Riverside Lisbon – All our local tips

This is a very fancy bar and, incredibly, most of the times that I have been there it was very easy for me and my friends to find a comfortable sofa to sit, and most of all, to feel good. I am not a fancy person, but I do love fancy places that make you feel fine.

The bar belongs to the Belem Altis Hotel & Spa, and as usual nowadays in Lisbon, the old fashioned and heavy furnished hotel bars are becoming history, and 38º41′ is a proof of it. It’s a very trendy space to relax, with good ambient music and a wonderful and huge view to the Tagus River, as well to the bridge “25 de Abril”.

38º41′ , the name of the bar, is the coordinate of its location. So one can always use your GPS to get there. if you don’t have one, like me, don’t worry. The bar is located between two of the most famous Lisbon landmarks: The Belem Tower and the Monument of the Discoveries. Yes, I always keep my eyes on them from the bar, a perfect luxury!

They have very good cocktails, different types of good toasts, and also a book of choices to order, and I am not kidding, it’s really a book. I enjoy going there to watch the sunset having a margarita, or follow the boats sailing along the Tagus river, which goes well with wine. They have good natural juices and smoothies, since I am not always in the mood of drinking alcohol.

All in all, this is the perfect place, for me, to be with friends or with a book, and a lot of spare time, because, by the river, time really goes slow.

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38º41′ | Bars, Restaurants (Intern.) | Average € 15
Doca do Bom Sucesso | Riverside | +351210400200
Daily

The Tagus River is one of this city’s great draws and at this café/restaurant/bar it’s undoubtedly the focal point. Situated just across the train tracks from the Centro Cultural de Belém (CCB) and a stone’s throw from the water, it’s perfect for a drink, a nibble, a chat or a read.

The kitchen serves up casual meals including toasted sandwiches, carpaccio, a cheese platter and a choice of robust salads. Apart from coffees and teas aplenty, fresh-squeezed juices and shakes, there’s a lengthy list of wines, liquors and mixed drinks.

The architecture of the place deserves a round of applause (and indeed several adverts and photo shoots have been set here). It’s basically a glass “box” within an iron frame, sleek and streamlined in white-on-white, making the most of natural light and the view.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
À Margem | Bars, Relaxing, Restaurants (Intern.) | Salads from € 10
Doca do Bom Sucesso | Riverside | +351918225548
Sun – Thu 10:00 – 01:00, Fri – Sat 10:00 – 02:00

Portugal has long maintained a connection with the orient, ever since Vasco da Gama set sail to discover the sea route to India in the 15th century, in search of spices and other treasures. It seems fitting, then, that this Asian restaurant has taken up residence in none other than the naval club of Lisbon.

But the references to seafaring and the spice trade don’t end there. Exposed wooden beams give the feeling of being in the underbelly of a caravel, richly coloured Asian fabrics and ornaments season the décor and an actual boat’s hull serves as the bar, leaving no doubt as to where Café Malaca takes its inspiration. Peering out the picture window at the river immediately below, you might even begin to feel the place rock to and fro.

Malaca’s owner Yoon Chin Lai is Malay, but the cuisine doesn’t limit itself to her culinary heritage. Rather, the menu – painted on a chalkboard – reads like an Asian best of, with flavours culled equally from Malaysia, Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand and India. I heartily recommend the spicy soft-shelled crabs (imported from Thailand and eaten whole), whilst the Hong Kong duck and green curry wrestle for second place on my palate. As for something sweet to top it off, the white chocolate mousse with chestnut sauce is my current favourite.

Wish you could carry some of the exotic away with you? You can! Asian textiles, spices, and other trinkets are for sale in mini-boutique in a corner near the bar.

A little tip on how to get there: Café Malaca is located inside the Clube Naval de Lisboa – remember that, because it’s the only visual reference – about 200 metres west of the Cais do Sodré train station. Enter from the river side, through the metal door and head up the stairs on the left.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Cafe Malaca | Restaurants (Asian) | Meal & wine € 25.00
Cais do Gás, Armazém H, 1st floor | Riverside | +351213477082
Mon 19:30 – 23:30 , Tue – Sun 13:00 – 15:00 & 19:30 – 23:30 daily (kitchen hours)

Casanova is an Italian restaurant located near St. Apolónia, in the riverside. It opened in 2000 and since then it has given itself the award for the best wood oven pizzas.

