Time Out Market — Attraction in Lisbon

I tried ten different stalls during my time in Lisbon and in my review I'll rate everything I tried and give my personal recommendations on what to eat and what to avoid!

To start this review, I'll talk about Time Out Market in general. It's a huge, modern indoor food market. It is very clean, there are long communal tables for diners, and the market is basically catered for tourists. No cash is accepted and every stall accepts Apple Pay. Everything will be a bit pricey and crowded.

The vendors are hand picked by Time Out, so the food is actually quite good. Supposedly, Time Out represents the best food in Lisbon. Most of the vendors have a separate restaurant location as well. It gets VERY crowded here and finding a seat can be difficult, despite the many tables. For lunch, I recommend getting here 11:30AM or earlier. 12-2PM was just crazy lines and no seats. I also recommend finding a spot to sit before ordering so you're not fighting for an open seat with a tray of food in your hands.

Now, onto the GREAT, the MID, and the EH (would skip)

GREAT (my favorite stalls) -- Cafe de Sao Bento: the steak tartar from here was one of the best things I've eaten during my Lisbon trip. AMAZING steak here. -- Henrique Sa Pesso: is a close second with their grilled fish with hummus (chefs special menu). The kitchen looks professional and the flavors are elegant and beautiful. -- Gelato Davvero: so delicious!! Perfect ice cream ending to an excellent meal. I loved the pastel de nata flavor. -- L'eClair: beautiful, photo-perfect, sweet eclair pastries. -- Miguel Castro E Silva: this is borderline mid. The francesinha was very good. The mushroom chicken pie and the sardines on toast were just OK.

MID (just okay) -- Monte Mar: I thought their grilled octopus was good but the cold octopus salad was really disappointing. -- Confraria: the sushi place. I wouldn't say it was bad, just incredibly mid when compared to the sushi back home in California. I'm not sure if this is good for Portugal standards. The sashimi on the rolls were sparse. Fish quality just ok.

Eh (skip these) -- Zero Zero: yes, getting a fresh pizza is so tempting but honestly I thought the pizzas were just good, not great. I shouldn't have wasted my stomach space on a "good" pizza. -- Mercado Da Sopa: the first red flag was that the soups were just sitting there, not hot. $10 for a bowl of soup? Not worth it.

While I love Time Out Market, I do think that diners should be careful selecting what they want to spend on because not all stalls are worth the money and time. That, and the fact that the crowds can be a bit much, make me give this review a 4 star.

If I ever come back, I will try the O Frado stall (I've had the restaurant location which is very good) and I would order more items from the Henrique Sa Pesso stall (everything there seems...

⭐️⭐️⭐️ Time Out Market - Great Vibe, Disappointing Execution Time Out Market in Lisbon is, without a doubt, a fantastic experience from an atmospheric standpoint. When you first walk in, the buzz is infectious. The high ceilings, the sprawling communal tables, and the sheer variety of stalls all contribute to a vibrant, energetic, and undeniably cool scene. It's perfectly located, the place is clean, and the concept of having so many famous Portuguese chefs and eateries under one roof is brilliant. You can easily spend an hour just soaking up the noise and energy, and for that alone, it earns two of its three stars. However, the moment the food hits your table, the experience takes a sharp dive. My main critique is that while the promise of world-class food is there, the reality is a rushed, indifferent execution. Every dish we ordered—from a famous shellfish vendor to a traditional prego sandwich—felt like it had been thrown together without any love or attention to detail. It seems the high volume of customers has turned what should be a culinary showcase into an impersonal assembly line. The fish was slightly dry and poorly seasoned, the plating was sloppy (garnish just dropped haphazardly), and the fries were lukewarm, tasting like they’d been sitting for ten minutes before being bagged up. There was a palpable sense of, "Get it out, move the line." This market feels like an exceptional idea that sacrifices quality at the altar of efficiency and tourist foot traffic. Lisbon is one of the world's great food cities, and you owe it to yourself to experience the real passion that Portuguese chefs put into their work. If you are looking for a quick beer and to enjoy the lively environment, this is fine, but if you’re searching for a memorable meal, skip the queues here. Just a few steps away, in the Alfama or Cais do Sodré neighbourhoods, you will find countless better, more authentic, and more lovingly prepared options at similar (or often better) prices. Save your appetite and your Euros for one of the genuinely excellent, smaller, family-run restaurants Lisbon has to offer. This is a tourist trap disguised as a foodie...

I went here on a Saturday late afternoon. Not too busy (as in busy enough but no problem finding a seat). Great atmosphere and really interesting variety from a vast number of food stalls - from cheese to meat fish desserts drinks. Must say not too many vegetarian or vegan options if that’s what you are looking for. The thing I liked about the Market as a first time visitor to Lisbon and a solo female traveller is that it’s a convenient fun casual way to try out the Lisbon food scene all in one place and have good food from good chefs without breaking the bank.

And you can’t get better than the riverside venue - with the breeze the sunlight / sunset, the indoor and outdoor seating. I have only been to one other Time Out, in Montreal but have been to many other food halls (eg Chefs Hall in Toronto financial district). No competing with this the grand daddy of them all.

Today I had bacalhau (cod cakes) and marinated sardines - both were substantial portions, very well presented and cooked. Both dishes together plus a small beer came to 23 euros (bacalhau 13.00; sardinhas 7.00; beer 3.00). As my main meal of the day I was happy with that total.

I liked the bacalhau as it was not overly salted nor overcooked - very flavourful and fluffy. It came with boiled eggs and potato wedges which were well cooked (not dry) all in a pretty presentation. The marinated sardines were served cold with pickled vegetables on dense bread. The sardine itself was meaty, also pickled with a hint of chili - reminded me of Nordic (eg pickled herrings, one of my favourite things) with a twist. I got a small beer to go along with the food. Just the right finish!

The stall I visited was the Vincent Farges stall (he's a michelin star chef).

Wish I had more time in Lisbon to go back and try the other...