Oeiras travel guide for food lovers
Many visitors who come to Lisbon take a day trip to Cascais, a popular seaside city perfect for a leisurely stroll on a sunny day. But not everyone is aware that, in between Lisbon and Cascais (the area which we refer to in Portuguese as Linha de Cascais, that is, the line towards Cascais) there’s also Oeiras, a municipality with lots of things to offer and that we would definitely encourage you to visit.
Oeiras is where the Tagus river meets the Atlantic Ocean, where the waterfront contrasts with an urban backdrop, and where locals leave their homes to work in Lisbon during the weekdays, while many Lisboans do the exact opposite trip, in order to enjoy some more relaxed vibes in Oeiras during the weekend.
With over 5 miles of coastline, Oeiras is popular with surfers and beach-goers. Some of the best beaches in Oeiras include Praia de Caxias (the closest one to Lisbon and the easiest to get to if you’re craving a dip in the ocean during a scorching hot summer day in the city); Praia de Santo Amaro de Oeiras (the largest and most visited one in this municipality); Praia de Paço de Arcos (with an area for swimmers and another one for fishermen); and Praia da Torre (right by the imposing São Julião da Barra fort). But one shouldn’t make the mistake to think that the beach is all Oeiras has to offer. Not only can the outdoors be enjoyed at many other spots rather than the beachfront – think parks such as Parque dos Poetas (Rua A Gazeta d’Oeiras 29), Jardins do Palácio Marquês de Pombal or Quinta Real de Caxias (Estr. Gibalta 18B), pictured here. Oeiras also has a rich cultural offer, as well as plenty of monuments history buffs will love to explore.
Oeiras includes the localities of Algés (known, amongst other things, for hosting the popular music festival NOS Alive), Barcarena, Carnaxide, Cruz Quebrada/Dafundo, Linda-a-Velha, Oeiras, Paço de Arcos, Porto Salvo and Queijas. And as you could probably guess, there’s no shortage of great restaurants to visit all over Oeiras, ranging from international cuisines to seafood, traditional Portuguese cooking, pastry shops, and more.
When you travel to the municipality of Oeiras, these are the best places to go eat Portuguese food at:
Best restaurants for Portuguese food in Oeiras
Zé Varunca
Zé Varunca is a classic of Alentejo cuisine which, for many years, welcomed diners in the heart of Lisbon, in Bairro Alto, but that since 2021 is in Oeiras. This family business is run by folks coming from Estremoz, in the Alentejo, and serves delightful authentic food which is like taking a trip to the southern province of Portugal without leaving much further away from the capital. Iconic dishes such as açorda, lamb stew (ensopado de borrego), pork trotters with cilantro (pézinhos de coentrada), and dogfish soup (sopa de cação) are served in the most colorful ceramics, which contribute to making the dining experience a very lively one.
📍Av. Eng. Bonneville Franco 22A, 2770-062 Paço de Arcos
https://zevarunca.com/en/oeiras-en
Beija-me Burro
Contemporary petiscos is what Beija-me Burro in Oeiras is all about. In the evenings you can visit this restaurant in a residential area of Oeiras for tapas style meals but, at lunch time during weekdays, they also serve two high quality daily specials which keep changing, and which explain why Beija-me Burro tends to be full of locals. When the sun goes down, Beija-me Burro gets creative with its small platters perfect for sharing, taking classics of Portuguese cuisine such as blood sausage (morcela) and serving it with fava beans pesto, or serving duck fritters instead of the most customary beef croquetes you’ll find in most portuguese establishments. A creative menu only fit for a restaurant with a creative name, which translates as “kiss me, donkey”.
📍Rua Dr. António Patrício Gouveia 8 Loja B, 2780-185 Oeiras
www.instagram.com/beijameburro
Casa da Dízima
This is an iconic restaurant of Oeiras, known for its cuisine as much as for the privileged views it affords towards the sea. Casa da Dízima offers an exquisite set-up and the menu matches the elegance all around – of course, this is not an everyday kind of restaurant, and more well suited for special occasions and events. The food is essentially Portuguese but elevated. Think crispy sea bass served over black risotto; turbot loin with crayfish sauce and cauliflower celery purée; wild boar medallions with Muscatel wine and chestnut purée; and so much more. A true delight!
📍Rua Costa Pinto 17, 2770-046 Paço de Arcos
Sé da Guarda
We love restaurants where you can sit at the counter and, not only mingle with other customers but, while at it, chat with the staff and feel from up close the hustle and bustle that it is working at a restaurant. Sé da Guarda is the perfect snack-bar for this and, of course, also to taste typical Portuguese dishes. Its main focus is fried fish, served with what we here in Portugal call naughty rice. Are you curious about what that is? Find out more!
