Considered the forerunner of Lisbon’s food scene modernization, the famous Portuguese chef José Avillez has become something of a brand. Avillez has opened restaurants, bars and pizza places in Lisbon and Porto. The Cantinho, his iconic flagship restaurant, has always been one of our favorites, and we once again repeated the visit and left as satisfied as ever. Only recently did we try the Bairro, a large venue with three different types of eating experiences, all amazingly good: Taberna is at the front room, an informal ambience, where you can taste tapas-style dishes, such as the galega octopus, the ham croquettes or the amazing pork sandwich. The super fun Mercearia has cheeses, cold cuts, hams and wine aplenty. The Pateo is a stunning central courtyard with a beautifully decorated mezzanine, where you can have proper meals. We tried the delicious grilled calamari, tasty shrimps in a deep pan crust, but meat dishes are also available. It is definitely a must-go while in town, as long as you bear in mind that it is one of busiest in Lisbon, so make sure to book a table well in advance.