The 5 best wine bars

Owned by one of Portugal’s leading wine journalists, João Paulo Martins, this wine bar is truly phenomenal. Not only because of the quality of the wine and the tapas selection, but also because of the stunning location inside an old water cistern that supplied the neighbourhood with fresh water.

Located in the heart of Bairro Alto, Alfaia is a great place to discover the variety and quality of Portuguese wines while tasting some delicious tapas. It is famous for the friendliness of owner Pedro Marques (affectionately called ‘Pedrão’), who is always present to suggest a surprising wine.

Located on a side street of Avenida da Liberdade, Sommelier is a restaurant that combines fine dining dishes with the tasting of more than 80 fine wines by the glass, carefully selected by the restaurant’s expert sommeliers.

Large-scale wine producer José Maria da Fonseca (JMF), a company that has been making wines for almost 200 years, created this bar. Here you can enjoy JMF’s wines, namely the world-famous Setúbal muscatels. The bar looks like a wine cellar and the arched ceilings are covered with a stunning display of 3200 bottles.

This bar is worth a visit if only for the location on the riverside near Cais do Sodré. During the day you can enjoy the outdoor terrace overlooking the river and choose from a large selection of wines and cocktails. If you feel like it, go next door to Station, one of the coolest clubs in town.