The best bars in Lisbon
What makes a bar great?
According to some of the world’s best bartenders, as interviewed by 50 Best Stories, there are certain characteristics that should come together for a bar to stand out. The decor and ambience of the place of course matter, as they’re the first thing customers see when they walk through the door. The music the venue plays also helps create a certain mood, and so do the looks and behavior of the staff – hospitality and friendliness are key for people to feel welcome. And, because we’re talking about a place people come to drink at after all, of course it’s appreciated if the bar serves more than ready bottled drinks, and puts some effort not only into the quality of their drinks, but also the creativity behind them – this rings particularly true with cocktails.
If you like going out at night, Lisbon has a lot of venues, we could almost say, catering to all sorts of tastes. You could fancy drinking a classic cocktail while listening to live jazz, or headbang while jamming to some rock music, while downing beers with your friends. If you fancy eating while drinking, there are places that specialize in oysters, but also bars that serve only vegan pizza. When it comes to the Lisbon bar scene, we even have 2 in 1 concepts mixing, for example, a barbershop and a craft beer bar under the same roof.
We have compiled a list of some of our favorite bars in Lisbon. We know there are many more which are worth checking out, including rooftop bars with incredible views, bars specializing in Portuguese craft beers, trendy cocktail bars and, because this is Portugal, incredible wine bars showcasing the beautiful range of wines you can find across Portugal’s fourteen wine regions.
No matter what your taste is like, you are bound to have a great time at the coolest bars in Lisbon:
A Viagem das Horas
This bar in Arroios has a tremendous personality. It focuses on wine, tapas, plants and vinyl. Food wise, they’re very careful to select products from the nearby Mercado de Arroios, one of the typical farmers markets of Lisbon, and have also given a thought to include plant-based options in their menu, such as vegan cheeses. Music is taken quite seriously at A Viagem das Horas, and that comes as no surprise as the founder, Ricardo Maneira, is a DJ, which goes by the stage name DJ Rikardo. If you’d like to feel the vibe of this cool Lisbon venue at home, you can follow them on Spotify, where every week they share a new playlist. Unlike many other bars which would receive the most customers over the weekend, A Viagem das Horas is open from Monday to Friday.
📍Rua José Ricardo 1, 1900-285 Lisbon
www.instagram.com/aviagemdashoras
Photo by A Viagem das Horas
Foxtrot
Foxtrot is what we could label as a “historical bar”, as it’s been open since the 70s and the decor hasn’t changed all that much (if at all) ever since then. Foxtrot specializes in cocktails, and even though they have some signature creations and the bartenders would be happy to craft something according to your taste, this is the kind of bar where it feels fitting to enjoy classic cocktails like a Negroni, an Old Fashioned or a Whiskey Sour. The atmosphere is super cozy during the colder months and, one of the several rooms that make up Foxtrot, even has a fireplace. During the summer, you may want to take advantage of their small outdoor patio. Don’t be surprised if you reach Foxtrot’s address and the door is closed. It’s supposed to be like that. Ring the bell and enter a world of fun in a quite chic atmosphere with old world charm.
📍Tv. Santa Teresa 28, 1200-405 Lisbon
Photo by Foxtrot
Red Frog Speakeasy
If to enter Foxtrot you’d have to ring the bell, the same applies to Red Frog, as per the traditions of the American speakeasies from back in the prohibition days. You should only come to Red Frog if you are ready to pay a considerable amount of money for a cocktail, but there is no doubt that the team knows what they are doing, and here you can mindfully sip something like you might have never tasted before. Lisbon’s very own Red Frog was ranked at number 40 on the list of The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022. If you are into cocktails and fancy a bit of a selected atmosphere, if there is one place you should visit in Lisbon, that is hands-down Red Frog Speakeasy.
📍Praça da Alegria 66b, 1250-004 Lisbon
Photo by Red Frog Speakeasy
Monkey Mash
Monkey Mash is run by the same team as Red Frog above. The cocktails are also top notch, but the energy is quite different. Located in the trendy neighborhood of Príncipe Real, just like its brother Red Frog above, Monkey Mash is a happy place which mixes tropical vibes, a colorful decor and even some elements of tiki bars. They specialize in sugarcane and agave spirits, crafted into ingenious cocktails. If the ambiance of Red Frog feels a tad too heavy for you and you’re into a more light and fun atmosphere, while still caring to drink a superb cocktail, Monkey Mash is the venue for you.
