This article may contain affiliate links, meaning I make a small commission on any purchases at no extra expense to you. Read our disclaimer & privacy policy here.
Ashley Metcalfe
June 12, 2024
O Velho Eurico is a one-of-a-kind dining experience.
At first look, it seems like a small, humble restaurant perched on the hills of Castelo de São Jorge.
But when you take a deeper look, you can see the hard-working owners who put a lot of passion into each dish they serve.
That’s why O Velho Eurico has become one of the most coveted, exclusive dining experiences that require making a reservation at least a month in advance…unless you’re lucky enough to walk in on a quiet day.
Matthew and I dined at O Velho Eurico for one of our date nights. Our friends told us about this spot and we tried to reserve a spot for the next week (not knowing it was popular). Thankfully, we stayed in Lisbon for longer than a week and secured a reservation a few weeks later!
The dishes are creative, thoughtful and simply delicious…but that’s not all there is to a dining experience, right?!
Here’s our personal experience and everything you need to know about dining at O Velho Eurico.
O Velho Eurico Is One Of The Best Restaurants In Lisbon
What’s it like dining at O Velho Eurico?
One word: Excellent.
You’ve got these cool, mysterious tavern vibes combined with these stunning, creative dishes on a plate. O Velho Eurico focuses on serving their own versions of classic Portuguese food like Arroz de Pato (duck rice), bacalhau à brás (cod fish dish) and more.
This taverna was almost permanently closed (by previous owners) before this young talented chef, Ze Paulo Rocha, bought it and made it the HUGE success it is today.
Menu At O Velho Eurico
O Velho Eurico’s menu is all you can wish it to be…
…it’s simple, has a good variation of protein and is carefully constructed. It’s easy to go as a group because they have something for everyone!
We weren’t quite sure what we would order at this restaurant. I knew there were some seafood dishes I wanted to try but Matt wasn’t so sure. These are some of the famous dishes on the O Velho Eurico menu:
- Meat dishes:
- Arroz de Pato (duck rice)
- Moelas (chicken gizzards)
- Croquetes de Borrego (lamb croquet)
- Chambao Bolo Levedo (beef shank sando)
- Seafood dishes:
- Bacalhau à brás (cod fish)
- Polvo à Lagareiro (octopus & garlic)
- Camarao Piri-Piri (piri-piri shrimps)
- Dessert dishes:
- Leite Creme (creme brûlée)
- Baba de Camelo (caramel mousse)
- Sandwiche de Gelando (ice cream sandwich)
You’ve also got great starters like bread and cheese (which you shouldn’t overlook). It’s so simple but SO delicious!
These are just some of the dishes that you can order while eating at O Velho Eurico. They have more options for each course!
One thing to remember: I feel like the O Velho Eurico menu is seasonal and simply based on what they want to (or can) serve that day – which is more than fair. Some dishes may not be available even if you see photos of them on Google Maps – simply ask and they will suggest other dishes. Don’t worry, it’s all delicious!
*Everything that is in bold is what we ordered off the O Velho Eurico menu. We can confidently recommend the dishes we tried…they blew us both away (and Matt isn’t even a seafood or duck fan).
Food At O Velho Eurico
Ready for some drool-worthy food pictures?
O Velho Eurico obviously delivers on taste, but the presentation? Decadent and simple. And they way the plate it just makes the dish look so appetizing!
We asked the staff how many dishes they recommended for the 2 of us to order and they replied “2-4” depending on how hungry we were.
Matthew and I ordered a starter to share, 3 main dishes and 2 desserts. The portion sizes were perfect and this turned out to be the perfect amount for us (as we were pretty hungry, waiting all day for this meal).
We weren’t sure about getting a starter because we didn’t want to get full too early, but when they asked, we couldn’t resist! So, we ordered the bread with cheese.
The bread is served warm and it’s so soft. When you pair it with the cheese? It creates harmony in your mouth! The perfect pairing and a great starter dish at O Velho Eurico!
