Song of the Sea, Seafood and Tradition

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.

On this Lisbon food tour, we’ll explore the people and places around the port district, where old traditions die hard and the day’s catch is always the discussion.  We’ll spend the day in search of the very best seasonal bounty of the sea, sampling several preparations of fish and seafood in a variety of neighborhood institutions.
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 before visiting a small shop in the market dedicated to saltcod and tinned fish where we will be treated to a tasting. We’ll then make our way through the neighborhood on our way to a small wine shop for a tasting with the shop’s boisterous owner, who also happens to be a very good cheesemaker. Then we head down to the port for grilled fish – sardines, of course, when in season – at a hidden gem of a grill joint beloved by port workers. Finally, 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 visit a few local favorites to find the best cod cakes, the prized shrimp of the northern coast, percebes, the goose barnacles that are harvested from the rocky coast of Portugal and delicious local clams.

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.