📍Praça da Alegria 66 B, 1250-004 Lisbon
Photo by Monkey Mash
Social B
In the very own words of Social B’s team, this is “a place to be surprised”. Social B is part bar, part restaurant. The craft cocktails matter as much as the food here. Their menu is mostly made up of Asian and African-inspired snacks, perfect for sharing. This is explained by the fact that the owner, Mika, is from Mozambique, and he is actually a quite popular personality of Lisbon’s nightlife, after having founded other venues such as Bicaense (Rua da Bica de Duarte Belo 42A) and Clube Ferroviário (Rua de Santa Apolónia 59). Social B is housed in a former tobacco warehouse, now homely decorated with vintage elements. It is a very inviting space, where you can have a relaxed night out with great food and drinks.
📍Rua da Boavista 116, 1200-013 Lisbon
www.instagram.com/socialb_lisboa
Photo by Social B
O Purista
Should I go out to drink a beer or go get my beard trimmed? At O Purista you don’t have to settle for one of the other, as you could be taking care of your looks and, instants after, refresh yourself with one of the beers from the Portuguese and international craft beer menu (with special emphasis in German and Belgium beers) offered by O Purista. Even when things get busy around here, as they tend to do during the weekend, this is always a chilled out place, where time seems to slow down. There is a pool table on the premises and it’s actually free for everyone to use, while listening to cool music and, during the weekend, even live DJ sets.
📍Rua Nova da Trindade 16C, 1200-303 Lisbon
Photo by O Purista
Dois Corvos Marvila Taproom
Even though MUSA might be a more popular name amongst tourists and Lisbon residents alike, let’s not forget that Dois Corvos, in the promising neighborhood of Marvila, was Lisbon’s first ever craft brewery. Even though you can taste Dois Corvos beers at several bars around Lisbon, they somehow never taste as good as in their very own taproom, attached to the manufacturing area. This is where you can hang out and chat with the folks behind the bar, who’d be happy to talk to you about their house beers and explain the particularities of what they have on tap on a given day. If you are a craft beer lover, this is a must visit address in Lisbon.
📍Rua Cap. Leitão 94, 1950-052 Lisbon
Photo by Dois Corvos
Beets
Hip-hop and vegan food are the backbones of the concept of Beets, one of the most unique bars in Lisbon. It’s actually like two businesses became one under the same roof: bar O 36 (Rua Luz Soriano 36), in Bairro Alto, is responsible for the hip-hop sounds, while restaurant Vegan Junkies (Rua Luciano Cordeiro 28) takes care of the delicious bites. Music, urban art, plant-based treats and a healthy dose of style make Beets stand out in Lisbon’s nightlife scene. If you want to enjoy live music at Beets, visit on the weekend between 7PM and 10.30PM. Their drinks menu includes cocktails inspired by hip-hop musicians, many of them developed in partnership with Fritz Kola.
📍Rua da Oliveira ao Carmo 9, 1200-235 Lisbon
Photo by Beets
Imprensa
This venue’s full name is Imprensa Cocktail & Oyster bar, anticipating the delicious drinks and bites you can enjoy when you visit. Imprensa is, no more no less, than one of Lisbon’s first oyster bars, and their offerings are ultra fresh, with oysters coming daily from the region of Setúbal, where the shellfish grow in the estuary of the Sado river. Their suggestion is to pair a serving of oysters with a cocktail of your choice. Making justice to the bar’s name, which translates as printing press, every cocktail on the menu is written down with a different font, which is meant to encapsulate a bit of the personality of the drink. If you’re still unsure of what to choose based on fonts alone, ask the bartenders for a recommendation.
📍Rua da Imprensa Nacional 46, 1250-127 Lisbon
Photo by Imprensa
A Tabacaria
A Tabacaria is a tiny bar in Rua de São Paulo, near the happening Pink Street of Lisbon. Even though it’s small in size, this bar is huge in character and even when it comes to its offerings. Their drinks list includes classic cocktails as well as fully customizable drinks crafted on the spot, based on the clients taste. To help soak up the alcohol and encourage you to ask for another round of drinks, A Tabacaria has a small menu including oysters and other Portuguese petiscos, all served in a vintage inspired setting with the warm hospitality of the team behind the counter.
📍Rua de S. Paulo 75 77, 1200-426 Lisbon
Photo by A Tabacaria
Pavilhão Chinês
Lisbon’s municipality has a program called Lojas com História (that is, “shops with history”) which protects businesses that have contributed to the identity of our city. Pavilhão Chinês is part of the Lojas com História program, as it has been open since 1986 and hasn’t really changed much since it took over the place from the previous business that was there since 1901. Pavilhão Chinês’ decor is quite peculiar and inspired by the German wunderkammer, or curiosities cabinet. That explains why the walls showcase a mix of famous Portuguese poets’ busts with Betty Boop, military paraphernalia, antique posters, and so much more. A cool place to stop for a drink if you are between Bairro Alto and Príncipe Real.
