Best spots for brunch in Lisbon – with a Portuguese twist.
Brunch, the delightful combination of breakfast and lunch, has traversed the globe, evolving from its late 19th century English origins as a meal for Saturday-night party people to a fashionable and leisurely meal enjoyed worldwide. Its acceptance into various cultures over the years clearly showcases its brunch is here to stay. In the United States, for instance, brunch became a significant part of the dining culture during the 1930s, celebrated for its sociable aspect and decadent spread that could cater to late risers, not only those in need to soak up the alcohol from the previous night, but also food lovers in general, eager to add one more opportunity to the rotation of usual meals throughout the day.
Feat photo by Zenith Brunch on Facebook
Photo by Gizmodo
In Lisbon, however, the brunch scene became a thing much later. Unlike its early adoption in places like the US or the UK, brunch was not a traditional part of Portuguese eating habits, which historically emphasize other meals at specific times of the day. It’s only in recent years, in the last decade or so, that Lisbon has seen a surge in the popularity of brunch, primarily influenced by global trends and an increase in international visitors.
Today, the city has an immense variety of brunch spots, many of which could easily mirror the offerings found in any cosmopolitan city across the globe, serving up the now-standard fare of avocado toasts, scrambled eggs or eggs Benedict, stacks of fluffy pancakes with colorful toppings, and hot beverages like cappuccino and sweetly flavored caffeinated drinks.
Photo by Uber Eats
However, amidst this sea of international sameness, there are gems to be found that work towards infusing a distinctly Portuguese flavor into their brunch menus. This is not the norm but rather a unique feature that sets certain establishments apart, making them especially appealing for travelers hungry for brunch, yet at the same time seeking a little taste of local culture too.
These rare finds offer a unique twist on brunch, incorporating traditional Portuguese ingredients and dishes that celebrate the nation’s rich food culture. From substituting more standard croissants or pancakes with pastéis de nata, replacing smoked salmon with Portugal’s regional cheeses and our incredible variety of sausages and cured meats, to trading out standard coffee options for a strong bica or a milky galão, these establishments offer a refreshing take on a global trend by adapting it to the local context, taking Portugal’s food preferences into account. These may still not be typically Portuguese meals, but reveals a nice Portuguese soul to some of these places, that ends up translating into the brunch menus they serve.
Photo by Odisseias
We believe that it is this blend of the familiar and the traditional that makes exploring the Portuguese brunch scene an adventure worth having. For those eager to experience how local flavors can transform a global phenomenon, we recommend some of the most delicious brunch spots in Lisbon:
Seventh Brunch
Located in the tourist-favored Calçada do Combro, Seventh has quickly become one of Lisbon’s favorite brunch spots, and we’re happy to note that they have not forsaken Portuguese cuisine, as it most often happens, when developing their brunch menus.
The menu at Seventh is diverse, offering an array of complete brunch menus alongside the option to pick from a la carte items such as grilled sandwiches (tostas), crepes, and desserts. Among the various international brunch options, the Lisbon Brunch stands out, providing a deeper Portuguese culinary experience even in this bustling tourist area. This particular menu features scrambled eggs, caldo verde com chouriço (a traditional Portuguese collard greens and potato soup topped with smoked pork sausage), roasted cherry tomatoes, toasted traditional Madeiran flatbread (bolo do caco), cream cheese and Seventh’s special jam, natural yogurt with Seventh’s sweet granola, and a fruit salad. To truly embrace the local flavor, the food is paired with café com bagaço, which is basically a potent espresso coffee with a dash of Portuguese brandy, often also known as café com cheirinho.
Seventh Brunch not only serves up international favorites but also embraces local delicacies, making it a unique spot for both locals and visitors. It seriously doesn’t get much more local than having a bowl of comforting soup followed by alcohol spiked coffee in the morning!
📍Liberdade: Rua Conceição da Glória 49, Lisbon
📍Chiado: Calçada do Combro 147, 1200-452 Lisbon
Photo by Seventh on Facebook
A Padaria Portuguesa
A Padaria Portuguesa has become a staple in Lisbon’s bakery scene, with multiple locations throughout the city where locals and tourists alike can enjoy traditional Portuguese baking. The concept stands out not only for its ubiquity and convenience but also for its dedication to local flavors, while keeping their vast range of sweet and savory options quite friendly on the pocket. The Avenida da República branch offers a unique weekend brunch, which is sometimes also available at other Padaria Portuguesa locations, but subject to seasonal availability. This specific location elevates the traditional bakery concept, focusing on sourdough bread, and also showcasing a variety of other options created by baker and pastry chef Paulo Cardoso, and culinary chef Tomás Borges.
