Chafariz do Vinho, Lisbon, Portugal

Food: Rustic, tasty small plates or "petiscos" inside the Aguas Livres Aqueduct! It's basically a massive holding tank for water that came into Lisbon via the almost 60-km-long 18th C. aqueduct, an engineering wonder that survived the 1755 earthquake. They actually store the wine in the tunnel that connects the tank to the aqueduct!

Wine: This is a wine bar with fun flight options to learn the regions of Portugal. A must for people who dig wine and/or architecture and engineering.

My take: It is very popular with tourists. But the setting is worth a trip. Go for a glass and enjoy a historic "watering" hole and with a great selection of Portuguese wines. More on Chafariz do Vinho

Darwin's Cafe, Belem (Lisbon), Portugal

Food:  Good, new-fashioned Portuguese food in a stylish, grand setting with views of the Tejo and the tower of Belem.

Wine:  A serious wine list to go with a wide variety of food.

My take:  If you're going to the tower, head here for lunch or dinner.  Reserve in advance and in nice weather ask to be on the terrace. More on Darwin's Cafe

Solar Dos Presuntos, Lisbon, Portugal

Food: It's like the Peter Luger of seafood in Lisbon. A famous spot with super fresh and expertly prepared seafood. Get the Pulpo a Galega to start. Amazingly tender octopus...

Wine: An excellent wine list with some other European producers as well. It's on an iPad so it's easy to sort and search via region or grape. 

My take: It's a must. I've never had anything I didn't think was great here. Reserve a couple of days in advance at least. More on Solar Dos Presuntos

Tasca da Esquina, Lisbon, Portugal

Food: Creative, sorta fancy, newfangled style of petiscos. The chef's choice tasting menu is very good! (This is what Pharmacia wants to be...)

Wine: Great rotating selection by the glass.

My take: If you're in Estrella or Campo Ourique or want to adventure outside the main tourist center of Lisbon, this should be one of your dinners!

O Ponto Final, Lisbon, Portugal

Food: Seafood plus other Portuguese classics. It's hit or miss. When it hits, it's pretty good.

Wine: Drink here! Good list. You could go to drink a bottle of wine early in the evening to enjoy the sunset and wonderful views.

My take: This is a magical (but touristy) place because of the boat journey there and the view across the river to Lisbon as you are sitting at an outdoor table getting misted by the waves. To get there take the ferry from Cais do Sodre to Cacilhas. It's around 1 euro and takes 10 minutes. And then it's a 10 min walk going west along the river to the restaurant. It gets chilly at night but the waiter will bring blankets.

Soalheiro Winery, Quinta do Soalheiro, Melgaco, Portugal

Wine: I love these wines. Soalheiro was the first winery to make wines from the alvarinho grape in the region. They make 8 wines, mostly based on alvarinho. My favs are the Alvarinho Primeiras Vinhas and the Alvarinho Reserva (aged in French oak).  

Food: You can do a wine tour and tasting that includes their house-made sausage made with local pork called Bisara. They have a separate business just down the road called Quinta de Folga where they make sausage and grow a gorgeous organic garden. The sausage was some of the best I've ever tasted. 

My take: Highly recommended. This was a lovely experience. Down-to-earth, very friendly family. Beautiful facilities in a wonderful landscape. We played with the dog while we tasted the wines, ate the amazing sausage and treats from the garden. More on Soalheiro. More on Quinta de Folga. 

L'AND VINEYARDS, Montemor-O-Novo, Alentejo

Food: It has 1 Michelin star. Meals are a tasting menu format. It is a modern take on traditional Alentejo/Portuguese cooking. There's a pretty, sleek patio where you can have coffee or a drink after dinner.

Wine: They have a small-ish but interesting list and have 3 whites and 3 reds by the glass, each from a different region. They also pour their nice L'AND red, which is Touriga Nacional, Alicante Bouschet and Touriga Franca.

My take: It's a gorgeous property and a fun, fancy experience. If you're visiting the Èvora area of the Alentejo and want to do the Michelin thing for a night (or lunch), go for it. More on L'AND.