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STAY
Hotel das Amoreiras
This charming, family-run boutique hotel set on the beautiful Jardim das Amoreiras exudes European elegance, warmth, and excellent service. The 17 rooms and 2 suites mix classical and contemporary with tufted headboards, French-style bouillotte sconces, jewel-toned textiles, and marble bathrooms. There's a lovely sitting room with a bar and a beautiful courtyard where guests can enjoy the hotel's delicious breakfast. It's perfect for an intimate, elevated, and relaxing escape in a more local neighborhood.
Santa Clara 1728 · Lisbon
Santa Clara 1728
Staying at the intimate, flawlessly designed Santa Clara feels like taking a deep breath. Located on the edge of Alfama with sweeping views of the Tagus and Pantheon, this six-room hotel transformed a former palace into a minimalist design haven, with linen couches, marble tubs, and natural materials that give the space a meditative, light-filled energy. In a quiet, charming historic area, it's one of the most chic escapes in the city and perfect for lovers of elegant, minimalist interiors.
Hotel Pátio do Tijolo · Lisbon
Pátio do Tijolo
A 24-room boutique hotel tucked away in Bairro Alto, Pátio do Tijolo is a peaceful, grounding homebase with a pebbled courtyard framed by lush greenery and hanging lamps draped from trees. Exposed concrete is softened by natural linens, warm wood, and colorful modern art. Rooms are simple yet comfortable, with emerald-tiled bathrooms and balconies that let in the light. With an open kitchen for breakfast or a snack, plus reading and relaxing areas with books and games, it’s a modern, minimalist, and quiet stay.
EAT & DRINK
Etma Bakery · Lisbon
Etma Bakery
Set in a bright, tiny corner space in Campo de Ourique, this cute cafe and bakery serves perfectly baked pastries including croissants, specialty buns, and pan suisse, plus a delicious breakfast menu of seasonal toasts, eggs, sandwiches, and more. A relatively new opening in October 2025, Etma is already regarded as having arguably the best baked goods in the city.
Gambrinus · Lisbon
Gambrinus
An iconic Lisbon institution, open since 1936, where dark wood-paneled walls, a 12-stool bar, tableside service, and white tablecloths transport you back in time. Grab one of the 12 stools at the old-school bar for a beer and croquettes or enjoy a sit down dinner in the main dining room, where a massive, colorful tapestry covers the entire wall, for traditional Portuguese cuisine and seafood, from croquettes to gambas al ajillo to cataplana and more. Save room for dessert: the crêpe suzette is prepared and set alight tableside, and the vanilla soufflé is excellent too. A staple for locals and visitors alike, worth it for the history and experience alone.
ALBI Lisboa · Lisbon
ALBI Lisboa
A tiny, cozy cafe on a quiet corner in São Bento with great coffee, delicious food, and natural wine. The calm, relaxing space has wood beam ceilings, limewashed walls, and woven pendant lights, with a sweet little two-person bar, a few tables, and a small window banquette. The all-day menu includes light bites like housemade banana bread with cinnamon and honey butter as well as bigger plates like grilled haloumi with spicy cauliflower, eggplant, and tzatziki. Go for breakfast or lunch, or a glass of wine and a bite in the afternoon.
Iru Omakase · Lisbon
Iru Omakase
An intimate and creative 13-course omakase and wine pairing led by a two-person team with just eight seats around the bar. The menu changes daily based on what's fresh; the first seven courses offer more inventive plates and the last six are more traditional omakase.
Fúria · Lisbon
Fúria
A buzzy cocktail bar with seriously inventive drinks like the Crackalaken (passionfruit cheesecake with a touch of Fernet) or Cheesy Tom (tequila, mascarpone, tomato, and yuzu). It's dark and moody with low neon lights, a glowing bar, and industrial metal flooring, all packed into a tiny space that often spills out onto the street. The bartenders are seriously talented, the soundtrack is gold, and the crowd matches the vibe.
Clube Caffeine · Lisbon
Clube Caffeine
A tiny, independent coffee bar and vinyl record shop in Anjos with excellent coffee and standout espresso alongside pastries and records spinning from the shop's own collection. It doubles as a music spot, hosting DJ sessions and listening nights.
