As Bifanas do Afonso — Restaurant in Lisbon

We walked past this place every single day while wandering around Lisbon, and we'd read all of the hype about it. We've seen all of the instagrammers posting about it and we'd seen the mile long queue every single day.....so on our last day before leaving Lisbon we saw a smaller queue (because of the weather) and we ordered the original Bifana. At 3 euros it's a cheap lunch, and its very tender but I'm a little puzzled as to the hype. It's thin slices of pork which are basically boiled in a large cooking pot with white wine, paprika, garlic and lard. The stewing liquid serves to cook the meat and when its cooked its removed and put into a fairly nice crispy light bread roll - and then more raw meat is put into the liquid. This means the stock keeps on cooking with new juices being added each time meat is added to cook - so it's like a never ending gravy ha ha. For any cooks out there it's a bit like a szechuan broth where the contents are removed and eaten, but each time whatever is cooked in there adds to the flavour while its cooking so the broth keeps developing. Only this isn't spicy.

The taste is fairly light - I was expecting it to be stronger given the white wine, garlic and paprika but it didn't really taste of those at all. It just tastes of fairly mild pork. There are bottles of mustard and piri piri oil on the counter so you can drizzle that on, and that peps it up a bit.

It's a nice cheap lunch - don't get me wrong. I am just confused...

I'd heard so much buzz about this place and their legendary bifana, so I knew I had to check it out for myself. I made a beeline straight for their famous pork bifana, and let me tell you, it absolutely lived up to the hype! It was everything I'd hoped for and more – the pork was incredibly tender and flavorful, perfectly seasoned, and nestled in a delicious, crusty roll. It was so good, in fact, that we were tempted to try another bifana. That's where things got a little interesting. We decided to sample some of their other bifana options, and while they weren't bad, they just didn't come close to the magic of the original pork bifana. It was a clear reminder that sometimes, sticking with the classics is the best way to go. So, my advice? If you go, definitely get the famous pork bifana. It's worth every single rave review. Seriously, it's that good. My only other tip: bring cash, as they prefer it. While I can't speak for their other offerings, that pork bifana is a must-try, and you won't be disappointed! Just stick with the original and you'll be in...

Is there a line-up while you're looking this up on Google? Cool. Get in the line-up. You can read this review while you wait. Just... go ahead. I'll wait. Okay. Now. The sandwiches.

Had my first experience of a Bifana at this place and the buzz is completely warranted. Inexpensive, authentic, and delicious. It's not often a sandwich will make me smile, but what you're getting here in this humble and unassuming creation is some of the most tender, flavourful, perfectly-cooked pork you'll find around -- a perfect reward for what can be a bit of a wait in line at times.

I ate half of my sandwich just plain in order to savour the goodness, then topped the other half with some of their mustard and hot sauce. I almost went back in line for another one -- they're that good.

The perfect pick-me-up for your day served with a joke and a smile. A must-visit...