Christmas Dinner in Lisbon: Where to Eat on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through one of these links, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Read my full disclosure here.

Looking for Christmas dinner in Lisbon without spending your holiday wondering which restaurants are actually open?

Start by deciding whether you want Christmas Eve dinner, Christmas Day lunch, or an ordinary evening meal on December 25. They are three different reservations, and booking one does not solve the others.

I have spent two Christmases here since moving to Portugal in 2024, and what I love most is the food, family time, and beautiful decorations.

We had Christmas Eve dinner at Terrace in Martinhal Lisbon Oriente, and I would include it on my shortlist again. Below are my personal recommendations, confirmed 2026 festive options, and alternatives for anyone who would rather skip the Christmas menu.

Choose the meal first, then build the day around it. A Christmas brunch reservation is not a Christmas dinner reservation.

2026 dining information checked October 7, 2026. Published programmes do not guarantee an available table; use the restaurant links to check your exact date and party size.

In a Rush? Where to Stay in Lisbon

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best central choice: Altis Suites for apartment-style space near Príncipe Real and Avenida da Liberdade.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best family choice: Martinhal Lisbon Oriente for family accommodations, kitchens, pools and a kids club.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Best special-occasion choice: The One Palácio da Anunciada for a palace stay near central Lisbon.

Christmas dinner in Lisbon: the quick comparison

If you want a festive meal you can start arranging now, the options below have official 2026 Christmas announcements. I have separated the dates and services so you can compare like for like, rather than accidentally book a lunchtime buffet when you wanted an evening out.

Restaurant	December 24, 2026	December 25, 2026	Adult price
Flor de Lis, EPIC SANA Lisboa	Dinner, 20:00–23:00	Brunch, 13:00–16:00	€160 per service
River Lounge, MYRIAD by SANA	Dinner from 19:30	Brunch, 13:00–15:30	€150 per service
EPIC SANA Marquês	Gala Ballroom dinner; confirm time	Not established in the current announcement	€155 for dinner
Varanda de Lisboa, Hotel Mundial	Christmas Eve dinner	Christmas lunch	See event menu and reservation details

The SANA prices above include selected drinks, not necessarily every bottle or cocktail on the menu. Terrace is below as a firsthand recommendation, but its 2026 Christmas arrangements still need confirmation.

Neither the lunch listings nor a restaurant’s normal weekly hours establish Christmas Day dinner service.

Terrace at Martinhal Lisbon Oriente: where I had Christmas Eve dinner

Terrace is the recommendation here that comes from my own Christmas Eve. We ate there on December 24, 2025, and I still have the photograph of the beautifully presented menu, complete with its red bow.

It is exactly the kind of detail that makes going out for a holiday meal feel special.

The restaurant is inside Martinhal Lisbon Oriente in Parque das Nações. Its official dining page describes its food and setting; for Christmas, ask the team specifically about the December 24 dinner menu, whether it is à la carte or fixed-price, and the arrangements for children.

See Terrace about Christmas dining

If you are also deciding where to sleep, Martinhal Lisbon Oriente is one of my favorite options for a hotel family stay because we had space rather than feeling squeezed into a small room.

Keeping dinner close to your accommodation can make the evening easier, but check your chosen room type and do not assume the festive meal is included in the room rate.

Where to book Christmas Eve dinner in Lisbon

Flor de Lis at EPIC SANA Lisboa: a festive buffet with family activities

For a full Christmas Eve evening with food and entertainment in one place, Flor de Lis at EPIC SANA Lisboa has announced a buffet from 20:00 to 23:00 on December 24, 2026. The adult price is €160 with selected beverages, and the programme includes a live musical duo and children’s activities.

Children up to age three are free, while ages four to twelve pay half the adult price. A 50% deposit is required; the published terms allow free cancellation until 72 hours before the event, with no refund after that deadline.

Review the detailed menu and confirm dietary needs before committing.

View Flor de Lis Christmas menus and reservations

River Lounge at MYRIAD: Christmas Eve by the Tagus

If the setting matters as much as the menu, River Lounge at MYRIAD by SANA brings the meal to the Parque das Nações waterfront. Its December 24, 2026 buffet begins at 19:30 and costs €150 per person, including selected wines, water, soft drinks, and beer.

Elegant waterfront patio with cocktail drink, succulent plant, and ocean view through glass barriers

Live music and a children’s area are advertised. Children up to three eat free and ages four to twelve receive a 50% reduction; a 50% deposit and a 72-hour cancellation deadline apply.

This is River Lounge, not the hotel’s separate Fifty Seconds restaurant, so make sure you choose the correct venue when reserving.

