Rocco was THE BEST meal I had my entire trip in Lisbon. I first found it on instagram reels..and I was like hm is this a tourist trap haha. But no matter if it is or if it is not you MUST MUST add Rocco to your list of restaurants to try. It blew my mind how good it was.
Let's start with the food: 10/10
Tagliatelle with Mushrooms and Truffle in pecorino cheese wheel (€38):
Okay..I admit this place is quite pricey, but it's well worth it. Trust me. The tagliatelle was perfectly al dente, chewy, and soaked up the cheese and truffle flavors. It felt hand made and this dish was the best italian ive had ever. They do not skimp with the cheese and truffle. Packed with truffle mushrooms, the flavors were immaculate. And omg the presentation was awesome. They roll out a huge pecorino cheese wheel with your hot tagliatelle. They swirl it around get it all cheesy and serve it to you. The dish is very cheese forward. So if you are not a fan of cheese maybe try something else. I do have to note that the cheese is also kind of sharp.
Fritto Misto - shrimp, oysters, squid, vegetables, tartar sauce (€20):
This was basically calamari, but it was AMAZING. The shrimp was huge. The oysters were tender and not sea-like. (you know how some fish can be fishy). No, these were fresh and great. They were battered and fried. Thicker batter, so not thinly battered. Very crunchy and like a ..imagine fried oreo at the rodeo. That sort of thick batter. Such a good appetizer. It was very salty though.. but I didnt mind it. And the tartar sauce - wow, I don't like tartar sauce but I loved this one. It was slightly tangy and creamy and so good.
Couvert: (5 Euro per person)
You get bread sticks, ham, and their house made bread. They come with a bread basket of focaccia and sour dough. The bread sticks were crunchy and great for snacking. The focaccia was flavorful with sundried tomatoes, and the sourdough was amazing. So homebaked vibes. But really.. Rocco is a stand out because even with the table side bread, they have the best balsamic vinegar ever. They pair the bread with balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Classic right? But no this balsamic was amazing. The best balsamic vinegar Ive ever had. SO good that I had to look up the brand and buy it from Portugal before I left. hehe message me if you want to know the brand ;). It was definitely aged and older, it's sweet and thicker less viscous. and you know that is the best type of balsamic.
SERVICE: 10/10
okay now that I'm done gushing about the food, I can talk about their stellar amazing service. First off, there is a doorman to open the door as you walk in. You go in get seated and they serve you water. They pour the water for you every time your glass is empty, so they are very attentive. The food came out in a reasonable time, not too long. And no, they don't charge you for like 15 bottles of water haha it's just one! Just stellar amazing service. And what's even better is that you'd expect some sort of like crazy tip or service charge, but it was like 5 bucks for me. They automatically add in a 7% tip to your bill. If you are from the states like I am..you know that that is probably the lowest percentage of tip you pay at a restaurant. No extra bill charges or anything (ive been seeing other reviews).
AMBIANCE: 100/10
please -dont even get me started. The place is exquisite. Like I know I saw an instagram reel about it but the reel doesn't even begin to compare. The inside is amazing, so cute, and glamorous. The ambiance is unmatched. Come here for the pictures, teh vlog, the food, teh experience. Just go to Rocco. and do visit their restroom because it is just wow. the restroom has like huge mirrors and they don't have normal papers they have towels! so you wash your hands, they have small hand towels for you to dry them with. also they have hand lotion.
anyways, i think ive made my point haha. Rocco is definitely a must go spot in Lisbon read more