5 Best Bars in Chiado and Bairro Alto, Lisbon

Bairro Alto is home to several of Lisbon's leading fado houses—venues where singers belt out soulful standards, accompanied by both the lute-like Portuguese guitarra and Spanish guitar—and Adega Machado is one of the best. Its artistic director is Marco Rodrigues, a leading member of the current generation of fadistas, who regularly performs here, along with Isabel Noronha, Bárbara Santos, and Pedro Moutinho. To attend the evening show at 9 pm, you must make a dinner reservation, so arrive in good time to choose from the range of traditional dishes (à la carte with mains at €30, or a €47 set menu, one of which is vegetarian). For just a taster, drop in for their daily 5 pm Fado Inside the Box 45-minute session (€17 including wine and snacks). Nearby Café Luso, at  Travessa da Queimada 10, is another famous old venue, part of the same group.

Occupying three stylish terraces—designed by Pritzker laureate Álvaro Siza—below the ruins of the Convento do Carmo, this bar is in a prime location next to the antique Elevador da Santa Justa, but it can also be reached by taking a regular elevator (for free) from Rua do Carmo. The cocktails and views are the main attraction, but there’s also a tempting array of light meals like salads and homemade burgers. Most weekends DJs liven things up from mid-afternoon until late.

For a sophisticated sundowner before a full night out, head to this leafy roof terrace with sweeping city views. The cocktails are excellent, whether you order a classic margarita or a signature Lumi Negroni (made with infused gin, Portuguese vermouth, and Madeira wine). Light meals and snacks are prepared with seasonal ingredients by Chef João Silva.

This fun and funky bar retains the giant wood-fired oven that harks back to the building's previous life as a bakery. There's now a spacious rooftop terrace, but the interior is still reliably packed with hipsters who've turned out to hear the hottest local DJs. The lengthy cocktail menu and famous shots of strong spirits can ramp up a night on the town.

On Friday and Saturday nights, DJs pack the dance floor at this local favorite, a tiny space that's nevertheless more of a club than a bar. It's usually quite crowded, so many patrons grab a drink and enjoy it on the street.