Mona Verde
Dining alone often calls for a background – some music, performance, drama or chaos – and this panoramic view at sunset (with a live DJ from Wednesday to Sunday) hits the spot. Overlooking the Rato neighbourhood, Mona Verde was designed by Archer Humphreys Architects (the team behind Chiltern Firehouse’s signature vibe) and includes plenty of booths and tables suited to solo diners. Watch the action at the bar as savoury mezcal cocktails are poured with Oaxacan gusto while you dig into juicy Ibérian pork skewers from the neighbouring Alentejo region.
R. Castilho 14C 8th Floor, 1250-066 Lisboa, Portugal; monaexperience.com
Tasca Zebras
Garlic and seafood are fair game at a table for one. And Tasca Zebras serves some of the best – we’re talking codfish fritters, tuna croquettes and garlicy fried shrimp that reminds you of how flavour feeds the soul. Opened in 1983, this little joint has a relaxed, unpretentious atmosphere; the staff takes care of you, and the environment assures repeat visits. Customers enjoy proudly nondescript wines with cheery profiles (applicable to both the wines and customer), and you’ll taste some of the best Atlantic octopus without needing to share a single bite.
Calçada do Combro 51, 1200-433 Lisboa, Portugal; tascazebras.com
Pomme Eatery
This sneakily compelling restaurant is great for lunch, dinner – or both. The service is attentive, the lighting soft. It’s a space that facilitates conversation but can be enjoyed alone in the corner, glass in hand – or on one of the green outside tables. Warm the mouth with roasted sweet carrots with a savoury yoghurt base, then nibble your way through salty calamari with tartar sauce. Don’t miss the king prawns, whose rich and garlicky juice can be washed down with a piercing, textural white from Lisbon producer Favonius.
R. Nova de São Mamede 18, 1250-173 Lisboa, Portugal; @pomme_eatery
Tascardoso
A window seat at old-school hotspot Tascardoso is the place for people-watching. It’s nearly always packed; the chatter of regulars becomes background music that carries you from salad-picking into dessert. The menu, entirely in Portuguese, is rustic and deeply satisfying. Order the sardines: big, rich and perfectly cooked. As they bubble in the pan, dark olives, crusty bread and freshly pressed olive oil arrive at the table – you’ll smell dinner before you see it. Don’t say no to a glass of ginjinha cherry liqueur with the bill – a sour-sweet note to end the evening.
Rua de O Século 242, 1250-095 Lisboa, Portugal; Tascardo
Russo’s
A short walk from a sunset beer at Jardim do Torel brings you to Russo’s – one of those best-kept-secret places that is now an open record. It’s intimate, unfussy and unstuffy (no one will bother you unless you want to chat.) The ingredients are presented in a way that does them justice; a cold glass of wine cuddles up to the bacalhau a brás (a cod dish originating from Lisbon) and tender pieces of beef in a petisco of pica-pau burst in the mouth, the sauce mopped clean by the accompanying bread.
R. das Taipas 41 A, 1250-264 Lisboa, Portugal; @russorestaurant2025
Praça das Flores
Not all solo dining starts with a table. Sometimes it begins with wine. Praça das Flores is host to many venues, and there’s usually an avalanche of people around Black Sheep, a tiny wine bar where you borrow a glass and head to the leafy square outside. It’s a prelude to a good time. When hunger sets in, walk uphill to Oyster and Margarita for a table on the terrace, a mouthful of fresh seafood and a spicy tommy’s marg. It’s a loose, spontaneous evening where you could meet anyone and go anywhere – the joys of solo travel!
Praça das Flores, 1200-192 Lisboa, Portugal; blacksheeplisboa.com; @oysterandmargarita
Billy De Luca is a freelance writer, editor and painter. De Luca’s focus is in the arts and culture spheres, contributing to publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, TimeOut, The Travel Almanac and Monster Children magazines
