By the Wine

By the Wine is a relaxed wine bar and tapas venue on Rua das Flores in Chiado, operated by the historic José Maria da Fonseca winery and designed around an extensive by-the-glass wine list. The crowd is a mix of locals, wine enthusiasts, and travellers, spanning a broad age range, with a casual, sociable atmosphere and no dress code. Background music is low-key ambient and lounge, supporting conversation rather than setting a party mood. The drinks programme is the venue's core strength, offering dozens of Portuguese wines by the glass sourced from producers across the country's wine regions, alongside bottle purchases and wine flights for tasting several styles side by side; a tapas-style food menu of Portuguese cheeses, charcuterie, and small plates accompanies the wine. By the Wine opens daily from 12:00 until midnight, making it usable across lunch, afternoon, and evening; it is busiest in the early evening as an after-work and pre-dinner spot, with a steadier, calmer flow at lunchtime and later at night. There is no cover charge, and the venue operates largely on a walk-in basis, though larger groups may want to call ahead on weekend evenings when the compact interior and outdoor tables fill up. The combination of an educational, well-organized wine list with an unpretentious, central Chiado setting makes it a popular stop for visitors wanting to sample a broad range of Portuguese wines in one sitting.