Chiado & Baixa – Local tips (coffee & tea)

Chiado is definitely one of the most charming areas of Lisbon. The main street is has some nice historical cafés, but they tend to be very touristic. A great alternative is Café no Chiado.

The location is excellent: smack in the middle of Chiado, with tram-line 28 passing right in front of you! The place has been renovated in 2006. It nowadays has a very cool interior and a great terrace.

Come here to have a cup of coffee or lunch, read a book on the terrace or just to enjoy the setting. Try the salads, they are great!

At night it’s a great place to dine, especially after visiting one of the nearby theatres, since they serve dinner until 2AM.

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Café no Chiado | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Portuguese) | Great salad € 8.00
Largo do Picadeiro 10-12 | Chiado & Baixa | +351213460501
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 02:00

This place must be hiding beneath a cloak of invisibility since it’s been open a whole year and has still barely registered a beep on the city’s radar of sleek go-to spots. Then again, if city buzz is what you’re after, then you won’t find it here.

Housed in the recently renovated São Roque Museum, home to all things Arte Sacra (Sacred Art), Cafetaria is cool, calm and collected. Having left bustling Chiado and Bairro Alto at its doorstep, the space is a fresh blend of old meets new, in an introspective setting that faces a beautiful courtyard with bamboo trees and a gurgling fountain, to be enjoyed from inside and out. And not a honking car to be heard.

Cafetaria is owned by one of Lisbon’s most elegant restaurants, Casa da Comida, so the food – mainly light lunches, appetizers and snacks – gets its stamp of approval. Brunches are also served on weekends.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cafetaria Museu São Roque | Coffee & tea, Snacks, Restaurants (Intern.) | Sandwich € 3.00
Largo Trindade Coelho | Chiado & Baixa | +351213235446
Tue – Wed & Fri – Sun 10:00 – 18:00, Thu 14:00 – 21:00 (Closed holidays)

After a hard day’s shopping in Chiado or after coming down from Bairro Alto there is now the most perfect place to relax, have a drink and a bite to eat.

Fábulos Café is tucked away from the main streets, approachable either from the direction of Chiado, through an excellent esplanade tucked away from the hustle and bustle, or else from the direction of the School of Fine Arts.

The menu is simple but inventive, comprising delicious sandwiches, salads and wraps but there are also more substantial burritos, crepes and omelets for those more hungry.

The food is delicious, my favourite being the goats cheese, caper and spinach sandwich, and the atmosphere relaxed and cosy, especially if you manage to bag one of the many old sofas spread throughout the place.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Fábulas Cafe | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (Sandwiches) | From € 5.00
Calçada Nova de São Francisco, 14 | Chiado & Baixa
Mon – Wed 10:00 – 00:00, Thur – Sat 10:00 – 01:00, closed Sun

Kaffeehaus is located in the middle of Chiado, just next to one of Lisbon’s most famous theatres, São Carlos. It fits in the old, and almost lost, tradition of literary cafés that were the trademark of Chiado. Kaffeehaus, however, does it in her own, Viennese style.

The place is hard to classify since you can go here for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a drink at night. A better way to describe it would be its style: a great place to get up to date on what is happening in Lisbon, read a newspaper, have a coffee or a drink.

Besides the setting, the food helps! Try great Austrian pastry in the middle of Lisbon! Amazing Apfelstrüdel and a lot of other surprising dishes. There is something different written on the chalkboard every day, so you can always come back for something new!

Great place for a pit-stop on your Saturday-shopping in Chiado or a more prolonged break on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Be patient though, it is becoming and awful popular place!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Kaffeehaus | Bars, Coffee & tea, Restaurants (European/Austrian) | Main € 8.00
Rua Anchieta 3 | Chiado & Baixa | +351210956828
Tue – Thu 11:00 – 0:00, Fri – Sat 11:00 – 02:00, Sun 11:00 – 20:00

Say you find yourself amidst the frenzy that is Chiado or Bairro Alto and you want something a bit slower-paced where you can grab a bite to eat, well, nip down the hill to Quinoa, a fresh new bakery, café and gourmet food store.

With rolls, bagels, scones and loafs of all sorts, bread is undoubtedly the staple food here, but it’s hard to overlook the cakes and mini-pies (I couldn’t, and the almond tart melted in my mouth). All baked goods are made on the premises and are 100% organic. That’s healthy, right? Another slice, please…

Housed in a newly renovated building, the place is clean cut and modern while retaining the original stone arches and a beautiful wooden staircase. Seating extends to the mezzanine for a more intimate setting (and out of the window on one side you can glimpse one of Lisbon’s many hidden courtyards).

Brunches (€9 – €15) are served on weekends and holidays between 11.00 and 15.00.

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Quinoa | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Bagel salmon & cream cheese € 4.30
Rua do Alecrim 52-54 | Chiado & Baixa | +351213479326
Mon – Wed 08:00 – 20:00, Thu – Fri 08:00 – 22:00, Sat 10:00 – 22:00, Sun 10:00 – 17:00

Hidden away next to the picturesque Largo do Carmo, Vertigo is one of the more trendy places in Chiado. It’s a perfect spot to have lunch or a cup of coffee in the afternoon. Or have a drink here before going for dinner in Bairro Alto!

The menu is rather healthy and features lots of salads, sandwiches, fresh juices and more exotic offers. (Not that easy to find in Lisbon, trust me!). The interior is very cozy yet stylish.

Go here on Sunday afternoon, when it is impossible to find anything decent open in Chiado. Cool place.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Vertigo | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Sandwich & juice € 8.00
Travessa do Carmo 4 | Chiado & Baixa | +351213433112
10:00 – 00:00 daily