A Dreamworld- TimeOut Market, Lisbon

Time Out Market Lisbon

 While travelling in a new city, have you ever run into a surprise which was not on the agenda of sightseeing! I confess that on my several trips I have had such occurrences more than once. One of the most exciting and rewarding surprises was the Time Out Market located in the heart of Lisbon, in Portugal. 

Beautiful city- Lisbon

While exploring the city my wife and I were admiring the graffiti on the walls of Cais do Sodre district of Lisbon which runs parallel to the River Tagus. There were numerous cafes that were active and a steady stream of tourists was visible everywhere.

 

Pastel De Nata

We stopped by a café that was unusually crowded. A cup of coffee would be welcome, but the sight of hot ‘Pastel de Nata’ a baked custard pastry dusted with cinnamon with the scorched top surface looked very inviting. I had only read about them the previous day. We hurriedly purchased the lovely melt in the mouth dish with a steaming hot coffee. The experience of tasting these pastries is difficult to express in words.  With a feeling of contentment, we walked out only to be confronted with a very happening place with a huge hoarding ‘Time Out Market’!

Endless Fruit and Vegetable stalls

There were literally a few hundred people with endless rows of shops all under one roof. ‘ Time Out Market’ in Lisbon has a unique distinction of selling things like curated burgers, curated pizzas, sandwiches and even curated fish! It is the first market in the world where everything has been chosen, tasted, and tested for a rating of four or five stars by a panel of experts and critics. It is a perfect place to try the best gastronomic delights all under one roof. There are over 24 restaurants with creations of very well-known Portuguese chefs, that serve delicacies ranging from burgers to sushi.  The most classic dishes that are available include Balcao de Esquina (Roast Pork Sandwiches), Cod a la Bras(French fries, shredded cod and onions) and Marisqueira Azul(Fried Soft Shell Crab) just to mention a few. No less than 21 such signature dishes created by well-known chefs are available here.  The live, music bands and even live broadcasts of soccer matches make the place fit for unending fun.

The Freshest tomatoes

There is almost an endless stream of shops that sell fresh fish, meat, flowers, fruits, vegetables. The vibrancy of the place keeps it ticking right from the early morning hours till the wee hours of the night. The market has been in existence since 2014 and is now on the ‘Must Visit’ category of places when one is in Lisbon.  

25 de Abril bridge

No matter how busy you get when in Lisbon exploring the wonders like Castleo de S Jorge, Belem Tower, Praca de Comercio, and many more do not forget to visit the alluring Time Out Market

PS- All pics are mine