About
Beyond the bustling districts of the centro, Lisbon’s port and the old neighborhoods clustered around it have always had a close connection with the waterfront and its industries, especially fishing. The city’s iconic varinas, itinerant fish vendors, lived and worked on the streets here until quite recently, selling their goods from a basket hoisted on their heads. Street life still remains a big part of the port zone’s narrow alleys, which are lined with small traditional shops and restaurants, many with a big charcoal grill out front for cooking up whatever fish is in season. No less scenic than more famous areas like Alfama, this is a lesser-explored part of the city with much to offer to the hungry and intrepid. We’ll start with the ultimate indulgence of any market excursion, a pastel de nata fresh from the oven and a bica, Portuguese-style espresso. We will then make our way through Lisbon’s most stunning fish market, Mercado da Ribeira, where the most discerning Lisboeta shop for fish and seafood. There we will check in with our favorite fishmonger to discuss the day’s catch and, if they are in season, the treasured percebes, gooseneck barnacles. Beyond the fishmongers, we will visit a small shop in the market dedicated to salt cod and tinned fish, where we will be treated to a tasting. We’ll then make our way through the neighborhood to another specialty food shop where the owner will introduce us to his favorite aperitif snack, muxama, dried tuna loin. A bit further down the road we’ll visit the neighborhood wine shop for a tasting with the shop’s boisterous owner, who also happens to be a very good cheesemaker. Lunch hour will find us in a beloved family-run restaurant for seafood starters, including barnacles when in season and their specialty cod cakes. From there, we may head down to the port for grilled fish – sardines, of course, if it’s right time of year – at a hidden gem of a grill joint beloved by port workers and Lisboeta in the know. Or on certain days, following the riverfront to the east, we will reach Alcântara, a working-class district where local workers nurtured a lively culinary culture that includes some of the city’s best cervejaria, no-frills seafood and beer halls, as well as venues for Fado, Lisbon’s unique musical tradition. Here we will finish with Portuguese surf and turf: the prized shrimp of the northern coast, percebes and a steak sandwich. In these humble neighborhood institutions we’ll do what Lisboeta do best: relax and enjoy the freshest seafood in the world with a cold glass of vinho verde, letting the vibrant life of the port zone provide the irresistible background music.
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