A local’s guide to Lisbon’s best coffee shops

Are you even in Lisbon if you’re not sitting outside somewhere sipping coffee? Here, locals fuel up on short, strong, sometimes sugared hits of espresso characterised by a typically bitter roast and served in cups slightly larger than their Italian counterpart. Get yourself a duplo (double espresso) after a big night, but make mine a meia de leite, which is 50/50 coffee and hot milk (and pairs perfectly with pastries). Whatever your preference, Portugal’s centuries-old pavement cafe culture celebrates the joy of hanging out.

But Lisbon is in the midst of a much-documented transition; recent years have brought an influx of tourists and digital nomads, which has in turn sparked the emergence of a third-wave coffee scene. Specialty coffee roasters like Comēte, Alpaca and Olisipo are switching up the rules with small-batch roasting, hand-pressed espresso and pour-over cones or cups prepared with curated beans. The emphasis at these places is on craft and quality.

But with so much choice, it’s hard to know where to look first. Here we spill the beans on the best coffee shops in Lisbon, showcasing the city’s dynamic, diverse and ever-evolving cafe culture, where the new breed of specialty hotspots rub shoulders with laid-back social hubs and beautiful historic tearooms.

Plus, if you’re looking for something to eat in the city, check out our guide to Lisbon’s best restaurants.

Where to find the best coffee shops in Lisbon

Chiado

A Brasileira

Best for: Stunning interiors and sweet treats
Location: Rua Garrett 122, 1200-205 Lisboa, Portugal
Price: Cappuccino from 4.30 EUR

Let’s start with an icon. Enter A Brasileira, and you will be transported back to the era of Lisbon’s literati, who were regular customers of the cafe during the first half of 20th century. There’s even a bronze statue of revered Portuguese poet Fernando Pessoa by the entrance that’s a selfie magnet for tourists. Slap bang in the middle of Lisbon’s busy Baixa-Chiado neighbourhood, A Brasileira is a gleaming art deco cafe dripping with charm that offers next-level hot chocolate and some of the gooiest, fluffiest pão de ló (a type of sponge cake) that will ever touch your lips. Also, did we mention it’s the original home of the bica (Portuguese espresso)?

Arroios

Do Beco

Best for: Artisanal loaves and pastries and dessert-inspired coffee
Location: Rua Passos Manuel 106A, 1150-053 Lisboa, Portugal
Price: Flat white from 3.20 EUR

Do Beco launched in 2020 as an artisan bakery before setting up its first physical location in the heart of Lisbon’s Arroios neighbourhood in 2023. It’s quickly become the talk of the town, baking up crusty loaves of saloia wheat flour bread and hearty seeded varieties alongside inventive crème brûlée-inspired coffees and golden lattes made by baristas. But the star of the show here has to be Do Beco’s pastries: a rotating lineup of juicy peach and rum babas, classic cinnamon rolls and enough sweet flaky delights to knock your socks off. Check out the website for the cafe’s events schedule, which includes regular coffee tasting events.

Zaytouna

Best for: Arabic coffee brewed with cardamom, and baklava
Location: R. Angela Pinto 19, 1900-221 Lisboa, Portugal
Price: 1.50 EUR for coffee and baklava

Zaytouna is a Portuguese-Palestinian shop that supplies locals with previously hard-to-find imported produce from Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Palestine. Although this popular spot began life as a mercearia (grocery store), Zaytouna’s decision to branch out into takeaway food – offering a mouthwatering selection that includes hummus, falafel, and rose and mint lemonade – quickly led to its opening as a lunch cafe. Now it’s the perfect place for people watching, conveniently located at the recently rejuvenated Arroios market, and boosted by a clutch of outside tables. Wash down a sticky baklava with a cardamom-infused Arabic coffee and stock up on tahini and Medjoul dates while you’re there.