See River Lounge Christmas dining options

EPIC SANA Marquês: a Christmas Eve celebration in the Gala Ballroom

For a celebration-style evening, EPIC SANA Marquês has announced a December 24, 2026 buffet in its Gala Ballroom. The €155 adult price includes selected beverages and live music; confirm the arrival and service times with the hotel.

Children up to three are free and ages four to twelve pay half price. The published conditions require a 50% deposit and allow cancellation without charge until 72 hours before the event. This is a different hotel from EPIC SANA Lisboa, and its announced dinner should not be treated as confirmation of Christmas Day service.

View the EPIC SANA Marquês Christmas dinner

Varanda de Lisboa: Portuguese-inspired dining with city views

Varanda de Lisboa at Hotel Mundial lists both Christmas Eve Dinner and Christmas Lunch for 2026, with separate booking links. It is an option to consider if you want a city-view restaurant and Portuguese-inspired food rather than choosing solely on the size of a buffet.

Open the event for your date to see the menu and booking details, then confirm the time, price, and children’s arrangements before paying. This is the restaurant at Hotel Mundial by Martim Moniz, not Varanda at the Four Seasons Ritz.

See Varanda de Lisboa Christmas events

Christmas Day lunch and brunch: make this your main meal

A long lunch can be a lovely way to spend December 25 if you do not want an elaborate evening. Choose a sitting that suits your family, leave the afternoon unhurried, and make a separate plan for later if you know you will want dinner.

Flor de Lis has announced Christmas Day brunch from 13:00 to 16:00, while River Lounge’s runs from 13:00 to 15:30. Varanda de Lisboa also advertises a Christmas lunch; use its date-specific event link rather than assuming the Christmas Eve menu applies.

A hotel serving Christmas lunch may still have different arrangements that evening. Ask about December 25 dinner explicitly.

If you are traveling with children, think about your usual mealtimes before choosing a late sitting. I would rather have a relaxed meal everyone enjoys than make the whole day revolve around a reservation that leaves the kids hungry or exhausted.

You also do not have to plan a major attraction around the meal. For ideas that fit a slower holiday, my guide to Christmas in Lisbon covers the wider experience, including the traditions and ways we have spent the season here.

Not celebrating Christmas? Places to ask about a regular meal

You can enjoy Lisbon over Christmas without wanting a traditional Christmas dinner, a hotel buffet, or a compulsory celebratory menu.

I know that not everyone is looking for the same holiday experience.

For Lisbon, the important detail is actual opening, not the cuisine a restaurant serves. The two places below are worthwhile non-festive options to contact, but their December 24 and 25, 2026 evening service and regular-menu availability are not yet confirmed here.

The Old House: Chinese food in Parque das Nações

The Old House at Rua da Pimenta 9 is a Chinese restaurant with Sichuan dishes, making it a good place to investigate if you would prefer that style of meal. Its official site provides menus and reservations, but ordinary weekly opening hours do not confirm holiday opening.

Ask whether the kitchen will serve dinner on your exact date, whether the usual menu will be available, and whether takeaway is possible.

They typically take card, but we went for a birthday dinner and they told us the card machine was broken. It was fixed by the end of the night, but just be prepared.

See The Old House menu and contact details

Boa-Bao in Chiado: a pan-Asian alternative to a festive set menu

Boa-Bao Lisbon on Largo Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro offers pan-Asian food, including vegan and gluten-free choices on its menu. Confirm suitability directly for allergies, since the restaurant flags cross-contamination considerations.

Ask the Lisbon team on +351 919 023 030 whether December 24 or 25 dinner will use the normal menu and hours. Its usual takeaway process does not accept advance scheduled orders, so do not build your holiday around an unconfirmed collection or delivery slot. A normal delivery listing is not evidence that Christmas delivery will be available.

See Boa-Bao Lisbon menus and reservations

When contacting either restaurant, be specific: “Are you open for dinner on December 25, 2026, for four people at 19:00, and can we order from the regular menu?” That gets you a much more useful answer than “Are you open at Christmas?” Keep the confirmation and ask about any deposit or cancellation conditions.

For meals on the surrounding days, my favorite Lisbon restaurants with a view gives you more places to consider. Those recommendations are not, by themselves, a list of restaurants open on Christmas Day.

What is a traditional Portuguese Christmas dinner?

Christmas Eve supper is often called consoada. Visit Portugal’s guide to Christmas Eve traditions describes salted cod or other fish as a traditional part of the meal, with meat dishes featuring in later celebrations.

Family and regional traditions vary, so there is no single menu every Portuguese household follows.

For sweets, look for bolo-rei, the crown-shaped cake with dried and candied fruit, alongside treats such as rabanadas, sonhos, and filhoses.

If you are choosing a restaurant because you want Portuguese Christmas food, read the actual festive menu: a generous international buffet and a traditional consoada are not necessarily the same experience.

