10 Fun Spots to Eat Brunch in Lisbon

Eating brunch in Lisbon is a tasty way to start any day of the week in Portugal’s capital. But which are the top Lisbon brunch spots? Read on to discover more than ten contenders for the best brunch in Lisbon.

Many visitors to Portugal want to eat a Pastel de Nata or other Portuguese dessert every morning. We get that and did the same during our first visit too.

With menus featuring avocado egg toast and omelettes, Lisbon cafes serve brunch all over the city. Just like Amsterdam and New York, Lisbon has dozens of cafes specializing in the best meal of the day.

Eating Brunch in Lisbon

Eating brunch is one of the most popular things to do in Lisbon. Crowds of locals, ex-pats and food travelers pack cafes throughout the city in order to satiate their brunch fix.

Considering the prevalence of eggs and sugar in the Portuguese cuisine, the city provides a great match for globally popular dishes like Pancakes, Eggs Benedict and French Toast (pain perdu). The key is to know where to eat the best brunch in Lisbon.

Our Favorite Lisbon Brunch Spots

1. The Mill

We first ate brunch at The Mill in 2018 when we were thinking about moving to Lisbon. Once we made the big move a few months later, we proceeded to frequent the São Bento cafe enough times that we knew each staff member by name.

The Mill’s compact menu includes toasties, bowls and plates featuring ingredients like chouriço, goat cheese and kale. The menu has changed a few time over the past couple years, but the food remains consistently good.

Compared to other brunch spots, prices are moderate and flavors are tight. On a recent visit we enjoyed wonderful fritters filled with sweet corn, topped with avocado and served with an optional side of smoked salmon.

True confession – sometimes we go to The Mill just for flat whites. The staff roasts a range of global single sourced beans at Flor da Selva in nearby Santos. These flat whites provide a nice afternoon pick-me-up after traversing the city’s endless, undulating, cobblestone calçadas.

2. Heim Cafe

Picky eaters or those on a budget can order a la carte dishes instead. Fitting into both of these categories during our recent visit, we ordered two plates plus glasses of fresh orange juice to wash it all down.

During your visit, expect to eat modern dishes like Quinoa Fritters, ‘Panwiches’ and Avocado Toast. The ‘Something Good’ dish features fried halloumi – something we rarely pass on when we see it on a menu.

3. Fauna & Flora

Fauna & Flora’s fun menu features a staggering number of brunch and ‘brinner’ choices ranging from smoothie bowls and pancakes to rice bowls and burgers. Adventurous diners can order a salmon, bacon or a vegan nest with two baked avocado halves and a kataifi nest.

4. Cafe Dede’s

Costa and Pulford traveled the world before settling in Lisbon. Dishes like Okonomiyaki and Korean BBQ Jackfruit Burgers showcase flavors they discovered during their culinary travels.

With two locations, including a space in the upscale Gladstone building next to leafy Jardim da Estrela, Cafe Dede’s is a great spot to start your day. The combination of tasty food and quality specialty coffee is a winner.

5. Brick Cafe

We each ordered the full brunch during our first visit and added sides of bacon and smoked salmon. When we return, we’ll be more selective and order a la carte dishes like filled croissants and Greek yogurt unless we’re feeling particularly peckish.

Brick Cafe serves salads and burger for those not in the mood for traditional brunch food. Be sure to check the menu next to the brick wall to discover the daily soup and dish of the day before you order.

6. Augusto Lisboa

We must have walked by Augusto Lisboa’s pink wall a hundred times before we actually entered its doors. Though it’s just a five minute walk from our apartment, we never thought about going inside until visitors from the US, Matt and Marie, gave us a good report.

Once we made those extra few steps, we discovered a quirky space filled with kitschy fur chairs and a striking chandelier. Modern tiles and jungle print decorate the walls and the floor is the same shade as as Lisbon’s vivid Pink Street.

Brunch options skew classic but with a twist. Bowls come topped with yogurt, oat apple pear porridge or fruit. Salads entice with ingredients like Portuguese cheese, green apples and bacalhau (cod). Avo toast goes the extra mile with the addition of scrambled eggs, homemade cream cheese and pickled carrots.

We can’t comment on the coffee since we’re not fans of mass marketed Sical beans. However, we enjoyed imbibing glasses of cinnamon-flavored water and fresh orange juice. Maybe next time we’ll opt for a crafted Porto Tonico or Caipirinha with our Alfama brunch instead.

