Mercearia do Século | Restaurant — Restaurant in Lisbon

Hidden Gem in Lisbon: A Delightful Surprise

During a recent family trip to Lisbon, we initially planned to dine at some of the city's renowned restaurants. However, without reservations, we found ourselves out of luck as each place was fully booked. On a whim, we turned to Google Maps and stumbled upon a small local restaurant that, to our biggest surprise, had a free table available.

From the moment we stepped in, we felt like we had been transported to a cozy, welcoming space reminiscent of my grandmother's house. The intimate setting was perfect for a family dinner, offering a warm and homely atmosphere that immediately put us at ease.

The menu, though small, was packed with traditional Portuguese dishes. We decided to go all in and try almost everything they had to offer. Each plate that arrived at our table was a testament to the rich culinary heritage of Portugal. The flavors were authentic and delicious, each bite better than the last. From hearty stews to fresh seafood, every dish was a delightful experience.

The highlight of our visit was undoubtedly the owner, who also served as our server for the evening. Her hospitality was second to none; she greeted us with a warm smile and took the time to explain each dish and its ingredients. Her passion for the food and her personal touch made our dining experience even more special.

In the end, what started as a random choice turned out to be one of the most memorable dining experiences we had in Lisbon. This small, unassuming restaurant delivered in every aspect – from the welcoming atmosphere to the exceptional food and service. If you're looking for an authentic taste of Portugal and a meal that feels like home, I highly recommend giving this hidden...

It’s one of those place that instantly makes you feel at home or a friend’s home. We had the pleasure to dine in at Frenanda’s restaurant. She was extremely kind and a fabulous chef. She took the time to explain the dishes and her journey and connection with food and me being a prior chef it was deeply meaningful. The restaurant itself is super adorable and every single dish we had was amazing. You could see that she thoughtfully creates the dishes. She even shared some of the history of the dishes, which included the dried tuna dish. You can tell that this comes from her background of anthropology. We are the gizzards, dried tuna, octopus, cod stew and the rabbit dish. Wash dish was very meticulously created and you could tell that she used high quality ingredients. We even got the rice pudding and the decadent chocolate cake.

When we got there the restaurant was packed. Happy she created space for us outside on our request because we knew we wanted to dine there.

If Bourdain was around; this place would definitely be a spot he would...

Make reservations in advance. Two reasons why. First, there is limited seating (I'd also like to add that this restaurant best suits couples or small groups). Second, the food is just great (and you know how quickly good news spreads)!

Start with the beetroot & strawberry gazpacho, it's just like a yummy nutritious combo fruit smoothie! We noticed that the octopus with sweet potato purè and greens was popular with fellow diners so that was a no brainer (see, that's how good news spreads quickly!). The taste of the  traditional codfish stew rounded it all out with it's good old homecooking style goodness.

This restaurant seems to be run very ably by a couple distinguished both by their congenitality and efficiency. The ambience resembles more someone's sitting room at home than a swanky restaurant. That and the wonderful food are MDS's...