Chocolate dessert with cream and a festive holly decoration on a blue plate — A festive dessert from Christmas 2024. A little room for something sweet is always part of my plan.

One of the things I love about Christmas here is how much of it feels centered on enjoying food, family, and beautiful surroundings. You do not need to copy somebody else’s celebration to enjoy that feeling, whether your own evening means cod, Chinese food, or a relaxed restaurant meal with the people you came with.

Plan something lovely around the meal

For me, the decorations and wandering through the city are a big part of the pleasure of Christmas in Lisbon. A meal does not need an overloaded itinerary attached to it: choose one nearby outing, leave room to linger, and let the evening feel like a holiday.

If you are eating centrally, build in a walk through the decorated streets before dinner rather than racing across the city afterward.

My Lisbon Christmas markets guide will help you choose a market to pair with another day too; check each market’s holiday opening instead of assuming every stall runs on December 24 or 25.

For a short stay, use my three-day Lisbon itinerary to organize the rest of your trip around your booked meals. It is easier to enjoy a special dinner when you have not already spent the entire day rushing from one side of Lisbon to the other.

If your Christmas meal is the reason for an overnight stay, compare the luxury hotels I recommend for Christmas in Lisbon before choosing your base. A dinner reservation and a room booking solve different things, so confirm each separately even when they are in the same hotel.

Add a private Christmas-lights ride before dinner

See the illuminated streets without turning the evening into another long walk. This private Christmas-lights eco tuk-tuk tour takes about an hour and includes photo stops, a driver-guide, blankets, and protective covers, making it a compact addition before a central Lisbon dinner.

Check your date and departure time before arranging the meal around it. The listed route is fixed and hotel transfers are not included; there are also age, weight, and luggage restrictions, including no room for strollers.

Allow time to reach the restaurant after the ride rather than booking dinner for the exact minute it ends.

Check Christmas lights tour availability

Final Thoughts

My own Christmas Eve meal at Terrace is a reminder that the best plan does not have to be complicated. Choose food you will enjoy, a setting that suits the people you are traveling with, and a time that lets you relax.

A confirmed table, a clear menu, and a little time to enjoy Lisbon are more valuable than trying to fit everything into Christmas Day.

Start with the official 2026 options if you want to book now, or contact Terrace and the non-festive alternatives about the exact meal you have in mind. Then leave some space in the day for the lights, a walk, and simply enjoying being here.

Portugal Travel Planning Guide

🚑 Should I buy travel insurance for Portugal?
It is strongly recommended. Non residents do not automatically receive free public healthcare, although private healthcare is available. Travel insurance covers emergencies, delays, and medical visits. If you require a Schengen visa, insurance is mandatory. Visitors Coverage is a highly trusted and recommended choice.

💳 Will my debit card or credit card work in Portugal, and do I need cash?

Most major credit and debit cards work in Portugal, including Visa, Mastercard, and many travel cards from US and UK banks. Some smaller cafés, markets, and rural spots still prefer cash, so carry a little on hand. To avoid foreign transaction fees, cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve are excellent options. For ATM withdrawals and currency exchange, use a Wise card. Wise usually provides better exchange rates than traditional banks and is widely accepted at Portuguese ATMs and anywhere debit and credit cards are accepted.

📲 Will my phone work in Portugal?
Many major carriers offer roaming plans, but costs vary. For affordable data, purchase a local SIM from Vodafone or MEO or use an eSIM like Airalo. Public wifi exists but is not always reliable, so a local data plan is ideal.

🚙💨 Is it safe to rent a car in Portugal?
Yes. Renting a car is one of the best ways to explore Portugal. Roads are well maintained. Expect toll highways and narrow streets in older villages. Automatic cars are limited, so book early. I recommend using Discover Cars to find the most reputable rental car company. Just filter for the company with the best reviews.

💧 Can you drink tap water in Portugal?
Yes. Tap water is safe throughout Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, and most populated regions. In remote rural areas water systems may vary, so check locally if you are unsure. Many visitors prefer a filtered bottle because the mineral taste can be stronger in some areas, though generally safe.

🏩 Best way to book accommodations in Portugal
I use Booking.com and Hotels.com for hotels. Mostly Hotels.com because I love a rewards program! For unforgettable, luxury stays, I highly recommend Plum Guide for your stay. VRBO also works incredibly well for luxury stays, especially for families.

✈️ Best site to search for flights to Portugal
Skyscanner and Google Flights provide reliable fare tracking for Lisbon, Porto, and Faro. Prices vary significantly by season, with summer being the highest.

🎫 Do I need a visa for Portugal?
US, UK, and most EU passport holders do not need a visa for short tourist stays within the 90-day Schengen limit. Stays longer than 90 days require a visa arranged before arrival.