Best Coffee in Lisbon: Top Specialty Cafes & How to Order

Whether you are looking for a reliable neighborhood workspace, hunting down quality whole-bean roasts, or just want to know how to order coffee like a local at a traditional counter, here is our tested guide to the best coffee in Lisbon.

Although we’ve been traveling to Lisbon for over fifteen years, our coffee routine has evolved. In our early visits, we stuck entirely to traditional street-corner pastelarias and neighborhood kiosks for a quick, bitter shot of espresso to kickstart a day of sightseeing.

In recent years, however, Lisbon has developed a thriving specialty coffee culture. The city’s sun-drenched hills are now dotted with micro-roasters, minimalist Scandinavian bakeries, and Australian-inspired brunch spots serving expertly extracted flat whites and single-origin pour-overs alongside classic egg tarts.

*This post contains compensated links. Find more info in my DISCLAIMER. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

Quick Facts: Coffee in Lisbon

Detail	What to Know
Local Term for Espresso	Uma bica (specific to Lisbon) or um café
Milky Morning Coffee	Um galão (tall glass, mostly milk) or meia de leite (equal parts coffee and milk)
Traditional Counter Price	€0.70 – €1.20 at pastelarias and street kiosks (quiosques)
Specialty Coffee Price	€2.50 – €4.00 for flat whites, lattes, or V60 filter coffee
Local Etiquette	Counter espresso is downed quickly while standing (ao balcão)
Laptops & Wi-Fi	Many third-wave cafes restrict laptops on weekends or enforce laptop-free tables

Hunting For Lisbon Coffee Shops

We’ve traveled to Portugal about a half dozen times in recent years. It’s a city that we love, and one we sometimes think about moving to. During past trips, I think we visited like tourists.

Now that we are living in Europe I think we tend to visit a city a little differently. We like to explore while keeping our regular routine. On this trip that meant hunting down the best coffee in Lisbon.

In a city that is known equally for its cuisine and its architecture, it’s no surprise that these specialty cafes are a feast for all the senses.

They make great coffee but also feel like they are part of this artistic city – even when the cafes are relatively new. 

In this post, we will share advice on how to order coffee in Portugal, particularly when visiting traditional Portugal coffee bars.

We also will share tips on what are some of the Lisbon coffee shops you must visit if you love coffee as much as we do.

Traveling to Portugal? Check out our comprehensive Portuguese Food Guide, with a list of the 28 traditional Portuguese dishes you must try!

Why Search For Great Portuguese Cafes?

There are a lot of reasons why we try to track down great coffee shops when we travel. In the past, we tended to focus only on local coffee bars when traveling in Portugal, Spain, or Italy.

I love popping into an Italian cafe and knocking back an espresso or a macchiato. Now that we live in Europe, though, I crave more contemporary cafes, where the focus is on quality beans and quality coffee making.

Second, because we travel for food, and we tend to not spend a lot of time at museums or visiting cathedrals, we need to have something to do in between meals. This often means popping into a local cafe to kill an hour or two. 

Sometimes it is because we want to get some work done outside of the hotel room. More recently, it means stocking up on great coffee beans to grind at home, as we did recently when visiting Dusseldorf.

In Lisbon, the trend of opening real coffee shops is relatively new as well.

When we first visited Lisbon, coffee options were limited to bars and pastry shops, or a handful of chains (Yes, there are Starbucks locations in Lisbon). It was refreshing to see the number of quality cafes in Lisbon this time. 

We actually visited a few more than the recommendations I included below. I either read about the cafes in other Lisbon blog posts or had some recommended by locals. We didn’t like the other cafes we visited, so I am not including them below. 

How To Order Coffee in Portugal

Let’s start with some basics about the local Portuguese coffee culture. With all of the specialty coffee shops listed below, it’s pretty easy to order. The menus are littered with lattes, flat whites, and pour-overs. 

But, when ordering Portuguese coffee drinks at more traditional bars, or at the many bakeries in town, it’s important to know how to order coffee like a local.

This is particularly important if you want a little coffee to go with all of the pasteis de nata you should be eating during a trip to Lisbon. After all, the food in Lisbon is amazing.

There are other Portuguese coffee types, but these are probably the most commonly used by coffee drinkers visiting Lisbon.

The cost of coffee in Lisbon is very reasonable. Typically an espresso or pingado is between €.60-1.20. A galão is between €1.20-1.60. 

One of the best places to drink coffee in Lisbon like a local is at one of the many kiosks, or Quiosque in Portuguese. These are the outdoor cafes in many of the squares around the city.

The Best Lisbon Coffee Shops

Although we’ve traveled to Lisbon about a half dozen times before, during this last trip we really focused on visiting some of the fun and hip Lisbon coffee houses.

Included in this list are what we feel is a good start for travelers or ex-pats looking for the best cafes in Lisbon. We focused on the atmosphere as well as the quality of the coffee poured. 

There also might be some reference to the “Hipster Lisbon” quality of each cafe. We are the farthest thing from hipsters.

When we found a coffee shop that didn’t make us feel too square or too old, we made a note. On average, a cappuccino, latte, or flat white at most of these shops ranges from €2.50-3.50. 

