The 10 best wine bars in Lisbon

December 24, 2021

Scottish writer Robert Louis Stevenson once said that “wine is bottled poetry” and it just so happens that our country is full of lyricists! No matter if it’s rhymed poetry or free verse, the Portuguese have historically been very keen on wine production and consumption.

When you visit Portugal, we’d always recommend visiting at least one vineyard and cellar, where you can get up close with how this alcoholic beverage comes to life. When you buy a bottle and uncork it at home, you may still appreciate the wine, but understanding how much work and care is put from the planting and maintenance of the vineyard, to the collection of the grapes and the entire winemaking process, will certainly give you a new level of respect for the bottle you’re holding in your hands.

Traveling around Lisbon you will have plenty of opportunities to taste local wine – just about any restaurant and café will have at least a few options. But if you’d like to dig a little deeper, we recommend visiting a specialized wine bar.

Here we have compiled some of the best wine bars in Lisbon. These stand out, not just because of their catalogue, but also because of the knowledge of those who curate the wine lists presented and that tends to be shared with you when you select your drink:

1. Black Sheep

The 10 best wine bars in Lisbon This wine bar and shop is living proof that being the black sheep can sometimes make you really stand out. Black Sheep is, quite probably, the smallest wine bar in Lisbon. There’s only 12 seats in this establishment located in the picturesque Praça das Flores in Lisbon, but they have a catalogue of over 100 references. Here the focus goes towards small independent producers. They have one of the greatest selections of natural and organic Portuguese wines you’ll find in Lisbon, which can be tasted at the bar or purchased by the bottle to take with you. Besides Portuguese brands, they also have iconic international wines produced following the philosophy of the Natural Wine Movement.

If you’d like to taste biodynamic, organic, natural and low intervention wines while hearing stories about the producers with your glass in hand, head to Black Sheep.

📍Praça das Flores 62, 1200-192 Lisbon

www.blacksheeplisboa.com

2. By The Wine

The 10 best wine bars in Lisbon This establishment is a wine bar, restaurant and wine shop with the entire portfolio of Sogrape, one of the oldest and biggest wine companies in Portugal, operating since 1942. You might have heard of Sogrape’s brands, namely the Sandeman Port wine or Mateus for the rosé variety.

At By The Wine in Lisbon’s historic centre, Sogrape’s entire range of wines can be tasted by the glass, thus representing a great opportunity to experience different beverages which you can pair with Portuguese tapas.

Besides being open as a restaurant and wine bar, By The Wine regularly hosts special events such as enologist-guided wine tastings, tasting of regional food products and, sometimes, even olive oil tastings.

📍Rua das Flores 41 43, 1200-193 Lisbon

www.bythewine.pt

3. Comida Independente

The 10 best wine bars in Lisbon Comida Independente’s goal is to bring small producers from all over Portugal to the city. This store houses a deli, grocery store, wine cellar and wine bar all under one roof. And if this wasn’t enough, they also organize a weekly producers market that takes place in Praça São Paulo every Saturday morning, where small producers and cooks are able to showcase their goods to those interested in tasting Portuguese products beyond what you can find in the regular supermarket shelves.

There’s a huge work of curatorship that goes behind what you can find at Comida Independente, as the team travels around Portugal to discover first hand the producers that deserve to have their work and goods highlighted here. This applies to regional foods, fresh produce and, of course, the wines too. Artisanal wines can be tasted here by the glass on regular days, but Comida Independente also organizes themed events and wine tasting sessions with the producers, and has little by little become one of the city’s favorite spots for connoisseurs and people who generally appreciate to know more about the origins of what they consume.

📍R. Cais do Tojo 28, 1200-649 Lisbon

https://comida-independente.myshopify.com

4. Jobim

The 10 best wine bars in Lisbon Jobim introduces itself as a “little piece of Brazil in Lisbon”. Here it’s all about wines, cocktails and Brazilian food. The owners are Brazilian actor Thiago Rodrigues who came to shoot a soap opera in Lisbon and decided to stick around, and António Almeida who is a sommelier. Almeida has curated the wine list that has mostly representation from Portuguese cellars, but doesn’t end at that. The good news is that he is usually around and happy to recommend something for you to try, by the glass or by the bottle, according to your taste and budget.

Located in the trendy neighborhood of Príncipe Real, Jobim lures those passing by to get in, not just with a window shop full of options, but also with the sounds of bossa nova and jazz. If you’re into enjoying wine in a relaxed and truly fun atmosphere, Jobim is a great place to visit in Lisbon.

📍R. da Imprensa Nacional 116f, 1250-127 Lisbon

https://jobim-lisboa.metro.bar

5. Prova Enoteca

The 10 best wine bars in Lisbon Prova aims to have the entire wine scene of Portugal under one roof. More than 80 wines, specialized food products and petiscos from across the country make the delights of those who visit this wine shop in Restelo. Sommelier Manuel Moreira has collaborated with owners Ana Paula Marques and José Marques, who together spent more than a year traveling around Portugal and exploring different wine regions and cellars, prior to opening their shop.

