Lisbon Pizza Guide – 10 Pizzerias Not to Miss

Our quest to find the best pizza in Lisbon has been a tasty challenge filled with more highs than lows. Check out our favorite Lisbon pizza restaurants and eat a pie today. For Lisbon residents like us, it’s the next best thing to eating pizza in Italy but without a three-hour plane ride from Portugal.

Pizza in Lisbon

It’s important to remember that Lisbon shares open borders with fellow EU member Italy. While it may not be Italians who fabricate many of the best pizzas in Lisbon, the Italian influence is clear.

With many Italian tourists and expats coursing through the city’s seven hills, an abundance of pizza feeds their demand for a taste of home. Additionally, Portugal’s place in the EU trading zone allows the nation to affordably procure great Italian ingredients like fresh DOP Mozzarella di Bufala from Campania.

The top Lisbon pizza shops also source local ingredients. Not only do Portuguese farmers grow quality fruits and vegetables in massive quantities, but Portuguese pork products rank as some of the best in the world.

Lisbon Pizza Guide

Our Lisbon pizza guide showcases nine pizzerias that take the art of pizza seriously. While these pizzerias serve the gamut from traditional Italian pies to modern variants, the commitment to quality shines through at each.

Some of these pizzerias have invested in traditional wood fired ovens and all show a rare dedication to their craft. You can eat at all of the best Lisbon pizzerias or just pick one depending on your level of pizza obsessiveness, your wallet and your time.

Pro Tip
The city’s hilly yet compact center makes a Lisbon pizza crawl doable. Some of the best pizzerias are in the center of town and others are easily accessible by tram, Uber or train.

The Best Pizza in Lisbon

Eating pizza in Lisbon isn’t a big commitment whether you live in Portugal or are visiting the tasty Portuguese city. Most pizza meals cost under 20€ even with a drink or two. Plus, there’s no need to travel since most neighborhoods have pizza shops that offer dining, takeaway and delivery services.

However, a few Lisbon pizzerias stand above the rest and justify a special trip. These pizzerias rarely charge more than their pizza brethren and don’t require much advance planning. However, you may need to wait in line or make a reservation to score a table.

When you’re deciding where to eat pizza in Lisbon, we recommend starting at the following four pizzerias:

1. Lupita Pizzaria

Sparsely decorated with an industrial vibe, Lupita is another Lisbon pizza shop with Brazillian owners who understand the importance of good dough. However, unlike Tozzi Forneria Moderna, this pizzeria eschews traditional Neapolitan traditions in favor of fusing elements from Portugal, Italy and the United States.

Daryl immediately noticed the New York connection when he tasted lemon zest atop the crispy base of our pizza. Co-owner Duda Ferreira later validated his suspicion by sharing that he and Marcelo Parent had consulted with Anthony Falco, the pizza guru previously associated with hipster icon Roberta’s Pizza in Brooklyn.

Again proving that good pizza starts with good dough, the Lupita team ferments two local flours (ancient grain and double zero) for 48 hours to achieve the desired texture. Lupita sources most of its ingredients from local producers in Portugal except for the handful that are unique to Italy.

Lupita’s menu features seven pies ranging from traditional (Margharita and Marinara) to exotic (Annanás and Cogumelos). Not your average mushroom pizza, the Cogumelos boldly adds three cheeses and lemon garlic cream to the mix. We haven’t tried the Annanás pie made with Azorean pineapples yet but, after hearing Ferreira’s enthusiasm for the unconventional and controversial topping, it’s on our list.

Update: We later tasted and loved Lupita’s Annanás pizza.

2. Tozzi Forneria Moderna

The team behind Tozzi Forneria Moderna proves that you don’t have to have a fancy pizza oven or Italian birth certificate to create world-class pizza. Originally from Brazil, Heitor ‘Tozzi’ Americo and Marina Wisniewski create excellent pies without a fancy heating device.

In many ways, this culinary duo channels Franco Pepe’s spirit in their classic approach to fermenting dough for 48 hours. Though they don’t have the famous pizzaiolo’s pedigree or Pepe in Grani‘s wood-fired oven, they manage to create pizza magic in a special electric oven that heats to 350°C (approximately 660°F).

Based on the quality of the two pies we ate, Tozzi Forneria Moderna immediately soared toward the top of our Lisbon pizza list. The shop’s traditional Pepperoni pie was an instant classic while its seasonal Française pizza creatively topped with figs, brie, lemon cream and almonds was a revelation.

But, despite the variety of toppings, we were all about the crust. Supple with just the right amount of char, this crust took us straight to Campagna where Neapolitan pizza was invented in the 19th century. Closing our eyes, we practically felt like we were eating pies in the heart of Napoli as opposed to central Lisbon.

Americo and Wisniewski represent the best of Lisbon’s culinary scene with their curious passion and sense of adventure. Their simply decorated, white-walled pizzeria isn’t fancy. The space isn’t large and doesn’t offer a beautiful terrace or amazing view. But none of that matters to true pizza fans like us.

