The best group-friendly restaurants in Lisbon
As much as we love intimate dinners and small places, where it feels like the restaurants almost exist for our own sake, sometimes we like going out in big groups too. In fact, particularly as Christmas comes around, we know that other companies are also into organizing dinners out with their employees, as a team-building experience that helps colleagues to bond. If a food and cultural tour exploring Lisbon’s off-the-beaten-path can be an out-of-box good way to team-buildings, so the classic team dinner is for feeding bonds. In Portugal, it’s also very common to get your group of friends together to celebrate not only special dates such as birthdays, but also to do pre-Christmas dinners. Christmas may be a family-focused event, during which we tend to feast on traditional homemade foods, but we also love to celebrate with our own chosen families, our friends, usually before Christmas itself, and this traditionally takes place out, not at home.
Lisbon is full of small restaurants and many typical tascas which we love, but aren’t always the best spaces to receive a medium to large group of friends. On the other hand, many of the restaurants that offer good spaces for groups, or may even be prepared with special group menus and packages (which sometimes include drinks, but not necessarily) are those focusing on international cuisines.
We have made it our job to research good restaurants in Lisbon which are not only group-friendly, but also focus on Portuguese food. Like this, if you’d like to organize a group dinner while exploring the local cuisine, now you know these are some great options:
Faz Frio
Even though Faz Frio can be great for groups, you should note that they don’t usually accept reservations and work with walk-ins only. As such, they are a best suited restaurant for small groups of friends. The reason why we highlight them as a good venue for groups though is that the place is actually very welcoming in terms of space arrangement. There are some sort of divisions that aren’t separate rooms but are indeed bigger than booths, which make the ambiance perfect for a small group seeking some intimacy. If you are loud and want to share some private jokes with your peers, you may do so here without the people on the next table eavesdropping. Food wise, Faz Frio serves typical Portuguese food with a contemporary twist, including attractive options for vegetarians too. They have been open since 1872… imagine how many friends have eaten and laughed around the table together at Faz Frio since then.
📍Rua Dom Pedro V 96, 1250-094 Lisbon
Photo by Faz Frio
A Praça Beato
A Praça emerged as a marketplace aiming to showcase and sell hand-picked food products from small producers all over Portugal. Eventually, this online food market opened a physical space in the up-and-coming neighborhood of Beato, where today you can also taste their meals prepared with the same selected ingredients. You don’t necessarily only get to eat typical Portuguese food at A Praça, but you can be assured that everything is prepared with only national products. This restaurant is located within Hub Criativo do Beato, a promising center for innovation and technology which is now just at its beginning stage. As more companies start setting up shop here, we bet A Praça is going to become super busy, because it is honestly a beautiful spot and their food is quite good too.
📍Hub Criativo do Beato, Travessa do Grilo, 1950-147 Lisbon
🚪🚶You can also access A Praça via Avenida Infante D. Henrique
Photo by A Praça on Magg
Casa do Alentejo
Cuisine from the Alentejo region of Portugal is one of the most celebrated across our country. In Lisbon, Casa do Alentejo is, hands-down, one of the best places to enjoy Alentejano food. Inside a majestic Moorish architecture building downtown, Casa do Alentejo has two distinct spaces within the same building: a more informal tavern on the entrance floor, serving affordable food and drinks, and a more upscale restaurant upstairs, where groups can gather for a memorable dining experience. Up to 400 guests can dine in private rooms, lavishly decorated with handmade tiles and paintings. Feel free to reach out to the team who manages Casa do Alentejo if you wish to have a personalized event. One thing is guaranteed: the food will be magnificent.
📍Rua das Portas de Santo Antão 58, 1150-268 Lisbon
Photo by Casa do Alentejo
Palácio do Grilo
Palácio do Grilo means “the cricket’s palace”, but this venue is also known as Palácio dos Duques de Lafões. This building has been classified a monument of public interest and, what happens inside, is as unique and captivating as the place itself. The regular restaurant operations take place as part of a living theater, which translates into a surprising artistic experience which goes way beyond cuisine. In Palácio do Grilo team’s own words this is “a kingdom dedicated to dreams, the one that a whimsical duke affiliated with the Portuguese royal family had imagined for himself.” Come with an open mind and a curious spirit and you will have a wonderful time at Palácio do Grilo.