Every single wine you see at Prova’s shelves can be ordered by the glass. If you don’t know where to start, you can join one of their regular Initiation to Wine Tasting workshops!

📍R. Duarte Pacheco Pereira 9E, 1400-139 Lisbon

www.instagram.com/provaenoteca

6. Insaciável

a group of people sitting on a bench in front of a building In recent years, Lisbon hasn’t only experienced a blossoming of the wine bar scene, we have seen the doors of several establishments entirely dedicated to natural wines open up. Insaciável, in the happening neighborhood of Santos, is owned by French people, something that becomes quite obvious as the bites to keep company to the natural wines here served include things such as rillette (preserved meat to use as a spread), pâtés, or white asparagus with mousseline. But also very local small dishes such as fresh oysters from Setúbal, limpets from the Azores, Portuguese regional cheeses, and more. Overall, their food gives preference to seasonal ingredients, so this means there’s always something new from the menu to try.

It is places like Insaciável that have made drinking wine by the glass rather trendy these days. They pour a wide selection of Portuguese and International wines, with some labels you wouldn’t easily find elsewhere.

📍Rua da Esperança 156, 1200-660 Lisbon

www.instagram.com/insaciavel.lisboa

7. Senhor Uva

The 10 best wine bars in Lisbon If natural wine has been taking Lisbon by storm, Senhor Uva certainly is one of the leading names in the local natural wine scene. Couple Stephanie e Marc opened this small wine bar and restaurant where the food shines just as much as the wines do. Stephanie is in charge of a vegetarian menu that highlights seasonal vegetables from small producers. This “botanical cuisine” focuses on availability and what catches Stephanie’s eye on her weekly visits to producers, and so does the wine, also exclusively sourced from small producers. The rotating menu turns out to be great if you want to visit multiple times and always be surprised by new flavors.

The passion for sustainable food and wines you breathe at Senhor Uva is exceptional and can be felt on the palate and all your other senses as you sip, taste and listen to the explanations that are shared in a friendly and accessible way while selecting your choice of dishes and wines, from Portugal and abroad.

📍R. de Santo Amaro 66A, 1200-804 Lisbon

https://senhoruva.com/menu-index

8. Holy Wine

a group of people standing in front of a building Holy Wine is an almost hole in the wall wine bar in Calçada da Estrela, along the route of the uber popular tram 28 of Lisbon. The indoor space of this bar is really tiny, so you’ll often see customers by the entrance, even sitting along the narrow sidewalks, in makeshift seats such as crates of bottles with some cushions for padding. When you come to Holy Wine, chances are you’ll be in and out the door, asking for yet one more label to sample.

Holy Wine’s range of drinks isn’t limited only to biodynamic wines, but it focuses mostly on low intervention wines, including some rare finds which come with a price tag to match. The thing we love the most about Holy Wine is that the bartenders will be happy to pour you small samples before you commit to a certain wine, something which not only is good in order for you to make a choice that matches your taste, but something that will also grant you the opportunity to try a couple more things that you usually would.

📍Calçada da Estrela 15, 1200-661 Lisbon

www.instagram.com/holywinelisbon

9. Vestigius Restaurante & Bar

The 10 best wine bars in Lisbon In the happening riverfront area of Cais do Sodré, Vestigius is more than just a wine bar. Vestigius is also an exhibition space and stage for musical events, as well as a cocktail bar and restaurant. The hip interior decor and the outdoors terrace with views of the Tejo river make it a love at first sight spot for tourists passing by, but those who know best, know that you can come to Vestigius for more than the cool vibes.

Vestigius presents a carefully curated wine list, with Portuguese and international brands, including a vast number of options to try by the glass. The wine list includes detailed information about each option and, if you taste something you like while at the bar, you can purchase a bottle to take home with a 10% discount on the listed price.

📍Cais do Sodré 8 1200, 1200-161 Lisbon

https://vestigius.pt

10. Vino Vero

The 10 best wine bars in Lisbon The natural wine movement has a great representation in the bustling neighborhood of Graça. And Italian couple Giulia Capaccioli and Massimiliano Bartoli, owners of Vino Vero, are proudly responsible for that. Massimiliano’s brother has a natural winery in Tuscany and that was the source of inspiration for Massimiliano’s first wine bar in Venice, also called Vino Vero. Lisbon’s chapter came about in 2019, along with Giulia. Together, they want to present Lisboners with beautiful natural wines, but also contribute to spreading the word about Portuguese natural wines internationally. They are all about low intervention natural wines, which they serve at Vino Vero with snacks prepared with organic ingredients from small producers.