a vegetarian starter at a restaurant in Lisbon

The Best Vegetarian Food & Restaurants in Lisbon

The south of Europe, especially on the Iberian Peninsula, can be a bit tricky when it comes to vegetarian food. Their laid-back lifestyle and penchant for heavy meat stews and seafood are absolute heaven for some, but for others (aka, me), we could give the animal products a miss. Luckily as Lisbon has developed as an international and modern city, a huge number of vegetarian and vegan options have become available and Lisbon has become a great place to visit and an easy find for vegetarians, vegans and flexitarians alike. Vegetarian versions of traditional Portuguese dishes are still pretty tricky to come by, but it’s not impossible!

I’ve lived in Lisbon as a vegetarian for more than two years now, and you may know that that’s also where I met our food columnist, Zsófi, who also had a hand in discovering some of these hidden gems in Lisbon, that include completely vegan and vegetarian restaurants, as well as those that simply have a great range of vegetarian options on the menu.

Contents:

The Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Lisbon

Vegan Buffets in Lisbon

Specialist/Themed Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurants in Lisbon

Vegan & Vegetarian Places to Grab a Snack in Lisbon

Vegan & Vegetarian Desserts in Lisbon

The Best Vegetarian Restaurants in Lisbon

The Green Affair

Saldanha, Chiado, Parque das Naçoes & Cascais

Fully vegan

Now with three restaurants in Lisbon and another just half an hour away in Cascais, The Green Affair has grown over the last few years. They are 100% plant based, meaning their menu is packed with vegan dishes and, if you’re anything like me, you’ll have hard time choosing what to eat. I’ve only been here a few times, but I’ve been impressed every time. The vibe is quite and chill but also quite classy. Think casual business lunch vibes. The staff are really friendly and the menu is packed with a range of options for every taste from tacos to cauliflower bites. They also sometimes have vegetarian versions of traditional Portuguese food on the menu!

The Green Affair on Trip Advisor

The Green Affair on Instagram

Honest Greens

Amoerias, Avenida da Libertade, Chiado, Cais do Sodre, Parque das Naçoes & Principe Real

Options for vegans, veggies & carnivores

Honest Greens was born in Barcelona, but quickly branched out to Madrid, Lisbon and Porto, and they’re “coming soon” to Valencia and London. Their “Real Food Revolution” aims to make healthy and seasonable food accessible and affordable and, in Lisbon at least, they do just that. Their menu is not completely vegetarian, but it is full of vegetarian options and their ingredients are ethically sourced, unprocessed and free of preservatives. They also use organic ingredients where possible. It is also DELICIOUS, and the menu changes with the season, which means there’s always something new to try even though I am always there.

The vibe is nice, but not in the way that would make you feel the need to dress up. It’s the perfect place if you’re looking for quick, healthy and delicious food, because your food always arrives in a heartbeat.

Honest Greens on Trip Advisor

Honest Greens on Instagram

Ao 26 Vegan Food Project

Chiado

Fully Vegan

As you can probably gather from the name, Ao 26 is a completely vegan restaurant. Their name comes from their original address (Rua Vitor Cordon, 26) but they have relocated since to Rua da Horta Seca, 5. They often have a range of vegan versions of Portuguese food, including a traditional Portuguese Bifana made with seitan.

Ao 26 Vegan Food Project on Trip Advisor

Ao 26 Vegan Food Project on Instagram

PSI

Ferreira

Fully Vegan & Vegetarian

PSI is set in the small Jardim de Paz (Peace Garden) in Ferreira in Lisbon and offers quite a unique dining experience in that you’re basically dining in a greenhouse. Their menu is completely vegetarian and offers a range of international cuisines. It is one of the oldest vegetarian restaurants in Lisbon, famously visited by the Dalai Lama in 2007.

PSI on Trip Advisor

PSI Instagram

The Food Temple

Martim Moniz

Fully vegan

The Food Temple pitch themselves as the first vegan restaurant in Lisbon and, well, nobody is mad at them for it. On the face of it their menu looks quite fancy but their restaurant is humble and down to earth, with the option of dining inside or outside depending on the weather. 

The Food Temple on Trip Advisor

The Food Temple on Instagram

Mother Burger

Colombo, Saldanha, Amorerias & Roma

Fully vegan

“The Burger Change is Real” is the motto of Mother Burger, a down to earth burger joint that sells only vegan burgers in a sea of otherwise conventional shopping mall food halls in Colombo, Saldanha and Amoreiras shopping centres. They also have a pop-up style (but permanent) location within Roma-Areeiro train station, which is endlessly convenient when you’re on the move and I’m hoping to see some more small stores like this pop up in the future! 

Their menu is delightfully simple, and they have a few additional extras including “cheese” balls and nuggets.

Mother Burger on Instagram

Mother Burger on Trip Advisor

Vegan Junkies

Marques do Pombal

Fully vegan

Another aptly named location, Vegan Junkies is the place to go for vegan junk food in Lisbon. Their menu is stuffed full with vegan burgers, loaded vegan nachos and vegan BBQ wings, alongside a simple menu of craft beers. They also have a range of vegan desserts on offer, if their giant plates weren’t already enough to fill you up! Vegan Junkies also have a sister restaurant, Bonefree, in Costa de Caparica just outside of Lisbon. 

Vegan Junkies on Instagram

Vegan Junkies on Trip Advisor

O Gambuzino

Intendente

Fully vegan

O Gambuzino can still just about be called a hidden gem, but it won’t be for long. This is one of Lisbon’s best vegan restaurants, with a truly international menu and hearty food that never fails to disappoint. They’re known for their classics: Bibimbap, Katsu, and brownie served with Belgian chocolate mousse. 

