Best bars to taste Portuguese wines in Lisbon
As people who love to eat, we couldn’t phantom a good meal without a proper glass of wine to pair with the food. Great cuisine and good wine go hand in hand and, following Portuguese cultural habits, opening a bottle and sharing with friends around the table is one of the ways we normally enjoy spending time with loved ones or even getting acquainted with new folks. Wine is a pleasure in itself and, why not recognize it, it helps people ease into the moment, allowing conversations to flow.
Our passion for wine led us to develop our Winemaker for a Day experience. Just like the appreciation for food tends to increase when you learn how to cook it yourself, we thought the same applies to wine, even if this may seem like a more complex process at a first glance. During this private experience, perfect for groups and corporate team-building sessions, you’ll learn about the many Portuguese wine regions, of course, with a glass in hand. Wine tasting and blending, at our facilities in downtown Lisbon or at a winery nearby (in Cascais, Sintra or, for example, in Setúbal) will make you learn more about the process which transforms the grapes into the liquid we all love so much.
We often talk about the dishes you can’t miss when you travel to Portugal, or recommend the must try restaurant in Lisbon. Today, as we focus on wine instead, we’d love to suggest some of the best wine bars in Lisbon, where you can specifically explore the wide range of Portuguese wines:
Senhor Uva
We begin our list of recommendations with Senhor Uva because, besides being a wine bar with an impressive list, it has a couple of other characteristics which tickle our fancy. Not only does Senhor Uva focus on low intervention natural wines, it has a very pronounced gastronomic side to it, by the magical hands of chef Stéphanie Audet, who specializes in plant forward food.
Stéphanie came over to Portugal with her partner Marc Davidson, and their love for natural wines drove them to open Senhor Uva, which is part wine bar, part restaurant with small but truly impressive dishes, perfect for sharing and tasting as you sample different wines. Good thing that the staff is knowledgeable, friendly and ready to recommend based on your references or how adventurous you may be feeling on the day you visit, as the list of wines is so extensive that it can be borderline overwhelming.
Not all wines at Senhor Uva are Portuguese. On the contrary, we’d say that this is a great place to explore biodynamic wines from abroad, with particular emphasis on French brands. But Portuguese representation is strong nonetheless, including whites, reds, rosés, sparkling wine and even orange wines, which are basically white wines fermented with skin contact of the grapes during the wine making process. Expect Portuguese natural wines from top to bottom of the country, with several options served by the glass, and which keep rotating to give customers the opportunity to try different options without having to order an entire bottle. Even if you visit by yourself, the counter at Senhor Uva is inviting for you to sit at, relax, sip some wine, enjoy some impeccable botanical food and chat a little with the staff whose passion for wine clearly shines through!
📍Rua de Santo Amaro 66A, 1200-804 Lisbon
By The Wine
This is, quite possibly, one of Lisbon’s most popular wine bars with international travelers. Its location in the historic neighborhood of Chiado and its inviting decor with a curved ceiling covered in empty wine bottles easily make it a favorite. But there’s one important thing to keep in mind when you visit By The Wine and that is, even though this is indeed an establishment very well worth your visit, it’s a business by the wine brand José Maria da Fonseca. As such, at By The Wine, you will indeed find an interesting wine list worth exploring, with more than fifty varieties, but it will only include references by José Maria da Fonseca, one of the largest wine producers in Portugal.
Enjoy wine by one of Portugal’s most celebrated producers, while you have a bite to eat at the counter or share a table with friends. The regional cheese and charcuterie boards are bound to keep your wine glass very good company.
If at the end of your visit you have discovered a wine that is particularly interesting to you, know that this wine bar is also a wine store, so you can purchase any of the brand’s items to take home.
📍Rua das Flores 41 43, 1200-193 Lisbon
Grapes & Bites - Hostel & Wines
This establishment has a very curious concept, which includes a hostel and a wine bar. But this is no ordinary wine bar, as their list includes more than six hundred Portuguese wine references! Every single wine region of Portugal is represented at Grapes & Bites, and what’s even better, is that you can order most of the wines by the glass.
This trendy wine bar in the happening neighborhood of Bairro Alto not only has such an impressive wine list, it prepares delicious food to match. They specialize in snacks and petiscos, that is, Portuguese style tapas ideal for a light meal or to try as many things as possible when you share with friends. As if good food and wines weren’t enough to keep you engaged, Grapes & Bites has live music going on every evening. If you drink one too many, the small boutique hostel upstairs from the bar has six rooms, where wine lovers can rest.
If you were to only choose one place to try a variety of Portuguese wines by the glass, and you’d like to do so in a casual fun environment, we’d highly recommend visiting Grapes & Bites and navigate the wine list slowly, for an excellent representation of all the marvelous wines Portugal has to offer!
📍Rua do Norte 85, 1200-284 Lisbon
www.instagram.com/grapes_bites
BA Wine Bar Bairro Alto
While in Portugal, drink Portuguese wine! At BA you don’t even have to worry about selecting a local brand from the menu, as all of the references stocked by this wine bar in bustling Bairro Alto are indeed Portuguese. We’re talking about a variety which goes beyond two hundred different bottles, which owner Rui Rossa is quite knowledgeable about and will be happy to share details with you.
