How to Do Lunch Right Like A Lisboner.

Even after eating through Lisbon in 24 hours, my Portuguese food experience was still incomplete. If you don’t yet know, the one thing you can’t leave Portugal without trying is sardinhas. You see them everywhere – from canned goodness you can buy at Loja das Conservas (Rua do Arsenal, 130 Lisboa) to fridge magnets in souvenir shops. So how can you not try sardines?! That was how É and I spent an entire summer afternoon under big white umbrellas at Carvoeiro de Palma.

P.S. Watch the 1-minute unique gastronomic experience video at the end of this post and learn how to debone sardines like a PRO!

We spent half a day there only because I was and still am petrified of having fish bones stuck in my throat ever since a bad experience which occured when I was 12. I didn’t eat fish for 5 years until my mum reminded me that I was stupid. (She’s right.) But if bones stress you out or if fish is simply not your thing, there is the GORGEOUS beef steak on hot stone. As far as quality steak goes for a super affordable price, I rank this masterpiece #ONE:

There are many ways and wheres to have sardines but when you’re traveling, chances are you won’t set up your own grill. This casual restaurant is perfect for a lazy, relaxing lunch, although it does open till as late as 2 a.m. The wholesome, hearty experience it provides and the fact that we went there twice definitely makes it worth a standalone review.

Here are some tips to lunch like a Lisboner / Portuguese:

Sardines

• Put your sardine(s) on a piece of bread so that towards the end, your bread becomes tasty AF after soaking up with all that fish fat goodness.
• Slit one of the sides of your sardine, lift the whole piece of meat up to your plate followed by the vertebrate. You can eat the little bones that stuck to eat.

Steak

• Know that you can have a change of stone if the first one is not hot anymore, but there is a chance your meat might become too well done.
• The best thing to do is cut the whole chunk into pieces at the start so that they cook evenly.

Dessert

• Choose a pastry of your choice or if you’re lucky, you might find an old lady selling fresh figs in the summer.

Drink

• Have white wine throughout your meal and finish off with an espresso.

Otherwise you are doing it all wrong.

Carvoeiro de Palma

Address : R. Antonino e Sá 7, 1600-000 Lisbon, Portugal.
Hours: 12 p.m. – 2 a.m. everyday except for Sundays, restaurant closes at 12 a.m.
Phone : +351 21 726 4018