It has a very simple and clean look, in a canteen style, where you can be seated next to a stranger.

Casanova has a very particular way of calling the waiters. You don’t get to shout and wait for someone to come to the table. All you have to do is light up the red light on top of the table and the first available waiter will come.

Casanova does not accept reservations, all you have to do is wait in line. First come first served!

In addition on having pizzas made with authentic Italian products, has also a good selection of pastas, antipasti as well as crostinis or bruschettas. Everything is to die for. Don’t forget to ask for Casanova’s trade secret – Lemon iced tea.

For dessert? Ask for one of the fruit Cremolatti (typical Italian ice-cream), panna cota or tiramisu.

Vee’s favourites – Pizza Sfillaci, Passionfruit and Raspberry Cremolatti

Rita’s favourites – Spaghetti Aglio, Oglio e Pepperoncino, Tiramisú

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Casanova | Restaurants (Italian) | Bruschetta € 2.50
Av. Infante D. Henrique, Cais da Pedra 7 | Riverside | +351218877532
Daily 12:30 – 01:30

Delidelux is the place to find a wide choice of international products (good Italian and French selection) as well as the finest national specialties (excellent for Portuguese wine, cheese and seafood preserves).

We also have to mention that the fruit and vegetables on display are always fresh and most importantly, they taste like old times !

Apart from being a Delicatessen and Gourmet Store, Delidelux has also a Bistrô area. Depending on the weather, you can choose to stay inside or enjoy the river view and sun in the terrace.

If you go there on a weekend or a national holiday, you must taste the Brunch (served from 10:00 until 16:00). Otherwise, the menu includes a lot of options from a simple snack to a complete meal.

The cuisine is mostly fusion (with marked Italian and French influences), but they make an effort to mix it with some traditional Portuguese ingredients.

Overall it’s a superb place to chill after work or in the weekends (albeit a bit crowded sometimes)!

P.S.: It’s useful to know that all the ingredients used in the menu are available in store, so if you leave the Bistrô craving for more, you can always try and cook it yourself!

Rita’s favourites – Bistrô: cheese and charcuterie plates, yogurt with fruits and honey. Store: sesame bagels, cumin gouda cheese, Italian products selection.

Vee’s favourites – Bistrô: Sunday Brunch – to die for. Store: Kumin teas, Cantucinni biscottis.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Delidelux | Shopping, Restaurants (Fusion) | Complete Sunday brunch from € 9.50
Av. Infante D. Henrique Armazém B Loja 8 | Riverside
Tue – Fri 12:00 – 22:00, Sat 10:00 – 22:00, Sun 10:00 – 20:00

4 exposition rooms, 2 bookstores, 3 shops, a bar, a restaurant, a terrace…. all this is Fábrica Braço de Prata. And I think I still forgot half of it.

This cultural venue is located on the former location of an armaments factory. Swords to ploughs one may say! It’s a bit out of the way (located near the docks, between Santa Apolónia and Expo) and not that known actually.

It’s a very accessible and fun way to sniff some culture. The crowd is young and dynamic. Due to the variety of rooms and bars, there is always something interesting going on. From time to time (in the warm months) there’s a tent outside for concerts.

Listen to a Bossa Nova concerts, see an exposition or just have a drink. Check out the agenda online!

A huge construction project is planned on the current site, so the “factory” will not be standing here much longer. One more reason to visit it now.

During the month of December their will some special fairs, displaying artesanals, design, art and lots more! Check it out: Friday the 12th and 19th from 20:00 until 02:00.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Fábrica Braço de Prata | Art & culture, Bars, Music | everything € 5.00
Rua da Fábrica de Material de Guerra | Riverside | +351967435743
Ticket office: Wed – Sat 20:00 – 02:00, Sun 16:00 – 22:00

If Mother Nature wore jewelry, Margarida Pimentel is where she’d shop.

Organic and abstract, this designer’s beautiful, 3-dimensional morsels of movement and flow are the kind of stand-alone jewelry that make a statement without saying a word. Each piece is superbly crafted entirely by hand and is either one-of-a-kind or of limited edition. All are made from gold and silver (the real deal, not just plated), mostly brushed metal and many incorporating precious stones or pearls.

On that note, it should come as no surprise that this jewelry is not quite for those on a budget – prices start at close to €200 for a ring – but I firmly believe a little indulgence every so often never hurt anyone. Still, if nothing else, at least stop by for a look.