Avenidas Novas

Milkees

Best for: Specialty coffee that
Location: R. Filipe Folque 7B, 1050-110 Lisboa, Portugal
Price: Cappuccino from 3 EUR

Milkees is at the forefront of the city’s specialty coffee revolution, which, to the uninitiated, essentially means high-quality coffee that’s passed the ‘specialty-grade’ label test (80 or more on a 100-point scale). This plant-furnished hangout boasts both an espresso bar and filter coffee – either batch brew, French press or V60 pour over – with coffee beans typically sourced from The Barn in Berlin or local roasters like RoastBerry Coffee Lab. Milkees also boasts the best cookies in town.

Versailles

Best for: Indulging in cream cakes and palatial decor
Location: Av. da República 15 A, 1050-185 Lisboa
Price: Cappuccino from 2.10 EUR

The clue’s in the name with Versailles; this grand, marble-embellished tea room is decked out with chandeliers, stucco ceilings and stained-glass windows, which lend a regal air to proceedings. Located on one of Lisbon’s most famous avenues, the cafe’s art nouveau building (classified by Lisbon authorities as a Property of Public Interest since 1996) is worth a visit alone, while the homemade cakes are fit for a queen. Come here with enough room for a duchesse (whipped-cream cake) or opt for a cheese, meat or spinach-filled salgado if savoury is more your thing. You can’t argue with Versailles: tea and cake always taste better with high-quality dinnerware.

Anjos

Gal

Best for: Vegan pastel de nata and pet-friendly vibes
Location: Rua do Forno do Tijolo 54A, 1170-134 Lisboa, Portugal
Price: Cappuccino from 3.20 EUR

Run by a Brazilian couple, the cosy cafe in the popular Anjos neighbourhood brings technical know-how and specialty coffee to the table, along with colourful plant-based brunch plates, vegan pasteis de nata, natural wines and hearty home-cooked dishes like vegan feijoada (Brazilian bean stew), all made by resident barista and chef, Molina. They’ve also hosted brewing workshops and yoga brunches. Having only opened in spring 2024, Gal – whose name is a nod to late Brazilian music icon Gal Costa – is an exciting new addition to a buzzy corner of the city that keeps on getting better.

Brick Cafe

Best for: A lively atmosphere and value-for-money brunch dishes
Location: Rua de Moçambique 2, 1170-245 Lisboa, Portugal
Price: Cappucino from 2.20 EUR

The ground zero for brunch culture in Lisbon, Brick assumes its trendsetting perch with laidback confidence. It does this by maintaining an authentic yet authoritative hold with value-for-money dishes that include a full continental-style brunch for under a tenner. Set in what is now one of the coolest areas of the city, the cafe caters to locals as well as out-of-towners, serving up quintessential Portuguese coffees like a garoto or pingado (an espresso with a splash of milk) as well as cappuccino and macchiato. There’s also an Irish coffee on the menu if you’re in the mood for booze.

Santos

Quest

Best for: Specialty coffee and brunch with South African flavours
Location: Boqueirão do Duro 46, 1200-337 Lisboa, Portugal
Price: Cappuccinos from 3.50 EUR

Barista-brewed coffee paired with “non-stop brunch and lunch fun” is the focus of this specialty coffeehouse in the lively Santos area of Lisbon, not far from Green Street. Quest is run by three South African friends whose heritage takes centre stage in their signature Red Cappuccino, a South Africa-grown rooibos infusion with steamed milk. Their handle on the classics as well as cold brew and hand-brew coffee (V60, Chemex and AeroPress) makes Quest a haven for coffee aficionados. There’s even a full English breakfast on the menu with a South African twist in the form of grilled boerewors sausages.

Buna

Best for: Ethically sourced beans and specialty hot chocolate
Location: Rua Poços Dos Negros 168, R. de São Bento 3, 1200-267 Lisboa, Portugal
Price: Cappuccino from 3 EUR

Buna is another coffeehouse flying the flag for high-quality beans roasted by ethically and sustainably sourced European roasteries, with Rotterdam’s Manhattan Coffee Roasters and Stockholm’s Drop on the list. If coffee isn’t for you, check out its specialty hot chocolate, replete with latte art. Buna’s tagline is simple: “coffee and people”; it also hosts food pop-ups, including one with local chef, recipe developer and food writer Yanee that featured a pumpkin French toast.