Fábrica Coffee Roasters (Baixa & Chiado)

Fábrica Coffee Roasters is Lisbon’s pioneer third-wave roastery, pairing high-grade single-origin extractions with an unpretentious, comfortable setting.

When researching specialty coffee spots in Lisbon, Fábrica was at the very top of every list. I am normally hesitant when a place is hyped that heavily, but we decided to give it a shot—and they delivered. Fábrica was one of the early trendsetters in the city, combining their own roasting operation with an approachable cafe vibe.

They now have two locations in town. We found it to be comfortable with a decent amount of seating; it has a bit of a hipster feel, but not in a way that makes you feel out of place. The coffee itself was exceptionally well-pulled, and the staff really pay attention to which specific bean origin suits your preferred brew method.

If you are hoping to knock out some remote work, note that they prominently display signs stating they do not offer Wi-Fi.

• Locations: R. das Portas de Santo Antão 136 (just north of the Restauradores metro stop, with a few outdoor tables) & R. das Flores 63 (just south of Praça Luís de Camões).
• Hours: 8:00 AM – 8:00 PM, 7 days a week.
• Our Take: Come for the expertly pulled coffee and to pick up freshly roasted beans for your grinder at home, not to work on a laptop.

Copenhagen Coffee Lab (Príncipe Real)

Copenhagen Coffee Lab is a minimalist Danish bakery and cafe serving bright Nordic-style roasts alongside exceptional sourdough and fresh cinnamon buns.

Copenhagen Coffee Lab opened right around the same time as Fábrica, but it has a completely different energy. It is Danish-owned, so the space feels light, airy, and distinctly Scandinavian.

This was easily one of my favorite coffees in Lisbon, especially when paired with a fresh, warm cinnamon roll. Their bakery program is widely known for crusty sourdough and hearty rye bread, making it a great stop for a simple lunch sandwich as well.

The cafe happened to be only three blocks from an apartment we rented through Booking.com in Príncipe Real, so it quickly became our local neighborhood fixture. It was noticeably quieter than other central spots because most patrons were focused on their own books or quiet conversations.

• The Laptop Situation: While they do have Wi-Fi, they are very intentional about community space: several tables display “No Computers” signs to discourage people from camping all day. We respected the rule, kept our laptops away, and simply used our phones at the designated tables.
• Location: R. Nova da Piedade 10 (Príncipe Real).
• Hours: Monday–Friday 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM; opens at 9:00 AM on Saturday and 10:00 AM on Sunday.
• Our Take: My favorite coffee-and-pastry combo in the city—grab a quiet table, order a cinnamon roll, and leave the laptop in your bag.

The Mill (Poço dos Negros / São Bento)

The Mill is a compact Australian-Portuguese cafe known for hearty brunch plates and an energetic, high-turnover breakfast crowd.

The Mill is an Australian-owned contemporary cafe and breakfast spot located just a few blocks past the iconic corner where tourists crowd to photograph the Lisbon tram.

Even on a Monday morning a little off the main tourist trail, the room was packed with visitors. For my personal taste, I found their house blend to be a bit more acidic than I prefer in a cup of coffee. The space is also very cozy—perhaps a bit too cozy if you are looking to sit back and linger.

During our visit, the staff were actively managing waiting customers outside the door, which made me feel like I needed to drink up and clear the table quickly. Others didn’t seem to mind the bustle; groups and couples were happily tucking into substantial hot Portuguese breakfast dishes, yogurt, granola, and bagels.

• Location: R. do Poço dos Negros 1 (just west of Praça Luís de Camões).
• Hours: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM, 7 days a week. They offer Wi-Fi.
• Our Take: Go if you are craving an American- or Australian-style hot cooked breakfast rather than a light pastry, but expect a fast-paced turnover rather than a relaxing afternoon coffee break.

More Traditional Cafes in Lisbon

Although you can grab a coffee at any bar across Lisbon, we have a few recommendations for more traditional cafes.

These are spots that don’t fall within the trendy Lisbon cafes above but are a little nicer than a typical bar. These are cafes that specialize in pastries but might also offer sandwiches for lunch as well.

If you want historic charm, grand architecture, or casual outdoor people-watching, add these classic stops to your itinerary:

• Confeitaria Nacional (Praça da Figueira 18B): Founded in 1829, this is Lisbon’s oldest continuously operating pastry shop. Step up to the wood-and-marble counter for a classic bica surrounded by 19th-century mirrors.
• Café A Brasileira (Rua Garrett 122): Lisbon’s most famous literary cafe in Chiado, once frequented by poet Fernando Pessoa (whose bronze statue sits outside). It is undeniably touristy and prices are higher on the terrace, but the Art Deco interior is stunning.
• Lisbon Kiosks (Quiosques): For the most authentic everyday coffee experience, pull up a green metal chair at an outdoor quiosque in gardens like Praça das Flores or Miradouro de São Pedro de Alcântara. An espresso costs around €1.00 and comes with Lisbon’s best open-air views.

FAQs – How To Find The Best Coffee In Lisbon