Comida Independente

This resembles a kind of neighbourhood Portuguese grocery store of yore, where over 500 products – including all wine bottles – are selected from small (and notably organic) producers around the country. The owner Rita Santos has travelled to all regions of Portugal and beyond to discover the best food she could sell, among them sausages, cheese, rice, honey and vegetables. A small counter in the modern room is the best place to taste everything right there, with a few good glasses of wine (such as the ones from acclaimed producers like Cantina Giardino, in Italy, and Domaine Labet, in France), before taking your products home (or to your hotel).

Comida Independente exists in a zone between a wine bar and a mercearia (a small Portuguese grocery store). Regulars pop in for a chilled glass of wine and a snack – or (and?) to do a bit of grocery shopping. For me, the latter often means now-staples like a tub of Rainha do Pico butter – maybe the best butter in the world – and a tin of Pinhais sardines – maybe Portugal’s best brand for tinned fish.

And that’s all only steps away from all-day-brekkie spot Dear Breakfast, independent shops like Comida Independente, and the best dishes, drinks and culture from all over the city at our very own Time Out Market Lisbon.

Tucked away on a residential street, this cozy Principe Real wine bar crammed with vintage objects makes solo diners feel instantly at home. Strike up conversations with the generous owners or fellow wine lovers at the mosaic-tiled counter while indulging in tasty petiscos Portuguese tapas like flavorful regional sausages, cheeses, hams, and daily exceptional seafood bites, all reasonably priced. With funky thrift shop décor and over 150 bottles to explore – mostly from small producers – an evening here feels like pulling up a chair amongst friends.

Comida Independente has carved out a specific niche in Lisbon’s culinary landscape. Prior to opening the specialty grocery story and all through its years of operation, its owner has traveled and keeps on exploring the Portuguese map, with the aim of discovering small producers and bringing their products to the capital city. These food and wines are then showcased in their permanent store and bar, as well as via their producers’ market ( Mercado Produtores), held every Saturday between 10AM and 2PM, at Travessa Cais do Tojo, downtown.

Walking into Comida, as the locals call it, is like walking into Cheers, “where everybody knows your name.” Just don’t look for Sam Malone; Rita Santos is the one running the show here. Opened in 2018, Comida is a deli with all things organic from Portugal and beyond, hand-picked, and so very nicely orchestrated. Once Santos has greeted you with the warmest smile, she’ll take you around the rich selection of cheeses, preserves, fresh seasonal vegetables, the unmissable tinned fish, and of course, wines.

Comida Independente’s goal is to bring small producers from all over Portugal to the city. This store houses a deli, grocery store, wine cellar and wine bar all under one roof. And if this wasn’t enough, they also organize a weekly producers market that takes place in Praça São Paulo every Saturday morning, where small producers and cooks are able to showcase their goods to those interested in tasting Portuguese products beyond what you can find in the regular supermarket shelves.

In the past few years, this shop has become a hub for neighborhood food lovers. They’re committed to scouting out the tastiest things from rural producers and offering them to city dwellers. (In the lead-up to the second covid lockdown, she created a farmers market to help all the producers whose restaurant clients could no longer buy.) They meet the makers of everything they sell, from cheeses to cured meats to small-production wines.

Comida Independente bridges the gap between shop, restaurant and wine bar. But there’s still a distinct emphasis on wine – just look at the shelves, loaded with interesting and delicious small-brand, regional wines from Portugal and elsewhere. Owners who’ve been to just about every vineyard represented, a short but shifting menu of wines by the glass, and occasional tastings and releases are additional markers of its bona-fides.

Comida Independente has shifted their hours and menus accordingly to fit the state of emergency’s rules while thinking up new ways to cater to your own individual tastes, plus a few news tastes you never knew you had. The wine shop and bar on Rua Cais do Tojo sells great products from small producers. With over 700 items from 150 local producers, get amazing homegrown Portuguese cheese, charcuterie, breads, meats and more.

Comida Independente isn’t your typical restaurant, and it’s better for it. The founder, Rita Santos, left her high-stress tech executive job to open this eatery and deli dedicated to artisanal products that fit the store’s motto “great products from small producers.”. The establishment features craft foods from small artisans all over the country that Rita met during her research.

Last but not least, Comida Independente is the place to go after work or for weekend lunch. The interior is reminiscent of a fancy farm shop, with huge wine racks and a few wooden tables in between, a counter where you can buy cheese and other locally made products. There's a small, rotating menu of dishes prepared behind the counter that pair well with the wines.

Comida Independente: This gourmet-style deli is the place to try Portuguese charcuterie and cheese paired with wines from small local producers. You can order a cheese and sausage board or try the weekly sandwich made with fresh ingredients from the counter. Extra tip: Every Saturday, they organize a farmer’s market at Praça de São Paulo.

Comida Independente is a trendy wine bar and shop specializing in natural wines, holy wines, and small-plate tapas. Their wines come from biodynamic wineries that pride themselves in not using synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers. This creates wines that truly reflect the terroir of the surrounding environment.

Comida Independente is a cozy place in Lisbon that highlights artisanal food and wine from small producers. It’s part deli, part wine bar, and part grocery store, attracting a laid-back crowd of food and wine enthusiasts. The friendly atmosphere invites you to browse unique products or simply relax with a good drink.

Comida Independente is technically a grocery store and deli, with the option to dine in. Known for their pastrami sandwich and excellent selection of natural wines, Comida Independente is a casual spot and one of the best wine bars in Lisbon. You’ll also find an array of tin fishes, cheeses, and meats.

A great young business that takes the guise of an organic food and wine shop in the day and a wine bar in the evening. It offers one of the best selections of “natural wines” in Lisbon. Guests can enjoy their drinks with cured meats and cheeses, and a selection of small plates that change daily.

Comida Independente (Lisbon – $$): Wine bars are a relatively recent phenomenon in Portugal. While most restaurants offer a nice selection of wines from all over the country, in bars you have to be lucky to get a decent one at all. More often than not the choice is merely between red and white.

Passionate about Portuguese produce and the small farmers and producers responsible for it, Rita Santos established Comida Independente in 2018; the shop, which also holds wine tastings and other events, quickly became one of the most interesting places for food and wine in Lisbon.