Just like any other European country with a long history of coffee, figuring out how to order coffee in Portugal can get confusing. In Portugal, coffeehouses and pastry shops are an institution, not only for the specialties they serve but also for their history and decoration. And like many other metropolitan cities, they once were the favorite haunt of some of the most famous literary figures in history.
The Portuguese are very serious about their coffee and buy only top quality. A good way to get up to speed is to join the locals and have breakfast in a typical café or a “pastelaria.” Once you enter a coffeehouse you’ll probably be overwhelmed with the wide variety of pastries on offer, but if you thought the coffee options would be easier, you were wrong! Coffee in Portugal is a science and they have so many options. You will need a bit of practice to figure out what you like and what you want.
Don’t stay with espresso try them all!
Uma bica: a shot of espresso, similar to Italian espresso. Very tasty and perfect before a long walk through Lisbon streets. In the north of Portugal, in Oporto, is known as “cimbalino”.
Um café cheio/curto: um “café cheio” is an espresso filled with a bit of hot water. Still quite strong. The “curto” is a still more concentrated coffee. They are both served in espresso cups.
Um pingado: is an espresso with a few drops of milk. Also served in an espresso cup.
Um garoto: is a hint of coffee filled with milk and served in an espresso cup. Garoto means kid in Portuguese as this was the coffee kids drank before they were allowed to have a proper coffee.
Carioca: a coffee with a copious amount of water. In some places, you can also find the carioca de limão, which is not a coffee but a lemon infusion.
Uma meia de leite: with almost equal portions of coffee to milk, this coffee drink is served in a standard coffee cup. If you want it a bit stronger, specify ‘escura’ when ordering it.
Um galão: Similar to ‘meia de leite‘, this coffee has a larger size and is served in a glass instead of a coffee cup. It’s ideal for breakfast, especially with a pair of the famous, ‘pasteis de nata’.
Café com cheirinho: Cheirinho means “smell” as it has a blend of “bagazo”, a Portuguese liquor. It’s the perfect option after a hearty meal.
Um descafeinado: the decaffeinated option.
In some places, the coffee is served with a cinnamon stick, which is used to stir the coffee or to drink it using the stick as a straw.
You are likely to find all these options in all the coffeehouses in the country but if you are looking for the most loved and popular option for your next visit to Lisbon check out the Cafe Brasilerira (rua Garrett, 120). Located in one of the most charismatic parts of the city, next to Praça Camoes. This famous café opened in 1905. On one of the outside tables, you will find the bronze statue of the great Portuguese poet, Fernando Pessoa, sitting beside his inseparable cup of coffee. But don’t forget the inside of the bar, where you will be able to admire the magnificent art nouveau decor. They say the coffee here is the best in Portugal, so if you have the chance, don’t miss it.
I hope this little guide will help you with the ins and outs of ordering coffee in Portugal! Coffee has been part of my life since I was very little, and I share all the details in My Coffee Story.
How about you? Have you ever tried any of these coffees in Portugal? Do tell!
If you are a fan of coffee and travel, you might also like:
San Francisco has no shortage of great places for coffee and my Where to go for Coffee in San Francisco has plenty of details.
I fell head over heels in love with Tom Greenwell, fourth-generation coffee farmer at Greenwell Coffee Farm in Hawaii. Farmer, food scientist and coffee champion, after spending several hours with Tom I had a whole new appreciation for Kona coffee.
I have spent a lot of time in Paris, my hubby even more, but despite that fact, ordering coffee in Paris can be daunting even for us! I put together a post on How to Order Coffee in Paris to help. And in case you need help ordering breakfast, here are all the details of a typical French breakfast.
Illustrations commissioned from Linden Eller.
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July 10, 2012
OMG they all sound sooooo delicious!
July 11, 2012
@AndiP, I am sure that you have experienced a lot of great coffee in Latin America. I remember posts about you visiting coffee plantations…
July 10, 2012
The closest I got to Portugal was Spain, where they also take their coffee and pastries seriously. Nothing better than taking a break in the afternoon with a foamy, dark cup of coffee and something sinfully sweet. 😉
July 11, 2012
@Carolyn, the coffee is amazing in a lot of places in Europe!
