Tascas are modest, inexpensive restaurants that offer a small, seasonal menu. They are often family affairs; the parents cook and the kids wait the tables. The quality of tascas is highly variable, some are good, a few are great, many are just passable.
When tascas become popular, they often have trouble coping with success, and their quality suffers. That is why people who find a great tasca usually like to keep it secret.
We’ll break with these social norms and tell you the name of our favorite tasca in Lisbon: Das Flores in Rua das Flores. This establishment is not to be confused with the more posh (and also very good) Taverna da Rua das Flores located on the same street.
You could write a dissertation about the eating habits of Lisbon residents by studying Das Flores’ menu. It includes items like poached grouper, grilled sole, codfish cakes with tomato rice, pork and clams Alentejo, and grilled lamb chops. All perfectly prepared with pristine ingredients. Many items on the menu cost less than 10 euros, which is why the small dining room is always crowded. The restaurant caters to its regular customers, so it can be difficult to get a table.
Das Flores is not a place for a romantic date. But it is a great choice if you want to experience traditional Portuguese food on a budget. Just don’t tell anyone else, ok?
Das Flores is located on Rua das Flores 76, Lisbon, tel. 21 342 8828. If you do go to Das Flores on a date, skip dessert and go to Landeau on the same street for chocolate cake. It will make the whole experience more glamorous.
Salt of Portugal 
Is this restaurant still open? They were in a lawsuit with the owners of the building who want to build an hotel there… or so I’ve read somewhere!
Indeed, the building is owned by Vista Alegre and they might be evicted at some point. But they are open.
It sounds good!
That looks so scrumptious . . . . and know what you mean about telling people about Tascas. Hope it is still there when we visit Lisbon in the next few months or so.
Reblogged this on The Portugal Years and commented:
I have eaten in some of those delight full little “holes in the wall, and I can vouch for the great food in those places. I need to visit this one!
Now I’m hungry!
The food looks amazing. I’ve never heard of tascas, so thank you for sharing! 🙂
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My mouth is totally watering now! It looks so delicious!!! 🙂 I wish I had a chance to visit Lisbon when I was traveling to Porto!
I went to this restaurant after reading your article. Unfortunately, I was not able to have a meal there. The waitress informed us there was a 30-40 minute wait what is normal for us as we come from a busy city. However, she sat two Portuguese couples who came after us prior to giving us a table. We simply left. We felt our presence was not welcomed there – she made sure we felt it. I would prefer to hear that tourists are not served or that they are booked for the day instead of being treated with disdain. I do not recommend this place unless you do not mind being treated like a dog.
We’re so sorry you had a bad experience! We hesitated about recommending tascas because their service can be inconsistent and they often give preference to regular customers. The quality-price ratio at Das Flores is very high. For this reason, the place is always full and the wait can be annoyingly long. Last time we were there, we waited for 45 minutes. We were not in a hurry, so we left our name and went for a stroll around Chiado. We wish we could have been there to treat you to a slice of Landeau cake!