A Cevicheria

The giant octopus sculpture sprawling across the ceiling sets the tone before you've even sat down: A Cevicheria is fun, loud, and refreshingly unwilling to take itself too seriously. That's exactly the right register for a place slinging raw fish and pisco sours in the middle of Príncipe Real. Chef Kiko's Nikkei-inspired kitchen fuses Peruvian brightness with Japanese precision and just a touch of Lisbon swagger, and the whole thing hums with an energy that most seafood spots can only dream of.

Start with a pisco sour, because it's excellent and because it primes your palate for what's coming. The classic ceviche is bright and punchy, all citrus, chilli and impeccably fresh fish, the kind of dish that wakes you up. From there, the tiradito with truffle oil is the move: indulgent, aromatic, and somehow never crossing the line into ridiculous. Order two ceviches and a tiradito between you and you'll have hit the high notes.

The catch, and there's always a catch with a place this good, is that it gets absolutely packed. There are only so many seats, and the buzzy atmosphere that makes it fun also makes it a tight squeeze. Book ahead if you can, or roll in early for lunch when the room is calmer and the light pours in. It's open Tuesday through Sunday from 12:00 to 23:00, which gives you room to plan around the crowds.

At the €€ mark this is smart, characterful eating that punches well above its price, and it comfortably outclasses the tourist-trap spots dotted nearby. Skip those, come here, and settle in for a meal that's as lively as it is delicious. Príncipe Real has no shortage of pretty places to eat, but few of them are this genuinely, unpretentiously good.