July 18, 2012
I would love to go to Portugal someday
July 19, 2012
Delicious!I love coffee and Portugal serves it nicely. 😉
July 22, 2012
Sounds like a place for my husband…he loves coffee and wants it strong! I never thought of drinking coffee through a cinnamon stick. Interesting!
July 22, 2012
@Sherry, I am thinking a piece of black licorice might be interesting too!
July 23, 2012
Thanks for sharing … Brings back fond memories I have of studying in coffee shops while studying abroad in Vienna, Austria 🙂
July 24, 2012
I’m not a huge coffee drinker, however, I think I really want to go to Portugal and just drink coffee 🙂
November 17, 2012
Thanks for sharing. If you went to a cafe and wanted to order coffee ? How to talk in English when you are at a cafe. Watching this video and learn how to order a coffee. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyoDt3egGHg&feature=plcp)
November 21, 2012
Wow, they all sounds so tasty. I’ve never been to Portugal, but that looks like a good reason to go. The Carioca sounds amazing. Lemon and coffee is a very different combination to me.
September 4, 2016
Congratulations, well done, but you forgot “the mazagran” also been known as sweetened “Portuguese iced coffee or summer coffee”.
It is prepared with strong coffee or espresso served over ice with lemon.
Sometimes rum is added, and it may be sweetened with sugar syrup.
September 10, 2016
@Carlos, thanks for the addition, I will have to update my post!
April 2, 2017
Love this comprehensive guide to coffee drinking in Portugal. Hopefully can put it to practice soon!
April 10, 2017
@Jessica, you’ll love Portugal, I was so surprised by how much I loved it!
July 25, 2017
I would love to visit Portugal. What a great experience that would be. I also enjoy a great cup of coffee. Thank you so much for sharing
July 25, 2017
@Linda, Portugal is an excellent place for great coffee!
February 27, 2018
We spent a month in the greater Lisbon area. At first, it was tough to not be able to just get a black cup of coffee that i could linger over. Nope. Too strong! I dealt with this by just doing what most Portuguese do. Espresso. My husband dealt with it by getting galao. I got used to it (and the high octane buzz!), and enjoyed it. So did he. Loved ALL the pastries from the git-go! Portugal is a treasure!
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February 11, 2019
[…] How to Order Coffee in Portugal […]
February 11, 2019
[…] with cinnamon and icing sugar, they are the ultimate accompaniment to a tiny but mighty cup of Portuguese coffee. Pasteis de Nata are sold all over Lisbon but are most closely associated with Belem. In fact, the […]
February 18, 2019
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February 27, 2019
[…] How to order coffee in Portugal. […]
March 11, 2020
Each way of ordering coffee sounds so exciting – it definitely adds more color to your meals throughout the day!
March 28, 2020
Oh my goodness – I love the sweet little introductory illustration. Did you make that?
March 28, 2020
You are absolutely right, Portuguese do like a good coffee.
March 28, 2020
This is actually such a helpful post and I do think it is confusing to order coffee in other countries!! Definitely saving this for later!
March 28, 2020
I would love to visit Portugal. This is such an interesting blog. Being a coffee lover, will definitely try all of the above..
March 28, 2020
Next time I go to Portugal I’ll use your excellent coffee guide for sure! Thanks for sharing!
March 28, 2020
These coffees look so delicious!! I’m not sure which ones I would order but Um garoto look so good that might be the first one I tried.
March 29, 2020
Lovely! I love coffee and surely would like to try them in Portugal, as you recommended.
March 29, 2020
Great post! It’s always little things like ordering a coffee in a foreign country that you never think much about or realize might be confusing until you get there 😁
March 29, 2020
I would try the Um Galao! That looks yummy and the perfect dessert coffee!!
March 30, 2020
I love this! Ordering Coffee in Singapore is just as Astrophysical to understand with a hundred and one different local terms 😅 – this is such a wonderful idea to ease travellers into the ‘art of ordering coffee’ and I love that it comes with a visual! ☕️
March 31, 2020
I don’t drink coffee but my hubby does. Thanks!
March 31, 2020
Fascinating post! I’d never heard of those coffees before I read your post so thanks for sharing. I also love your illustrations!
March 31, 2020
AWww man, this post is really making me wish I liked coffee!