At Padaria Portuguesa’s location on the central Av. da República (formerly known as LAB), customers can indulge in options like organic scrambled eggs paired with smoked salmon on artisanal sourdough bread, or savor sweet pancakes topped with bananas, berries, and Nutella. For a healthier option, the porridge served with seasonal fruit, honey, and a hint of cinnamon provides a comforting and nutritious start to the day. We know this sounds pretty generic so far but a standout feature of A Padaria Portuguesa is that they use Azorean dairy products, renowned for their exceptional quality and taste. The yogurt served here comes directly from the Portuguese archipelago known for its rich, creamy texture, and is available with seasonal fruit or homemade granola, making it a favorite among health-conscious customers.
For those visiting other locations of A Padaria Portuguesa, creating a DIY brunch from a variety of bread, pastries, and light dishes could be an option. We recommend ordering two of their smaller breakfast options, which together may include a sandwich on local bread or a divine bread topped with coconut, filled with ham and cheese (pão de deus misto), scrambled eggs on artisanal bread, freshly squeezed orange juice and coffee – as always, for unbeatable value for money. Still doesn’t sound Portuguese enough for you? Order a pastel de nata as dessert.
📍Av. da República 39 B, 1050-187 Lisbon
Photo by Evasões
Maria Food Hub
Once a bustling bakery, the building at 38 Rua Maria Andrade lay dormant for years until its revival in 2021 as Maria Food Hub, a venue dedicated to art and good food.
Maria Food Hub offers a menu that blends international inspiration with Portuguese flair. Open from morning till night every day of the week, the kitchen serves up an array of dishes from salads and bowls to burgers and various snacks. As the sun sets, the hub becomes a particularly enchanting spot for enjoying oysters paired with wine.
When it comes to brunch, Maria Food Hub features internationally inspired dishes tailored with Portuguese touches. While you could have veggie shakshuka or Scandinavian eggs, once you are already in Portugal we definitely recommend going for the piri piri chicken with hash browns. The inclusion of piri-piri chicken (also known as peri-peri chicken) for brunch brings a delicious Portuguese twist to the table, introducing a spicy, flavorful option that’s so satisfying and pretty unique at this time of the day too.
For those who prefer to customize their brunch experience, Maria Food Hub encourages creativity with an open menu of options. You may consider selecting from the open sandwiches menu, choosing items that feature distinctively Portuguese ingredients, such as octopus with homemade tapenade (pictured here) or pulled pork with Serra da Estrela cheese.
📍Rua Maria Andrade 38, 1170-216 Lisbon
Photo by Time Out Lisboa
Do Beco
Do Beco, originally known as Pão Do Beco, has evolved from an artisanal bakery into a happening spot in Arroios where the art of slow fermentation is celebrated with every batch that comes out of the oven. This establishment isn’t just one of the best artisanal bakeries in Lisbon, it is also a great spot to grab breakfast, brunch, and lunch – always with gluten-free options available.
Their brunch menu features three distinct choices, including a Portuguese option with Do Beco’s bread, and your choice of fried, scrambled, or soft-boiled eggs, accompanied by a croissant or a pain au chocolat. For those seeking something a bit more international, they also have Asian and Mexican inspired brunch options, namely with eggs served with a kimchi-filled brioche or, when you order the Mexican option, loaded chilaquiles.
What we really enjoy at Do Beco is the seemingly simple eggs with real local sourdough bread (pão de trigo saloio). The experience of dipping soft, freshly baked sourdough into a runny egg yolk encapsulates the simple yet profound pleasures of eating.
📍Rua Passos Manuel 106A, 1150-053 Lisbon
Photo by Do Beco on Instagram
Delta The Coffee House Experience
Delta, recognized as Portugal’s most popular coffee brand, extends its passion for quality brews into its café concept, Delta The Coffee House Experience. With locations in Lisbon and Porto, these coffee houses are, at their essence, a celebration of Portuguese coffee culture.
At Delta The Coffee House Experience, brunch features an array of items that incorporate both international and distinctly Portuguese elements. The menu varies by location but consistently includes a wide range of coffee beverages made from Delta’s signature blends or exquisite single-origin coffees. A typical brunch here might start with freshly squeezed orange juice, followed by a selection of yogurt with granola, seasonal fruit, and a hot beverage of choice. The meal continues with an assortment of traditional items such as croissants, various breads, butter, cheese, ham, and sweet jams. Guests can customize their brunch with add-ons like avocado, smoked salmon, or extra cheese and jam. Besides the standard brunch menu item, these cafes have several sweet and savory options that can be ordered to make up your own brunch spread, including local pastries, egg dishes, yogurt with fruits and several typical Portuguese sandwiches, such as for example one with a filling of cured ham.
