Where to Eat in Baixa Chiado

By Laura Wooffitt, Bluegrass Writers Studio

This is part two of series on where to eat in Lisbon, our home away from homepage. For part one, click here.

All of my directions will start at the plaza where the Baixa-Chiado metro stop is located. There is the statue that looks like he’s going to shake your hand and say, “hey, man!” It’s the first thing you see when you come up the escalators and then turning to your right, you will find the famous Fernando Pessoa statue reclining on a bronze bench in the A Brasilieira seating area. Incidentally, when taking a taxi back from one of the craft talks or events, tell the taxi driver you want to go to Baixa Chiado plaza, or say A Brasilieira, or say where the Fernando Pessoa estatua is. One of those three are guaranteed to get you back on familiar territory as some of the drivers are not familiar with some of the side streets that hotels and apartments are on! Most of the taxi drivers are really friendly and try to help you as best they can.

A Brasilieira (ah-brah-zul-lye-rah) is the touristy coffee shop and bakery. They also serve several different options for meals later in the day, but they are known for their coffees and pastries. The actual shop is beautiful, rich woods and a charming atmosphere. When I begin each set of directions, imagine you are facing A Brasilieira, and we’ll go from there.

Without further ado, here are three great places we found where you can eat for about 10 euros or less. And don't worry, there are more to come! Keep in mind that the dinner hour is the weird one—starting around 8:00, but places will be open for dinner before that of course. (Remember, we start facing A Brasilieira)

1. THE MALL—Yes, the mall. Turn to your right and follow Rua Garrett all the way down till it stops. There’s a building at the end of the street, and that’s the mall. It’s called Armazéns do Chiado on Google Maps. Go to the second floor and there are a ton of restaurants. Yes, we ate at McDonald’s a lot, but it’s hard to beat for the price! If you bring your own water bottle, then it’s even cheaper because you’re not paying for a drink. There are other places in there to try like a pasta place similar to Piada’s and Chipotle’s ordering style. There’s lots of seating on that floor, too, but it fills up quickly during the lunch hour.

2. SANTINI GELATI (CHIADO)—Turn to your right and follow Rua Garrett all the way down till it stops then turn left and it’s immediately on your left. You might even see it before the sign since there’s usually a line out the door—but for good reason! It’s just across the street from the mall so it’s perfect for a cheap snack or dessert option for after lunch. Santini is right next door to Nespresso, an expensive looking coffee shop. When you get in line for Santini, you pay at the register first. Tell them if you want a one-dip cone or two-dip, etc. Everyone here speaks really good English. Then take your receipt, and when you reach the gelato bar, hand your slip to one of the guys and tell them what flavors you want. (Note: I would suggest from experience to go ahead and order in English, even if you’re Portuguese pronunciation is spot on. They know even before you open your mouth that you’re an English-speaking tourist and will expect you to speak English. That way, you won’t get stuck with a flavor you didn’t ask for like I did. Yes, the word for strawberry in Portuguese is morango and guess what I got, mango.)

3. A PADARIA (PORTUGUESA-LOJA CAMOES)—Turn to your left and cross Rua Nova da Trindade. You should be on the right side of the street. You’ll pass some high-end shops, and a big government looking building with lots of steps, and another street will come up quickly. You’ll see another plaza with another statue across the way. The plaza is called Largo de Camões. Cross Rua da Misericórdia. You should be on the right side still. Right there on your right, you’ll see A Padaria. They usually have a sign on the street or in the window advertising their lunch for 5,99 euros. This is a fantastic deal! You get half a sandwich of your choice, a huge bowl of squash soup and a glass of orange juice. This will fill you up for sure. The food isn’t out-of-this-world delicious, but it’s pretty good, especially for the price. And, you can buy loaves of bread and some pastries to-go in their bakery. Great for breakfast in your hotel room, hostel, or apartment!

Check back on Tuesday for more of my favorites, plus some travel tips!

Contact Information

Kristen Thompson
kristen.thompson@eku.edu

Published on April 23, 2014