Zoe Chen
- May 22, 2021
- 2 min read

Authentic (and cheap) Asian Street Food in Lisbon!

In every major capital city, there is a Chinatown. In every Chinatown, there is always an Asian food court, where you can find some of the most authentic Asian street food without costing any leg or arm. Every time I eat there, my stomach gets overwhelmingly satisfied with less than 10 euros!

Where is the "Chinatown" in Lisbon?

When we talk about the Chinatown, we usually refer to the Martin Moniz area and a few blocks towards the Almirante Reis Street. To be fair, it's more like an Asian-ish town. Here you can find communities of Chinese, Nepalese, Indian...and other nationalities. It is also the area with a lot of Asian supermarkets, exotic spice shops, and those little underground home kitchens that are hidden in the random residential buildings. (You must have heard rumors about those "illegal" restaurants. If not yet, join our foodie club to get the insider's insights.) I will write about those eateries in a separate article. Today, we are going to explore the one and only, Asian Food Court.

Take a look inside the Asian Food Court...

It is a food court, literally. Located in a building with mezzanine structure, the whole space is hosting 9 different food stands:

Mint House: Southeastern Asian food 🥢🍜
K-BOB: Korean food, a bit pricey 🇰🇷🍲
Sushi House: Japanese food 🇯🇵🍣
Lanzhou Ramen: Chinese street food and ramen 🇨🇳🍜
Meeting Tea: bubble tea and beverages 🧋🍹
Ravioli House: Ravioli, dumpling and gyoza! 🥟
Chicken Frenzy: chicken dishes Chinese style 🇨🇳🐥
Bao Bar: Gua bao and Vietnamese banh mi sandwich 🇻🇳🥪
Yi Lian Wok: Chinese wok and stir-fry style 🇨🇳

The overall theme is focused on the street food. The variety and options are amazing. You will find Chinese food, Vietnamese food, Japanese food, Korean food etc... You can choose any dish you want and bring them to a table to enjoy. It has a very casual environment, great for catching up with friends over delicious and cheap food.

What are the must-have dishes?

In front of a cuisine that you are unfamiliar with and a menu that's misleadingly translated, the chances are high that you get lost in hundreds of options and struggle to make a pick. After trying all the food stands and talking with the chefs, I have curated a list of must-try dishes, approved by a native Chinese girl (aka, me, lol) and her non-Chinese unadventurous picky-eater friends:

1. Xiao long bao:

Delicious soup dumplings with pork filling. Dip in vinegar and enjoy the rich and savory soup bursts in your mouth.

Price: €3,50 euros / 4 units

(from Lanzhou Ramen)

2. Beef pho:

Iconic Vietnamese rice noodle soup. It is warm, fresh, hearty and tasty. The ultimate comfort food.

Price: €6,00 euros

(from Mint House)

3. Braised chicken rice:

Chinese style tender braised chicken, potatoes, mushroom and bell pepper in fermented soy bean paste with steamed rice.

Price: €6,95 euros

(from Chicken Frenzy)

4. Sichuan spicy noodles:

Home made noodles of great texture, coated with aromatic chili oil and simple garnishes.