Last visited: January 2023
Number of Visits: 2
Having just written my gluten free guide to Porto, I thought I would immediately start writing up my experience for Lisbon. I have had some amazing travels through Portugal, and it’s one of the most affordable countries in Western Europe with some of the best weather in Europe in winter.
Lisbon and Porto were so under my radar compared to many cities in Western Europe that I didn’t really know what to expect when I went on a ten day road trip through the country in November 2022, but I ended up having the best time.
Portugal gets mixed reviews for ease of gluten free dining online if you are coeliac. Much of the cuisine is naturally gluten free, but I also found so many places that didn’t take care over cross contact or were wary to serve me in their small kitchens. However, I did find a mix of dedicated gluten free restaurants, restaurants accredited by the local Coeliac Association and some other gems along the way.
Where to Stay
Inspira Liberdade Boutique Hotel
Accredited by the Portuguese Coeliac Association we stayed a night here at the end of our ten day trip to Portugal and splurged on the deluxe suite with a jacuzzi for the room.
Whilst we had a lovely time I was very disappointed by the gluten free experience after having high hopes the for stay. The restaurant was closed without any prior warning that I was aware of, and they only offered a bar menu which had very limited options.
I ended up with a basic pasta with tomato sauce as pretty much the only gluten free option. I also ordered dessert at the bar to takeaway where the staff insisted on bringing it up to my room, only to find out that I was then charged the Room Service fee.
Looking online the restaurant, Open Brasserie has an extensive list of gluten free options prepared in a dedicated gluten free space so I’m sure a stay whilst the restaurant is open would be amazing.
The Ibis
We stayed at The Ibis Styles for a budget hotel and this suited our needs, although we did end up walking into the centre up and down the hill many times. It also has a really difficult car park to get into with a tight turn off a steep hill, and hardly any room to manoeuvre. If you are only visiting Lisbon or Lisbon and Porto I would highly suggest using public transport that is cheap throughout Portugal!
Breakfast
Despensa No 6 – 100% Gluten Free
For a breakfast on the go, I visited the dedicated gluten free cafe Despensar where I picked up a chia pudding pot and a coffee.
I also enjoyed the pecan tart, but we had ours to takeaway that later made up a picnic lunch once we reached the beach.
Zarzuela – Renamed as Bali do Cais
Zarzuela has many gluten free options and was the only place selling pasteis de nata in a Central location.
My first experience of them was pretty average. I was grateful for the options but I found the croissant pretty dense, the pasteis de nata mostly too dark for my taste and the cafe itself was quite dark and not that inviting.
However, due to their options and location I gave them another chance in January 2023 and everything was so much better! They also have gluten free vegan pasteis de nata for anyone that needs vegan/dairy free as well. Do note that they are cash only so that you don’t get caught out!
Since rebranding they still seem to offer pastel de nata, but now they also look to have a dinner menu serving Indonesian meals as well.
Whilst not a dedicated gluten free cafe, Zenith looks to be a lively spot for brunch that marks the gluten free options clearly on the menu and are also great for vegan options. Reviews suggest to make sure that they know you are coeliac so that they know to toast your bread separately which they are able to do. Options include pancakes and eggs Benedict!
For another healthier option for breakfast try the açai bowls and breakfast bowls at Honest Greens.
Breakfast/Lunch
Rice Me Deli – 100% Gluten Free
This was my stop for lunch on a business trip in January 2023 and it was fantastic and I would say it’s definitely a must visit whilst in Lisbon. There was a huge counter of options and I chose a tapioca crepe, a pastel de nata and a can of Guarana which is my favourite drink when in Portugal (or Brazil!) They also have pastry options for breastfast and I would say this is the must visit cafe currently when in Lisbon and will be the first place that I will return to on my next trip.
Tapioca World serving Brazilian cuisine such as açai bowls and tapioca crepes looks like another great place to eat breakfast or lunch whilst in Lisbon.
Chez Béa – Speciality Coffee & Creperie
A creperie on my list to visit next time – I need to return to Lisbon just to eat! I’m so wary of creperies with gluten free options as so often they just use the same griddle as they cook the normal versions on, but reviews suggest that this isn’t the case which is exciting.
Lunch/Dinner
One of my favourite restaurants in Portugal for local cuisine is Bonjardim. Head here for a simple but delicious dinner of chicken and chips, at a casual restaurant that has gluten free fries with nothing else cooked in the fryer. This was the go to restaurant for gluten free options at the time of my visit but they seem to have had a couple of poor recent reviews so as always do make sure to ask all your usual questions regarding cross contact and ensure you are comfortable as staff, ingredients and menus can change. It can also be hard to navigate restaurants that do not have a gluten free menu and you are relying on staff communicating to you in English. I will definitely return if I go back to Lisbon to see how I get on for myself with a translation card.
McDonald’s
McDonald’s in Portugal is accredited by the Portuguese Coeliac Association and in my opinion one of the best McDonalds options anywhere in Europe.
They have good buns for the burgers, you can eat the fries and they are accredited. If you are going to eat McDonalds anywhere in Europe I would highly recommend doing so in Portugal or Spain, they even had McFlurrys on the accredited gluten free menu here.
H3 is a burger restaurant recommended online for gluten free and all I can say is don’t do it. I tried it out in Porto and it was honestly the worst meal I’ve eaten in Europe. The gluten free burgers are bunless and mine was served lukewarm. It also came with crisps and not chips to be gluten free – it was completely random and awful.
Cafe do Rio – Craft Burgers 100% Gluten Free
After my experience of H3 I’m a bit hesitant to add what appears to be another bunless burger option to the list but as they are dedicated gluten free with good reviews they need to make the list of options. Hopefully I will get to try them next time I’m in Lisbon, and hopefully they are much better than what is served at H3. They certainly look better from the photos online!
