Portuguese casual meals in the heart of Bica quarter

©Sandra Henriques Gajjar/Lonely Planet

Água Pela Barba

Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré


The marble tabletops and the walls covered in reclaimed wood give this restaurant a casual, ocean-side atmosphere despite the sea being nowhere near. Fish is the main star on the menu, with both diverse and local dishes such as tacos and pataniscas (fish fritters). Book ahead.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré attractions

1. Miradouro de Santa Catarina

0.05 MILES

Students bashing out rhythms, pot-smoking hippies, stroller-pushing parents and loved-up couples all meet at this precipitous viewpoint in boho Santa…

2. Igreja de Santa Catarina

0.13 MILES

Igreja de Santa Catarina is a gilded baroque masterpiece, originally part of a convent built in 1647. Pay particular attention to the stucco rococo…

3. Atelier-Museu Júlio Pomar

0.21 MILES

Set in the same street where Júlio Pomar lives and works, this museum, with two spaces housing temporary exhibitions, feels like an art gallery showcasing…

4. Casa do Ferreira das Tabuletas

0.3 MILES

The eye-catching Casa do Ferreira das Tabuletas dates to 1864. Its trompe l’œil azulejos (hand-painted tiles) depict allegorical figures and the elements.

5. Igreja & Museu São Roque

0.31 MILES

The plain facade of 16th-century Jesuit Igreja de São Roque belies its dazzling interior of gold, marble and Florentine azulejos – bankrolled by Brazilian…

8. Convento dos Cardaes

0.32 MILES

The inconspicuous, graffitied white facade of this 17th-century fort-like convent contrasts with the rich blue-and-white tiles and gilded carvings of the…