British food in Lisbon: a roast in Chiado, tea on the 24th floor and where to find the PG Tips

You didn't move to Lisbon for the shepherd's pie. Between the pastéis de nata, the grilled fish and the bifanas, you'll eat better here than you did at home most days. But there will be a grey Sunday in January when only a roast will do, and here's where to find one.

The short version

• Sunday roast: The George in Chiado serves one with Yorkshire pudding and a choice of five meats [1].
• The footie: The George, O'Gilins, Cheers and The Couch all show British football, and kick-off times match the UK's [2][3][4].
• Afternoon tea: the Corinthia's Sky Lounge does it daily from 2pm to 5pm, from EUR 35 (about £29) [5].
• Marmite and PG Tips: El Corte Inglés has the widest international food hall, and GB Superstore in Cascais stocks British groceries [6].
• Christmas pud: bring it, order it, or ask early.

Pound conversions use the Bank of England spot rate of 5 November 2026 (£1 = EUR 1.2002).

A proper cuppa

Portugal is a coffee country. A bica (an espresso) costs pennies in most neighbourhood cafés and is knocked back standing at the counter. Tea is a different story. Ask for "um chá" and you'll usually get a cup of hot water and a bag of something herbal or a mild black tea, often with no milk in sight. Ask for "chá preto com leite frio à parte" (black tea, with cold milk on the side) and you're halfway there.

The fun bit of history: Portugal arguably gave Britain the tea habit. Catherine of Braganza, the Portuguese princess who married Charles II in 1662, is usually credited with making tea fashionable at the English court. Lisbon's cafés have rather lost the thread since.

Afternoon tea at the Corinthia

For a treat, the Corinthia Lisbon's Sky Lounge serves afternoon tea on the 24th floor, with freshly baked scones and Portuguese sweets alongside the usual sandwiches and cakes [5]. It's served every day from 2pm to 5pm, costs EUR 35 a head (about £29), or EUR 50 (about £42) for the champagne version, and you need to book at least two hours ahead [5]. The view across the city to the Tagus is worth the bus fare on its own.

Making your own

Most Brits in Lisbon solve the tea problem at home. Bring teabags in your suitcase (they weigh nothing), buy a kettle in week one, and stock up on every trip back.

Pubs for the football and rugby

Portugal is on the same time as the UK, so the 3pm Saturday kick-off is 3pm here too. And because the UK's 3pm broadcasting blackout doesn't apply in Portugal, bars can and do show those games live.

The George

The George calls itself a British-style pub, and Portugal Confidential reckons it's the only one in Lisbon [1]. It sits in a refurbished 18th-century building in Chiado, a two-minute walk from the Baixa-Chiado metro, with a big wooden bar and armchairs in the corners [1][2]. The menu is a mix of British pub food and Portuguese dishes, and the Libero guide says the main match goes up on gilt-framed screens [2]. It opens from 5pm on weekdays and from 11am at weekends [1].

O'Gilins

Lisbon's oldest Irish pub, founded in 1995, is on Rua dos Remolares near Cais do Sodré station [3]. It shows the Premier League, Celtic and Ireland games, and has live traditional music late in the week [2][3]. It's open from noon every day [3].

The Couch

The Couch is a proper sports bar rather than a pub, with branches in Cais do Sodré (Rua do Alecrim), Marquês de Pombal (Avenida Duque de Loulé) and Doca de Santo Amaro under the bridge [4]. Between them they have around 80 screens and claim 95 sports, from the Champions League to the Six Nations and F1 [4]. The Cais do Sodré branch opens every day from 11am until midnight [4]. If you want the rugby on with the sound up, this is your best bet.

The British Bar

Don't let the name fool you: the British Bar on Rua Bernardino Costa is a historic Lisbon bar from 1919 rather than a British pub, but it's a lovely old room with ale and sherry, football on the telly and opening hours until 4am [2]. Pint in hand, you can watch the ferries come and go at Cais do Sodré across the road.

A full English and a Sunday roast

The roast. The George does a Sunday roast with five types of meat, gravy and Yorkshire pudding [1]. That makes it the easy answer. Booking ahead is wise when there's a big game on.

The full English. We couldn't find a Lisbon pub or café that advertises a full English breakfast on its own website in 2026. Plenty of brunch places do eggs, bacon and toast, and that's the nearest you'll get without cooking it yourself.

Doing it at home. Portuguese butchers will sort you out with a leg of lamb, a joint of pork or a free-range chicken, and potatoes, carrots and cabbage are cheap in every market. Bacon that behaves like British back bacon is the hard bit; Portuguese bacon tends to be smokier and cut differently. Pack the gravy granules and Yorkshire pudding mix next time you're in Blighty.

Shopping for the taste of home

El Corte Inglés

The Spanish department store's Lisbon branch, near São Sebastião metro, has one of the widest international food halls in the country [6]. It's the most expensive option, but it's the first place to try for British and Irish brands, decent cheddar and imported biscuits [6].

GB Superstore, Cascais

GB Superstore in Cascais is a British grocery shop serving the Lisbon side, with tinned goods, tea and some fresh produce, according to Portugalist's guide to expat shops, updated in October 2026 [6]. Ring ahead for anything specific; the range changes.

Portuguese supermarkets

Continente, Pingo Doce and Auchan stock the odd international item, but Portugalist describes their ranges as thin, with Auchan the best of the three [6]. Look in the "produtos do mundo" or international aisle. Porridge oats, cornflakes and baked beans turn up; crumpets, proper sausages and Branston are rarer.

Ordering from the UK

Since Brexit, parcels from the UK to Portugal count as imports from outside the EU, so you can be charged Portuguese VAT, possibly customs duty and a handling fee by the courier before you get your box of Hobnobs. Some British online shops collect the VAT at checkout, which saves a nasty surprise at the door.

Christmas pud and mince pies

December is when Lisbon Brits feel furthest from home. The Portuguese Christmas is wonderful (salt cod on Christmas Eve, bolo-rei, the king cake, on every table), but it doesn't involve mince pies. Your options:

1. Bring them back after a trip home in November. Puddings keep for ages.
2. Try El Corte Inglés from late November for seasonal imports.
3. Ring GB Superstore in Cascais early in the season [6].
4. Make your own. Dried fruit, brandy and port are easy to find; suet isn't, so pack some.
5. Ask around. Our community group for Brits in Portugal is the quickest way to find out who's selling homemade mince pies this year.

A word on drinking

Measures in Portuguese bars are generous, and the FCDO warns that drinks are often stronger than in the UK, so pace yourself if you're used to pub measures [7]. A small draught beer is an imperial; a pint-sized one is a caneca. Our nightlife guide has more on where to go after the final whistle.

Sources

1. Portugal Confidential: The George (updated 25 January 2026)
2. Libero: The best football bars in Lisbon (updated 16 October 2026)
3. O'Gilins Irish Pub (checked 8 November 2026)
4. The Couch Sports Bar (checked 8 November 2026)
5. Corinthia Lisbon: Afternoon tea at the Sky Lounge (checked 8 November 2026)
6. Portugalist: Expat supermarkets and online shops in Portugal (updated 1 October 2026)
7. GOV.UK (FCDO): Portugal travel advice – safety and security (updated 11 August 2026, checked 8 November 2026)

Keep reading

• British life in Lisbon
• Nightlife in Lisbon
• Cost of living in Lisbon vs London and the UK average
• Moving pets and belongings from the UK