Stephen Ratner
Collection · Lisbon
Portugal · Two pieces

Lisbon.

I lived in Lisbon for a month while remote-working. One of these bowls came from a gift shop up near the lighthouse in Nazaré, where I watched 30-foot waves.

Lisbon Nazaré bowl, gouache illustration

The Lisbon recommendations guide →

01

Field notes

Lisbon, oh Lisbon. I lived there for a month, remote-working - an incredibly hilly city.

Gouache icon of a yellow Lisbon tram on a hill
Stop 01 · Living there

You can never be confident that anywhere you're going on Google Maps is on a flat surface. Beautiful little street carts and steak sandwiches. I lived up in Bairro Alto, which is very noisy.

Gouache icon of a giant ocean wave with a tiny surfer
Stop 02 · Nazaré

One weekend I went to Nazaré on my own - a field trip. I called in sick that day. Big surfing culture: I saw waves 30 feet tall, and there have been waves there up to 100. A beautiful surf town with small blue and white houses up on the hills. People have no concerns, no worries.

Gouache icon of a lighthouse on a cliff
Stop 03 · The bowl

I got these pieces in Lisbon, and one bowl in Nazaré from the gift store up near the lighthouse. I wanted to remember the trip. One day it would be so nice to own one of those little blue and white houses, just for fun.

02

The pieces

01

Nazaré bowl

White ceramic souvenir bowl with a blue wave design, from Nazaré.
02

Southwestern-style bowl

Ceramic bowl with a gray-green body and red rim.
Lisbon piece, gouache illustrationLisbon piece, gouache illustration
03

My saved places

01
Cervejaria Ramiro
Seafood · €50+
Book ahead - a month out is not crazy, though we once walked in at 8:30 on a weekday and sat right down. The carabinero shrimp and the edible crab are the orders; honestly most of the seafood is delicious.
02
Sr. Lisboa
Restaurant · €25–50
Get the piri chicken and the meat croquettes with fries. Every dish that arrives somehow beats the last - we stumbled in on our first day in Lisbon and were so glad we did.
03
A Primavera do Jerónimo
Restaurant · €15–35 · Belém
A tiny little gem in the heart of Lisbon - walk past and you'll just know. Book the night before; it's very small. Everything we ordered was 10/10, authentic and welcoming.
04
A Provinciana
Portuguese · €10–15
Show up at 11:45 and queue with the locals - office workers and building crews, not tourists. Traditional Portuguese done high-quality: the chicken soup, the codfish with potatoes, the pork.
05
Pinóquio
Seafood
A Lisbon seafood staple right on Praça dos Restauradores - the gambas de la costa are super fresh (they converted a non-shrimp-eating kid) and the seafood pasta delivers. Professional, friendly servers. Reliable rather than adventurous.
06
O Trevo
Portuguese · €5–10
Bourdain was right - but so are the Airbnb hosts who send guests here, because the room stays full of locals. The steak is magnificent and the bifana (pork cooked in white wine, add mustard or piri-piri) is made in front of you. It's packed; take any seat you can find, or stand. Service stays good even slammed.
07
Faz Frio
Portuguese · €20–45
A truly local experience - get whatever the tuna dish is. I eat out a lot and this was the first time in a while I didn't leave thinking I could have made it better at home.
08
Boa-Bao
Restaurant · €20–40
Let the staff choose for you - their personal recommendations were the best things we ate. Genuine, well-cooked Thai at reasonable prices for central Lisbon.
09
Organi Chiado
Vegan · €15–20
Get the trio of pates, skip the spiritual tofu (tastes mostly of nutritional yeast and turmeric). Portions run light - order more than you think. Super friendly staff.
10
Copenhagen Coffee Lab
Coffee shop · €5–10
Salmon-avocado sandwich and a cinnamon pastry with a smooth latte. Scan, order, and pay by QR at the table - easy.
11
O Faia - Casa de Fado
Fado · €50+
The oldest fado house - the singing starts around 8 and runs through dinner. Cozy, elegant but simple, with the owner's daughter hosting. Get the octopus and stay for the music.
12
LuxFrágil
Night club
Tough door, but be chill, dress well, and look like you want to be there - we went early (midnight) and got in no problem. The sound system is absolutely banging.
13
Bairro Alto Hotel
5-star hotel
Right on Praça Luís de Camões. Ask for a room facing the square and don't skip breakfast.
14
Second Home Lisboa
Coworking
The coworking floor inside Mercado de Ribeira - come for the plants, stay for the crowd. Flawless setup and friendly staff; great place to meet people if you're nomading.
15
Miradouro das Fontainhas
Viewpoint
16
Fairly Normal
Portuguese brand, organic fabrics you can feel - lovely team.