📍Rua Dom Pedro V 89, 1250-093 Lisbon
Photo by Lojas Com História
Procópio
Procópio has been open since 1972 at a corner of Jardim das Amoreiras. This is the type of venue one should know about, because the chances that you just randomly walk past it are very slim indeed. It is, nonetheless, one of the classic bars of Lisbon. The decoration refers to the pre-revolution days, prior to 1974, so it’s a place people who already used to go there back then still often go for a drink that has an aftertaste of nostalgia. Alice and Luís Pinto Coelho are the names behind Procópio, but also known as the founders of other classic bars of Lisbon, such as Foxtrot, Pavilhão Chinês and A Paródia (Rua do Patrocinio 26B).
📍Alto de São Francisco 21, 1250-228 Lisbon
Photo by Procópio
Toca da Raposa
There is no shortage of excellent cocktail bars in Lisbon and, amongst a myriad of choices, Toca da Raposa stands out because they work with lots of foraged ingredients. Owner Constança Cordeiro makes the magic happen, not only as she is crafting her special drinks, but also as she shares her knowledge and creativity during her foraging and creative cocktails workshops, open to a few people only. Botanical cocktails with so much flair, that will almost make you feel like you are forest bathing as you sip away.
📍Rua da Condessa 45, 1200-302 Lisbon
www.instagram.com/tocaraposa.cocktail
Photo by Toca da Raposa
Pop The Wine
We’re big fans of wine bars dedicated to natural and biodynamic wines, and happy to count Pop The Wine amongst the best wine bars in Lisbon. This bar in Graça works exclusively with small independent producers, carefully handpicked by owner and sommelier Luís Catela. This wine bar doubles as an art gallery, showcasing artwork by up and coming artists. To add to the artistic vibe, Catela plays excellent music from his very own collection of vinyl records. Indie vibes all around at Pop The Wine.
📍Rua do Vale de Santo António 180, 1170-382 Lisbon
www.instagram.com/popthewine_lx
Photo by Pop The Wine
Terraço Editorial
If you like the sound of a rooftop bar with incredible views over Lisbon’s terracotta roofs, which specializes in wine and serves delicious food too, you should go to homeware department store Pollux. Wait, what? Terraço Editorial is on the top floor of one of Lisbon’s best stores for kitchenware and indeed you have to enter the shop to access the rooftop bar. Before Terraço Editorial was here, other businesses occupied this top floor and were more of a hidden secret. Now the secret is out, and it’s understandable, because who wouldn’t want to be up there at Terraço Editorial sipping some pét-nat while marveling at the sunset over the Portuguese capital?
📍Rua dos Fanqueiros 276 piso 8, 1149-031 Lisbon
Photo by Terraço Editorial
Pensão Amor
Pink street and the adjacent arteries of Lisbon may be very popular with party-goers today, but not that long ago this used to be Lisbon’s red light district. Pensão Amor, Portuguese for Love Inn, still has a lot of its former brothel vibes going on, even though they have been “washed up” to be more appealing to a general public. Pensão Amor is still mostly decorated with red velvet, including large lounging chairs, and the decoration on the walls includes images of naked people which combine to perfection with a bunch of other kitsch elements that complete the look. Every now and then, they put on a live show, such as burlesque or a pole dancing performance. But even on any other regular night Pensão Amor is lively, albeit innocent, and simply lots of fun.
📍Rua do Alecrim 19, 1200-292 Lisbon
Photo by Pensão Amor
Wize Bar
Even though Wize Bar is a newcomer in Lisbon’s bar scene, we thought we’d mention it here as we find their concept quite unique. Wize is a Portuguese wine bar which also showcases street culture, something that isn’t usually much associated with the world of wine. They work exclusively with wines from small producers, which they serve along a tasty range of tapas. If you didn’t think you’d be enjoying Portuguese wine with a cheese and charcuterie board while in Lisbon, against the backdrop of a graffitied wall, think again… as our city is full of pleasant surprises and Lisbon’s nightlife can be as fun and creative as you are open for it to be.
📍Rua do Sol ao Rato 23A, 1250-000 Lisbon
Photo by Wise Bar
We hope your days exploring Lisbon are fun and engaging… and that your nights out in our city are full of joyful moments. Drink responsibly and enjoy! If you wish more tips, chat with us via WhatsApp or Instagram: @tasteoflisboa #tasteoflisboa
Feed your curiosity on Portuguese food culture:
The 4 fortified wines from Portugal
10 typical drinks from Portugal
9 Portuguese snacks and wine pairings that will surprise you
Alcohol-free Portuguese drinks you will love to try
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