a vegan guide to : lisbon
travel series #2
Welcome to my new travel writing series; ‘a vegan guide to:’ ! Every fortnight, I’ll be bringing you an in-depth look at vegan food in different cities I’ve travelled to, and more importantly, eaten in! From useful local language, to supermarket hacks, to the cheapest hole-in-the-wall local spots, you don’t have to compromise your veganism to eat local fare. I’m a multilingual, third culture (former) kid who is always on the lookout for where to eat when I travel.
veganism in portugal
Like many countries in Europe, eating vegan in Portugal is far from difficult! From supermarkets, to fully vegan all-you-can-eat chains (yes!), to tiny snack bars selling traditional fare, I found a little bit of everything in Portugal. It was one of my favourite countries I visited last year, due to its natural beauty, friendly people and amazing food! I have some great memories travelling in a van there, from the city to the surf to the middle of nowhere.
Portugal has always been a heavy meat-eating country, but this is slowly changing - Portugal made history in 2017 when a law was passed to require all government facilities to include at least one vegan option on their menus. This means that every school, university, prison, hospital, court, and more will have a vegan option available. Granted, I hope you don’t end up in hospital or prison there, but, if you’re going to commit a crime, maybe do it in Portugal…
If you’re looking for authentic Portuguese fare, without compromising your care for living beings, Lisbon is a great place to be!
useful words and phrases
This is just the linguist nerd in me talking, but I strongly suggest you learn some Portuguese! It is a beautiful language, and because it isn’t a popular language to learn, locals are often delighted when you know even the basics. I can speak Brazilian Portuguese, but I was slightly nervous as they are vastly different. Luckily, as soon as we drove over the border, I spoke and was greeted with smiles and (slow!) Portuguese in return!
Obrigado/a = thank you
Oí = Hi
Bom dia / Boa tarde / Boa noite = Good morning / afternoon / night
Por favor, retire queijo, manteiga, ovo, carne, maionese = Please remove cheese, butter, egg, meat, mayo
Eu sou vegano/a = I am vegan
Eu não como carne, peixe, marisco, frango, leite, laticínio, ovo = I don’t eat meat, fish, seafood, chicken, milk, dairy, egg
Tem opções veganas? = Do you have any vegan options?
Tem leite vegetal (soja, trigo, coco, amêndoa) ? = Do you have any plant based milk? (soy, oat, coconut, almond)
Tchau = Bye
supermarket hacks
I honestly don’t know where to start with these, as almost every major supermarket stocks plenty of vegan products. And there are quite a few - living in a country where there are only two main supermarkets, we were overwhelmed by the choices. My favourite by far is Aldi, because of the price point - I saw soy milk for 80c there, and my vegan heart was very happy. Go here for your meat alternatives (I still dream about the smoked tofu), your picnic food (the paté is incredible), and your desserts (the swiss rolls are to die for). If you are driving, I recommend that you visit any Aldi outside the city, as they are bigger and with more options. Lidl is also great, as is Auchan (a Portuguese version of Carrefour), Continente, and Intermarché. Even smaller Pingo Doce is good!
Many products in European supermarkets are marked V for vegan, which is amazing. Many “accidentally vegan” products are still not marked yet in Aussie supermarkets, but this isn't the case here - so this saves you a lot of label reading and translating.
I also recommend going to a greengrocer near you, as the fruit and veg is ten times better, and this way you are supporting a local business and farmers - though I’m sure you’ll be doing a lot of that if you’re eating out, using this guide!
daTerra
The name translates to “from the earth”, but I believe it should be “o céu na terra” i.e. heaven on earth! This is a chain restaurant and it’s all vegan, all you can eat. They have branches all over the country, which will be incredibly useful to you if you’re going on a road trip. They have a wealth of international cuisine - from salads, to hot food, to pastries, to desserts, to soup. The menu rotates daily and is the same across the country, so you can check their website to see what’s on. It’s also pretty cheap for what you get - good food and a full stomach to energise you for your travels. My mouth is watering just thinking about it!
In various locations across the country. In Lisbon, there is one in Bairro Alto, open from 9:30am-10:30pm (Rua da Rosa 51) and one in Parque das Nações, open from 12pm-3:30pm and 6:30pm-10:30pm (Av Dom João II 25A). The one in Bairro Alto also does brunch! You can check the weekly menu here: Ementa Semanal | daTerra
Vegan Nata
If you come to Portugal, you have to try the pastel de nata - aka Portugese tarts. I grew up eating these, as the Portuguese influence on Macau cuisine made its way into Hong Kong bakeries. They consist of a beautiful flaky pastry filled with caramelised custard, and sometimes cinnamon or icing sugar sprinkled on the top. TLDR, not very vegan. Luckily, it’s possible to get vegan pastéis de nata in Lisbon! I tried pastéis from three different places in Lisbon - for research purposes, of course - and Vegan Nata was by far the best, and you honestly would not be able to differentiate their versions from the original. They also strive for a low ecological footprint in everything that they do, so that’s a bonus.
