Bars and coffees
Lisbon has a multitude of spots for fun nights out to grab a drink with friends and meet new people, but for the morning after the bars there are plenty of quaint cafés to help you recover! While the bars in Lisbon are open all nights of the week, the best days to go range from Thursday to Saturday. If you are looking for a popular spot to go bar hopping, then Bairro Alto is the place to be. Some great finds in Bairro Alto include:
Sentido Proibido: Sentido Proibido
If you are a fan of Mojitos, this is the place for you! Sentido Prohibido usually has a bit of a line at their door, but for good reason, because their 750ml mojito goes for only €5 and can be taken with you through the busy streets. The bar has a good mix of locals and foreigners all there to enjoy the live music and lively environment.
Shorty’s Bar: Shorty’s Bar Profile • Instagram
Shorty’s Bar is another great spot in Bairro Alto for cheap drinks and room to dance! Shorty’s has a large selection of creative drinks and unique shots, and cocktails that are hard to come by anywhere else (especially for the price at which they’re offered). Shorty’s is a great jumping off point to start the night at and explore Bairro Alto and the rest of Lisbon.
Pavilhão Chinês: Pavilhão Chinês – Lojas Com História
A bar unlike any other in Lisbon, Pavilhão Chinês is inside a renovated grocery store and decorated like a museum. The bar is more spacious than others on the list and has 5 rooms to explore. While the cocktails offered here are very good, they are on the more expensive side when compared to other places in the area.
Outside of Bairro Alto, there are some gems that have fewer crowds and bring a different vibe to the night out. If you are looking to wait in less of a line and still have a good time, the bars below will be best for you!
Bar Vago: VAGO (@vago.lisboa) • Instagram
Southwest of Bairro Alto in the Santos neighbourhood, Bar Vago is a bit more secluded compared to the crowded streets of Bairro Alto or Pink Street. Playing fun music and selling a range of wine and cocktails, Vago creates a space and environment unlike any other bar in Lisbon.
Ressaca Tropical: Ressaca Tropical (@ressacatropical) • Instagram
Just around the corner from Vago, Ressaca Tropical is a cozy and comfortable wine bar with a wide selection of wines and signature cocktails to go with them. The wines are all fairly priced, and the servers allow you to try a couple of wines before you choose one to ensure that you enjoy what you are drinking!
Sneaky Sip: Sneaky Sip (@sneakysiplisbon) • Instagram
A bit north of the other bars on this list, Sneaky Sip is a speakeasy located in Princípe Real with a hidden entrance. To get in, you will need the password, which is revealed monthly on their Instagram page. The bar is a basement that fits around 50 people with tables and a bar. The cocktail menu – the star of the spot – shines with unique ingredients like garlic, anchovies, cheese, duck fat, and even mustard, making Sneaky Sip one of the most eccentric cocktail bars in the city.
After a night out, Lisbon has a plethora of cafés located around the city filled with pastries and coffee to start your next day. Cafés in Lisbon are usually quite inexpensive, and the coffee is always good! Some spots around the city for a coffee and bite to eat include:
Pastelaria Real Principe: PASTELARIA REAL PRÍNCIPE – Yelp
When I think about breakfast in Lisbon, a place that looks similar to Pastelaria Real Principe is what pops into mind. Pastelaria Real Principe has plenty of traditional Portuguese pastries and coffee to go with them that attract locals from the surrounding neighborhoods and travelers alike. If you are looking for more of a classic Portuguese breakfast spot, this is the place for you.
SoLo Brewing Coffee Lab: SOLO Brewing Coffee Roasters
In the Saldanha neighborhood, SoLo Brewing is a specialty coffee shop and coffee roaster, with a wide and wild selection of high-quality coffee beans making for a great cup of coffee to start your day. The Brazilian owners of this café add special touches of Brazil to the menu that make the food and coffee served at this café stand out from others in the area with competitive prices.
Brick Cafe Lisboa: Brick Cafe Lisboa – Facebook
Brick Cafe is located in the Anjos area of Lisbon and has been a pioneer in the brunch culture of the city. While Brick Cafe still serves the common breakfast foods of eggs, pastries, and fruit, they also have Portuguese-style octopus salad and cold meats from the Alentejo region, among other things, which gives their brunch a tasteful Portuguese flair.