Delta The Coffee House Experience’s Lisbon locations include their flagship café on Avenida da Liberdade, one of Lisbon’s most prestigious avenues, which is a chic and accessible retreat from the bustling city life. Meanwhile, the Prata Riverside area, a newer and still somewhat undiscovered gem by many travelers, provides a more serene backdrop. This area, with its modern riverside developments and less touristy ambiance, represents the contemporary side of Lisbon, with tranquil views of the Tagus River and the south bank.
📍Avenida da Liberdade, 144 E/F, 1250-146 Lisbon
📍Rua da Cintura do Porto de Lisboa 8 Loja 1, 1950-132 Lisbon
Photo by Delta on Instagram
Zenith Brunch & Cocktail Bar
Zenith Brunch & Cocktail Bar first made its mark in Porto in 2017, quickly becoming a staple for both locals and tourists craving mouthwatering (and pretty) brunch options. Following its success in Porto, Zenith expanded to Lisbon in 2018, bringing its unique blend of delicious and tantalizingly photogenic meals to a new audience.
The menu at Zenith features an array of all-day brunch items that cater to a variety of tastes, including vegan and gluten-free options. Guests can choose from classics like eggs Benedict, sweet and savory pancakes, açaí bowls, tapioca dishes, stunning smoothie bowls, breathtaking salad bowls, and their famous banana bread. But among these international delights, one dish stands out for its uniquely Portuguese twist: the Francesinha pancake.
Zenith’s Francesinha pancake reimagines Porto’s iconic sandwich, traditionally made with layers of meats and cheese encased in bread, smothered in a tomato and beer sauce. At Zenith, this classic is transformed using fluffy homemade pancakes instead of bread, layered with bacon, a tender chicken breast, and cheddar cheese. Topped with a fried egg and draped in a rich Francesinha sauce made from stewed tomatoes, this dish is tasty, creative, and honestly very fun to eat.
📍Rua do Telhal 4A, 1150-346 Lisbon
Photo by NIT
Choupana Caffe
Choupana Caffe, a favorite among native locals, started its journey on Avenida da República and has since expanded to include three locations across Lisbon. The original site remains the most popular, beloved for its comprehensive and eclectic offerings that blend seamlessly into six distinct but complementary concepts: a grocery store, café, pastry shop, bakery, wine bar, and a unique yogurt bar dedicated entirely to organic yogurts with customizable toppings.
Choupana Caffe’s brunch, available on weekends from the morning until the middle of the afternoon, encapsulates the essence of a leisurely Portuguese weekend. The menu promises a feast that includes freshly squeezed orange juice, coffee drinks (also available with soy milk), and an array of hearty options such as scrambled eggs with chives, a selection of cheese and ham, smoked salmon or turkey, and a choice of sweet pastry. The brunch experience is further enriched with a varied bread basket, butter, honey, jam, and concludes with two indulgent pancakes.
What sets Choupana Caffe’s brunch apart as distinctly Portuguese is not just the inclusion of local favorites like dense brioche-like croissants, which are a standard in Portugal, but also the ambiance. The café is a popular gathering place for Lisbon’s youthful crowd, reflecting the city’s modern café culture while still indulging in sweet local traditions like grilled ham and cheese sandwich (tostas mista) or sweet bread pão de deus.
📍 Avenida da República, 1050-185 Lisbon
📍 Parque das Nações – Av. D. João II, 1990-094 Lisbon
📍Multidesportivo Estádio José Alvalade, 1600-616 Lisbon
www.instagram.com/choupanacaffe
Photo by NIT
Café Com Calma
When Café Com Calma opened in the district of Marvila back in 2015, this area of Lisbon was still fairly quiet. Even though this area is becoming more and more gentrified, it is still one of our favorite neighborhoods in Lisbon. As the name indicates, this is a great spot to come for a leisurely breakfast, lunch, or snack, in a calm environment. The kitsch and cozy décor creates a welcoming atmosphere that complements the homemade quality of the food served.
Although brunch is only served on Saturdays from late morning until the mid afternoon, Café Com Calma is well-equipped to satisfy morning cravings throughout the week. During the week, though, there isn’t a specific brunch menu, but the café offers a variety of breakfast options that allow customers to construct their own brunch any day, choosing from items such as sandwiches and toasts, croissants, smoothie bowls, yogurt with granola, freshly made toast, homemade cakes, and an array of juices and smoothies. On Saturday, several of these items are combined into a fixed brunch menu, with a vegetarian option for those who prefer to skip the meat.
What makes Café Com Calma distinctively Portuguese is not just the food but the ambiance it offers in Marvila. This neighborhood is an emerging area that is indeed experiencing gradual gentrification, yet it retains a strong sense of local character. The café’s location in such an evolving area adds to its charm, so it’s no surprise that we and many other Lisboetas like to come here to take things easy… with calma.
📍Rua do Açúcar 10, 1950-242 Lisbon
www.instagram.com/cafecomcalma
Photo by Time Out Lisboa
Pão de Canela
Pão de Canela is a charming establishment that serves as part café and part restaurant. It has a lovely ambiance with outdoor seating in the picturesque square of Praça das Flores. Open for over 25 years, this business has certainly witnessed the evolution of the Príncipe Real area, maintaining its local character amid the burgeoning tourist and trendy cafés and restaurants it is now surrounded by.
The weekend brunch buffet at Pão de Canela is a standout. Available on Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays, the buffet features a variety of hearty classics and Portuguese specialties. You can expect items like meat and salt cod fritters and other typical Portuguese savory snacks, a variety of egg dishes, quiches, pancakes, sausages, pastries, breads, cheeses, charcuterie and, sometimes, they even have chicken soup as part of the spread. During the week, Pão de Canela also offers the Brunch Flores, which comes in one serving, yet a generous and delicious one too.
Pão de Canela’s longevity and quality have made it a staple neighborhood café (café de bairro), retaining its local essence even as the surrounding area has grown more cosmopolitan. That’s why we believe this spot is perfect for those seeking a genuine Lisbon experience.
📍Praça das Flores 25 29, 1200-192 Lisbon
Photo by Pão de Canela
Brotéria
Initially, Brotéria was a Jesuit-run magazine, which has been published for over 120 years. It later became a cultural space, located in the heart of Lisbon’s historic Bairro Alto. While still primarily a cultural hub where contemporary urban cultures and Christian faith intersect, Brotéria also has a charming café where, amongst other things, brunch is served.
At Brotéria, brunch is an à la carte affair that encourages personalization, distinguishing it from the fixed-menu style common in most other brunch spots. The menu has a good variety of options, including egg dishes (such as scrambled, omelets and more), tapioca crepes, homemade granola, salads, pancakes, and more. We’re partial to the carob pancakes (panquecas de alfarroba) because, even though carob is seen as a superfood in recent years, it has for a long time been a staple in Portuguese cuisine, particularly in the Algarve region where it is a traditional component of various desserts. Brotéria makes sure its food is for everyone, also offering vegan, gluten-free, and lactose-free options.
While the food is good, we like coming to Brotéria for brunch because of the cultural context – we could say that, religious beliefs aside, this is a venue that celebrates knowledge, history, and community.
📍Rua de São Pedro de Alcântara 3, 1250-237 Lisboa
www.instagram.com/broteriacafe
Photo by NIT
Café O Corvo
Open since 2016, Café O Corvo is nestled in the pleasant Largo dos Trigueiros in Mouraria. This is such a picturesque spot, mixing in equal doses the most traditional character of Lisbon with some hipster vibes, in what is no more no less than the city’s most multicultural neighborhood.
At Café O Corvo, brunch is an experience best enjoyed with company. The brunch for two is particularly noteworthy, offering a lavish spread that includes an array of cheeses, charcuterie, smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, bacon, fruit, croissants, assorted breads, sweet and savory spreads, pancakes, freshly squeezed juice, and hot beverages. However, what truly sets this brunch apart is the two glasses of chilled vinho verde which are also a part of the menu. Vinho verde, or “green wine”, is not green in color but rather a term that denotes its denomination of origin, as it is produced only in the Vinho Verde wine region of northern Portugal. This white wine is celebrated for its light, fresh, young and slightly effervescent characteristics. Typically released three to six months after the grapes are harvested, vinho verde is perfect for brunch because it’s rather refreshing, complementing beautifully the richness of charcuterie and smoked salmon, to the sweet indulgence of pancakes and croissants.
Sipping on a glass of vinho verde while enjoying a leisurely brunch in the sunlit square of Largo dos Trigueiros – does it get much more Portuguese than this in the world of brunches? Probably not…
📍Largo dos Trigueiros 15a 15b, 1100-611 Lisbon
Photo by O Corvo on Instagram
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