Vegan Nata has two locations: one in Chiado (Rua da Misericórdia 9, Open 9am - 7pm) and one in Campo de Ourique (Rua 4 de Infantaria 29B, open 9am - 7pm).
Kong
If you’re wanting a great introduction to hearty Portuguese classics, then you can’t miss a visit to Kong! This restaurant is fully vegan, so even though it seems too good to be true, it is all safe to eat. They serve up the famous Francesinha, aka the best hangover cure you could imagine - thick toasted bread with “ham”, mushroom, chorizo, all covered with melted cheese and a special tomato and beer sauce. It’s a heart attack on a plate, but it’s a must-try when you come to Portugal. I also recommend the croquettes filled with Portuguese “sausage” and vegan cheese; the fried ”fish” and tomato rice; the “happy octopus” a lagareiro (yes, vegan octopus!), and the bitoque (a Portuguese take on steak frites, with an “egg” on top).
Address is Rua do Corpo Santo 2. They also offer free wifi, a plus for anyone who has ever had to buy ridiculously priced data! Download those podcasts and movies while you eat. Open 12pm - 11pm.
Legumi Sushi
I bet you didn’t think you’d be eating sushi in Portugal, but if you’re like me and are used to getting nice but boring avocado sushi, then you might want to give this fully vegan sushi joint a go. There’s so much variety compared to what I’m used to - you can even get tempura “prawns”! I would recommend the sushi boat which is 34 euros for 30 pieces of sushi, two juices and some tempura. And yes, the novelty of sushi in a boat was not lost on me. The staff are lovely as well.
Legumi are open from Tuesday- Saturday, 12:30pm- 2:30pm, and 6:30pm - 10pm. Address is Rua Vicente Borga 75, and they offer free wifi.
The Food Temple
This place gets busy and I recommend booking, for a reason! All vegan tapas and local drinks in a beautiful historic neighbourhood - what more could you want? It’s one of those places you think of when you picture old-world travel - tapas on the stairs, people watching, cheese boards - but all vegan. They offer a unique mix of cuisines; just go with it. I recommend the onigiri filled with marinated watermelon “tuna” and the okra risotto, as well as the shakshuka. They have a changing seasonal menu, so I can’t guarantee that everything will be there, but trust the chef!
Booking is recommended. There’s limited indoor seating, but try sitting on the steps for a ~atmospheric~ experience. Address is Beco do Jasmim 18. Open Tuesday - Sunday 6:30pm - 11:30pm. Keep in mind - the kitchen is only open between 7:30pm - 10:30pm.
A Minha Avó
The name of this restaurant translates to “My Grandma”, and just like your grandma’s place, you may have to travel slightly out of the city for good food and cosy vibes! There are huge portions so keep that in mind - the bitoque comes with chips and rice just to give you an idea! If you’re coming in winter like I did, you’ll love the hearty mains like the meatloaf, the bacalhau stew (yep, traditional Portuguese “fish” stew), “sem pato/ duckless” rice, and the biscoff dessert! There are options for those wanting something healthier; like feijoada (Brazilian bean stew) and the Avó bowl - a big buddha bowl of goodness.
Address is Av. Antonio Augusto de Aguiar 74B. Opening hours are Wed - Sun 12-3pm and 7-11pm.
Tataoim
If you can’t be in Brazil to try Brazilian food, why not try Tataoim in Lisbon? They have a rotating daily lunch menu that is always vegan - from Moqueca to Feijoada, you really can’t go wrong.
Read the daily menu here: tataoim.pt. Rua Washington 98A, Open Tuesday to Saturday from 12pm-4pm.
Lisbon Vegan Restaurante
This buffet gets an honourable mention - while I didn’t have time to visit, I want to look out for anyone travelling on a budget like I was. I wish I’d have known about this place! For 7.50 Euros, you get a fully vegan buffet, similar to daTerra. There are always several hot dishes, plus rice, couscous, soup and salad bar. I’ll come back to Lisbon just to try this place as I can’t resist a vegan buffet!
Open Monday - Saturday 12pm - 3:30pm, and 7pm-11pm. Address is Rua de Arroios 75.
There are quite literally hundreds of restaurants that are vegan-friendly in Lisbon, I wish I could have tried them all. I hope this guide starts you off on the right foot, and that you can use the language throughout the rest of this beautiful country. Stay tuned for Porto soon!
I absolutely loved reading about your vegan Lisbon experience! Kong was amazing - I went there twice during my trip and couldn’t get enough. The supermarket trips were super helpful too; it made it so easy to stock up on plant based essentials. Lisbon has such a unique vibe, and it’s so refreshing to see how vegan-friendly it’s becoming. Thanks for sharing this post, it brought back some great memories for me!
Ooh I’m going to Lisbon later in the year - very useful guide! Can’t wait to have the pastries.