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We've compiled the best of the best in Avenida da Liberdade, Príncipe Real, and Restauradores - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Originally a social club for people hailing from the region of Alentejo, this hidden restaurant is found on the upper floor of a Moorish-style building from the 1800s. There's a formal dining room serving classic northern Portuguese dishes like carne de porco à alentejana (pork with clams), and a relaxed terrace specializing in petiscos (snacks) and very affordable jugs of house wine.
Coffee addicts and chocolate lovers stop at this small store across from the Jardim do Príncipe Real, drawn by the scent of the beans that arrive straight from a family plantation in the former Portuguese colony of São Tomé and Príncipe in Africa.
In an alley between Praça dos Restauradores and Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, this eatery known locally as Rei dos Frangos (King of Chickens) specializes in spit-roasted chicken served with a house-made piri-piri sauce that many locals swear is the best in the city. One chicken easily serves two hungry diners, leaving room for the famously crispy fries.
The roasted coffee beans come from Copenhagen, as did the inspiration for the minimalist decor. The Coffee Lab has become a favorite, both for the different types on the menu and the welcoming and relaxed atmosphere.
The flagship store of this Portuguese coffee brand faces Avenida da Liberdade and offers more than just its coffee. Come here for a light meal, brunch, or a cocktail in the wood-clad interior or at the tables outside.
This tiny corner café might not look like much, but step inside, and you’ll find a stunning art nouveau interior with tiled facades and marble tables. It specializes in salgados (savory treats), but it also has a few sweet options, like the ubiquitous pastéis de nata (custard tarts). Choose your favorite snack from the counter and take it to the nearby Jardim do Príncipe Real.
Hidden just a few feet from the Elevador do Lavra, this was one of the first places in the city to offer specialty coffee, roasted and ground on the premises. Sandwiches and pastries are also available.
An Italian family opened this small ice-cream shop around the corner from the Parliament building (and just a short walk from the Jardim do Príncipe Real), and it immediately drew locals who don’t mind waiting in line to try the variety of flavors. They're served in a cup or cone, with or without whipped cream on top.
Delicious vegan dishes (think mango-and-tofu curry or seitan steak) ensure that there's always a line for a table in this restaurant's extremely colorful dining room or on the pleasant patio next to the botanical gardens. It’s part of a Buddhist center where a small shop stocks books, incense, homeopathic medicines, and other products, and yoga and meditation classes take place upstairs.
