When you start a long-term stay or student life in Lisbon, you’ll inevitably face the challenges of ‘daily home cooking’ and ‘sourcing Asian ingredients’. Lisbon boasts a diverse culinary culture, attracting locals, immigrants, and students alike, and the ‘Martim Moniz’ area, in particular, is known as one of Lisbon’s prominent Asian quarters.
This article carefully selects and introduces 5 essential Asian supermarkets in Lisbon that you absolutely need to know about, offering everything from basic Japanese seasonings, rice, and valuable thinly sliced meat, to authentic Korean ingredients, and even vibrant Asian food courts where you can feel the local buzz. We’ll also explain realistic price ranges for each store and important shopping tips, so be sure to use this information to enrich your daily life.
Amanhecer
📍 Address: R. da Palma 41 A 1o andar, 1100-390 Lisboa, Portugal
Located in a building facing Martim Moniz Square, this supermarket enjoys immense popularity among Japanese residents and Asian students in Lisbon. It’s characterized by its extensive product range, often described as ‘Lisbon’s finest’, and its local-feeling selection, which includes not only Asian ingredients but also unusual European snacks, delighting visitors.
For those who cook at home, it’s especially gratifying to find familiar Japanese seasonings and ingredients readily available. Alongside staples like mentsuyu (noodle soup base), Otafuku sauce, and Kewpie mayonnaise, you can find natto, tofu, cabbage, and even frozen gyoza. Furthermore, ‘frozen thinly sliced beef’, which is hard to find in European supermarkets, is also sold here, making it a true lifesaver for long-term residents who want to make gyudon (beef bowl) or nikujaga (meat and potato stew).
Despite handling imported foods, prices are generally reasonable and fair. The store is kept clean, and the staff quietly go about their work, allowing for a calm and enjoyable shopping experience.
Oriental Martim Moniz Market
📍 Address: R. da Palma 41A, 1100-390 Lisboa, Portugal
Spanning the second floor (first floor in Portuguese style) of the same building as ‘Amanhecer’, which we just introduced, is this Asian food court specializing in Asian cuisine. Its appealing location allows you to easily drop by after grocery shopping, and you can feel the vibrant atmosphere of Asia brought directly to Lisbon.
Within the compact floor, multiple stalls offering Japanese, Chinese, and Korean dishes are lined up. Particularly popular are the hand-pulled Chinese noodles, cooked right before your eyes. The powerfully spicy soup and generous toppings are irresistible. Side dishes like steamed buns and spicy cucumbers are also plentiful. (Note: some say the rice noodle rolls have a strong gelatinous texture that might not appeal to everyone’s preference).
While it doesn’t offer the formal service of a high-end restaurant, the staff working in the clean kitchens are friendly, allowing you to enjoy authentic, heartwarming Asian cuisine at reasonable prices. Payment may be ‘cash only’, so be sure to bring small euro notes.
Supermercado Chen
📍 Address: R. da Palma 216, 1100-394 Lisboa, Portugal
Located along Rua da Palma, this is one of Lisbon’s largest Asian supermarkets. Its overwhelming size and prices cheaper than the surrounding market make it a favorite for locals looking to buy in bulk.
The first floor specializes in food, with fresh vegetables (a wide variety of mushrooms like enoki), frozen foods, snacks, spices, and canned goods packed closely together. And the second floor, dedicated to household goods, is noteworthy. From cooking appliances and tools like rice cookers, steamers, pressure cookers, and giant frying pans, to tableware like rice bowls, if you’re looking for ‘kitchen items to start your life in Lisbon’, this is the place to visit first.
As it’s a supermarket for locals, don’t expect the perfectly organized layout or meticulous customer service of a large Japanese supermarket. There are even reviews stating ‘when I asked where a product was, they just vaguely pointed’, but that’s part of the authentic local experience. The trick to enjoying this store is to approach it like a treasure hunt, using Google Translate or DeepL’s camera function to find the ingredients you want.
Woori – Korean Supermarket
📍 Address: R. Artilharia 1 20a, 1250-039 Lisboa, Portugal
Located about a 5-7 minute walk from Rato Metro station, this is one of the few specialty stores in Lisbon focusing exclusively on ‘Korean ingredients’. Though small, it serves as a hub for local Korean culture enthusiasts and students who want to cook Korean food themselves.
Inside, tteokbokki rice cakes, Jin Ramen, snacks familiar from Korean dramas, and soju are neatly displayed. Regarding prices, some instant noodles might feel slightly more expensive compared to the Asian sections of other general supermarkets, but the thorough quality control of frozen and fermented foods, and careful packaging, are qualities unique to a specialty supermarket. If you’re lucky, you might even encounter their popular homemade kimchi.
The high level of staff hospitality is another reason for its popularity. Friendly staff who can speak Korean, and the owner’s welcoming service who strives to stock requested Korean products, have won the hearts of many regular customers.
Goyo-Ya
📍 Address: R. Filipe Folque 30 D, 1050-113 Lisboa, Portugal
Situated in Lisbon’s business districts of Saldanha and Picoas, this store specializes in Japanese ingredients and seasonings. It’s a must-visit for mid- to long-term residents who refuse to compromise on taste and quality, as it offers ‘authentic products from Japanese manufacturers’ and niche items not found in other Asian supermarkets.
Inside, you’ll find not only authentic seasonings but also a selection of specialty frozen foods that change every few weeks, aimed at satisfying the Japanese palate. Many reviews particularly praise the rice here, saying ‘among all the Japanese rice available in Lisbon, the rice here is the most delicious’, making it a reliable source for residents concerned about rice quality. The staff can speak English, which is a plus for asking about products.
Since everything is imported and of Japanese quality, prices are set about 20-30% higher than general stores. Also, please note that the store is ‘closed for lunch from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM’, so plan your visit accordingly.
Tips and Cautions for Buying Asian Ingredients in Lisbon
Here are some practical tips for wisely using Asian supermarkets in Lisbon.
First, it’s common in Asian supermarkets across Europe for Portuguese or English labels to be stuck over and hide the original ingredient lists or cooking instructions on packages. When you find a seasoning whose use you don’t know, or an unfamiliar ingredient, use your smartphone’s translation app (like Google Translate’s camera input function) to read the original language, ensuring you cook without mistakes.
Furthermore, while the Martim Moniz area is a fascinating hub of diverse cultures, it attracts many people, so be cautious of pickpockets and muggers. When shopping, keep an eye on your belongings, for example, by wearing your backpack on your front, and bring a large, sturdy eco-bag to quickly store your purchases – that’s how smart locals navigate the area.