📍Rua Sport Algés e Dafundo 16, 1495-024 Algés
www.facebook.com/restaurantesedaguarda
O Faustino
We couldn’t be so close to the sea and not have a proper seafood restaurant, could we? In fact, this is exactly what a lot of locals do after spending the day at the beach: go feast on a mariscada, that is, an assorted seafood platter. O Faustino is great for seafood, fresh fish and assorted petiscos. On Wednesdays and Saturdays, things tend to get a little heavier with their generous servings of Cozido à Portuguesa.
📍Rua A Gazeta d’Oeiras 8B, 2780-171 Oeiras
www.facebook.com/RestauranteOFaustino
O Relento
O Relento has been open for over 60 years and it is the most famous and historical of all of Algés’ seafood restaurants. This establishment is what we in Portugal usually call a cervejaria, which literally translates as beer house, but has more to do with seafood than drinks. If you prefer meat rather than the flavors of the sea, ask for the bife à Relento, a beef steak which diners travel to O Relento specially for!
📍Av. Combatentes da Grande Guerra 10C, 1495-034 Algés
A Tendinha
Traditional Portuguese food at its best – this is what A Tendinha is all about! You’ll often have to wait for a seat at this iconic restaurant in Oeiras, but we can assure you that it’ll be worth the wait, to feast on dishes such as polvo à lagareiro, roasted octopus with garlic infused olive oil, savory porridge known as açorda here served with assorted seafood, or even prawn curry Portuguese style, which is normally way milder than the Indian one.
📍Rua Rodrigues de Freitas 5, 2780-225 Oeiras
Os Arcos
Os Arcos has been open since 1967 and has gotten diners used to the very best seafood cooked traditional Portuguese style. This is the kind of restaurant which families tend to visit over the weekend, to feast on sea creatures such as crab and clams, or typical dishes like açorda de gambas, a savory bread pudding with prawns. In between rather traditional menu items, Os Arcos also includes internationally inspired dishes such as beef Wellington or a quail stew with chestnuts. Whether you go traditional or a tad more contemporary, Os Arcos is always a good bet.
📍Rua Costa Pinto 47, 2770-004 Paço de Arcos
www.facebook.com/rest.os.arcos
O Pombalino
This is the kind of restaurant which the masses tend to love: with a straightforward menu of easily recognizable (and easy to crave) dishes, well executed cuisine and very fair prices for what you get. Owner Abel Amorim like to focus on fresh fish grills during the summer, which are perfect for the hot weather, but goes deep into the repertoire of Portuguese comfort foods as the temperatures lower, including by then warming dishes like fava bean stew, tripe and white beans stew (dobrada), roasted goatling and more.
📍Rua 7 de Junho de 1759 6, 2780-214 Oeiras
A Marítima
Right next to Os Arcos, A Marítima is, when it comes to ambiance, a very different restaurant than the one we explore above. Down-to-earth, honest and with seriously good food. A Marítima has been open for over forty years, and they specialize in petiscos made their way, including some in a section of the menu which they call “affordable dishes”. Interestingly, this is exactly where you’ll find some of their best takes on Portuguese food, such as the breaded and deep-fried sardines (sardinhas panadas), or the horse mackerel in tangy escabeche sauce.
📍Rua Costa Pinto 57, 2780-046 Paço de Arcos
O Orelhas
More and more, because of increased tourism and a certain dose of gentrification, it’s becoming hard to come by an authentic restaurant in central Lisbon. To eat proper typical food, sometimes, your best bet is to get away from downtown and travel to places such as Oeiras, where you could go have a meal at O Orelhas, which would indeed be very representative of what our cuisine is all about. Amongst the many dishes which would be great to try at O Orelhas, we would highlight rice based recipes, such as cabidela, a braised chicken risotto with blood, and arroz de lebre, a loose and saucy hare rice.
📍Rua Cesário Verde 80, 2790-326 Queijas
Charkoal
Passeio Marítimo de Oeiras is a lovely waterfront area to stroll around and, when in the area, Charkoal makes for a good pit stop to recharge energies and eat something tasty. Their cuisine is Portuguese but not overly traditional. Think dishes like Portuguese style feijoada beans stew with meat, salted cod dishes, but also quinoa with vegetables. Besides food, this is a good spot for a drink with a view.