Imprensa Cocktail and Oyster Bar · Lisbon
Imprensa
A longtime staple in Lisbon’s bar scene, this spot serves inventive cocktails and fresh oysters with great music in Príncipe Real. Go for pre-dinner oyster happy hour, or drinks after dinner for a fun night out with locals.
Dramático · Lisbon
Dramático
The specialty coffee scene in Lisbon is impressive, and Dramático is a longtime leader in the space. The tiny, light-filled spot is on a quiet street near Jardim Botanica, with huge windows and a little collection of books to peruse. It makes an excellent espresso and has a small selection of pastries.
Salón de Lisboa · Lisbon
Salón de Lisboa
This cool neighborhood spot serves bright, fresh small plates and has great energy. The menu changes often, but past highlights have included prawn empanadas and a white fish and xuxu crudo with clementine juice, plus an excellent wine program. Sit at the bar to watch dishes prepared right in front of you, or opt for one of the candlelit tables.
Lugar Nenhum · Lisbon
Lugar Nenhum
This airy coffee shop features a cool industrial design with exposed concrete, a big, communal wood table, and an open kitchen adorned with glazed tiles illuminated by glowing rod suspension lights. It serves La Cabra coffee and a small, delicious breakfast menu.
La Joya Cantina · Lisbon
La Joya Cantina
A modern Argentinian-Portuguese spot in São Bento, serving a small menu of seasonal plates alongside standouts like milanesa, empanadas, polenta, and gnocchi, plus a thoughtful wine list. It's a tiny space that fills up fast, so book ahead.
Tact · Lisbon
Tact/AFTERHOURS
A small, intimate neighborhood spot in Lapa. By day it's Tact, a bright cafe serving great coffee and a small breakfast menu, by night it’s AFTERHOURS, a casual natural wine bar with seasonal small plates.
Entropia · Lisbon
Entropia
This casual, intimate restaurant serves an ever-changing menu of creative small plates and a unique wine list. Go with a small group to try all the dishes. Standout bites include the steak tartare and celery salad that nods to NYC's The Four Horseman.
SHOP
Sabor Mercearia - Grocery store · Lisbon
Sabor Mercearia
This specialty grocer and market stocks wooden bins full of organic produce from local farms, fresh eggs, grass-fed meat, homemade pasta, an extensive cheese counter, and specialty pantry items like French mustards and jams, Japanese condiments, and natural wine. Founded by a French couple, the shop is beautifully arranged and great for picking up a few items for a picnic in one of Lisbon's many leafy squares or the beach.
Principe Real Enxovais · Lisbon
Principe Real Enxovais
A historic, family-run linen shop from 1938 that crafts bespoke and hand-embroidered textiles and linens, ranging from lace place settings and napkins to bedding and silk nightgowns. It’s nearly impossible to find skilled artisans that maintain this centuries-old craft.
FRANCIS RUNNING · Lisbon
FRANCIS RUNNING
A cool specialty running store that sells niche independent activewear brands from Germany, Sweden, Paris, and more. It also hosts runs and community events.
GANDAIA | Santos · Lisbon
Gandaia
A Lisbon-based fashion and lifestyle brand with unisex clothing and accessories, from t-shirts, sweaters, and pants to socks, hats, and jewelry, all designed and made in Portugal.
Mercado Biológico do Principe Real · Lisbon
Mercado Biológico do Principe Real
A favorite among locals, this farmers market in the Principe Real park sells local, seasonal produce and artisan goods.
SEE & DO
Eritage · Lisbon
Eritage
This art gallery and community space curates thoughtful exhibits and gatherings, bringing together artists around the world and from a wide range of disciplines.
Jardim das Amoreiras
A favorite park and garden in Lisbon. Lush, sweeping mulberry trees whose bright green leaves shine against the blue sky, a kiosk where locals gather for a coffee or drink, kids running around the fountain; it’s an oasis of calm and greenery. A historic aqueduct borders one side of the park, its tall arches framing this idyllic pocket of the city.
Frequency Pilates · Lisbon
Frequency Pilates
Beautiful (and challenging) Pilates studio in a wabi-sabi designed space. Founder Ori has created a welcoming, grounding place for community and wellness.
Praça das Flores · Lisbon
Praça das Flores
This little square is a lovely, picturesque spot to sit and relax in the heart of the city, surrounded by great restaurants, bars, and shops. It gets livelier in the afternoon when locals gather with glasses of wine, but in the morning it’s calm and peaceful.
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