The store is located within the Centro Cultural de Belém complex, close to the Jerónimos monastery.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Galeria Margarida Pimentel | Shopping
Praça do Império, Belém | Riverside | +351213660034
10:00 – 21:00 daily

If there is a place where all types of people gather it’s Lux. It’s the most democratic place to go clubbing, since it has 3 floors, all playing different types of music.

The top floor is an open area with a Wine Bar which always varies in the décor. The perfect time to be here is when the sun rises above the river – breathtaking! The middle floor also known as the Bar is where people gather to have a drink and talk, or just chill on one of the many beds that are laying around.

This area also has a great balcony facing the river where people hang out if not too cold or rainy. The bottom floor named Disco is where the hard partying really happens. Here all Dj’s show their best tunes, playing all sorts of music (mostly electronic). Every time we go there it’s a completely different night! Lux has the ability to reinvent itself every week, so this is why it has been a success for so many years. Be sure to check with their website the weekly program.

It is located in the west downtown area, near the Central Station of Santa Apolónia, making it a really easy to reach spot (it is also served by the blue Metro line). If you wish to dinner nearby, you can try Casanova (check the Casanova article) for the most delicious pizzas in town.

Rita’s favourites: Any Saturday night is always fun!

Vee’s favourites: Any night when Dezperados play.

Tip: when clubbing on a Saturday be sure to enter before 2 am, otherwise you’ll risk some serious queueing!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Lux Frágil | Bars, Music | Entrance (include two drinks) € 12.00
Av. Infante D. Henrique | Riverside | +351218820890
Tue – Sat 22:00 – 06:00

The Berardo Collection Museum, opened last year in CCB (Belém Cultural Centre), displaying part of the Portuguese entrepreneur Joe Berardo’s private art collection.

This amazing and worldly recognized collection features works by some of the most preeminent and prestigious modern and contemporary artists like Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Marcel Duchamp or Francis Bacon. The work of less known (but likewise interesting!) artists is also shown.

Additionally, you have a unique opportunity to discover some of Portugal’s finest talents of the last and present centuries.

Obviously, there are some pieces and installations that seem quite incomprehensible (at least from our point of view!!), but there are so many superb works that this is truly an occasion that you shouldn’t miss!

The exhibition is quite big, so you will need some time and spirit to really enjoy it properly! If you get tired from all the cultural experience, you may also find that the beautiful gardens and terraces in CCB are worth paying a visit to!

Rita’s favourite pieces: White Aphrodisiac Telephone – Salvador Dali (lobster phone), Vivan Sundaram photo montages (Indian artist),

Vee’s favourite pieces: Severambia – Frank Stella (huge Graffiti fibreglass wall).

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Museu Colecção Berardo | Art & culture
Praça do Império | Riverside | +351213612400
Sat – Thu 10:00 – 19:00, Fri 10:00 – 22:00

This museum is one of a kind. It houses the greatest world collection of royal coaches, dating from 17th Century to late 19th Century. The building itself is a “must see”, since it is in the old Royal Riding Arena of Belem Palace. The museum is also one of the most visited museum in Lisbon. But even with all this publicity, I hear from a lot of people that don’t visit it. Shame on them!

When you enter you realize you have entered a special place. I like to spend a long time just staring up to the graceful roof paintings,or on the second floor, where the view over the museum is tantalizing. But the museum is about the royal coaches, so let me talk about them. Most of them are very well preserved, and some of them are a complete luxury, golden covered and decorated with huge detailed sculptures.

The museum is logically organized, since the coaches are set in chronological order. So, while you are visiting each coach you are truly learning a lot about Portugal’s history. Not only that, but you can also learn something about daily life as well. Before visiting this museum I had never though that a coach could have a toilet inside. Duh!

While the first and larger room is well organized, the last room is too packed and you barely can walk around the coaches. That is the main reason there are current plans to move the museum to a new and larger building. It’s a very controversy change, but I think it’s necessary, since there are a lot of coaches that aren’t in the museum simply because there is no space. If they preserve the actual building for visiting, I think it’s fine.

On the second floor you can sight the museum from above, as I mentioned before, and also see some nice royal family portraits and read about the royal family history.

Tip: Free on Sun till 14:00

Details about this spot (Show on map)
National Coach Museum | Art & culture | Adults € 3.00
Praça Afonso de Albuquerque | Riverside | +351213610850
Tue – Sun 10:00 – 18:00