3. M’arrecreo Pizzeria

Neapolitan pizza joint M’arrecreo Pizzeria arrived, pizza oven in tow, when it moved to a new Bairro Alto location in 2020. This oven generates the 480°C (900°F) heat necessary to create the kind of Neapolitan pies that we love to eat.

But, as we’ve discovered in Lisbon and beyond, good pizza ovens don’t guarantee good pizzas. Luckily, M’arrecreo Pizzeria also has the chops and ingredients to create pizza that make us say ‘hooray’ after just a few bites.

Similar to pizza restaurants in Naples, M’Arrecreo Pizzeria offers a range of starters, including fried treats called Cuoppo Napletano, on its menu. And, since Lisbon is in Portugal, there’s also an optional couvert. We often say no to couverts but this one, comprised of focaccia and vivid green pesto, was worth its nominal fee.

Italy and Portugal are also represented in M’arrecreo Pizzeria’s beverage menu. Italian drinks include Aperol Spritz, Americano and Campari Negroni cocktails while Portuguese drinks include the ever-popular Porto Tonico as well as Sangria.

But let’s be real – we don’t climb a hill to go to M’Arrecreo Pizzeria for its starters and drinks, as lovely as they may be. As its name suggests, pizza is this Lisbon restaurant’s main event.

M’arrecreo Pizzeria’s pizzas are supple, airy Neapolitan pies with a soft crust more suited to eating with a knife and fork though we typically do a hybrid that involves cutting our pies with utensils and then rolling the slices with our hands. At the time of our most recent visit, the menu offered 19 pizza options ranging in price from 8€ to €15. As always, prices are subject to change.

We each have a favorite pizza and you will too. Mindi’s partial to the Diavola pie topped with spicy salami while Daryl recently enjoyed eating a M’Arrecreo pie loaded with enough ingredients to be called a ‘kitchen sink pie’. Since this particular kitchen sink was filled with items like tomatoes, mozzarella di bufala, spicy salami and ‘nduja, it was a solid choice. He usually scoffs at ingredients like onion on his pies but the addition of thin sliced red onion provided a crunchy counterpunch to the rich ‘nduja and salami. And, if you’re not feeling adventurous, our nephew vouches for the simpler Margherita pie.

4. Valdo Gatti

Valdo Gatti puts its mission statement on the wall for all to see. Translated into English, it reads “Italian Natural Artisan Pizza. Genuine. Simple. Good.”

This Bairro Alto pizzeria doesn’t just put these words on the wall. Starting with Italian wholewheat flour, Valdo Gatti sources most of its organic ingredients from small producers in Italy and Portugal.

Drinks like water and wine are natural here too. Owner António Cardoso proudly let us know that even the tap water they serve, filtered with an ionized-alkaline of ph9.5, is special.

As we learned during our pizza party for two, Valdo Gatti creates more than a dozen ‘Italian-style’ thin crust pizzas while providing the option for diners to create custom pies with different sauces, vegetables and proteins. This Lisbon pizzeria also offers a daily pie topped with seasonal ingredients.

During our visit, we shared creamy, dreamy Tiramisu after eating Cappricciosa and Margherita pies. The Cappricciosa pie didn’t disappoint with its melange of tomato, mozzarella, artichoke, olives, mushrooms, ham and spicy salami. We also enjoyed Valdo Gatti’s Margherita which was topped with Mozzarella di Bufala DOP Campana, tomato and fresh basil.

Solid Lisbon Pizzerias

Lisbon’s pizza game isn’t limited to a few great pizzerias. Instead, the city has several solid options, many offering unique dining experiences and pie styles.

Though we’ve rarely met a pizza we wouldn’t happily eat, some pies are better than others. Depending on your mood and where you’re located, the following Lisbon pizza restaurants are worth a visit:

5. Pizzeria Casanova

The location of Pizzeria Casanova justifies a visit on its own merit. This pizzeria’s expansive terrace literally faces the Tejo River and offers delightful views of distant Barreiro, Montijo and Almada to diners who dine at an outdoor table.

However, inside Pizzeria Casanova is the epicenter of the action. This is where the pizzeria’s staff prepares Roman-style thin crust pizzas in two wood-fired ovens.

After two decades in Lisbon, Pizzeria Casanova isn’t a hidden pizza gem. Since the pizzeria doesn’t take advance reservations, crowds queue nightly while waiting for an available table. It even gets crowded on weeknights, though the wait doesn’t usually take too long.

We waited in line for about 20 minutes during our initial midweek summertime dinner and were rewarded with an outside table facing the water. We were also rewarded with Diavola and Napoletana pizzas served promptly along with an affordable, chilled bottle of San Pellegrino sparkling water.

