Best Romantic Dining in Lisbon

Lisbon's 19th-century Palácio Valle Flôr was once the home of a nobleman. Today, as the Pestana Palace, it's a top-notch hotel and features one of the most sumptuously decorated dining halls in the city. Eating at the Valle Flôr restaurant is to appreciate the contemporary flourishes afforded by the kitchen to traditional Portuguese cuisine while admiring the magnificent interior of the palace's former Grand Ballroom embellished with gilded wood and marble sculpture. It's particularly romantic at night, when flickering candlelight dances over tables set under sparkling chandeliers. During the summer months a lighter menu is offered at Casa do Lagoa, an Oriental-styled pavilion overlooking the garden swimming pool.

Book ahead for any chance of a table on the open verandah at Faz Figura, where the romantic views spill over the Tagus Estuary and out towards the far south bank. The windows are left open in summer, but even during the chillier winter months the mood is light and airy thanks to a fresh and contemporary interior design. Highly regarded for its creative Portuguese-Mediterranean gastronomy, where specialities like cataplana dishes and picanha (steak grilled over an open fire) attract local patronage, stylish Faz Figura is also celebrated for its delicious choice of desserts (try the fig and carob pies) and arm-long wine lists. The restaurant's wine bar, meanwhile, delights with its extraordinary selection of near-50 Portuguese labels.

This snug little eatery used to be a bakery and diners can still admire the interior's original slated walls and arched ceiling, architectural features that ably enhance its traditional character. They've even preserved the lovely old oven! Appetizer choices such as soft goat's cheese with honeydew carpaccio or the succulent pan-fried prawns smothered with melt-in-your mouth garlic butter raise the curtain over a menu of creative fish and seafood dishes. A variety of meat plates, including the delicious wild asparagus "migas" with juicy pork tenderloin, also tempt the palate. The restaurant is known for its generous wine list, and the reds and whites stocked in the cellar are expertly paired to match the cusine. Round the meal off with dessert, – the chocolate volcano, if you've room.

For over 42 years this restaurant has maintained a reputation as one of the most prestigious in the city, indeed Portugal. Tucked away in a quiet residential street in one of Lisbon's leafier neighbourhoods, its low-key profile belies the many gastronomy awards bestowed upon the kitchen, and its patronage by an appreciative local and international clientele. Chef João Pereira consistently raises the culinary bar with his inventive take on traditional Portuguese cuisine. He'll very often leave the kitchen and greet diners during the course of the evening in a wonderfully personal gesture. Sommelier Ricardo Morais brings to the fore his considerable expertise in pairing the wines. The setting is romantic and quite beautiful, the inviting interior exuding an upscale homestyle ambiance.

While fado music expresses a somewhat melancholy yearning, it's performed in some of the romantically themed restaurants in Lisbon. A particularly esteemed venue is Senhor Vinho, a fado house located in the city's refined and elegant Lapa district. Typically, dinner is served between performances of around 20 minute sets, where the fadista sings, accompanied by two guitars. Lights are dimmed and very often candlelight is the only illumination, thus enhancing the romantic ambiance. Senhor Vinho hosts a venerated roll call of artists including Maria de Fe and Joana Amendoeira. The magical atmosphere perfectly complements a menu that pays tribute to traditional Portuguese cooking, cuisine that's matched with some of the country's finest wines.

Crowning the five-star Sheraton Lisboa Hotel & Spa, the Panorama Restaurant commands glorious views of the Portuguese capital. This is romantic, top-floor dining at its cosmopolitan best, a gourmet retreat set in a fashionable urban eyrie. An imaginative a la carte menu explores the tastes and textures of Portugal and southern Europe, effortlessly melding Atlantic influences with those of the Mediterranean. Beautifully crafted and presented, the gastronomy acknowledges Portuguese culinary tradition but in a colourful and contemporary manner. A note-worthy interior design feature is the remarkable glass-fronted wine cellar. Here, some of the most celebrated wines in the country lie waiting to be chosen, along with champagnes and selected international labels. The restaurant is separate from the bar, where gin and sushi work particularly well together. Both venues exude an understated glamour but it's after dark, when Lisbon sparkles below, that Panorama reaches the true height of romance.

Similarly, perched on the top floor of one of Lisbon's most fashionable hotels is this chic, hideaway eatery called Lumi. The restaurant boasts that most desirable of culinary combinations - a place to eat exuding a romantic vibe blessed with fine views over the city. Actually, there's a third very good reason for booking a table at Lumni: behind the kitchen is acclaimed Portuguese chef João Silva. At Lumi the seasonal menu fuses traditional Portuguese gastronomy with colourful and textured southern European and international flourishes. Ingredients are locally sourced where possible. Guests can expect a showcase cooking experience underpinned by a broad and appealing wine list. While there are set dining hours, Lumi is open all day for drinks and nibbles

A former 17th-century convent provides the backdrop for one of the most romantic dining venues in Lisbon. With outside tables set within the cloisters and those inside arranged in and around an ancient refectory, A Travessa can claim with considerable justification to be one of the most charming and historic restaurants in the Portuguese capital. Ably run by Belgium national Viviane Durieu and her Portuguese partner Antonio Moita, A Travessa is noted for its inventive fusion of southern and northern European cuisine, with their chef drawing on the culinary traditions of both regions to produce dishes like the signature raie au beurre noir â€" steamed ray in a black butter sauce, balsamic vinegar and capers. Wines exclusively represent Portugal. This is a restaurant for all seasons: during summer the cloisters exude a wonderfully al fresco atmosphere. In the chillier winter months dining inside by the fireplace is equally alluring.

Recommended by Michelin, one of the city's finest gourmet hotspots also affords quite possibly the best view of downtown Lisbon from any restaurant terrace. Needless to say, this appealing combination of taste and aesthetics places Tágide in the top tier of romantic dining venues, a reputation it has enjoyed for over thirty years. Housed in an elegantly styled 18th-century building, the restaurant seats up to 100 guests and the most intimate tables are those set out on the verandah (tables by the window are quickly snapped up). The menu, conceived by chef Gonçalo Costa acknowledges traditional Portuguese cuisine and regional flavours to produce dishes like sautéed cuttlefish with cucumber and clam rice. The Tágide Tapas & Wine bar, located on the ground floor, offers a more informal dining experience, where guests can enjoy an imaginative range of tasty tapas and appetisers. If the mood takes you, pause here for aperitifs beforehand.

Altar is celebrated as much for its warm and inviting interior decor as it for an inspired menu of traditional Portuguese cuisine. A rustic country kitchen atmosphere permeates throughout this delightful eatery, where the emphasis is on fine food presented in a novel and imaginative fashion. In fact the attention to detail reflects that of the restaurant space, furnished as it is by gilt-framed mirrors, old-fashioned keys, and, oddly, a collection of open books hanging off the walls and ceiling. Reading the menu is to delve into Portugal's culinary heritage, exemplified by fresh fish and seafood, and hearty meat dishes. A favourite seasonal nibble is sardines served on a terracotta plate. The oven-baked octopus or cod remain classic choices. But make sure you leave room for dessert: the vanilla pan cotta with red fruit sauce is a dream!