Image by Erik Lassche

This surprising enoteca is located in one of the former buildings of the ancient Lisbon watersupply-system. The huge aquaduct with the enormous arches that you see when you drive into Lisbon from the direction of Cascais is also part of the same system. If you are interested you can visit the old bassin (entrance in the middle of Jardim Príncipe Real).

In Chafariz da Mãe de Água the water is literally passing by your table. A great location. Here you can enjoy a glass of wine from their huge wine collection. Or stay a bit longer and try a bottle! They serve dinner as well.

They also offer winetasting activities and other special offers such as Happy Hours. Check out their site.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Chafariz da Mãe de Água | Bars, Restaurants (Portuguese) | Bottle of wine from € 17.00
Rua da Mãe d’Água | Príncipe Real | +351213422079
Tue – Sun 18:00 – 02:00, kitchen closed 01:00

Image by Erik Lassche

Pois Café is owned and run by a couple of Austrian ladies. And it shows! The pies and cakes are absolutely fantastic. The interior looks like a huge living room, filled with comfortable sofas and chairs.

A nice detail are the books and magazines. It is full of them! All clients are encouraged to leave a second hand book or magazine, so you can spend all afternoon reading and eating Apfelstrudel!

This is a great place to have lunch or just a cup of coffee. It is close to Sé and the castle, so why not stop here after walking around in this historic part of town?

Better visit soon, the place is currently “for sale”. So let’s see how long we will be enjoying these apfelstrudels.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Pois Café | Bars, Coffee & tea | Sandwich € 6.00
Rua S. João da Praça 93-95 | Alfama & Graça | +351218862497
Tue – Sun 11:00 – 20:00

Image by Erik Lassche

So many bars in Bairro Alto, why go to Capela? Owner and resident-DJ Pedro is one of the main embassadors of Elektropop in Lisbon. Music never comes second place in Capela.

Prepare yourself for a kaleidoscope of people and styles and just let go! It looks a bit trashy, but you will get used to it.

When most bars are winding down late at night, Capela keeps just getting better. And since the place is rather small and narrow, you are guaranteed to meet lots of people.

Great combo: late dinner at Império dos Sentidos (next door) and then off to Capela.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Capela | Bars, Music | Bacardi Limon € 4.00
Rua da Atalaia 45 | Bairro Alto | +351213470072
20:00 – 02:00 daily

Image by Erik Lassche

Royal Café is a nice, almost hidden, place to have breakfast, lunch or an afternoon snack. The setting is modern and clean, without being distant. In the back you can find a (rather tiny) terrace.

The main specialties are natural- and biological products. They have a good assortment of salads, sandwiches, fresh juices, various teas and infusions.

It is not cheap, compared to your average Portuguese pastelaria or snackbar, but nothing scandalous, especially if you’re used to Northern European prices.

I like to come here to have lunch or a snack when spending time in Chiado. It is just 100 meters away from the main street in Chiado, but a lot more quiet and less touristic. And it is open on Sunday!!

If it is full try Vertigo.

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Royal Café | Coffee & tea, Snacks | Sandwich & juice € 9.00
Largo Rafael Bordalo Pinheiro 29 | Chiado & Baixa | +351213469125
Mon – Sat 10:00 – 00:00, Sun 10:00 – 20:00

Image by Erik Lassche

The Confraria de Sushi in Cascais is considered one of the best places to eat sushi in greater Lisbon. Now the good news for me: they opened their second restaurant, in Chiado, in my street!

Confraria LX is located inside the newly opened LX Boutique Hotel, at the end of Rua de Alecrim, near Cais de Sodré trains station. The decoration is modern and intimate.

The food, as expected is geat. They offer a wide range of innovative sushi and sashimi dishes. I normally order the Confraria dish, which is a kind of flavour-of-the-day mix of different sushi pieces.

Reservations are recommended, since I am not the only one who is a fan of the Confraria.

Package tip: dinner at Confraria LX and a night out in Cois de Sodré!

Details about this spot (Show on map)
Confraria LX | Restaurants (Japanese) | Total dinner € 30
Rua do Alecrim 12 A | Chiado & Baixa | +351213426292
Mon – Thu 12:30 – 00:00, Fri – Sat 12:30 – 02:00