The Best Japanese Food in Lisbon
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The best Japanese food in Lisbon, according to the experts: Michelin Guide and Eater have both weighed in, and their honors are what rank this list. Kabuki Lisboa comes out on top, and the good stuff runs deepest in Lisboa.
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Kanazawa and YŌSO hold the next two places. Michelin Guide shows up on more of this list than any other guide, with Eater next.
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Rank 1. Kabuki Lisboa
Japanese
A sushi bar wrapped in a mural of the five tenets of Japanese philosophy sets the mood at this three-floor fine dining restaurant inside the Four Seasons Ritz Lisbon. The kitchen works Portuguese seafood into a Japanese-Mediterranean framework, which is either a natural marriage or a very convenient one depending on your view of history. It holds a Michelin star and draws a crowd dressed for the occasion.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: 1 Star
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Rank 1. Kanazawa
Kaiseki Japanese
Eight seats at a single counter, all facing the chef: that is the whole room at this kaiseki restaurant in Lisbon, which holds a Michelin star. The chef narrates each course as it arrives, working through menus rooted in the centuries-old Japanese imperial tradition. Evenings lean more elaborate, but the fish and nigiri are the quiet argument for coming back. Dress neatly and clear your evening.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: 1 Star
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Rank 1. YŌSO
Kaiseki Japanese
A ten-seat sushi counter tucked into Alcântara, where the name nods to earth, water, fire, and air, and the kitchen takes all four seriously. YŌSO holds a Michelin star for its kaiseki omakase, a single menu built around fish from Portuguese waters prepared in the Japanese tradition, broths and grilled courses alongside the raw. Dishes are named for their technique rather than their ingredients, which tells you exactly what kind of precision you're walking into.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: 1 Star
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Rank 4. MITSU
Omakase Japanese
Fourteen seats total, ten of them at the counter facing the kitchen, is the whole footprint of this omakase spot near Parque Eduardo VII. The chef builds the menu around fish from Setúbal, Nazareth, and the Azores, so the selection shifts with what those waters are doing. It's intimate in the way that means you will absolutely hear your neighbor's conversation, and they'll hear yours.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
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Rank 4. Omakase Ri
Omakase Japanese
Ten seats, no menu handed to you, and the chef narrating the provenance of each fish before it reaches the counter. Omakase Ri is an intimate omakase spot drawing on the loose, unhurried feel of Tokyo dive bars, which is a more appealing combination than it sounds. The Japanese-Brazilian chef runs through fifteen courses, with a sake list substantial enough to demand its own attention.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
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Rank 4. Omakase Wa
Sushi
A ten-seat counter hidden behind an unmarked door in Lisbon, where the omakase format means everyone sits down together and nobody eats until the last person arrives, so respect the booking time. The wood-clad room is quiet and unhurried, the fish sometimes flown in from Japan, and the Edomae technique shapes small, careful bites that shift with whatever the season is actually offering that week.
The awards
- Michelin Guide Michelin Guide: Selected Restaurant
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Rank 7. Ryoshi
Traditional Japanese
The cultural through-line here is Brazil's deep love affair with Japanese food, expressed in one of Lisbon's more quietly interesting Japanese restaurants. Chef Lucas Azevedo, São Paulo-born and Lisbon-based for decades, leans toward the traditional end of the spectrum: think grilled rice balls, horse mackerel tartare, and chicken wing gyoza that regulars are already treating as the reason they booked.
The awards