Lisbon – food shopping part 3 – wine & spirits

There are of course, many good wine shops (garrafeiras) in Lisbon, some of which you’ll find marked on my Google map.

A particularly famous one with a big selection is the main branch of Garrafeira Nacional at 18 Rua de Santa Justa in Baixa.

In my experience, as well as wines, they have the best selection of Aguardente Velha (aged Portuguese brandy).

Another place for the good stuff (snacks with a view as well as wine and deli items) is the food floor of El Corte Inglés at 31 Avenida António Augusto de Aguiar.

It’s the local branch of a Spanish department store group which is on a par with Selfridges or Harvey Nicks in the UK, with prices to match.

Other wine shops dotted around town that impressed me with the choice on their shelves included Garrafeira Estado d’Alma www.garrafeiraestadodalma.pt in Príncipe Real and Garrafeira Campo de Ourique www.garrafeiracampodeourique.pt.

But for everyday wine purchases you should go to Pingo Doce, the ubiquitous Portuguese supermarket chain. Here you can buy decent wine at much cheaper prices than you can in the UK. My understanding is that, some (by no means all) Portuguese wines are so cheap because international demand is low, and labour and land is cheap.

Two good producers are Monte da Ravasqueira and Herdade das Mouras who produce the Conde das Arraiolos and Tapada des Lebres red wine brands (the latter not pictured). For white, Casal Garcia is a personal favourite Vinho Verde simply because it reminds me of my first visit to Portugal back in 2005. There are many others no doubt, please tell me yours 🙂

On to the markets next…

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