A healthy gluten free option that I chose for dinner due to ease when I stayed in Porto for work as they had a branch a few minutes walk from the Mercure hotel.
A lot of the options are gluten free but do be careful of your choices and make sure they are aware you are coeliac as there is normal sourdough being served.
Dinner
This APC accredited Italian restaurant is where we skipped during our travels in Lisbon in favour of more local cuisine. However, I decided to head here for dinner during my business trip and wow it shouldn’t be missed. My meal here was incredible.
I started with burrata that was served with crispy pancetta and an amazing gluten free bread. The whole thing was absolutely heavenly. I followed it up with a huge plate of carbonara and an Aperol Spritz and enjoyed every bite! I really enjoyed my meal here but the service was quite slow so don’t go if you’re in a hurry and make a reservation as they were turning people away.
For an Indian curry Sanskar Nepal gets great reviews. We however actually had an Indian meal whilst out visiting Sintra instead where there were far less options to choose from.
For a Michelin starred Nepalese curry, Oven gets some amazing reviews and looks like it can cater easily for gluten free and dairy free diets. This is definitely on the list to try on my next visit to Lisbon.
Treats and Snacks
Visiting Grom for gelato is an absolute must in any city that has one! It’s hard to believe that everything is gluten free.
Casa Portuguesa Pastel de Bacalhau
A little on the touristy side and not the best port option, but the salt cod fritters served are gluten free. They bring the trays of gluten free cod fritters out for someone to put the shop logo on made out of a kind of edible paper logo and that is a ‘may contain’. I’ve read many reviews on these of people arguing over if they were gluten free or not, but both times I have been I’ve been told very clearly that they are gluten free if you have one served from out the back without the logo added. On the website they are described as a delicacy made of cod, potatoes, olive oil, egg and parsley. However, do also be careful that the branch you go to is only serving these and port as otherwise there may be a cross contamination risk from other products but I have managed to eat these in both Lisbon and Porto.
Happy Cookie – 100% Gluten Free and Vegan
I can’t wait to try this cookie shop whenever I am next in Porto or Lisbon.
An easy stop for a quick portion of fries on the go that are gluten free. Just be careful with the toppings.
Ruffles Crisps
Buy the jamon Ruffles when in mainland Europe, always. They are the ultimate holiday snack and available throughout Portugal.
A novel stop for canned fish in beautiful tins, something quite unique to Portugal. I found many were gluten free and I picked up a couple to take with me for lunches in the Algave whilst staying in an air b n b.
Bars
Make sure you stop for a shot of ginga cherry liquor!
Permanently Closed Restaurants
I list these so that if you come across them as recommendations you don’t traipse across Lisbon looking for them, but they should always be checked as gluten free restaurants do seem to open and close all the time!
Beiju
Casual on the go tapioca crepes that were gluten free
Beyond Lisbon
Only about 25 minutes drive from Lisbon is the most incredible gluten free cafe, that we were able to visit on the way to Sintra as we had a car for our trip. It may be more hassle by public transport but uber and bolt trips are cheap and dedicated gluten free options are always worth the trip! This cafe was so good!
We ate in for brunch, with Paul opting for avocado toast and granola whereas I went for an early lunch menu option of pizza.
We also took a few sweet treats away with us to try. I really enjoyed the pastel de nata from here, filled with silky custard.
Accredited by the Portuguese Coeliac Association, we were able to get chicken and chips from this rustic local takeaway near Sintra. The staff didn’t speak English so I wasn’t totally sure what I was ordering, but ended up with a tray of chicken, chips and rice.
Sintra
In Sintra itself there were many gluten free recommended options on where to eat. I opted to get a curry from the Indian restaurant as that is what seemed to be the safest option within the town.
Sightseeing
Lisbon
Sintra
National Palace of Pena
Quinta da Regaleira
The Moorish Castle
Tips for Lisbon
- Lisbon is a really affordable city for Western Europe and ideal if you want a more budget friendly trip! Make sure to include enough days on your trip to get out of Lisbon to visit Belém, Sintra and the coast if you can.
- Visit Belém by tram from Lisbon. Make sure you have a sweet treat with you for when all the gluten eaters get pastel de nata here!
- Visit Sintra by train or bus (we ignored advice not to drive since we were visiting in November and were staying overnight so managed to park at the hotel). Outside of this I would follow the advice not to drive, the roads are tight and narrow and there is a lack of parking. I can only imagine how bad driving around Sintra would be the rest of the year. Sintra absolutely must not be missed on a trip to Lisbon.
- As we had a car we could easily reach Batardas and Churrasqueira Franguito
- Uber and Bolt are really cheap options for getting around Lisbon compared to other cities in Western Europe
- Always advocate for yourself and ask your own questions every time you order gluten free options as staff, menus, and processes do change so regularly and this is based on my experience and comfort levels.
OTHER USEFUL LINKS
- Portuguese Coeliac Association
- Gluten Free Guide to Lisbon – My Gluten Free Guide
- Gluten Free Must Eats in Portugal
- Independent Guide to Sintra
- If you’re also travelling to Porto, find my guide here
Happy Gluten Free Travels!
Note: Writing a gluten free travel blog is a passion project of mine but the website has an annual subscription cost so it actually costs me money to run. If you find my guides helpful please consider buying me a virtual coffee through my kofi link to help me run this free resource for gluten free travel. This post also contains affiliate links for places that I genuinely went to at no cost to you, to help me be able to run this website for free. Thank you!
The Sightseeing Coeliac 