The best italian restaurants in Lisbon

Lisbon has become much stronger for Italian food over the past few years. It is no longer just a question of finding a decent pizza or a safe pasta option. You can now choose between serious Neapolitan pizza, truffle-led classic Italian cooking, fresh pasta-focused restaurants and more modern, design-led spots depending on the kind of meal you want. Recent lists from Time Out and Condé Nast Traveller both reflect that wider range, while pizza rankings such as 50 Top Pizza have also given Lisbon several notable entries.

The best Italian restaurants in Lisbon are not all trying to do the same thing, which is exactly why it makes more sense to choose by style than to look for one universal winner. If you want a classic restaurant meal, Come Prima is one of the strongest names. If you want top-level pizza, Forno d’Oro and Lupita are both standout options. If pasta matters more than pizza, Il Mercato is one of the most reliable choices.

Come Prima

Come Prima is one of the clearest answers if you are looking for one of the best Italian restaurants in Lisbon rather than just one of the best pizza places. The restaurant group describes it as a long-established Italian restaurant in Lapa, open since 1999, with a strong focus on truffle dishes, and recent reporting has highlighted it as the only Portuguese restaurant included in a 2026 list of the world’s 70 best Italian restaurants with pizzeria.

This is the place to choose when you want a proper sit-down dinner rather than a quick pizza stop. It feels more classic and occasion-led than many of the city’s newer Italian spots, and that is part of the appeal. If you care about atmosphere, old-school restaurant comfort and dishes that go beyond the obvious pasta-and-pizza formula, Come Prima is one of the strongest choices in Lisbon.

Forno d’Oro

Forno d’Oro is one of Lisbon’s biggest names for pizza, and it has the recognition to back that up. Recent reporting says it was the only Portuguese restaurant included in the 50 Top Pizza World 2025 ranking, while other coverage notes that it has also ranked within the top ten in Europe.

If what you want is serious Neapolitan pizza rather than a broader Italian menu, this is one of the best places to start. It is especially strong for travellers who care about dough quality and want a restaurant that has been recognised well beyond Lisbon. Compared with Lupita, it feels more established and more classically “destination pizza restaurant” in style.

Lupita

Lupita is one of the most consistently talked-about pizza names in Lisbon right now. Its Instagram confirms two Lisbon locations, in Cais do Sodré and Alvalade, and 50 Top Pizza has a dedicated listing for the restaurant. Time Out also noted that Lupita was ranked 45th in Europe in the latest 50 Top Pizza Europa edition.

This is a better choice if you want something more casual, current and central in feel. It works especially well for a lively meal around Cais do Sodré, and it is one of the best Italian options in Lisbon if your priority is excellent pizza in a less formal setting. If Come Prima is for dinner plans and Forno d’Oro is for pizza credentials, Lupita is the one that feels most naturally built into a Lisbon evening out.

Il Mercato

Il Mercato is one of the best Italian restaurants in Lisbon if pasta matters more to you than pizza. The official site describes it as a restaurant and market concept opened by Chef Tanka Sapkota in 2016, with fresh organic house-made pasta and a quieter setting in Páteo Bagatela.

This is one of the most useful options for travellers who want a more rounded Italian menu without the heavier, more occasion-focused feel of Come Prima. It is not as famous internationally as some of the pizza-led names, but it is a very strong pick if you want fresh pasta, a more refined pace and a meal that feels restaurant-first rather than hype-first.

Santa Lucia

Santa Lucia is a good option if you want a more straightforward Italian restaurant in central Lisbon with broad appeal. The restaurant’s official site presents it as a traditional Italian restaurant and pizzeria in the city centre, with wood-fired pizza, fresh pasta and risotto. Its Instagram also confirms its positioning as a central Lisbon Italian restaurant.

This is not the most buzz-heavy or critically decorated Italian spot in Lisbon, but that is not necessarily a weakness. It makes sense for travellers who want a dependable central option that covers the familiar Italian restaurant bases well, especially if you are prioritising convenience over chasing one specific famous dish.

Valdo Gatti

Valdo Gatti is one of the more interesting pizza options in Lisbon if you want something slightly different from the better-known heavyweights. The official site describes it as an authentically Italian restaurant in Bairro Alto focused on organic artisanal pizza, while its Instagram emphasises organic sourdough pizza and current opening hours.

This is a good pick if you are already in Bairro Alto and want a pizza-focused meal that feels a little more independent and ingredient-led. It is not as high-profile internationally as Forno d’Oro or Lupita, but it is a strong neighbourhood option and a very reasonable inclusion in a Lisbon Italian shortlist.

Davvero

Davvero is one of the more polished Italian dining rooms in Lisbon. Condé Nast Traveller included it in its 2025 Lisbon restaurant list as the city’s standout for fine-dining Italian fare, highlighting chef Isaac Kumi’s ingredient-led approach and the restaurant’s consistency.

This is the one to choose if you want Italian food in a more upscale hotel-restaurant setting rather than a neighbourhood pizzeria or a classic trattoria feel. It is less about the casual energy of Lisbon’s pizza scene and more about a more refined, quieter dinner.

So which Italian restaurant in Lisbon is best?

For a full restaurant experience, Come Prima is one of the strongest all-round choices. For top-level pizza, Forno d’Oro and Lupita are the standouts, though they suit slightly different moods. For pasta, Il Mercato is one of the best picks. For a more polished fine-dining angle, Davvero is worth considering. And if you want a dependable central option without overcomplicating it, Santa Lucia is a sensible choice.

Practical tips before you book

It helps to decide first whether you want pizza, pasta, or a more complete Italian restaurant dinner. Lisbon’s best Italian spots are increasingly specialised, and that is part of why a single ranking is less useful than matching the restaurant to the type of meal you want.

Location also matters more than it seems. Lupita works well if you are already around Cais do Sodré, Valdo Gatti makes sense from Bairro Alto, Come Prima is better as a destination dinner, and Forno d’Oro is worth prioritising if pizza is the main event. That is partly an editorial judgement, but it follows directly from the restaurants’ locations, formats and current reputations.

Final thoughts

The best Italian restaurants in Lisbon now cover a much wider range than they used to. That is good news, because it means you can choose properly rather than settling for whatever looks closest. If you only try one, choose based on what you actually want to eat. Lisbon now has enough quality Italian food that “best” depends less on hype and more on whether you are after truffle-heavy classics, fresh pasta or genuinely strong pizza.

FAQ

1. What is the best Italian restaurant in Lisbon?

For many people, Come Prima is one of the best all-round Italian restaurants in Lisbon, especially if you want a full restaurant experience rather than just pizza.

2. Where can you eat the best pizza in Lisbon?

Two of the strongest names are Forno d’Oro and Lupita, both of which have recognition connected to 50 Top Pizza.

3. Which Italian restaurant in Lisbon is best for pasta?

Il Mercato is one of the best picks if fresh pasta is your priority. Its official site highlights house-made organic pasta as a core part of the concept.

4. Is there a fine-dining Italian restaurant in Lisbon?

Yes. Davvero is one of the clearest fine-dining Italian options in Lisbon and was highlighted by Condé Nast Traveller in its 2025 Lisbon restaurant list.

5. Which Italian restaurant in Lisbon is best for a casual meal?

Lupita is one of the best casual options if you want excellent pizza in a more relaxed setting.