Asian cuisine, be it korean, chinese, japanese, pakistani, thai or from other latitudes beyond the setting sun are often very healthy, with natural ingredients taking almost all the emphasis. That’s why today we’re presenting a series of Asian restaurants where the most traditional dishes from this part of the globe are cooked.
The city has some of these places and in this list you’ll find the best Asian restaurants in Lisbon.
Afuri
After gaining fame in Japan and the United States, this Japanese restaurant chain chose Lisbon to enter Europe and… we thank you. Thanks to Afuri (and half a dozen other illustrious people), we can taste authentic ramen, as if we were in a Japanese tavern.
If you like strong flavors, don’t miss the tonkotsu shio ramen, made with pork belly, soybean sprouts, black garlic oil, pickled ginger and egg.
Another of the most famous options is the spicy Yuzu Ratan, which contains chicken broth, bamboo shoots, seasoned egg, chashu pork, spring onions, sesame, nori seaweed and yuzu citrus.
Address: Rua Paiva de Andrade 7 (Chiado); Avenida Dom João II 45 (Parque das Nações)
Han Table Barbecue
Let’s start by explaining that, in many of these restaurants, customers grill their food themselves, whether it’s meat or vegetables.
The Han Table Barbecue is one of these cases, where everyone grills their own meat, fish and vegetables to their liking, from various cuts of beef and pork, leeks, lotus flower, eggplant, tofu, as well as shrimp and octopus.
Address: Rua Gomes Freire 11B; Rua da Pimenta 5 (Parque das Nações); Rua António Pereira Carrilho 11 (Arroios)
Nood
We’d like to say right away that we love having lunch or dinner in a good Nood restaurant, especially in the Chiado area, where we particularly like the decor, but also all the food on offer, of course! It’s that the ramen specialties made at this spot are to die for.
Last summer we had the opportunity to attend the opening of the new unit of this meeting point for Asian flavors, located between Saldanha and Campo Pequeno, at Avenida Defensores de Chaves 55, which is also very well decorated and comfortable, perfect for lunch or dinner with friends… with ramen to accompany it, of course.
Address: Rua da Trindade 14 (Chiado); Avenida Defensores de Chaves 55A (Saldanha/Campo Pequeno)
Good Bao
Although Boa Bao’s restaurant space is large – and, by the way, very beautiful – it’s not easy to get a table at the busiest times for lunch or dinner. So our tip is to go 30 to 40 minutes before “rush hour”.
Serving traditional dishes from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Japan, China and, of course, Korea, it’s no wonder that everyone wants to try Boa Bao’s delicacies.
And because we’re talking about Asian cuisine, we recommend the purple sweet potato noodles or the bulgogi salmon marinated in Korean pear juice with Asian vegetables.
Another advantage of this restaurant is that you can take advantage of the huge terrace, right in the middle of the restaurant Chiado.
Address: Largo Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro 30 (Chiado)
SOI – Asian Street Food
Without a doubt, SOI is one of our favorite Asian restaurants. Is it obvious that we like street foodthat much?
Located in bustling Cais do Sodré, at SOI you can try the best curry dishes, baos, excellent pad thais and, of course, fried wings sautéed in Korean sauce.
Address: Rua da Moeda 1C (Cais do Sodré)
Soão – Asian Tavern
It opened in April 2018 and quickly became one of the best Asian restaurants in Alvalade.
Soão is right next to Cinema City and serves delicacies from India, Vietnam, Korea, Thailand, Japan and China.
Our Korean suggestion is the Dakganjeong, which are delicious spicy chicken wings with Korean sauce and sesame seeds.
The decor is impeccable, with paper lanterns, bird cages and dozens of other objects evoking oriental culture. Wood is the main element on both floors and the experience of eating at the counter is a must for those who like a more authentic experience.
Address: Avenida de Roma 100 (Alvalade)
Matchamama
O Matchamama is one of the most recent – and incredible – Asian restaurants, or with Asian food, in Lisbon is in the neighborhood of Alcântara, more precisely within the Lx Factory.
Here you can enjoy a variety of dishes from this part of the world, including the typical delicacies from Japan, China and Korea, such as sushi, sashimi, baos, woks, tempuras, dim sum, gyosas and chicken wings, among many other delights.
As for the decoration, inside you’ll find a very comfortable space for around 80 people, where a hanging garden takes center stage; outside, there’s seating for 100 people and an area where you can relax with your friends over a group dinner.
Address: Rua Rodrigues de Faria 103, Armazém F (Lx Factory, in Alcântara)
Hours: from Sunday to Wednesday, from 12.30 p.m. to 10.30 p.m.; and from Thursday to Saturday, from 12.30 p.m. to 11.30 p.m
Reservations: by e-mail: info@matchamama.pt or by telephone: 21 160 88 84