Frequently Asked Questions

Question 1

What do you eat on a Lisbon food tour?

Accepted Answer

Over the course of a morning, you'll taste traditional Portuguese pastries, salted cod, two varieties of Portuguese ham, ginjinha (cherry liqueur), a bifana (marinated pork sandwich), home-cooked Portuguese dishes with wine, canned fish from a traditional conserveira, and pastéis de nata. It adds up to 9+ tastings and 3 drinks across seven family-run stops, easily enough for breakfast and lunch.

Question 2

Is a food tour in Lisbon worth it on our first day?

Accepted Answer

It's one of the best ways to start a trip. The tour covers three central neighborhoods on foot, so you'll get your bearings while you eat. Your guide shares restaurant recommendations and ordering tips for the rest of your stay. Lasting 3 hours and finishing early afternoon, it leaves the rest of the day free.

Question 3

Is this more of a food tour or a history tour?

Accepted Answer

Both. Between stops, your guide takes you through the history that shaped Lisbon's food culture: the 1755 earthquake that leveled the city, the 1506 massacre, the dictatorship that ended in 1974, and the neighborhoods that rebuilt around all of it. You'll also walk past Pink Street and several significant squares. The food and the history are the same story.

Question 4

What is ginjinha?

Accepted Answer

A sour cherry liqueur that's been a Lisbon tradition for over a century. It's served as a small shot, usually with a liqueur-soaked cherry at the bottom of the glass. The bar on this tour has been pouring it for 130 years. And yes, it's perfectly acceptable to drink it at 11 in the morning.

Question 5

What is a bifana?

Accepted Answer

A marinated pork sandwich. It’s simple, inexpensive, and one of Lisbon's most beloved street foods. You'll find bifanas all over the city, but the version on this tour is widely considered one of the best. Served with mustard or hot sauce, it's the kind of dish that becomes a craving.

Question 6

How much walking is involved?

Accepted Answer

The tour covers Baixa, Chiado, and Cais do Sodré on foot over three hours. Lisbon is a hilly city, and there are steep inclines and uneven cobblestones along the route. Wear shoes you feel comfortable in.

Question 7

Can dietary requirements be accommodated?

Accepted Answer

We can adapt the tour for vegetarians, pescatarians, pregnant guests, and those with dairy-free requirements. Non-alcoholic alternatives are available. Please let us know when you book.

We're not able to fully accommodate vegans or guests with celiac disease due to the risk of cross-contamination at the stops we visit. If you have questions about fit, get in touch and we'll help find the right experience.

Question 8

Is this tour suitable for children?

Accepted Answer

Families are welcome and children can join. The tour involves walking through hilly neighborhoods over three hours, so it suits kids who are comfortable on their feet for extended periods. The pastries and custard tarts tend to be popular with younger guests.

Question 9

Is this tour accessible for guests with mobility needs?

Accepted Answer

We'd love to welcome as many guests as possible. The tour involves walking through hilly neighborhoods with steep uphill and downhill inclines and uneven surfaces. Get in touch before booking and we'll advise on whether it's the right fit.

Question 10

How many people are on this Lisbon food tour?

Accepted Answer

We cap groups at 12 guests per guide, small enough to fit comfortably in the family-run shops and restaurants we visit, and to feel like a morning out with friends rather than a tour.

Question 11

Does the itinerary ever change?

Accepted Answer

Occasionally. Lisbon's family-run eateries are living, working places and sometimes a stop needs to shift. We always guarantee the same number of tastings and the same quality of experience.

Ultimate Lisbon food tour

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What to expect

The bakery: pastries and coffee at a nearly 200-year-old counter

Cod, ham, and ginjinha

Postcards from Lisbon

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