📍Passeio Marítimo de Oeiras, Marina Bloco A, 2780-267 Oeiras
www.facebook.com/restaurantecharkoal
Quitanda
Fresh fish restaurants are a given in most coastal areas of Portugal, and Oeiras is no exception. Quitanda has two establishments, one in Carcavelos (a locality of Cascais), and another one in the Nautical Center of Paço de Arcos, in Oeiras. This is a no-frills restaurant with high quality straightforward fish dishes, prepared in the most common Portuguese way, which consists of fish grilled over charcoal, and served with sides such as boiled potatoes and vegetables.
📍Avenida Marginal, 2770-210 Paço de Arcos
O Rastilho
Restaurant O Rastilho reminds us of a time gone by in Barcarena, where things are still done like “back in the day”. Lots of charcoal grills, salted cod dishes, daily specials which focus on comfort food Portuguese style, and a remarkable Cozido à Portuguesa, our typical boiled dinner with assorted meats and vegetables, served once a week only, on Thursdays. O Rastilho does a great job at representing the potential of traditional Portuguese cooking, like like our grandmas used to make. It tastes of nostalgia and it warms the soul.
📍 Rua 1º de Maio, 2730-118 Barcarena
Etc&Tal
Wine and petiscos – here’s two things we Portuguese love! At Etc&Tal you’ll find a very good variety of wines from all over Portugal, which you can buy to take home or sample on site, along with tasty snacks and Mediterranean tapas. Spending the day at the beach by the fortress of São Julião da Barra and ending with a glass of wine in hand at Etc&Tal can be a very good plan for a summer day!
📍Av. Dom João I 10B, 2780-065 Oeiras
Sítio de Gente Feliz
Sítio de Gente Feliz, a tavern whose name translates as “a place of happy people” does indeed tend to make us happy when we visit, as their food and ambiance are top notch and proves that, oftentimes, simple is best. This is a place for petiscos served with a smile. Typical servings of fava beans salad, slices of liver fried with olive oil and garlic (iscas), rustic bread, good cheeses and charcuterie. Celebrate life with a smile on your face at Sítio de Gente Feliz, a true [mostly] hidden gem in Oeiras.
📍Grupo Cultural de, Rua Carlos Paião 23 A, 2740-028 Porto Salvo
www.instagram.com/sitio_de_gente_feliz
A Curva
Just like Zé Varunca above, A Curva’s kitchen draws inspiration from the Alentejo. Not only does this translate into focusing on the regional cuisine of this region, but also embracing its principles of hospitality, such as generous portions and a very warm welcome. A Curva is no place for a quick light meal. As such, we’d say it’s better for lunch than for dinner, when you can still go around Caxias for a walk which will help you digest the feast you are most likely to enjoy around here.
📍Av. Conselheiro Ferreira Lobo 28, 2770 Caxias
www.facebook.com/restauranteacurva
Best bakeries and pastry shops in Oeiras
Pastelaria Oceania
is recognized by many as the best pastelaria in Paço de Arcos. This pastry shop has been open since 1962 and Zé, the current owner, has been working there since he was only 12 years old. Widely known amongst locals and even folks from nearby areas who come here for a treat, Pastelaria Oceania sells the usual cakes you’d normally find at most Portuguese pastry shops, as well as some house’s specialties. These include their signature Delícia Oceânia, a sweet made with almonds, eggs and figleaf gourd jam (pictured here).
📍Tv. Caetano Félix 2, 2770-213 Paço de Arcos
www.facebook.com/pastelariaoceania
Ana’s Pastelaria
After spending their entire life working for other businesses, couple Anabela e Luís Domingues, over 50 years of age, decided to open their own establishment. Anabela manages the shop while her husband, who has previously worked as a pastry chef in renowned brands such as Confeitaria Nacional or Padaria do Bairro, is responsible for the many sweet treats you’ll find at Ana’s Pastelaria. Besides Portuguese cakes, you’ll also find some irresistible French specialities such as croissants and macarons.
📍Rua Marcelino Mesquita 3B, 2795-134 Linda-a-Velha
www.instagram.com/anaspastelaria
Pastelaria Paris Village
This pastry shop makes acclaimed queijadas, that is, Portugal’s take on a dessert made with cheese that little resembles what many people would think of when they think of a cheesecake. Pastelaria Paris Village’s queijadas are prepared by hand, the artisanal way, which makes them special in this day and age. Owner Jorge Freire suggests enjoying this delicate pastry with a coffee or, for a more local touch, with a glass of Carcavelos wine.