The star of the night has to be the Polvo a Lagareiro (octopus and garlic). Just get this if it’s on the menu! I love seafood, especially octopus and shrimp, so I had to get this dish. Matthew doesn’t particularly enjoy seafood so I begged him to order this and share it with me!
He was pleasantly surprised by how much he liked it even though it was seafood. The perfectly cooked octopus paired with sultry garlic oil could turn anyone into a seafood lover, apparently.
The most surprising dish was the Arroz de Pata (duck rice). We are new to eating duck, we like it but it just isn’t at the top of our list to eat. But…this duck rice was something else!
Crispy rice on the top, duck throughout the dish…what’s there to complain about?! It’s also a great dish to fill you up but the flavors are what will keep you going for more. It’s rich and it’s simply tasty!
Next we had the batatas fritas com francesinha (poutine fries). This was obviously Matthew’s pick!
It’s a simple french fry dish that has a lovely sauce poured over the top. It was good, but if I could go back I’d try a different dish, like the beef shank sandwich.
For dessert, Matthew had the creme brûlée, while I ordered the chocolate mousse with sea salt. These desserts were so simple but were a 10/10 for us!
If you love mousse, it’s one of the best ones I’ve had! If they ask if you want dessert, just say YES – you won’t regret it!
Overall, the lovely food at O Velho Eurico is well worth booking weeks in advance! They have an extensive menu with classic dishes that will surely tickle your taste buds – all created by a talented famous Portuguese chef!
Drinks At O Velho Eurico
You can order your usual drinks at O Velho Eurico. We were feeling good, it was a lovely atmosphere, so we ordered a pitcher of white house wine… as you do. An interesting thing was that they served our wine in these cute bowls. It was quirky but we loved it!
It’s best to ask the staff what drinks they have! We don’t remember a physical drink menu but they will let you know what they have. The house wine was great and pretty affordable! You can also drink beer and your usual soft drinks.
At the end of our meal, the friendly staff came over and offered us this typical Portuguese liqueur. We accepted and it was pretty strong but a great way to finish a fantastic meal!
Service At O Velho Eurico
Everyone’s experience of service can be a little different. That’s just the way it is!
We had amazing service at O Velho Eurico! When we mentioned we had a reservation, everything went very smoothly. They quickly seated us as they opened and they showed us the menu on the wall, asking if we wanted to start with drinks and some bread.
It’s important to note: Once they realize you have a reservation, you are well taken care of! They make you feel great and totally welcome. If you don’t have one, they can come off a little stand-offish, but you can understand why as they are trying to manage a huge overflow crowd outside (as shown below)!
The staff are all very cool. They have their own aesthetic and messy vibe that you just naturally love. They were still very professional, but they’ve got this young, fresh aura that they bring to the table that is just so unique!
A common complaint I see in reviews of O Velho Eurico is that the staff might take a while to deliver your food. We also noticed that there were a lot of regulars who could easily come into the restaurant. Not sure how it works for that – just make a reservation in advance to avoid any issues!
Here’s the thing: the restaurant is VERY busy! Good food takes time. If you want your meals to come at once, simply order them all at the same time. It’s not a place to have a few dishes and get out as quickly as you can. It’s meant to be enjoyed!
The best part about the service at O Velho Eurico is that we felt like we could stay as long as we wanted. We never felt like they were rushing us out the door (even with huge crowds outside). We arrived at 8:00pm and left at around 10:00pm! They let us stay a while, enjoy our food and just have a great dining experience without any pressure to leave. Amazing!
Ambiance At O Velho Eurico
O Velho Eurico is a tavern which is a classic Portuguese restaurant. They are usually a little dark, rustic and very cozy.
The mismatched wooden chairs, the brick walls and the ambient lighting all contribute to this intimate dining experience. We will say: it’s a little tight inside and you might be right next to other customers. But isn’t that all part of the experience?!
