If you’re a die-hard foodie, then you might want to make reservations at specific restaurants before you leave home. But if you’re already in Portugal, you can search for some place nearby, and book a table fast.
For example, if you’re planning a visit to Lisbon, chances are you’ll be able to book a table in advance at some of these Bairro Alto fado houses, or Michelin-starred restaurants in the Portuguese capital.
Online Services for Booking a Table in Portugal
While not all restaurants are listed, TheFork is a good resource for researching restaurants and making reservations in Portugal. It is available as a free app for iOs and Android.
You can search by cuisine, price, and location. Major Portuguese cities are included, namely Lisbon, Porto, Faro (Algarve), Setúbal, Funchal (Madeira), Coimbra, Braga, and Santarém. You don’t need a user account to book a table, although you can create one, but only to provide your email for the booking confirmation.
TheFork is a TripAdvisor company, so it lets you compare reviews by travellers and locals. As a bonus, there are restaurants with discounts or special offers available.
Zomato is another popular resource for researching restaurants in Lisbon and Porto. This Indian restaurant search and discovery service currently operates in over 10,000 cities scattered through 24 countries.
You can decide where to eat based on information (which includes restaurant menus) and reviews available on Zomato’s website and app, and immediately book a table.
If a specific restaurant you have in mind is not listed in any of these two services, then you probably have to look for their website (or phone number) to find out if they accept reservations, or ask your hotel to do that for you.
