I’m a total Francophile when it comes to wine. After working in the wine industry for years, I came to realize that Burgundy Chardys are my jam. That made it difficult for me to jump into the wines of Portugal, there are so many grapes, so many styles that I needed to experiment. Wine bars were the perfect remedy for this. Here are a few of my favorite wine bars in Lisbon. I’d love to hear what you think of them, and if you have other recommendations, leave them in the comments so I can check them out.
Lisbon Wine Bars
BY THE WINE (Sao Paulo-Bairro Alto-Cais do Sodre) José Maria da Fonseca’s flagship wine bar in Lisbon is also a wine shop, so if you fall in love with a wine, you can take it home. The interior is made up of arches that are covered in wine bottles. It’s quite impressive. Should you get hungry, they also offer local dishes you can pick on. Average Cost for a Glass of Wine: €6.00 By The Wine is located at Rua das Flores, 41-43Hours of Operation: Mon 6 pm – 12 am, Tue-Sun 12 pm – 12 am. GARRAFEIRA ALFAIA (Bairro Alto-Bica-Cais do Sodre) Paulo is the man of the house here and he shares his love of wine with all those who enter his doors. This restaurant has both a fabulous wine list and great snacks, especially the cheeses and shrimp in garlic sauce. Average Cost for a Glass of Wine: €5.00 Garrafeira Alfaia is located at Rua do Diário de Notícias, 125Hours of Operation: SOLAR DO VINHO DO PORTO (Bairro Alto-Principe Real) I love this spot because it is across from my favorite miradouro (Sao Pedro de Alcantara), so after tasting a few of the 300 Ports available at Solar, you can catch a few rays. There are also cheeses and cured meats to snack on (and it’s a fantastic place for a date). It’s super easy to get there. Just take the Gloria elevator from Praça dos Restauradores. Average Cost for a Glass of Wine: €5.00 Solar do Vinho do Porto is located at R. São Pedro de Alcântara 45Hours of Operation: Mon-Fri 11 am – 12 am, Sat 3 pm – 12 am, Sun Closed THE OLD PHARMACY (Bairro Alto) This pharmacy turned wine bar is probably one of the most interesting wine bars in Lisbon. The old medicine cabinets now hold cabernets (actually, the hold Portuguese varietals and over 200 wines). Should you get hungry, grab a petisco (the Portuguese equivalent of a Spanish tapa). Average Cost for a Glass of Wine: €6.00 The Old Pharmacy is located at Rua do Diario de Noticias 73-81Hours of Operation: 5:30 pm – 12:30am VINHOS DO MERCADO (Campo de Ourique) While this wine bar is a bit off the beaten path and has a smaller wine list than most, but its location at the Mercado de Campo de Ourique gives it a significant advantage. You can find all types of food to try with your wines AND you don’t have to battle the crowd you’ll find at Mercado da Ribeira. Average Cost of a Glass of Wine: €4.00 Vinhos do Mercado is located at Mercado de Campo de Ourique, Rua Coelho da Rocha.Hours of Operation: Sun-Wed 10 am – 11 pm, Thu 10 am – 12 am, Fri-Sat 10 am – 1 am MADAME BACCHUS (Castel0-Mouraria) Brand new to the scene, this wine bar features both Portuguese and French bottles. My favorite thing about the place? It’s tiny and intimate and carries some fantastic Saint-Marcellin cheese from La Mere Richard (who I got to meet in Lyon at Les Halles de Paul Bocuse before she passed in 2014). This place is a hidden gem, take the Castelo Elevator to get there. Madame Bacchus is located at Rua de São Mamede, 30GHours of Operation: Tue-Sun 12 pm – 11 am (Closed Mondays). Got other Lisbon wine bars we should check out? Leave their name in the comments.
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