📍Calçada do Duque de Lafões 1, 1950-207 Lisbon
Photo by Palacio do Grilo
Praia no Parque
If your idea of a fun group dinner prolongs to an evening full of music and entertainment, a place like Praia no Parque is bound to tickle your fancy. After dinner time, Praia no Parque becomes a full-on nightlife venue, with live music and DJs. In fact, music starts playing way before guests finish dessert, so if your hips start moving as soon as you are done with your main dish, there’s nothing stopping you from starting to burn some calories right there and then. This fashionable restaurant located in Parque Eduardo VII is open for lunch and dinner, but also welcomes folks who’d rather just grab a drink by the bar. Their food menu is quite extensive, and the drinks and cocktails list even more so. They don’t specifically offer a set-menu for groups, but the choices are so vast that we’re positive everyone in your group will be able to select something that suits their taste.
📍Alameda Cardeal Cerejeira, 1070-044 Lisbon
Photo by Praia no Parque
Super Mário
Not every venue which is good for groups has to be fairly fancy. In fact, many of Lisbon’s down-to-earth eateries are super welcoming and don’t mind bringing closer together some of their tables to improve a space which may be informal, but that is bound to be fun for groups of friends, more than for a proper company dinner. Super Mário offers great hospitality, good food and, something that matters to a lot of groups, especially with young folks, it is affordable. Situated near Largo do Carmo in Chiado, the location is also perfect, particularly if after dinner you want to grab a drink or two at the neighboring Bairro Alto.
📍Rua do Duque 9, 1200-158 Lisbon
Photo by mraele on Tripadvisor
Solar dos Presuntos
Hands down, one of the best restaurants for typical Portuguese food in downtown Lisbon, Solar dos Presuntos is also a great space for groups. You can gather at the general dining area or rent a private room (pictured here), which is only reserved for groups and special situations. This room is where the restaurant’s former wine cellar used to be located, and some of the most premium wines are still stored here. They have eight different special menus for groups which you can check on their website below, including welcome drinks, more or less lavish appetizers and main dishes. As Solar dos Presuntos has a lot of northern Portugal soul (the management is from the Minho region, more specifically from Monção), special attention is given to vinho verde, a wine full of personality from this part of Portugal. If you can afford it, and because the pricing starts at 2000 euros, book the private room for 15 people, where chef Hugo Araújo will make sure you and your group have a memorable evening.
📍Rua das Portas de Stº Antão, 150 1150-269 Lisbon
Photo by Solar dos Presuntos
A Casa do Bacalhau
If you make it a point for your upcoming group dinner in Lisbon to have a truly local menu, there’s nothing like going to a restaurant specializing in salted cod dishes. A Casa do Bacalhau (which translates as “the house of codfish”) is an absolutely brilliant place to sample the most famous salt cod dishes from Portugal. Don’t worry if you suspect that someone in your party doesn’t like cod, or fish in general, as A Casa do Bacalhau serves a few other options listed on a section of their printed menu labeled as “beyond cod”. These include steak, lamb chops, pan fried octopus and a vegetarian risotto. Food aside, their comprehensive wine list is bound to help break the ice during your group dinner.
📍Rua do Grilo 54, 1900-706 Lisbon
Photo by The Fork
Adega das Gravatas
Adega das Gravatas is a classic for traditional Portuguese food in Lisbon. We love this restaurant for any occasion, but the truth is that it is also a good venue for group gatherings, as they have the space for it and the right attitude. For example, when you book a special celebration with them, they are kind enough to offer a welcome drink of bubbly to guests. Do not expect fancy or contemporary food here, though. Adega das Gravatas is all about Portuguese comfort food and dishes most of us, locals, love. We’re talking about açorda with prawns, grilled Iberian black pork from the Alentejo, naughty rice dishes with seafood, and more. As it’s customary in Portugal, apart from a main dish, special group menus include appetizers (locally known as couvert), desserts and drinks.
📍Tv. Pregoeiro 15, 1600-588 Lisbon
Photo by Adega das Gravatas
Tasco Force
There aren’t many places in our city. like Tasco Force. Not only is this one of the best contemporary taverns in Lisbon, Tasco Force is one of those rare restaurants which has a bigger outdoor space than an actual indoor dining room. Crossing the door of this eatery in the lovely neighborhood of Alvalade, you wouldn’t expect to have access to such a wonderful garden at the other end. On a sunny day, we can’t think of a nicer venue to host a birthday party, a family gathering or an informal celebration. The long communal tables and wooden benches make the atmosphere informal and warm. Tasco Force offers set menus for groups, with a variety of snacks and dishes perfect for sharing, including unlimited drinks during your meal. If you are in a group with children, this is also a restaurant which you should keep in mind as, while the adults enjoy around the table, the little ones can play on the grass, in a safe and friendly environment.