Prices At O Velho Eurico
The standard of dishes at O Velho Eurico is SO high. They could easily charge an arm and a leg for them. But they don’t…
…We were shocked at how reasonably priced the dishes were. It’s obviously still going to cost more than your average restaurant in Lisbon. Matthew and I spent about €56 ($59.50 USD) for some wine, a starter, 3 meals and 2 desserts!
Here’s some more prices you can expect at O Velho Eurico:
- Arroz de Pato (duck rice): €11 ($11.70 USD)
- Bacalhau à brás (cod fish): €12 ($12.75 USD)
- Batatas Fritas Com Francesinha (poutine fries): €6.5 ($6.90 USD)
It’s definitely a more special night out than your average restaurant but we think it’s worth the price tag!
Opening Hours At O Velho Eurico
When is O Velho Eurico open? These are the opening hours to keep in mind:
- OPEN: Tuesday to Saturday
- Lunch: 12:30pm to 3:00pm
- Dinner: 8:00pm to 10:30pm
- CLOSED: Sunday & Monday
The opening hours are very specific based on lunch service and dinner service.
When’s the best time to visit O Velho Eurico?
If you don’t have a reservation, we recommend waiting outside at least 30 minutes before lunch service, which is around 12:00pm. We see people have more success getting a table this way. You might also have better chances if you visit on a weekday!
If you don’t have a reservation, the dinner service is almost a mission impossible to simply walk in! The crowds are huge for their dinner service. The best thing to do is book weeks in advance! But more on that below…
Location Of O Velho Eurico
There’s only one O Velho Eurico restaurant in Lisbon. It’s located a suburb away from the famous Alfama district but it’s much closer to the Castelo de Sao Jorge!
This was actually close to where we lived and we would walk past, seeing the huge crowds of people waiting for their chance to dine at O Velho Eurico. That’s when we decided to make a reservation for ourselves.
You can easily get here by Bolt/Uber or take public transport. From there, it’s only a short walk up a hill to reach the restaurant. There’s a sign out the front and a few chairs – you can’t miss it (especially if the crowds are there)!
How To Make A Reservation At O Velho Eurico
Booking in advance for a table can be a little complicated, especially when there’s no website for a restaurant.
Here are the best ways to make a reservation at O Velho Eurico:
- Email them: reservas.ovelhoeurico@gmail.com
- DM them: O Velho Eurico Instagram
- Book via Google: CoverManager Platform
When Matthew and I booked, we emailed them just to be sure! It seems like you can DM them on Instagram as well but we’re unsure how reliable that is. The 3rd option seems new and you can give it a try if you’d like.
Again, we suggest booking via email. They can reply in English and work out the best time for you to dine with them. We wanted dinner which wasn’t available for another 2.5 weeks so we said we could wait and they booked it for us for later!
We showed up at the door at 8:00pm, said our names and it all worked out.
Want to walk in? It’s possible, but you may have to wait. Some people wait 1 hour and others 1.5+ hours. You can sit outside and they can serve you drinks while you wait.
We highly recommend booking via email, at least 3 weeks in advance!
Our Experience Dining At O Velho Eurico
How was our overall experience dining at O Velho Eurico?
We loved it! We give O Velho Eurico a 4.5/5 star rating!
Matthew and I had no idea what to expect and we were honestly blown away. We are not food journalists in any way, but we do love a great dining experience.
The only drawback is that the wait is long if you don’t reserve a table. Once you make a reservation, everything else falls into place. You will be greeted by cool staff, served excellent classic Portuguese dishes and simply have a great night out!
Is O Velho Eurico Worth A Visit?
Oh 100% yes! O Velho Eurico delivers excellent food, a cozy atmosphere and a fun vibe. It’s the perfect place for an intimate date night or a casual dinner with some good friends!
If we get the chance to visit the beautiful city of Lisbon again, you can bet I’ll be emailing O Velho Eurico for a reservation weeks in advance!
When Matthew and I recount all the restaurants we tried in the city, O Velho Eurico was our favorite food and #1 dining experience.
You simply have to try it for yourself!
Share this article: