6 Best Cafés in Lisbon: Where I Go for Coffee, Work & Relaxing

Lisbon has every kind of café you can imagine, from classic local pastelarias to modern specialty coffee shops.

I’m sharing my favorite spots for working, relaxing, or grabbing a bite based on the cafés I’ve personally visited. Even though there are so many, I’ve tried to narrow them down to the absolute best.

Each café has its strengths and weaknesses, so whether you need a café for relaxation, work, or a quick bite, there is one on the list for you.

Be aware that the smaller the café, the more likely they’ll be to resist you working there all day with your laptop; this isn’t the case with my recommendations, though.

I’m a huge coffee nerd myself, to the point where I roast my own beans, measure the extraction percentage of my espresso shots, and pour over. I get excited when a café produces amazing coffee.

If you’re planning your meals around coffee stops, this café guide pairs perfectly with my full Lisbon food guide, where I break down what to eat, when to eat, and where to go.

Lisbon Café Culture Overview

In Lisbon, I would say there are three types of coffee shops.

You have historic cafés such as A Brasileira, which opened in 1905, and Confeitaria Nacional, which opened in 1829. These places hold so much history, and you can feel it from the moment you enter them.

Then there are the local cafés where locals go for morning coffee (bica) and perhaps a pastry or pastel de nata. The coffee may not be the best, but the atmosphere is excellent.

Lastly, you have the third wave of cafés, such as Copenhagen Coffee Lab, Espressolab, and The Folks. Here, the coffee is the best you can get, but it’s often also quite pricey.

When I’m in Lisbon, my go-to is a mix of the local cafés and the specialty coffee wave shops that roast their own beans.

Best Cafés in Lisbon for Every Occasion

Fabrica Coffee Roasters

Best for: Working | Specialty Coffee

Wi-Fi: Not all cafés, but you can use your phone’s internet

Food: They serve pastries

Must-try item: Their flat-white is outstanding

Fabrica Coffee Roasters has 6 cafés around Lisbon, and I’ve tried half of them so far. When I moved to Lisbon in 2018, the Fábrica Avenida was one of my go-to spots; it’s a parallel street to Avenida da Liberdade.

Be aware that the café near Avenida doesn’t have Wi-Fi, but I usually use my phone’s data. I compromise on it, because the coffee is amazing and the seating is super comfortable as long as you don’t choose one of the wooden benches.

I keep returning to Fabrica Coffee Roasters for their coffee, especially their flat white.

You can really feel they care about their coffee, which they roast themselves and distribute throughout Portugal.

You can also buy coffee from them; in fact, I’ve bought coffee freshly roasted from their webshop numerous times, and it’s incredible. I can recommend their decaf; it’s delicious for both pour-over and espresso.

The Folks

Best for: Specialty coffee | Brunch or lunch

Wi-Fi: Yes

Food: They serve an amazing brunch

Must-try item: Their iced latte is incredible

The Folks was named as one of the top 100 best coffee shops around the world, and for good reason; their coffee is absolutely amazing.

They have 6 locations from Alfama to Belém, so there should always be one nearby.

My go-to location is the one in Santos. It has a super unique design, with what look like pillows in the ceiling and on the roof, but most romantically, the tram passes quite often, so you can get some incredible Instagram shots.

This is not a great place to work, but for grabbing a bite to eat or just getting a coffee and relaxing for a moment, it’s the perfect spot.

Copenhagen Coffee Lab

Best for: Working | Lunch

Wi-Fi: Yes

Food: They serve sandwiches, a small brunch, and Danish pastries

Must-try item: Their pour-over is where they excel

Being from Denmark, when I saw Copenhagen Coffee Lab in Lisbon, I had to try it.

I’ve tried numerous locations, from the one at Feira da Ladra to the one in Alfama, Baixa, and near Estrela.

Some cafés are smaller than others and quite popular, so come early if you’re planning to work at one. I recommend sitting inside if you plan on working for a couple of hours.

I’ve worked at all the locations mentioned, and if you bring a headset, it’s a treat.

They serve Danish rugbrød; if you want to try it, it’s a sour bread you can eat with all sorts of toppings. They also serve Portuguese pastries and small dishes.

Espressolab

Best for: Working | Coffee to go

Wi-Fi: Yes

Food: They serve mainly sandwiches and pastries

Must-try item: Their iced americano is incredible

This is one of the newer cafés I’ve tried, and it’s a bit more modern in the look and feel. I wouldn’t go here for lunch, but for a day of work or a quick coffee, it’s perfect.

Often, there aren’t a lot of people in these cafés, maybe because they haven’t been discovered yet, so you don’t have to worry about coming early.

This also means you’ll have a slightly quieter setting at Espressolab, especially at their location on R. Castilho, near Marques de Pombal.

In general, their coffee is amazing. I often get an iced americano or iced latte because it’s so hot in Lisbon, and it’s a great way to cool down while getting coffee.

If you need an amazing brunch spot near Marques de Pombal, try Bread and Friends or one of my other favorites.

Delta Coffee House

Best for: Working | Lunch | Relax

Wi-Fi: Yes

Food: They have a high-end kitchen that serves incredible food

Must-try item: Their Tarte de Amendoa (Almond pie)

Delta Coffee House is the perfect place to work or just relax. Their seating is incredibly comfortable, and they have a large selection of coffee, pastries, and food.

You’re basically covered for an entire day.

You can sit comfortably inside or out; just be aware that if you sit outside, most people will be smoking, so find a corner if you want to avoid that.

They have Wi-Fi, but it can be a bit slow if you sit outside, so I recommend using your phone’s data.

Comoba / Comobå

Best for: Brunch | Relax

Wi-Fi: Yes

Food: They serve an incredible brunch all day

Must-try item: Their decaf latte

Comoba is located in Cais do Sodre, very close to the Tagus River, so you can combine it with a visit to the Pink Street, for example.

It’s not very comfortable to sit for long, so I don’t recommend you work here. The seats and tables are quite low, so if you’re tall, then it can quickly become uncomfortable. I’m 189cm(6′ 2″), and I managed to relax a bit, but not for hours.

Their brunch is incredible; in general, the brunch in Lisbon is outstanding, it’s something they’re really nailing.

Their coffee is great, too, and they’re really experimenting with a wide range of lattes, so go nuts if you feel like it. I’ve tried their beetroot latte, which they once offered, and it was great.

Many of these cafés are close to great lunch spots. I’ve mapped those out in my Lisbon food guide if you want to plan your day around eating and coffee.

Insider Tips

If you’re going to a café to work, get there early to secure a comfortable table. Cafés have mixed seating, and you don’t want to end up at a high table for hours.

If you want an authentic café experience, choose one of the historic cafés, such as A Brasileira or Confeitaria Nacional. Expect a line at the first place, but rarely at the second place; you have to experience at least one of them.

The cafés are open all day, and the tables switch out quite often, so don’t worry about whether you can get a table or not when you get there.

If coffee is only part of your Lisbon plans, my complete Lisbon food guide walks you through restaurants, pastries, wine, and local eating culture, all in one place.

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