The following are the six oldest cafés in Lisbon:
Martinho da Arcada brought life and the smell of coffee to Praca do Comércio 238 years ago.
It was an original for the time in a city dominated by bars and had numerous titles before settling on the appellation “Martinho da Arcada” in 1845. It is a restaurant and café that has been a refuge for rulers, politicians, soldiers, artists, and writers for more than two hundred years. The most famous regular client, though, was Fernando Pessoa, who composed some poetry here.
Downtown address: Praça do Comércio 3
National Confectionery (1829)
Confeitaria Nacional has been in operation since 1829 and is still owned by the same family who created it. If it was founded in the style of Parisian patisseries at first, it quickly began to produce highly traditional delicacies—the bolo-rei is without a doubt one of the house’s ex-libris, and it is stated that it was in this business that such a cake began to be marketed in Portugal, in 1870.
Address: 18B Praça da Figueira (downtown)
Benard Pâtisserie (1868)
Élie Benard started a pastry business on Rua do Loureto in 1868, and this was the beginning of the iconic Pastelaria Benard, which eventually relocated on Rua Garrett in Chiado in 1902. It should be remembered that the phrase “pastry shop” was first used in 1926, when the Chamber of Commerce began taxing signage in foreign languages. The Pastelaria was reopened in the 1940s, and it held noteworthy occasions such as a supper for Queen Elizabeth II during her visit to Portugal in 1957. The croissants remain the house’s main attraction.
Rua Garrett 104 is the address (Chiado)
The Brazilian (1905)
Following the establishment of the first Brasileira in Porto in 1903, the capital gained a comparable facility in 1905. Although there was another in Rossio, it is the one in Chiado that remains today, with Pessoa greeting us on the terrace since 1988. It is without a doubt one of the most iconic locations in Chiado, serving as a venue for intellectual and artistic events during the turn of the twentieth century in Lisbon.
Rua Garrett 122 is the address (Chiado)
Versailles Pastry (1922)
Versailles, which opened in 1922, functioned as the cultural and social core of Avenidas Novas; it was the neighborhood’s first significant café. Fortunately, it has remained loyal to itself, and tourists are still few in this area. The croquettes are our favourite among the pastries.
Address: 15A Avenida da Repblica (Avenidas Novas)
Café Nicola (1929)
In 1929, what began as Botequim do Nicola (named after the Italian who created it in the 18th century) became Café Nicola. The area was ultimately supplemented with the features that are now its characteristic in 1935, with a focus on Bocage’s paintings and the deco style. It was one of the poet’s favourite spots, and his presence may still be felt in a statue in the dining room. It will be remembered as a gathering place for intellectuals and social activists.
Address: 24/25 Praça Dom Pedro IV (Rossio)
And while we’re on the subject of coffee, it’s always worth noting Cafés Negrita, which was created in 1924 and is presently the oldest roasting factory in Lisbon.
