WhereToEatNow Review
Mouraria is the neighbourhood that tourists walk through on the way between the castle and Martim Moniz without noticing they are in the most genuinely mixed part of Lisbon. Taberna do Calhau is a good reason to stop. It sits on a small square with a few outside tables, and it cooks Portuguese petiscos with a lighter, more contemporary hand than the tasca a few doors down.
Expect the familiar things done well and a couple of surprises. Peixinhos da horta, if they have them, arrive with a properly thin batter rather than the heavy jacket most places settle for. There is usually a good octopus dish, something with pork that has taken hours, and a decent vegetarian plate — rarer than it should be in this category. Bread and olive oil are taken seriously. Nothing is precious about any of it.
The wine list is small and well chosen, weighted toward Portuguese producers working at a modest scale, and priced so you order a bottle rather than agonising over glasses. Service is warm and speaks enough English to help without making you feel like a tour group.
Honest notes: the square outside is lovely on a mild evening and less lovely when the wind picks up. It is small, so weekend evenings need a booking or a wait. And the neighbourhood, while completely fine, is scruffier than Chiado — that is a feature if you came looking for the real city and a drawback if you did not.