Lisbon’s Coffee Culture: History, Vibes, and Modern Trends

In Lisbon, coffee isn’t just a drink—it’s a way of life, a social glue, and a cultural icon. From buzzing cafés to quiet neighborhood haunts, coffee sets the rhythm of the city, shaping everything from morning routines to lively chats. This guide dives into Lisbon’s rich coffee heritage, its legendary traditional cafés, and the third-wave coffee revolution that’s shaking up the scene.

Coffee landed in Portugal in the 16th century, thanks to its seafaring explorers and trade with colonies. At first, it was a fancy treat for the elite, but by the 18th century, it was a staple for everyone. Lisbon became dotted with botequins—early cafés that weren’t just about grabbing a quick caffeine hit but were hotspots for intellectual debates, political arguments, and artistic vibes.

Portugal’s coffee culture is deeply tied to its colonial past, with top-notch beans coming from Brazil and African colonies like Angola, São Tomé and Príncipe, and Cape Verde. The Portuguese even kickstarted the global coffee industry by introducing coffee plants to Brazil in the 1700s, which later became a coffee-growing giant.

Lisbon’s traditional cafés are more than just coffee spots—they’re time capsules with high ceilings, ornate mirrors, and marble tables, often rocking Art Nouveau or Art Deco vibes.

• Martinho da Arcada (1782): Lisbon’s oldest café, parked on the stunning Praça do Comércio with views of the Tagus River. It was a favorite of poet Fernando Pessoa and still oozes vintage charm with its elegant wooden interiors.
• Café A Brasileira (1905): Nestled in the Chiado district, this place was a magnet for artists, writers, and thinkers, making it a symbol of Lisbon’s intellectual scene.
• Café Nicola (1787): Located in Rossio, this café was the heart of Lisbon’s coffee culture in the 1930s, blending history with timeless ambiance.
• Café Chave d’Ouro (1919): A true social hub back in the day, this spot had a restaurant, tea room, tobacco shop, barbershop, and billiard hall all under one roof.

These cafés aren’t just places to sip a bica (Lisbon’s term for espresso)—they’re living pieces of the city’s soul.

Over the past 10–15 years, Lisbon has jumped on the third-wave coffee bandwagon, a global movement all about high-quality beans, ethical sourcing, and artisanal brewing. Once dominated by dark-roasted commercial brands like Sical and Buondi, the city is now a hotspot for creative baristas and coffee nerds from across Europe.

The Evolution of Lisbon’s Coffee Scene

Historical Perspective: From a Few to Hundreds

Traditional Cafés (18th–20th Century)

Before 2015, Lisbon’s coffee scene was all about its traditional cafés and pastelarias (pastry shops), many of which have been around for over a century:

• Martinho da Arcada (1782)
• Café Nicola (1787)
• Confeitaria Nacional (1829)
• Pastelaria Benard (1868)
• A Brasileira (1905)
• Versailles (1922)

In total, Lisbon had around 200–300 traditional cafés, from grand historic spots to cozy neighborhood botequins.

The Specialty Coffee Boom (2015–2025)

The specialty coffee scene kicked off around 2015 with trailblazers like:

• Copenhagen Coffee Lab (2015): The first international specialty chain, setting up shop in Príncipe Real.
• Fábrica Coffee Roasters (2015–2016): One of Lisbon’s first local specialty roasters, inspired by Germany’s coffee scene.

Since then, the growth has been wild. According to Nina Brunch Cafe, the number of specialty coffee shops in Lisbon has exploded:

Key Moments:

• March 2019: The first Lisbon Coffee Festival, putting specialty coffee in the spotlight.
• 2020: COVID-19 boosted home coffee consumption by 18% (off-trade sales).
• 2023: A 25% spike in brunch orders at cafés, showing the rise of café culture.
• 2024: Portugal’s green coffee imports jumped 22.7% to 52,670 tons, a sign of growing demand.

Market Dynamics

Portugal’s Coffee Market:

• Total Consumption: 59,000 tons in 2023, expected to hit 61,000 tons by 2028 (0.6% CAGR).
• Market Revenue: €2.91 billion in 2025 (€568.73 million from home consumption, €2.34 billion from out-of-home).
• Specialty Segment: Europe’s specialty coffee market is growing at 11.9% annually (2023–2033). In 2023, Lisbon’s café scene boosted tourism by 20%.

Specialty coffee shops are popping up in trendy neighborhoods like Príncipe Real, Santos, Chiado, Alcântara, and Parque das Nações.

The third-wave movement, which hit Portugal around 2015–2018, is all about elevating the coffee experience. It’s focused on single-origin beans, sustainable sourcing, and brewing methods like pour-over, AeroPress, and cold brew. Unlike the classic bica with its dark-roasted blends, third-wave cafés highlight the unique flavors of beans from places like Ethiopia, Colombia, or Brazil—think fruity, floral, or chocolatey notes.

New Players (2020–2025): Lisbon’s specialty coffee scene is buzzing with fresh spots:

• Liberty: a famous coffee shop along with a bookstore.
• Sense of Coffee and Sense of Coffee & Wine: the first specialty coffee shop in Parque das Naçõesin Lisbon, where you can taste the coffee of various roasters from different European countries.
• The Folks: a chain of coffee shops in Lisbon, setting a new standard of quality.
• Copenhagen Coffee Lab: the first coffee chain of the new wave, bringing together expats from all over the world.
• Dear Breakfast: a popular chain of breakfast and brunch cafes in Lisbon with interesting coffee and minimalist Scandinavian-style design
• Hello, Kristof: Connoisseurs of specialty coffee will find here not only a great drink, but also an inspiring space to work or relax.

These cafés often offer vegan milk options (like oat or almond) and seasonal specials, such as cold brew with local twists like orange syrup or cinnamon.

Lisbon’s coffee culture is a killer mix of old-school charm and cutting-edge innovation. From the historic elegance of Martinho da Arcada to the bold new flavors at Fábrica Coffee Roasters, there’s something for every coffee lover. Back in 2015, Lisbon had just 2–3 specialty coffee shops; by 2025, that number’s shot up to 85–100+, a 30-fold jump in a decade. This growth has turned Lisbon into one of Europe’s most exciting specialty coffee hubs, all while keeping the soul of its bica tradition alive. Whether you’re knocking back a quick espresso at the counter or savoring a pour-over from Ethiopian Yirgacheffe beans, Lisbon’s coffee scene invites you to slow down, soak in the moment, and share it with others.