Essencial
Restaurant · Bairro Alto ·

Essencial

Restaurant · Bairro Alto ·

Seafood, meat, open kitchen, French-Portuguese fusion

Essencial by null
Essencial by Joana Freitas
Essencial by Joana Freitas
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null
Essencial by null

Information

R. da Rosa 176, 1200-390 Lisboa, Portugal Get directions

€50+

Reservations required
Restroom
Popular for dinner
Cozy
Romantic

Information

Static Map

R. da Rosa 176, 1200-390 Lisboa, Portugal Get directions

+351 21 157 3713
essencialrestaurante.pt
@essencialrestaurante

€50+

Features

•Reservations required
•Restroom
•Popular for dinner
•Cozy
•Romantic
•Trendy
•Fancy
•Good for solo dining

Last updated

Oct 26, 2025

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@infatuation
132,814 Postcards · 3,235 Cities

The 29 Best Restaurants In Lisbon - Lisbon - The Infatuation

"Essencial is a buzzy, tiny, and minimal restaurant in the middle of Bairro Alto that feels more like having dinner inside someone’s (very well-decorated) house rather than at an actual restaurant. Pick from two options: a full menu with dishes like oven-baked rice and scarlet shrimp or a three-course tasting for small plates of turbot with caviar and pigeon foie gras." - rita geraldes

https://www.theinfatuation.com/lisbon/guides/best-restaurants-lisbon-portugal
Joana Freitas
Essencial
@michelinguide
48,244 Postcards · 8,023 Cities

"This small restaurant, set on a side street in the popular Bairro Alto, features a fully open kitchen in the centre of the room and minimalist décor in neutral tones. Drawing from his experiences in international restaurants, Chef André Lança Cordeiro blends French techniques with seasonal Portuguese ingredients. You’ll find dishes brimming with personality, such as the famous pâté en croûte stuffed in various ways, or the lobster & sweetbread vol-au-vent, prepared with barnacles, mussels, codium seaweed, and samphire... The fixed-price menu is complemented by a solid tasting menu. Be sure to check out the wine list — it’s very appealing!" - Michelin Inspector

https://guide.michelin.com/en/lisboa-region/lisboa/restaurant/essencial
Essencial
@infatuation
132,814 Postcards · 3,235 Cities

Essencial - Review - Bairro Alto - Lisbon - The Infatuation

"Essencial is a buzzy, tiny, and minimal restaurant in the middle of Bairro Alto that feels more like having dinner inside someone’s (very well-decorated) house rather than at an actual restaurant. Pick from two options: a full menu with dishes like oven-baked rice and scarlet shrimp or a three-course tasting for small plates of turbot with caviar and pigeon foie gras." - Rita Geraldes

https://www.theinfatuation.com/lisbon/reviews/essencial
Joana Freitas
Essencial

Olga G.

Google
This is an insanely good restaurant. Don't think twice. The zucchini flowers with snow crab, the lobster roll, shrimp rice, the yuzu pistachio desert are to die for. The atmosphere is amazing - the kitchen is right there in front of you, and yet you cannot feel its closeness in terms of smell. All the staff is extremely professional, welcoming and collected. An amazing dinner!!!

Flor D.

Google
The place is quite expensive for what it offers. We spent 80 euros each! The service is very good, but the food is not fresh, the menu combinations feel a bit odd, and the options are very limited considering the price. The restaurant should either be larger or have a better atmosphere. Unfortunately, the food didn’t sit well with me and gave me stomach cramps.

AOT

Google
Loved the dining experience at Essencial. It was as good as we expected and we were not disappointed. We chose the Menu Bistrot which included three courses at €55 pp. One could also choose from the tasting menu. All of the food was delicious. Highlights were the cured amberjack, lobster brioche and pork. I would even go as far to say the pork may be the tastiest I’ve ever eaten. We sampled some delicious Portuguese wines. Of note we loved a white wine from the Azores. The restaurant was small but cosy and modern with an open plan kitchen where diners could observe the restaurant team at work. The only negative point was that it was a little cold all evening as our table was right in front of the door so we really felt it. I wasn’t able to take my jacket off without shivering. A number of the dishes had supplements which is always annoying in restaurants but unavoidable if it’s the dish you want. I also thought it was a little cheeky charging €2.50 for what appeared to be their own filtered tap water. Overall however, we left feeling full and very happy with our experience. We would highly recommend.

Rebecca Hiromi T.

Google
Small restaurant. Amazing food. Great value for money. Their Yuzu Paris Brest is incredible. Today was our 3rd time there and it has always been a nice experience - menu has some classics and yet they have somewhat seasonal dishes, so it is worth visiting in different times throughout the year. Hint: if they have the carabineiro shrimp rice, they can usually make it for 1 person as well, not just for 2 (although it is not explicit on the menu)!

Caspar M.

Google
Best discovery during trip in lisbon! Open kitchen concept, great atmosphere, interior very nicely designed. The food is de-licious. Wine pairing and flavours are simple and elegant. Great restaurant, absolutely deserves a bib gourmand rating!

ajay M.

Google
It was really a remarkable to experience the true craftsman ship in creating such a wonderful menu. Most importantly Chef Andre and his entire happy team work to perfection and ensure that they present a culinary masterpiece. We visited from Australia and our daughter Naomi and son in law Seamus gifted us this beautiful dinner and the experience we will cherish for a very long time. We will visit you again in September. Muito Obrigado.

Irina D.

Google
On August 17th, my husband and I had dinner at this restaurant. The service was excellent, and everything tasted good. We had the same dishes except for the main course. My husband ordered pigeon with foie gras and some garnish, but the meat was practically raw. Early the next morning, my husband showed all the signs of food poisoning. When he contacted the restaurant, all he heard were apologies and excuses that no one else had complained. Such an attitude towards guests is unacceptable. Especially considering that not everyone is willing to confront, call, and sort things out. We also noticed that the couple at the table next to us, who ordered the same main course (pigeon), did not eat it at all — they just picked at it and returned it to the waiter. It’s a real pity, but I cannot recommend this place.

Van

Google
The foid is out of this world. The service is excellent, staff is very attentive. This place deserves more than 1 Michelin star. Best food I have ever had in my life! What an amazing experience!