7. Nicolau

Located in Baixa near Lisbon’s main square, Praça do Comércio, Nicolau is a great spot to kick off a day of touring. It’s also a good spot for a leisurely meal with friends on a lazy Lisbon Saturday.

You’ll have a couple big decisions when you eat brunch at Nicolau starting with where to eat. Choices include sitting inside the insta-cute cafe or outside on the expansive terrace.

The harder decision will be narrowing down the urban cafe’s food choices. Perhaps you’ll want to go traditional with pancakes or french toast. Or maybe you’ll want to eat healthier with a salad or açai smoothie.

The cafe also offers desserts like carrot cake and brownies which are a good option… unless you already ate red velvet pancakes for brunch. This decadent dish doubles as a dessert.

8. Neighbourhood

We first discovered Neighbourhood when Reuben from The Mill (see above) told us about the newest coffee shop in the neighborhood. How could we resist an Australian-owned cafe where baristas pull expertly executed ristretto espresso shots? We couldn’t.

In those early days (circa November 2019), we didn’t know that Neighbourhood’s outdoor tables would become so desirable due to the global pandemic. We also didn’t know that the coffee shop would eventually serve superb breakfast burritos that appease our unrequited cravings for good Mexican food in Lisbon.

Since Neighbourhood’s owners are from Australia via London, it only makes sense that the cafe would have avocado toast on the menu. But this cafe’s version takes the brunch staple one step farther by adding jalapeños for an extra kick of heat.

9. The Royal Rawness

We didn’t know much about Lisbon’s hip Marvila neighborhood until a local barista recommended specialty coffee spot The Royal Rawness to us about a year ago during a random conversation. Located in the corner of a former wine factory, the cafe serves both quality coffee and a solid brunch.

As we found out during our first visit, The Royal Rawness is just down the street from breweries Dois Corvos and Fábrica Musa. It’s possible to begin a day in the edgy neighborhood with coffee and brunch before enjoying craft brews in the edgy, northern warehouse district with friends.

The Royal Rawness’ brunch menu features fancifully-named dishes like Holy Sheep (roast lamb sandwich), Yellow Fluffy’s (avo egg toast) and Banana Party (PB&B smoothie). This menu is varied enough to satisfy both vegetarians and carnivores as well as anybody with a sweet tooth.

10. Zenith

If you believe that brunch shouldn’t be limited by the clock and tastes better with a mojito, then Zenith is the spot for you. This Avenida cafe serves an all-day brunch menu in an industrial space. Plus, cocktails flow as freely as coffee.

Zenith’s menu fully embraces the brunch concept with a full slate of smoothie bowls and egg dishes. Pancake toppings run the gamut from Nutella to francesinha sauce. However, don’t go to Zenith expecting an authentic American brunch. If you do, you’ll be disappointed.

During our Zenith brunch, we kept our pancake stack relatively simple with bacon, cheddar cheese and a fried egg. Oddly, maple syrup was inside the pancakes as opposed to drizzled on top. However, there was nothing odd about our Eggs Benedict dish served with avocado and a side of smoked salmon.

If you enjoy your Zenith Lisbon brunch, you can repeat the experience at the cafe’s original location in Porto or in Madrid. Yes, the team behind Zenith has jumped the border and is now conquering Spain.

Bonus Pick – Chinese Dumplings

As much as we enjoy eating traditional brunch food in Lisbon, sometimes we want something different. And by different, we mean Chinese dumplings (a/k/a dim sum).

Luckily for us, Lisbon has a vibrant Asian community that dates back to the days when Portugal colonized Macau. The city’s central Martim Moniz neighborhood is home to numerous Asian business including Mercado Oriental, a thriving food court that serves dishes from countries like China, Japan and Thailand.

Sure, we could easily eat a proper dim sum brunch at a sit down restaurant in Lisbon. Sometimes, though, we’re simply in the mood to order baskets of dumplings and wash them down with bubble tea, the iconic sweet beverage invented in Taiwan.

Mercado Oriental’s Ravioli House serves a reasonably-priced, shareable feast of 20 dumplings. If there’s a better dumpling deal in Lisbon, we have yet to find it. As for bubble tea, flavors like pearl milk and taro are available downstairs at Meeting Tea.

Additional Lisbon Brunch Spots

Did we mention that eating brunch in Lisbon is a popular thing to do? We did and we weren’t exaggerating!

Plan Your Lisbon Trip

Important Update
Some businesses may revise their hours and menus due to COVID-19. Others may close, either temporarily or permanently, without notice. Be sure to check websites for updated information and make advance reservations where possible.