Casanova’s excellent, professional servers keep the Lisbon stalwart running while its pizza makes customers like us happy. These are reasons why we’ve since returned to the pizzeria a dozen times and counting.

6. ZeroZero

Contrary to its name, ZeroZero doesn’t just use double zero flour in its artisanal dough. This Lisbon pizzeria combines Italian milled 00 flour with other flour in a process that involves 14 hours of pre-fermentation followed by 48 hours of fermentation. And this is all before the team bakes each pie in a wood-fired oven.

ZeroZero opened its first location in Príncipe Real back in 2015 before adding locations in Parque das Nações (2017) and the Time Out Market (2018). Each location has its merits, with the main merit being ZeroZero’s crunchy thin crust pizza.

ZeroZero offers more than just pizza. Though we observed quite a few people eating pasta and charcuterie around us, we stuck to mission and ordered two pies – Pizza di Graziano with spicy Calabrese salami and Pizza Salsiccia e Provola Affumicata with sausage and cherry tomatoes.

Beyond pizza, we couldn’t resist ordering a Prosecco cocktail with vodka, passion fruit juice and red fruits from ZeroZero’s Prosecco bar. We also ordered a Caipirinha, a drink popular with Lisbon’s large Brazilian population and an old favorite of ours.

7. Refeitório do Senhor Abel

Refeitório Senhor Abel caught our eye as we were walking to a nearby Marvila cafe for coffee. Originally located in the former Abel Pereira da Fonseca wine storeroom and now located a few blocks from its original location, the pizzeria’s new space is a great spot to eat pizza in the gentrifying neighborhood.

Bright and cheerful, the Marvila pizzeria serves pies created by pizzaiolo Roberto Mezzapelle, a Sicilian chef who sources Italian ingredients for his Lisbon restaurant. We shared two – a classic Neapolitan Margherita pie with Mozzarella di Bufala and a spicy pie topped with spianata, nduja and ricotta. Both were excellent with crisp crusts and wonderful flavors.

8. Margarita Lisboa

We discovered Margarita Lisboa soon after we moved to Lisbon. Located in the Arroios Market, just a ten minute walk from our original Estefânia apartment, this pizzeria attracted us with its wood-fired pizza oven and tropical cocktail vibe.

Margarita Lisboa’s owner isn’t Portuguese, Brazilian or Italian. Although José Machado hails from Venezuela, his pizzeria skillfully combines the best of Portugal and Italy in creations like the Piri Piri pie topped with mozzarella cheese and piri piri peppers. Bottled piri piri sauce is also available for those seeking an extra kick.

Away from tourist attractions, this pizzeria’s prices skew relatively low with pies costing from €7.90 to €11.90 at the time of our most recent visit. Since crafted cocktails like margaritas and mojitos are also fairly priced, Margarita Lisboa is an ideal destination when you’re craving pizza and drinks in or near the Arroios neighborhood.

9. Forno d’Oro

Forno d’Oro lives up to its name with a sparkling, gilded, gold-tiled oven prominently displayed in the corner of the dining room.

The pizzeria sports an illustrious (yet, in our opinion overrated) Vera Pizza Napoletana certification which it proudly displays on its website and in the restaurant. Its extensive menu lists dozens of pizzas, some of which showcase Portuguese ingredients. This menu also includes pasta, meat and fish dishes.

Upon sitting down in Forno d’Oro’s formal dining room. we were repeatedly asked about our day as a if we were tourists who had just spent the day touring Belém. One server even expressed surprise that we had made our reservation with a Portuguese phone number.

Sensing our lack of enthusiasm or perhaps due to pizza insecurity, five different staff members later asked us if we loved our pizza. We’ll cut to the chase and say that we liked the two competent yet unremarkable pies we ordered from the menu’s ‘Italian Spirit’ section.

While Forno d’Oro is a quality pizza shop, it seems stuck in time warp where the mere idea of Neapolitan pizza is a novelty in Lisbon. As proven above, it is not.

Further Afield

10. Souldough Pizza

Most tourists take the short train ride to Sintra when they visit Lisbon. Though their main goal is to see Sintra’s famous castles, the savviest will venture just 10 kilometers further to eat pizza in Colares.

Originally serving its pizza from a van, Souldough currently operates in an open-air shack at Aldeia de Praia, a surfer-friendly compound in Colares. Despite this location, Souldough’s owners channel their Italian heritage by slowly fermenting dough for 36 hours and quickly baking pies in a giant yellow pizza oven.

We ate two excellent pies – a traditional Margarita pizza and a Mushroom Kingdom pizza with king oyster mushrooms, pesto oil and smoked mozzarella – during our day trip in Sintra.

It only struck us later that both pies were vegetarian. Needless to say, we didn’t miss the meat.

Additional Lisbon Pizzerias

We empathize if you want to eat even more pizza in Lisbon. If this is the case, consider the following additional Lisbon pizzerias:

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Original Publication Date: September 12, 2020
Republish Date: May 1, 2021