O Gambuzino on Instagram

O Gambuzino on Trip Advisor

Plant Base

Chiado

Fully vegan

Plant Base was one of the first places I went to in Lisbon and I still remember it for the eclectic mix of food on offer, the craft beers (which are quite popular in Lisbon but this was the first time I’d seen them in Portugal) and the loud music. Another classic place for vegan junk food they have vegan pizza, veggie burgers and vegan momo on their menu. 

Plant Base on Instagram

Plant Base on Trip Advisor

Read more about food in Portugal: What to Order in a Portuguese Pasteleria

Vegan Buffets in Lisbon

Lisbon Vegan Restaurante

Arroios

Fully vegan

I was introduced to this vegan buffet style restaurant by a friend. It can be quite hard to locate (if you’re like me and just walk vaguely towards the location on maps instead of finding the actual location), because it sits discreetly underneath a bridge. The all you can eat buffet is 7.50€ at lunch or 8.50€ at dinner, and includes a variety of hot and cold daily specials that usually involve hearty stews and non-spicy curries. This is the best spot if you’re looking for good, hearty vegan or vegetarian good.

Lisbon Vegan Restaurante on Trip Advisor

Jardim das Cerejas

Chiado

Fully vegan

This is a buffet style vegan restaurant in Lisbon that I haven’t actually visited, but I’ve heard a lot about it so it’s made it on the list! From what I can see online they serve a range of food with a Portuguese twist, so you’re sure to find some traditional Portuguese cuisine here, too.

Jardim das Cerejas on Trip Advisor

Buffet Leão

Rossio

Options for vegans, veggies & carnivores

Buffet Leão is the go-to place to eat for me and one of my flatmates. It’s an all-you-can-eat Brazilian style buffet, with tiered pricing depending on whether you’ll just take from the buffet, or also eat meat that waiters bring to your table on impressive-looking skewers. This makes it a bit cheaper for veggies, and there are plenty of veggie and vegan options at the buffet. (Don’t mix it up with Leão de Ouro which is just next door!)

Buffet Leão on Trip Advisor

Specialist/Themed Vegan & Vegetarian Restaurants in Lisbon

Santa Clara dos Cogumelos

Alfama

Options for vegans, veggies & carnivores

If you speak Portuguese then you might read the name of this restaurant and think “wait, what?”. But no, you’re right. This is a mushroom-themed restaurant. Every dish contains mushrooms, even down to the desserts, which includes ice cream made from portobello mushrooms. I’ll tell you, it was quite the experience! I really enjoyed it as a novelty, but of course it’s not the kind of place you’d go to every week. (Not unless mushrooms are really your thing…).

Santa Clara dos Cogumelos on Instagram

Santa Clara dos Cogumelos on Trip Advisor

Mini Bar – José Avillez

Chiado

Options for veggies & carnivores

“Where nothing is what it seems!” Mini Bar by Michelin Star-winning chef José Avillez is a small, intimate, upscale restaurant in the heart of Lisbon. It’s unclear from their website if they offer a vegetarian version of their tasting menu, but there are plenty of vegetarian options on their a la carte offering. If you’re looking for a more upscale dining experience, Mini Bar might be the one for you. 

Mini Bar on Instagram 

Mini Bar on Trip Advisor

Legumi Sushi Vegan

Lapa

Fully vegan

Legumi Sushi Vegan offers the most impressive range of vegan sushi I have ever seen. Legumi isn’t the only vegan sushi restaurant in Lisbon, but in my opinion it is absolutely the best! You can eat in or order through their dedicated app (takeaway sushi is a true guilty pleasure of mine), and order anything you want being sure it will be 100% fish-free!

Legumi Sushi Vegan on Trip Advisor

Legumi Sushi Vegan on Instagram

Vegan & Vegetarian Places to Grab a Snack in Lisbon

The Potato Project

Chiado

Options for vegans, veggies & carnivores

If you know me, you’ll know that I’ve included this on my list because I am obsessed with french fries, and you have no idea how excited I was to hear that The Potato Project opened in Lisbon, dedicated to serving the perfect french fries. You can pick from a range of toppings and make them vegan or vegetarian as you wish, and located in the city centre, there’s no better place to pick up a snack after a long day of sight seeing!

The Potato Project on Instagram

The Potato Project on Trip Advisor

Vegan & Vegetarian Desserts in Lisbon

Scoop n Dough

Avenida da Libertade

Fully vegan

Scoop n Dough sell artisanal vegan donuts and a range of vegan ice cream not far from the city centre in Lisbon. They boast an impressive range of awards for best vegan donuts, best vegan ice cream, and are owned by two proud Portuguese brothers.

Scoop n Dough on Instagram

Scoop n Dough on Trip Advisor

VeganNata

Chiado

Fully Vegan

Okay, there are several places that you can get a vegan pastel de nata around Lisbon, by in my humble opinion this one is the best. They did used to have three stores, but two are temporarily closed as of March 2024. The only one open is in Chiado (Praça de Camōes), but it is well worth a visit.

VeganNata on Trip Advisor

VeganNata on Instagram

O Melhor Croissant da Minha Rua

Various locations

Options for vegans, veggies & carnivores

You’ll see shops of this incredibly popular croissant chain throughout Lisbon and beyond. But what’s so special about it, you ask? The croissants are INCREDIBLE, and the pastry is completely vegan. So, yes, you can stuff your croissant full of ham, chicken, or a range of other unholy non-veggie fillings. Or, you can choose any of their many veggie and vegan fillings, including the very Portuguese crema de ovo (egg cream), marmalade, dark chocolate, stewed apple, and more. If you’re ordering vegan, make sure to check with your server and request vegan as they have separate utensils for preparation.

Coming soon: Best spots in Lisbon for a Veggie or Vegan Brunch!

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