📍Rua Gil Vicente 14A, 2780-122 Oeiras
www.facebook.com/PastelariasParisVillage
Pão do Velho
This is some of the best bread you’ll find in all of Oeiras. Pão do Velho sells slowly fermented sourdough bread and their range of baked goods includes options free of sugar, gluten and eggs and/or dairy (vegan). You could come here for take-away but their space is actually very cozy and welcomes you to sit down for a slow breakfast or coffee break with something to munch on. During lunch hours, Pão do Velho also prepares light good quality meals, featuring quiches, soups, healthy bowls and juices.
📍Rua Manuel Pinhanços 7A, 2770-115 Paço de Arcos
www.facebook.com/APadariaDoVelho
Sacolinha Oeiras
Sacolinha is a chain of typical Portuguese pastelarias, that is a very common concept which literally translates as pastry shop, but which in reality focuses on cakes, savory baked goods, breads and light meals. Sacolinha is very consistent in all of its locations, including the one in Oeiras, which makes a perfect stop to recharge energies and indulge in a treat as you get acquainted with Oeiras.
📍Rua Dr. José da Cunha 26A, 2780-187 Oeiras
www.sacolinha.pt/onde-estamos/sacolinha-oeiras
Best speciality food and wine stores in Oeiras
Confraria do Vinho de Carcavelos
Carcavelos wine is one of the four Portuguese fortified wines that shouldn’t definitely be overlooked by wine lovers and connoisseurs when on a trip to Portugal. Carcavelos is one of the smallest demarcated wine regions in the entire world, but the liquid secrets it contains are immense! Visit the shop by Confraria do Vinho de Carcavelos, the organization responsible for studying, promoting and overall working towards the increased appreciation of Carcavelos wine D.O.C. At their establishment you can of course taste the wine, and pair it with simple snacks such as cheese and charcuterie boards, to unwind after spending the day exploring Oeiras.
📍Rua Cândido dos Reis, 51 2780-213 Oeiras
https://confrariadovinhodecarcavelos.pt/a-confraria/loja-de-vinhos
Algés Com Sabores
This shop is regarded by many as the best wine store in the municipality of Oeiras. Besides specializing in wines, Algés Com Sabores also sells a carefully selected list of gourmet products, curated by owner Jorge. Besides the products they sell (wine, preserves, regional sweets and breads, honey, olive oil, cheeses, charcuterie, and more), they also regularly organize wine tastings and events meant to promote wine culture.
📍Rua Dr. Manuel de Arriaga 15A, 1495-088 Algés
Rosmaninho Arte & Aromas
What a special little store! Rosmaninho Arte & Aromas brings together under the same roof a tea room concept and an organic produce store, specializing in vegetables and aromatic herbs. What makes Rosmaninho Arte & Aromas stand out is that the products come straight from Bosque da Verdizela, the state of the very owners of this store. Quality control and knowing the exact origin of the things you buy certainly isn’t an issue around here.
📍Av. das Túlipas 16A, 1495-152 Algés
www.facebook.com/rosmaninho.miraflores
D’Alentejo Com Amor
As the name anticipates, this is a specialty food store with focus on regional products from the Alentejo. Open since 2008, the store partners with small producers to showcase their delicious work which indeed focuses in the Alentejo, but isn’t limited to this area of Portugal. They particularly value everything that is done following “artisanal and natural methods, homemade, old-fashioned, small-scale manufacturing”.
📍Rua José Falcão 31-A, 2780-334 Oeiras
www.instagram.com/d_alentejo_com_amor
Mercearia do Bairro Santa Catarina
You can visit this specialty mercearia (that’s Portuguese for grocery store) for everyday products but, particularly, for nice treats for a special occasion and gift baskets with great selections of Portuguese food and drinks. Everyday items include freshly baked bread, sustainably grown produce and fresh cottage cheese delivered daily. They also have a good range of Portuguese savory snacks, which you can just oven-bake at home for a quick meal, as well as a well-curated wine section at fair prices.
📍Rua Rodrigo Albuquerque e Melo 27 A, 2795-232 Linda-a-Velha
www.instagram.com/mercearia_santacatarina
As you can see, hopping on the quick train from Cais do Sodré, in downtown Lisbon, to Oeiras, has the potential of making your trip even greater. Enjoy the views, eat good food, ad tell us all about your experiences in this area via Instagram, tagging your photos with @tasteoflisboa #tasteoflisboa
Feed your curiosity on Portuguese food culture:
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Once in Belém? Ajuda and Restelo travel guide for food lovers
5 amazing beaches, just 30 minutes from Lisbon
A day at the beach, Portuguese Style
The 4 fortified wines from Portugal
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