Lisbon

Magnolia and the cutest square.

🙋🏻‍♀️

At the request of friends, who for some reason really trust my taste, I'm crafting lists of recommended places in any place I've stayed for a bit. Nothing fancy, most places are well-known already, but might be a good starting point if you're new in a place and have similar tastebuds!

(Updated October 2024.)

🍳 Brunch

Quest | They have the creamiest scrambled eggs, hidden under a sea of cheese. Plus a superior option of cakes and desserts.
Hygge Kaffe | Nordic vibes, everything is yummy. Plus for normal portion sizes - one main dish + sharing the mini pancakes is the ideal brunch for me.
Liberty | Unique twists on classic brunch food and everything I've tried has been delicious, including the coffee. Small portions though.
Do Beco Santos - Padaria Artesanal & Brunch | Bakery with interesting brunch options and fun coffee flavors.
Fauna & Flora | Often crowded, but you rarely have to wait long. My go-to for years, prices are good, quality consistent, and a varied menu.
Tomorrow at 9 Cafe | The entrance is almost hard to spot, but inside hides a cute patio and a brunch menu that is more interesting than your normal cafe.

🍽 Restaurants

Magnolia Bistrot & Winebar | Favorite wine bar with small dishes to share.
Kefi Greek Bistro | Fresh Greek food, gorgeous space, go here.
Maluca | Another wine bar with small dishes. Lovely food, lovely wine.
Loco | My first Michelin star place and it was truly incredible.
The Happy Salad | Finally found a make-your-own-salad spot which has kale! Not gonna lie, I order from here once per week.
Honest Greens | Another place I order from when I'm too lazy to cook but want something healthy.
Lupita | Favorite pizza place, addicted to their white pizza with ricotta cheese.
Arkhe | Fine dining, all vegetarian.
Tapa Bucho Gastrobar | Me and Tapa Bucho go way back. Good for big groups.
Dallas Burger | Solid burger spot.

🍸 Bars

Mirari | It's tagged as a food court on google maps, but it's far more than that. Open air party space, with bars and food stalls. This is also where you'll find the best smashed burger in Lisbon. This is where I go on Friday afternoons!
Comida Independente | Great wine bar with good snack options.
Black Sheep | A Lisbon institution I only recently finally made it to. Fun wines!
Graça do Vinho | Another natural wine bar, I once had a pet nat there I still dream about.
A Tabacaria | A Tabacaria and I go way back. My first visit many years ago they didn't offer a menu and did every drink tailor-made, it was perfection. Last time I was there they sadly stopped doing custom cocktails, BUT, their creations are still delicious.
Matiz Pombalina Cocktail Bar | A recent discovery and it immediately became my favorite cocktail bar. I felt like I was stepping into my eccentric great-grandmothers apartment, had she lived in Portugal, and the bartenders knows what they are doing.
LX Rooftop Cocktail bar | Don't know why this place has such poor reviews, they have good drinks and are a friendly bunch. We live 10 min away, so, another go-to spot.

🍦 Sweets

Parioca | Delicious coffee and makes the best cookies in Lisbon.
Gelato Therapy | Tasty ice cream in the center.
Crush Doughnuts | For when you want the type of sugar rush making you high for hours and hours.
Pastéis de Belém | Heard of Pastel de Nata? Well, this is the OG place making them into perfection.

Work views. Library to the left, Lacs Santos to the right.

👩🏻‍💻 Work from

LACS Santos | My current coworking spot. Location is perfect for me and lots of light inside.
Second Home | My previous coworking spot. They have 1200 plants inside and lots of natural light, but it's on the pricy side though.
Copenhagen Cafe | All Copenhagen cafes have a number of tables dedicated to laptops, but the get taken quickly. Good spot for working with good coffee, but I usually rely on my own wifi.
Simpli Coffee | Chill café with good coffee and snacks, and surprisingly stable wifi.
Heden Rossio | Good place to get work done (available on Croissant).
Libraries | Lisbon has a lot of libraries with good places to work for free. Some of them with gardens and cafés too! Belem is where I go.

🤸🏻‍♀️ Workouts

Jaya Aerial Lab | The aerial studio of my dreams. Pole, lyra, silks, handstand, conditioning; you name it, they got it.
Jazzy Dance Studios | Huge dance studio, great teachers. Something for everyone.
Jivamukti Yoga Lisbon | My favorite type of yoga practice which usually includes chanting, breath work, mediation and inversion practice.
Baraza Yoga | Fun yoga studio, lots of fun guest teachers too. And if you get the chance to join their weekend retreats, I highly recommend putting everything else aside and join!
The Kynd Space | Lovely yoga studio with fun classes on the menu, like "Holy HIIT" and other random combos.
Amplify Santos | I go for barre once a week (great complementary class for stability, everyone should do it tbh). Also has very hyped cycle classes and bootcamps.
A Pompadourette | For my fellow pole lovers, this is a cute studio with good sensual pole classes. Note that the classes are very short, only 50 min.
Academia Life Club | Large gym, got everything you need, including saunas.

🪩 Other spots & things to do

LxFactory | Artsy but very touristy area, go here to check out cute shops and have drinks in the afternoon. They also do a fun market on Sundays.
Mirdouros | There are viewpoints all over Lisbon worth a visit, just search for miradouro on maps. Usually with a kiosk that serves wine, beer, and sometimes a few cocktails too.
Black Cat Outdoor Cinema | During summer, Black Cate Cinema organizes outdoor cinema experiences in various cool locations. Mix of classics and more recent movies, definitely worth checking out.
Storytelling Lisboa | I recommend arriving at 7pm, grab a good seat, and chill with your friends before it starts.

⛱ Get out of Lisbon

Sintra | Sintra has some nice walks (easy hikes) and a lot of castles.
Costa da Caparica | Take an Uber across the river and go these beaches instead of what is along the route to Cascais. Our go-to is this beach, the bar is more chill and make a badass sangria. Plus, this is where the nude beach is located.
Salvaterra Country House & Spa | If you want a romantic getaway, this is the spot. One hour drive from Lisbon and has a Bali design vibe to it.
Friday Happiness Algarve | Also known as "the pizza party", which combines pizzas and raves in a hippie commune setting. Go by car, pack a tent and toilet paper, prepare to party till 6am.