Panda Cantina — Restaurant in Lisbon

We recently had the pleasure of visiting Panda Cantina in Lisbon, Portugal and I have to say, it did not disappoint. From the moment we walked in, we were greeted with a bustling atmosphere and a decor that was both hip and inviting.

The menu at Panda Cantina is extensive and offers a wide variety of options, but Melissa, Samantha and I decided to go with the giant panda bowl. We substituted the beef and pork for tofu and added extra noodles. We also ordered some extra tofu on the side.

The giant panda bowl was a real standout. The noodles were made in house and perfectly cooked, with just the right amount of chewiness. The tofu was cooked to perfection and was both flavorful and satisfying. The broth was rich and savory, with just the right amount of depth and complexity. The portions were generous, and we were able to enjoy the meal without feeling overly full.

The service at Panda Cantina was excellent. Our order was taken promptly and the food was served quickly, even though the restaurant was busy. The staff were friendly and attentive, and they made sure we had everything we needed.

One thing to note is that at Panda Cantina, you pay before you eat when you enter the door. It's always busy, so be prepared for a wait. But trust me, it's worth it.

All in all, we would give Panda Cantina a solid 5 stars. The food was delicious, the service was excellent, and the atmosphere was lively and fun. If you're looking for a great meal in Lisbon, we highly recommend checking out Panda Cantina.

NOTE: Be sure to catch “IT’S DELISH in Lisbon Portugal - Panda Cantina, Este Oeste, Adega of Belém - EATING LISBON” on our Youtube Channel - @tourabunga - Where we feature this restaurant in more detail.

All three of us left the restaurant feeling satisfied and impressed with the delicious food, attentive service, and hip atmosphere. Panda Cantina is definitely a must-visit spot for anyone looking for delicious and satisfying Asian...

To clear up any confusion, this is definitely Chinese ramen, not Japanese style ramen. They add nori (seaweed) and a soft boiled egg and this gives the impression that it’s Japanese ramen but the flavours are exclusively Chinese ramen (to be even more clear, this is not a fusion dish either). If you are looking for Japanese ramen, don’t come here - it’s a completely different flavour profile.

Put your name down as soon as you arrive and then wait outside for them to call your name/party.

The noodles here are good because they are freshly made. The beef was nice though I recommend adding extra meat since you get very little in the standard portion (even if you add extra meat, it remains quite affordable). The tofu pieces are good but nothing special; they are served with regular store bought Thai sweet sauce - this is fine by me because I like that sauce but it’s kind of weird with the veggie broth flavour so I’d recommend just getting the pieces on the side. Overall, a good food option and we really appreciated that they had a vegetarian option since my partner does not eat meat.

If you come from somewhere with excellent Asian food, this is definitely not worth the line. In my home of Toronto, this would be considered a regular ramen restaurant.

I recommend no higher than spice level 2 for most people. You can do spice level 3 if you are familiar with Chinese chilli oil. I use a lot of chilli oil and took a level 3 but might have been happier with a level 2 to allow the flavours to be more balanced. Best approach is to take the chilli oil on the side so you can add as you please.

You must pay upfront before seating which is nice and efficient - I loved this as it removes the need to flag down a server to pay...

Summary: Good food and worth it if the line is short and you are in the neighborhood, but it doesn't live up to all the hype.

Location: The place is small and gets very hot, which can be a shock when you're coming out of the cold. Having been cold outside, we had to strip down to t-shirts to cool down and were still sweaty even then. If you sit in the aisle, expect to get bumped into a lot by other patrons and the servers because the walkway is very narrow. Making the place too small to fit many people probably adds to the appeal with the idea that it's very limited seating, but there's a point where that becomes uncomfortable.

Spice Level: They offer 1-5 spice levels and explained that 1-2 is Low, 3 is Medium, and 4-5 is Hot. My friend ordered low spice and they said they'd give her a 0... I typically order something very spicy so I tried the 4, which ended up basically being just pepper-broth, which makes me concerned for what the 5 would have been. It would have been nice if the 4 was a reasonable amount of spicy and then leave just 5 to be unbearable (which is nearly where my 4 was), but I don't understand how the business makes their food so spicy in such a touristy part of town. Most people would have been very unhappy with the 4 I ate - it burned on every bite. Perhaps that's part of the appeal?

Food: The ramen was good but not worth all of the hype around the place, particularly with the other points against it. There are other good spots in town so I'd eat here again if I was in the neighborhood and there was no line, but I wouldn't go out of my way to go or wait in the 45 minute line...