This is exactly what makes a great wine tasting: it’s not just about sipping wine away, but also learning more about the region the wine comes from, who are the people behind the brand, what’s particular about what you’re drinking and, of course, how to best pair it with food. BA Wine Bar serves traditional Portuguese food, namely cheese and cold cuts platters to share, preserved sardines and other seafood, and really good rustic style bread to help soak everything up.
Start sampling table wines but don’t forget that, to end your tasting in style, you can always ask for a Portuguese fortified wine, such as Port, Madeira or Moscatel. They keep some truly unique vintage bottles, including Madeira from the late 1800s!
📍Rua da Rosa 107, 1200-382 Lisbon
Artis
Also located in Bairro Alto, just like BA Wine Bar above, Artis is a wine bar which manages to encapsulate an aura of intimate undiscovered gem, despite being at the heart of one of Lisbon's most touristic areas.
The decor of Artis helps create a special vibe: low lighting enhances the wood furniture, which contrasts with the walls painted in a yellow(ish) hue. When it comes to what matters the most for us here today, wine, they have fifty different Portuguese labels, including fortified wines such as Madeira and Port.
Owner Flávio Fernandes can help you navigate Portugal’s wine regions and assist you on deciding what to order, according to your taste and budget. Pair your glass of wine with home-made finger food and enjoy an atmosphere where locals and travelers get to meet and hang out together, doing one of the things us Portuguese enjoy the most when we go out: drink wine!
📍Rua do Diário de Notícias 95, 1200-334 Lisbon
Prova-Enoteca
This contemporary boutique wine and tapas bar is a gem in the touristic neighborhood of Belém. It was founded by Nelson Guerreiro and Angelo Santos who’d like to share with their clientele the pleasure of sipping wine and sampling good cheeses and cold meats in a relaxed urban atmosphere.
Around eighty different wines from most of Portugal’s wine regions (including the islands) make the delights of customers, who can order by the glass or bottle. Curiously, Prova Enoteca doesn’t have a wine list as such. You’re invited to browse the stock on the shelves all around you and choose from there. Because it's a little tricky to reach the bottles on the top shelves and properly read the information on the labels, the staff will give you binoculars to aid in this task. We think it’s an original and fun way to start your Portuguese wine exploration.
The food served at Enoteca matches the level of care which goes into curating the wine “list”. Homestyle petiscos (aka, Portuguese tapas) and traditionally inspired dishes served in a cozy ambience where you will want to linger and order yet another glass of wine.
📍Rua Duarte Pacheco Pereira 9E, 1400-139 Lisbon
Black Sheep
Another wine bar specializing in natural wines, Black Sheep is tiny but, have no doubts, that this is an establishment that exudes life, joy and passion for wines!
Black Sheep was founded by Brian Patterson and his wife, who come from the USA and have now settled in Portugal. After a few years raising Black Sheep as one of the most respected wine bars in Lisbon, Bruna who used to work here took over and, together with her partner (a couple from Brazil) continue to prove that you can indeed be very cool while still being a black sheep.
They focus on Portuguese wines produced by small artisanal producers and mention that “the wines we serve can be natural, organic, biodynamic or conventional, and will all reflect the Portuguese terroir and the families that produce them.” Grab one of the very few seats at this tiny bar with no tables and only a bar counter, or purchase wine to take home.
📍Praça das Flores 62, 1200-192 Lisbon
https://www.blacksheeplisboa.com
Garrafeira Alfaia
As it seems, there can never be too many wine bars in the neighborhood of Bairro Alto. After all, this is one of Lisbon’s most popular nightlife areas and wine is a constant when it comes to hanging out and partying with friends in Lisbon.
Garrafeira Alfaia is run by Pedrão, who’s become known in Lisbon’s wine scene as a major wine enthusiast who not only loves wine himself, but who also has a particular passion for sharing it with friends and customers. The familiarity you feel when you grab a seat at Garrafeira Alfaia makes the wine taste even better. There’s a sort of hospitality which makes you feel at home right away, as if you were wine tasting at one of your friend’s living room.
To say that Garrafeira Alfaia is a classic in Lisbon is no understatement. Pedrão’s work should be valued as it contributes a lot to promoting Portuguese wine amongst international visitors as well as locals who wish to know more. A must visit wine bar in Lisbon, for sure!
📍Rua do Diário de Notícias 125, 1200-143 Lisbon
https://garrafeiraalfaia.com/wine
The Old Pharmacy
Because, at least when it comes to heart pain, wine can indeed be a sort of “medicine” (even if temporary…) at The Old Pharmacy wine inn you can get treatment in such a unique ambiance. The space where this wine bar now is, used to be a pharmacy, which opened more than one hundred years ago. Today, instead of medicine, you’ll find decorative wine bottles behind the glass doors of the cabinets which line the walls.
The Old Pharmacy’s wine list covers most of Portugal’s wine regions, with particular emphasis on the Douro Valley and the Alentejo, arguably, two of Portugal’s most well known and liked wine regions.
Don’t be mistaken to think that The Old Pharmacy stands out just because of the looks of this bar and the particular atmosphere. The team who runs this wine bar is uber professional. Not only do they have an in-house sommelier ready to do recommendations and explain to guests what they are tasting, the list of wines available was curated by wine consultant Sérgio Antunes. At the Old Pharmacy you’ll be in good hands and, glass after glass, perhaps a little closer to healing!
📍Rua do Diário de Notícias 83, 1200-142 Lisbon
www.instagram.com/theoldpharmacylisboa
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