Although brunch has only recently become a thing in Lisbon, now there’s an excellent array of choices. We bring you the Best Places for Brunch in Lisbon. Our list includes the lavish spreads at luxury hotels, the instagram-able avocado toast and pink beetroot hummus at chic little cafés, and a more than a few interesting experiments, from shakshuka to okonomiyake.
Best Brunches in Lisbon
Four Seasons Hotel Ritz Lisbon
The most ambitious brunch in town, executive chef Pascal Meynard’s weekend menu spans not only the old-school hotel brunch dishes like eggs Benedict, Belgian waffles, and French toast. The a la carte plates cover the world, like the tacos and ceviche on the Latin American section, the hummus and baklava on the Middle Eastern one, the gyozas and nasi goreng on the Asian part; and the burrata salad with seasonal fruits, arugula, and balsamic reduction on the Mediterranean segment. There’s also a buffet with oysters, cheeses, sausages, and Portuguese snacks like rissóis (meat pastries), chamuças (samosas), and pastels de bacalhau (cod cakes). The price is hefty for Lisbon, but it also includes Perrier Jouët Champagne and adorable desserts.
Rua Rodrigo da Fonseca #88 | +351 213 811 400
Best Brunches in Lisbon
BAHR
More understated, the brunch at the top-floor restaurant in the Bairro Alto Hotel still offers a lot to impress—starting with the view of the river and the city from the terrace. The menu puts both the B and the “unch” in brunch, with first-meal-of-the-day classics like pancakes with maple syrup and whipped cream, eggs Benedict or Florentine, plus more luxurious ones, like an omelet with peas, black-pork ham and mint, and later-in-the day fare like salads, sandwiches, and the restaurant’s famous carabineiro (scales prawn) rice. Dishes without any animal protein, gluten, or lactose are available upon request.
Biarro Alto Hotel, Praça Luís de Camões 2 | +351 213 408 288 | info@bairroaltohotel.com
Best Brunches in Lisbon
Lumi Rooftop at The Lumiares Hotel
Another swank hotel terrace with a dazzling view, this restaurant, on top of the Lumiares hotel, offers the best of two worlds: the service and polish of a five-star hotel restaurant, but also the simplicity and comfort food of a neighborhood café. Luxury here means pancakes with Nutella, or sourdough with sliced avocado—maybe paired with a cheeky Bloody Mary, mimosa, or Aperol spritz (included in the price).
The Lumiares, