This convivial space welcomes each customer with friendly gusto. Here, sharing plates is encouraged – around 5 dishes for 3 people. With their modern takes on classics, you’ll be tempted to try at least 10. Think pickled rabbit in escabeche, iscas á Portuguesa (liver steaks), cod tongue salad, oxtail and bochechas de porco (stewed pork cheek). The owners serve beer from their nearby brewery. Digestion-friendly post-dinner drinks are on the house. Book a few days in advance at this 25-seat-spot.

People climb to Graça for the famous viewpoint, but we like to come for this iconic fish restaurant. From garoupa (grouper) to linguadinhos (small sole), every fish on the menu is freshly caught, expertly cooked, and lovingly presented. The fried fillets are a must – beautifully golden on the outside and tender inside. Each portion feeds two easily. Solo diners can ask for a meia dose (half portion.) Either way, this tasca earns its name: “pitéu” is a colloquial way of describing a delicacy.

Step inside and the scent of roasted pork and garlic will saturate your clothes. You can almost taste the plate-sized, freshly fried cod fritters. Owner Sr. João welcomes every diner like an old friend, and you’ll feel like you’re dining at his home. His wife, Adelaide, simmers chanfana (goat stew) and feijoada (bean and meat stew) every Friday in the open kitchen. It’s no surprise that her culinary talents, and Sr. João’s hospitality, have amassed a faithful clientele.

Taste traditional Minho cooking at this off-the-tourist-track address. Daily specials include Monday bacalhau com broa (salt cod with corn bread) and Friday duck rice. Many customers also order grilled fish sourced from the Alvalde Market close by. The main draw is bitoque – a fried-egg topped steak in garlicky sauce with fries. Aim to arrive early to score a seat at this no-reservations spot. Just make sure you have the right address, since there’s an (unrelated) Solar Minhoto across town.

“You won’t find lombinhos like these anywhere else,” beams João Amorim. The owner cuts the grilled pork loin so thin it resembles slices of ham. The generous portion is served with a fried egg, white rice and golden fries. For a sweet finish, we’re fans of the arroz doce (sweet rice pudding). O Abrigo is João’s second tasca, forced out of his first location due to soaring Lisbon rents. His former clients still seek him out at the top of the Miradouro do Monte Agudo, lured by the luscious pork.

Like many tascas in Lisbon, this began as a coal shop that offered a few snacks to its waiting customers. Now, it still serves the owner João’s mothers recipes. Like cozido à Portuguesa (a quintessentially Portuguese boiled dinner), feijoada (bean stew), cabidela (chicken blood rice) or grilled meat. The spareribs here are famous. Tourists tend to prefer the grilled fish, while older customers still show up for a glass of wine and cheese. Here is a long-standing tradition that endures.

Like many tascas, this is a family affair. Owner José’s wife, Carminda, cooks, while his daughter, Susana, impressively squeezes customers into the small space. Fried delights like pastéis de bacalhau (cod cakes) and pataniscas (cod fritters) are hits. Or try daily specials like duck rice and rabbit stew. Save room for homemade desserts, including farófias (traditional poached meringue) and leite-creme (crème brûlée). Reservations are a must, unless you want to lunch very early or very late.

Named after a small bird, they are known for a dish made from a larger fowl: cabidela (chicken blood rice.) Maria Júlia, the savvy cook, has also mastered classics like bacalhau à minhota (fried codfish with onions and fries). Her cozido (Portuguese boiled dinner) and feijoada (bean and meat stew) are substantial and flavorful. End with a tasca tradition: baba de camelo, a sweetened condensed milk mousse which translates as “camel drool.” FYI, the small counter here is ideal for solo eaters.