Cristina is a private elementary school teacher and a loving mom who always enjoyed cooking for her family. An avid traveler, Cristina enjoys trying different foods from around the world. Cristina learned to cook from her mother, and friends in the food business who encouraged her passion for cooking. One of her favorite things to do is share food with family and friends. She lives in a quiet, residential neighborhood of Lisbon where you can also find truly local shops and cafes. Here, you will get a glimpse of how local Portuguese live, away from the tourist path.
Please note menu might vary. If there are particular dishes you are interested in trying, please include your request in the booking form.
In-home meal: (1-6 guests) Meet your host Cristina at her apartment in a charming residential neighborhood of Lisbon. You’ll be welcomed into her home and seated at her dining table to enjoy an authentic, homemade Portuguese meal. Your experience includes a delicious three-course menu featuring a starter, main course, and dessert. Dishes may include caldo verde, a traditional and comforting potato and kale soup, followed by a main of either bacalhau com natas (salted cod baked with potatoes and cream) or carne de porco à Alentejana (a beloved regional dish of pork cooked with clams and coriander). The meal concludes on a sweet note with arroz doce, a creamy Portuguese rice pudding.
Cooking experience: (1-5 guests) Join your warm and friendly local host Cristina in her Lisbon apartment for a private, hands-on Portuguese cooking class. Discover the flavors and culinary traditions of Portugal as you learn to prepare three authentic dishes from scratch using Cristina's treasured family recipes. During your 90-minute cooking class, prepare a traditional Portuguese starter or soup, a flavorful fish or meat main course, and a homemade dessert. Along the way, Cristina will share cooking techniques, local ingredients and stories behind the dishes, giving you a deeper appreciation of Portuguese food and culture. After cooking, sit down with Cristina to enjoy the delicious three-course meal you've prepared together, sharing stories, laughter and conversation.
Market visit:
(1-5 guests)
Explore Lisbon's local food culture on a private guided market tour with your host, Cristina. Meet Cristina at her apartment before taking a short 10-minute walk to a traditional covered market where Lisbon locals shop for fresh produce, seafood and regional specialties. As you explore the market, Cristina will introduce you to her favorite vendors, share insights into Portuguese ingredients and culinary traditions, and help you select fresh ingredients for your upcoming cooking class. After approximately one hour at the market, return to Cristina's apartment for your hands-on Portuguese cooking class and homemade meal.
Please note: Market tours are only available on weekends. On Saturdays, you'll explore a traditional central market bustling with local life. On Sundays, since central markets are closed to the public, you’ll enjoy an alternative experience visiting a variety of neighborhood shops to pick up fresh bread, produce, and other ingredients, a true local food shopping adventure.
Notes:
Cristina offers experiences on Friday evenings and on weekends for lunch or dinner.
Vegetarian options are available for her Portuguese cooking class with advance notice. Please let her know of any dietary preferences when booking.
If you select the optional alcohol add-on, Cristina will serve local Portuguese wine with your meal.
Languages spoken: English, Portuguese, Spanish,French
Cristina is an AMAZING host, I was very welcomed in her house. We met outside the house and went to the market and she invited me to have a typical Portuguese Custard in one of the top places to have it in Lisboa. This will be a great experience for travelers as this is very typical in Portugal and everyone loves Portuguese Custards. We visited the market and had lots of fun discovering traditional Portuguese food. She showed the products that she was cooking, like the cod, clams, coriander…Cristina is funny and very friendly and we engaged very well.
Her home is very comfortable, she welcomed me as a friend and I felt very happy in her place. Her house is a typical Portuguese middle class flat in Lisboa, so travelers will experience the real Lisboa and a Portuguese house in the capital. Cristina is very bubbly and loves to chat and share her experiences, we got along very well and I was never bored. I believe travelers will love to meet her. Her place is the typical middle class flat in Lisbon, Cristina is very welcome and the food was AMAZING. The traditional flavors were all there and it tasted home! All the ingredients that she used were very good quality. I definitely recommend Cristina, she has the spirit to welcome foreigners to her home and show them who the Portuguese people are and how we eat! Even being Portuguese I loved the experience and I will be back with my partner that it is English so he can try proper Portuguese food.
Joana, Traveling Spoon Ambassador
I cannot begin to express how wonderful this experience was! Cristina was such a warm and welcoming host, and she shared so much information about the foods and history of the foods in Portugal. My husband had little experience cooking, but he was easily able to be involved, and Cristina picked such manageable and delicious dishes to make! Excellent food, excellent company, and an excellent experience. Cannot recommend enough!- jessica September 08, 2026
Cristina was a wonderful host and warmly welcomed us into her beautiful home! She shared with us about her culture and history as we made a traditional meal together. Being a teacher and mom, she had all the patience in the world! We walked in eager to learn and left the evening with a new friend and full bellies!- emily September 07, 2026
Christina was fantastic! She did an amazing job keeping our young kids engaged and active throughout the entire class. The food was absolutely incredible and truly authentic. I highly recommend this experience!- Tasha July 13, 2026
We had a wonderful day. Christina took us for a market tour, plus a tour of her local neighborhood. She explained everything in great detail. We helped with the cooking and enjoyed an amazing meal of local Portuguese dishes. This has been a highlight of our time in Lisbon.- susan June 30, 2026
Cristina was so warm and welcoming to our family. She had just the right tasks for each of us to manage to put together an amazing dinner. We loved learning her cooking techniques but really just loved spending time with her. We shared stories of our heritage through food and hobbies and exchanged recipes. My kids left feeling like they had a bonus grandmother and my husband and I with a new friend. This is an experience not to be missed if you are visiting Lisbon!- amy June 28, 2026
Traveling Spoon © 2026. All Rights Reserved
Terms | Privacy Policy | Annual Report | Copyright | Blog