.
📍Rua 1º de Dezembro N1A, 2700-669 Amadora
www.facebook.com/p/Restaurante-O-Bandarra-100063608051284
Photo by O Bandarra
Taberna da Tia Rita
You would have noticed by now, scrolling down this list, that many of Amadora’s best restaurants are located in Rua Elias Garcia, as this is indeed one of the city’s main arteries. Right here, in the heart of town, you’ll find Tia Rita’s tavern, an eatery which prides itself in crafting delectable traditional petiscos. Here you’ll experience stunning food and unbeatable value for money.
📍Rua Elias Garcia 87A, 2700-314 Amadora
Photo by Lifecooler
Adega Fernando
We love that there is no shortage of traditional Portuguese food restaurants all over Amadora. This is the kind of place where the working class goes for a comforting lunch during the week, and where families gather for leisurely meals over the weekend. Adega Fernando’s slogan is “where eating is always a pleasure”, and we couldn’t agree more! Do not miss the desserts, with a strong focus on Portugal’s range of conventual sweets.
📍Rua Antero de Quental 16A, 2700-060 Amadora
www.facebook.com/restauranteadegafernando
Photo by Adega Fernando
Lugar ao Sul
Lugar ao Sul may be a relatively small space but, in it, you can fit a lot of the essence of the Alentejo. We’re talking about one of the best Alentejano restaurants in the Great Lisbon area! And, surprisingly, it’s still a bit of a hidden secret. Don’t get us wrong, the place is usually packed with those in the know, but still, we think they deserve a much greater reputation. Come here for lunch with incredible specials such as wild boar pie, purslane soup with sheep cheese, mushroom and bean stew with baby mackerels, and so much more. Such a delight!
📍Av. Eduardo Jorge nr 8b, 2700-307 Amadora
Photo by Lugar ao Sul
A Cabaninha
The locality of Alfornelos, in Amadora, is home to A Cabaninha, whose name translates as the little cottage. Indeed the space is cozy making it the kind of space you can easily picture yourself lounging around for hours with good company, munching on Portuguese food of the highest quality, while welcoming yet another bottle of wine to your table.
📍Rua Manuel Valadares 1, 2650-351 Amadora
www.facebook.com/p/Restaurante-A-Cabaninha-100057645452041
Photo by A Cabaninha
Cozinha Lusa
Cozinha Lusa is one of the greatest traditional Portuguese food restaurants in Amadora. Their menu features many of the classics of the national cuisine repertoire, but also some home specialities which aren’t recipes you’ll easily come across elsewhere. We could, for instance, highlight the partridge in escabeche marinade, the hake filets with Bulhão Pato sauce or the fried cuttlefish roe, just to name a few.
📍Rua Sarmento Pimentel 6A, 2720-516 Amadora
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057457217702
Photo by Cozinha Lusa
O Nosso Prego
O Nosso Prego is a chain restaurant present in several localities around Lisbon and, as the name clearly indicates, their star dish is prego, the most typical beef sandwich in Portugal. Pregos are quite straightforward, but they are indeed a much beloved snack or meal here in the country. The thin steaks are pan fried with aromatics such as garlic and bay leaf, and tucked inside a bun. The marinades or added seasoning may vary according to cook or personal taste, and things such as mustard and piri-piri spicy sauce tend to be present at the table when a prego is served. Going strong since 2009, O Nosso Prego does indeed serve delicious steak sandwiches, but also seafood and beer.
📍Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral 58 A, Loja 1, 2700-608 Amadora
Photo by N Mendes
Best bakeries and pastry shops in Amadora
Pastelaria Lusa
As they announce in a funny way in a print-out inside the shop “coming to Lusa and not eating a pastel de nata is like going to Rome and not seeing the Pope”. Arguably, catching a glimpse of a crunchy Portuguese custard tart with a velvety filling of custard at Lusa is way easier than waving hello to the Pope. And that’s exactly why you should make the most of the opportunity when in Amadora. Yet, don’t limit yourself to Portugal’s most iconic pastry, as there are so many other delicious things you will want to bite into (namely their take on travesseiro de Sintra), at what is one of the best cake shops in Amadora.
📍Av. Gago Coutinho 25A, 2700-405 Amadora
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100054544640561
Photo by Pastelaria Lusa
Carbeta
Pastelaria Carbeta tends to get quite crowded in the morning, as many of Amadora’s folks, either living or working nearby, come here for a Portuguese style breakfast. At Carbeta you’ll come across the usual range of cakes and pastries present in most Portuguese cafes, as well as hearty grilled sandwiches and good affordable coffee. A proper neighborhood pastelaria, with familiar style service – the kind of establishment many of us can’t simply live without!
📍Rua Oliveira Martins 9, 2700-618 Amadora
www.facebook.com/pastelaria.carbeta
Photo by Restaurant Guru
Pão de Mel
If we had to order a birthday cake in Amadora, we would for sure go to Pão de Mel, one of the best established pastelarias in Amadora. They make extraordinary themed cakes for all occasions: birthdays, weddings, Valentine’s Day and more. Besides special cakes, they have a vast range of pastries and individual cakes, Portuguese savory snacks, and delicious bread too. Around Christmas time, this would also be an ideal place from where to order typical Portuguese Christmas desserts.
📍Av. Canto e Castro N.10, 2700-782 Amadora
www.instagram.com/pastelariaspaodemel
Photo by Pão de Mel
Pastelaria Guida
Guida is one of those hybrid pastelarias you will often encounter a little all over Portugal, particularly in and around urban centers. It doubles as a coffee shop selling light sweet and savory bites and, during lunch hours, it serves daily specials which are affordable and a good representation of home style Portuguese food.
📍Av. Dom Nuno Álvares Pereira 46 A, 2700-189 Amadora
www.facebook.com/pastelariaguida.lda
Photo by Pastelaria Guida
Do you now feel like heading to Amadora, do a self-guided street art tour and then replenish your energies by hitting one of these restaurants? If you visit, we’d love to see your photos – please share them on Instagram, tagging @tasteoflisboa #tasteoflisboa
We’ll love to see your photo shoots, to know about your insights, questions, suggestions and wishes on your food & culture experiences in Lisbon and Portugal. Please share with us via Instagram Facebook,or Twitter and tag us @tasteoflisboa or #tasteoflisboa.
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