📍Rua Acácio de Paiva 5D, 1700-005 Lisbon
https://tascoforce.pt/?lang=en
Photo by Tasco Force
Kais & Adega do Kais
Kais and Adega do Kais are two different spaces by the same team, and they can both host large groups. Kais, on the docks by the Tagus river, is housed in a former warehouse of the 19th century, and can accommodate up to 400 people. It’s a pricey venue but, if you can afford it, they sure know how to throw a party. Adega do Kais, on the other hand, is somehow a more democratic option, and still has a great capacity of up to 210 people. They offer group menus for less than 50 euros a head, consisting of various dishes including meat, fish and plant-based options, without overlooking a good variety of starters and drinks. Adega do Kais is one of the best group-friendly restaurants in Santos, Lisbon.
📍Rua Cintura do Porto de Lisboa, Cais da Viscondessa, Store 1, 1200-109 Lisbon
Photo by Adega do Kais
Oitto
Chef Carlos Afonso became known in Lisbon’s food scene as the co-chef of O Frade (Calçada da Ajuda 14), which specializes in contemporary cuisine from the Alentejo. In more recent times, chef Carlos Afonso opened Oitto, which is all about Portuguese comfort food with a twist. Oitto is a two-story restaurant so, as you can imagine, there is plenty of room if you wish to do your group dinner in the neighborhood of Chiado, while enjoying great food in a place with sleek decor and selected ambiance. The kitchen doesn’t close between lunch and dinner time, because it’s always a good time for attractive Portuguese dishes which make very good use of local products and the bounty that is the Atlantic coast.
📍Largo Picadeiro 8-A, 1200-026 Lisbon
Photo by Oitto
Santa Bica
In the heart of the central neighborhood of Bica, Santa Bica (which translates as holy Bica) includes both an indoor dining room as well as a very inviting terrace, where groups of local friends love to meet. Menu wise, you can choose from their regular offerings, which include delicious Portuguese petiscos and main dishes; or you can ask for a fixed group menu, which will not include surprises when the time to settle the bill comes around. From Wednesday to Sunday, Santa Bica is a great spot for a gathering of friends, particularly if you are inclined to explore their cocktail menu.
📍Tv. do Cabral 39, 1200-057 Lisbon
Photo by Santa Bica
Solar dos Bicos
Solar do Bicos markets itself as “a bar and restaurant known for revolutionizing the way people eat and enjoy food”. While we feel this is a pretty strong statement to make, we do think their food and ambiance is very worthwhile. Their central location makes it ideal for a no-fuss group experience in downtown Lisbon, one during which you can enjoy brilliant Portuguese food with some creative singular touches. Local favorites such as salted cod or sardines are on the menu, but so are other internationally inspired recipes such as lime risotto with prawns. They are very used to organizing large gatherings and can even include live entertainment options if that is what you are looking for. If you fancy, it can be a charming experience to have a group dinner at Solar dos Bicos with live fado performances.
📍Rua dos Bacalhoeiros 8A, 1100-070 Lisbon
Photo by Solar dos Bicos
1300 Taberna
This venue inside the hip Lx Factory can host up to 160 people, which makes it a great place for big celebrations, such as company get-togethers and other kinds of parties. 1300 Taberna is a super cozy restaurant inside a former warehouse, but it deviates from the usual post-industrial vibe of Lx Factory as a whole, and feels super welcoming thanks to a careful decor which relies on vintage pieces and colorful details. The menu of 1300 Taberna is contemporary Portuguese, with some international influences. Think of typical Portuguese dishes such as grilled fish, but here more creatively than usual served with Portuguese couscous with clams, garlic, cilantro and lemon sauce. They are very used to catering for events, so if you have a group celebration coming up, feel free to reach out to them to personalize things.
📍Lx Factory, Rua Rodrigues de Faria 103 arm. H, 1300-501 Lisbon
Photo by 1300 Taberna
Now there are no excuses to not call your friends and organize a fun dinner out. We hope you get to eat, drink, laugh and be merry together, and that the happy times repeat themselves over and over again. For further tips on where to eat incredible Portuguese food in Lisbon, feel free to reach out to us anytime over on Instagram: @tasteoflisboa #tasteoflisboa
Feed your curiosity on Portuguese food culture:
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