Al Sanpietrino Trattoria — Restaurant in Lisbon

We were staying at an apartment across the alley and stumbled upon this restaurant last night that had no sign, just an open door with a few tables inside and people dining. We asked a couple coming out how it was and they said it was f**king fantastic but it’s reservation only. So we booked a reservation for the following night. Upon entry, we were greeted warmly by the host/waiter/bartender/owner and she was amazing (yes this was one person). We were apprehensive on what to order as some of the reviews said the portion sizes were small, but one order of bruschetta and two entree’s later we were full to the brim with no room for dessert unfortunately. The bruschetta was phenomenal, especially the cashew “mozzarella” cream. I ordered the rigatoni Cacio e Pepe and was blown away by the creaminess and lovely pepper flavor. The pasta was cooked to perfection and every flavor stood out. My wife ordered the Lasagna Alla bolognese which came with not one, but two sizable squares of lasagna which was truly delicious. The classic Italian cocktails were on point and not having an appetite for dessert, I asked for a digestif and was promptly handed a menu of 8 or so options. We shared a lovely conversation with the owner/waiter/bartender/host after our meal and on our way out asked to thank the chef/sous chef/cook/dishwasher/other owner who was so gracious (yes this was one person as well) and feel blessed to have stumbled upon this hidden gem. Oh, and we’re not vegan, but this was our favorite...

If you do one thing in Lisbon, please make sure you visit this restaurant!!! I think I’m officially now calling it my favourite restaurant I’ve ever been to.

Firstly the restaurant itself is just so cute, romantic, authentic, intimate, but also really homely. It is a little hard to find but once you enter, it is like a totally private intimate dinner setting - completely transporting you to another place. Because there are only a few tables there, please make sure you book in advance as they get booked up quickly!

The menu looked so incredible and it was really hard to choose. Everything we ordered beyond surpassed our expectations. We tried the fondue, lasagna, carbonara and tiramisu. All were INCREDIBLE! I wish we could try everything, honestly it was all so incredibly tasty but also very authentic tasting too.

We learnt that the restaurant was managed, owned and run by a couple. Their story is beautiful and made the experience that much more special! The chef was taught by his Italian mum and has done such a huge service to creating and honouring incredible, authentic Italian food. And he even makes it vegan with absolutely no compromise on anything (in fact I’d argue it’s even better 😉)

The service was so good too, and we felt so comfortable the whole time. I’m so glad to have visited this beautiful incredible restaurant.

I just hope everyone can try this restaurant as it really is a one of a kind experience all round.

Ps my photos really really don’t do it justice as lighting...

Every now and then, you do something or go somewhere that completely blows you away. We went to Al Sanpietrino Trattoria looking forward to some nice food and a break from the many ham, cheese, and pastel de nata heavy foods from the previous days. What we got was the best overall restaurant experience my wife of 9 years and I have ever had. Everything about it is perfect. If you’re given the option, sit out on the terrace it really is stunning as the night draws in. The food is simply unbelievable - my wife is vegan, I’m not, but that doesn’t really matter. I truly believe everyone can fall in love with food this good. Our server was an absolute pleasure and a true Italian - a heart of gold, always happy to help, honest, and so easy to talk to. Yes it is cash only, but there is a cashpoint just a short set of steps away - less than 90 seconds walk. And I promise it’s so good that you’ll feel obliged to tip, so it works out quite well that you pay in cash.

We were visiting Lisbon after some recent difficulties in our personal lives, and went away to escape for a short period of time. Being together in such a lovely setting, being taken care of by a genuinely personable and kind waiter with such incredible food - it just made us forget about everything else and enjoy the moment we were in. It’s that kind of a restaurant - so much more than just the food. If you’re in Lisbon and like Italian food (and drink), make this place a priority....