Time Out Market Lisboa

Time Out Market Lisboa is a food hall inside the Mercado da Ribeira, Lisbon’s old riverside market building at Cais do Sodré. It opened in 2014 as the first Time Out Market, and it now has 26 restaurants, 8 bars and a handful of kiosks and shops under one roof. Everyone goes to a different counter, orders what they like, and meets back at the long communal tables in the middle.

For families, that solves the argument about where to eat. The child who only eats pizza gets pizza, the teenager gets a burger, and the adults can have seafood or a dish from one of Lisbon’s well-known chefs.

The market’s own guide to its counters lists plenty that children will eat:

• Pizza: Zero Zero bakes pizzas in a wood-fired oven with 00 flour, with about ten choices including a classic margherita.
• Burgers: Ground Burger makes Black Angus burgers on lightly toasted brioche buns (from €8.95 in the guide), with crispy fries on the side.
• Pasta: Libertà Pasta Bar serves fresh pasta, with classics such as lasagne and fettuccine, and you can watch it being made and plated at the counter.
• Croquettes: Croqueteria makes croquettes as a snack or a plate with rice or potato slices.
• Fish: the Monte Mar counter is known for fried hake fillets with cockle rice.

Adults have Portuguese dishes, Mexican tacos at Duro de Matar, Asian food at Asian Lab and seafood at Marisqueira Azul, where a 3.2-metre tank of live lobsters and crabs is worth a look even if you are not eating there.

This is where the market wins over children. Gelato Davvero makes its ice cream daily without colourings or preservatives and serves it Roman-style, with a spatula and a dollop of whipped cream, from about 25 flavours at this counter. Manteigaria bakes custard tarts (pastéis de nata) on site all day, listed at €1 each in the guide. Crush Doughnuts sells brioche doughnuts, and Funky Chunky has thick cookies in flavours like Nutella and double chocolate.

Seating is shared and there are no reservations, so one adult should hold a table while the others queue. At weekend lunchtimes and in the evenings the hall gets very busy and loud, which can be a lot for a child who struggles with noise and crowds. A weekday late morning or an early lunch is calmer. The market opens at 10:00 every day.

The market says there are vegan and gluten-free options, and asks you to talk about allergies with the staff at each counter. Only guide dogs are allowed. Cash and cards are accepted, and there are three cash machines inside, plus Wi-Fi.

The website does not mention high chairs or baby changing, so ask the staff when you arrive.

The market’s cooking school, the Time Out Academy, runs cooking workshops, and its store has a Masterkids category for children. No Masterkids dates were listed when we checked the store, so look at the store or email academia@timeout.com if you want a class.

The market is across the road from Cais do Sodré station, where the green metro line, the Cascais train line and the ferries across the Tagus all stop. There is a paid car park at Praça Dom Luís I.

From Cais do Sodré, the ferry to Cacilhas takes you to the frigate D. Fernando II e Glória and to lunch at Ponto Final on the south bank. The train west heads to Belém for Pastéis de Belém and the museums there.

Is the market good for kids?

Yes, for children who can cope with a busy, noisy hall. The choice of counters means almost every child finds something, and puddings are easy.

Can you book a table?

No. The market does not take reservations. Seating is at shared communal tables, first come first served.

What time does the market open?

It opens at 10:00 every day and closes at midnight. The market’s FAQ says it stays open until 02:00 from Thursday to Saturday.

Is there parking?

Yes, there is a paid car park at Praça Dom Luís I.

Are there vegan and gluten-free options?

Yes. The market says there are vegan and gluten-free options, and asks you to check allergies with each counter.