My wife and I are going to Portugal for the first time next week, following the RS Portugal 10-day tour roughly. As a coffee enthusiast, I will be seeking Cafe A Brasileira (Lisbon), Cafe Majestic (Porto) and Cafe Santa Cruz (Coimbra) as suggested in the guidebook. With Brazil as a former colony, it seems like there should be more coffeehouses with GOOD coffee in Portugal, especially ones that sell beans. Any recommendations?
Posted by
Ontario, Canada
368 posts
Fabrica Coffee Roasters in Lisbon was our favorite.
Posted by
127 posts
No problem finding good coffee in Portugal.
I can't remember the name of the shop, but it is on the Rua da Misericordia, just a few doors up the hill from the Praca de Camoes. This is an old fashioned shop that sells coffee beans and tea, and coffee makers. I know it has been in business for at least 60 years, and probably much longer. Entering this shop is stepping back in time. It's about two short blocks from the Brasileira. The Brasileira is justifiably famous, but be careful regarding the prices. As with many places, the least expensive will be standing at the counter, you will pay more if you sit down inside, and the highest price for sitting outside. Also watch out for being short changed at the Brasileira.
Other famous coffee places include the Cafe Nicola and the Cafe Suica on Rossio.
An elegant, old fashioned pastry place is the Confeteria Nacional on the Praca Figueira
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Thanks a lot.
Posted by
Cascais, Portugal
1826 posts
It's actually hard to get a bad cup of coffee in Portugal! Just an FYI - in Lisbon - if you want espresso, ask for a 'bica'.
Posted by
Porto - Portugal
238 posts
Well... IMO Majestic serves probably the worst coffee in Porto! And you pay €3 for it! I'm used to pay 50 cents for my morning coffee! But I must agree that is a very beautiful place (as is Guarany, at Av. dos Aliados, but probably the second worst coffee...).
My advice: don't drink coffee in restaurants (we usually have a coffee after lunch or dinner, but I do it always in a different place of where I had the meal), because it is usually not very good. While visiting Porto just look at the tables, and where you see locals having coffee it is probably good. But there you should ask for a cold cup, otherwise you may burn you lips. I dont't use sugar in my coffee but I always mix it with the spoon - look at the spoon, and if it is wet, dry it with a napkin. Delta is a very good brand of coffee, but of course there are others.
If you want to see some stained glass about coffee production, just enter McDonalds at Praça da Liberdade, and look at the wall behind the cash registers.
Downtown, at Rua Santa Catarina, near Café Majestic, you can have a good coffee at "Império" (the veal patties are also very good).
As the poster before said, in Lisbon ask for a "bica". In Porto or Coimbra just ask for a coffee.
Helena
Posted by
OP
6 posts
Thanks a lot, kathrynj and Helena.