Best Vegan Restaurants in Lisbon

For a city whose cuisine is so closely identified with fish (Bacalhau) and eggs (Pastel de Nata), visitors might be surprised at the amazing vegan options in Lisbon.

This isn’t a definitive list of all the vegan restaurants in Lisbon. Feel free to consult a resource like Happy Cow for that. Instead, I’m presenting some of my favorites that I think are best.

I recommend making reservations for all these places. Most have small kitchens and limited seating, so plan in advance. You may be able to walk-in, but why risk being turned away?

Ao 26 Vegan Food Project

Ao 26 was one of the first restaurants we ate at when we were visiting Lisbon as tourists, years before we moved to Portugal.

Back then, the restaurant was a sort-of hipster spot decorated with posters of alt heroes like Grace Jones and the Pixies (and Kramer?). The food was amazing and we vowed to return.

Little did we know that a few years later, we would be living an hour away and eat at Ao 26 often.

Today, they’re in a much sleeker and modern space with large windows peeking out to a courtyard. Despite moving to higher rent digs, the prices remain reasonable when considering the high quality of the food.

Some of my favorites are the vegan choco-frito, a specialty of Setubal normally made with cuttlefish. Here, mushrooms are battered and deep fried, served with a spicy aioli. I also love the vegan bifana. Ao 26 substitutes the pork for seitan, which is simmered in a white wine sauce and served on a crispy roll and slathered with the traditional yellow mustard.

Even my BBQ loving relatives from NC loved this place!

The Food Temple

Hidden in a corner of the traditional Mouraria neighborhood, The Food Temple was the first vegan restaurant in Lisbon.

The food is prepared with great care using fresh ingredients. I still remember the delicious tempeh and mushroom skewers I had the first time I visited The Food Temple. There are so many great items on offer that the tasting menu might be your best bet. Smaller portions of almost everything (including desserts) currently goes for an incredibly reasonable 28€.

The Food Temple also has one of the coolest seating concepts in Lisbon. Outdoor seating is on the concrete steps next to the restaurant. Cushions and tiny wooden tables are placed on the steps while plates are shuffled to make room as dishes are served. Admittedly, this isn’t the most comfortable way to dine, but on a warm Lisbon night, the atmosphere is incredible.

More traditional table dining is available inside.

Organi Chiado

Organi Chiado is my go-to when we have guests visiting from out of town. I’ve taken countless friends and relatives here and every time they’ve come away raving about the food. I even recorded an episode of my podcast here with Mickela Mallozzi of the TV show Bare Feet while we shared a meal.

And, the reason I take so many people here is simple; the food is that good!

They make an amazing rice bread served with 3 vegan pates that I get every time I visit. The menu is seasonal, but in the fall, I look for the mini pumpkin stuffed with roasted veggies and quinoa. Divine!

O Gambuzino

Our friends Donnie and Polly tipped us off to this place. Located Intendente, a hipster neighborhood that is undergoing gentrification, O Gambuzino serves some of the best food in Lisbon.

I like to start with their Petisco (small plate) of sourdough focaccia with roasted garlic and miso “butter,” olives, and marinated carrots. Simple? Yes, but delicious.

O Gamuzino also has vegan “scallops” made with King oyster mushrooms that is simply one of my favorite dishes ever.

They also make their own homemade ginger beer!

Kong

Just a couple blocks from the Pink Street tourist trap is Kong, a great vegan restaurant that specializes in reimagining traditional Portuguese recipes as plant-based dishes.

Bacalhau à Brás, Bitoque, and even the meat bomb Francesinha sandwich all get a vegan makeover at Kong. This is a great place to bring your meat-loving friends or someone who’s curious about starting out on the path to veganism.

The Green Affair

While not especially innovative, The Green Affair serves very good dishes like their excellent cauliflower wings and burgers. Three locations in Lisbon.

Vegan Nata

Some might argue that getting a perfect custard consistency in a Pastel de Nata is impossible without egg yolks. But, the folks at Vegan Nata would beg to differ. Their vegan Pastel de Nata is, by far, the best plant-based tart in Lisbon.

About the Author

Brent Petersen is the Editor-in-Chief of Destination Eat Drink. He currently resides in Setubal, Portugal. Brent has written the novel “Truffle Hunt” (Eckhartz Press) and the short story collection “That Bird.” He’s also written dozens of foodie travel guides to cities around the world on Destination Eat Drink, including in-depth eating and drinking guides in Portugal for Lisbon, Porto, Sintra, Évora, Braga, Loulé, Almada, Monsaraz, and Batalha. Brent’s podcast, also called Destination Eat Drink, is available on all major podcasting platforms.