Estrela

Gengibre da Estrela

Best for: Socialising like a local
Location: Praça da Estrela 12, 1200-667 Lisboa
Price: Cappuccino from 3.20 EUR

No Lisbon cafe round-up would be complete without a trip to at least one quiosque; these small yet iconic gathering spots have been a crucial part of the city’s social and cultural fabric since the 19th century, and there are more than 200 still remaining. The character of the quiosque may have changed since their inception, but their purpose remains the same: to sit outside and drink something. They all offer similar fare in a different location, and this one can be found inside one of the prettiest, leafiest parks in Lisbon – Jardim da Estrela – which is well worth a visit.

Lapa

Tact

Best for: A less-explored neighbourhood cafe with curated roasters
Location: Rua Joaquim Casimiro 14a, Lisbon, Portugal 1200-697 · P
Price: Cappuccino from 3 EUR

Tucked away from the tourist trail in residential Lapa, Tact is a cute family-run cafe inspired by simplicity and functionality. The coffee is a curated and revolving index of European roasters such as Berlin’s Bonanza, Munich’s Man vs. Machine, and Amsterdam’s Dak. Cold brew is often available and the cafe keeps its culinary standards high, too, with a menu that doesn’t disappoint. While Tact may be small, its flavours and coffee pack a mighty punch.

Dede’s Cafe

Best for: Brunching with an okonomiyaki in a quiet residential spot
Location: R. de Sant’Ana à Lapa 33, 1200-796 Lisbon, Portugal
Price: Cappuccino from 3 EUR

After honing his skills at a risotto restaurant in Italy and a boutique safari lodge in Kenya, Portuguese-Brazilian chef Dede fulfilled his dream of opening a Lisbon cafe. Found down a quiet residential street in the prestigious neighbourhood of Lapa, emerald green walls exude calm, while booths near the counter create a cosy vibe. Coffee here is of the highest calibre – the baristas are excellent at the pour-over technique – and the fresh, vibrant menu is mostly vegetarian. The cafe is also known for its house-made delicacies, which range from pickles to salted caramel sauce, but the okonomiyaki (Japanese savoury pancake) is the showstopper here.

The Layers

Best for: Cosy, living room energy and orange juice espressos
Location: Av. António Augusto de Aguiar 23B, 1050-012 Lisboa, Portugal
Price: Cappuccino from 3.50 EUR

With its stylish, comfy furnishings, artwork-adorned walls and green tangle of indoor plants, The Layers feels more like a living room than a cafe, which is why you will feel instantly at home here. It’s a small cafe with a big personality, which shines through in its out-there drink selection, including a matcha orange coco and a capuorange – aka orange juice and with an espresso poured on top, which probably isn’t for everyone. The Layers is also a distributor of Ukraine’s Foundation Coffee Roasters.

Baobá

Best for: Specialty Brazilian microlot coffees and on-site roasting
Location: Rua de S. Paulo 256 a 258, 1200-430 Lisboa, Portugal
Price: Cappuccino from 3.00 EUR

Baobá doubles as a farm, and roastery and coffee shop specialising in microlots: batches of beans that originate from a smaller lot on a larger farm, chosen for their specific flavour profiles. The cafe works only with special Brazilian coffees from the baobá farm in the town of São Sebastião da Grama near São Paulo, who produce, among other things, beans cultivated in volcanic soil with notes of molasses and a blend that smells like Christmas. But the best thing about Baobá? It roasts its own beans on site.

Penha de França

Pentagon

Best for: Laidback arty vibes, zines and vegan food
Location: R. Martins Sarmento 50, 1170-233 Lisboa, Portugal
Price: 1.2 EUR

At the cosy Pentagon in Lisbon’s lesser-visited Penha de França neighbourhood, the vegan and vegetarian-focused food is as colourful and creative as the interiors, which are inspired by Japan and taste a treat to boot. Special limited-run drinks like the apple blossom-coloured, chantilly-topped Sakura Latte, vegan foie gras and iced strawberry matcha demonstrate an artistic flair that extends to the owner’s other love: zines. At Pentagon, outside seating allows you to soak up the Lisbon sun while the in-house book selection beckons you to stay and chill. A selection of local zinesters are also stocked by this community-minded venture.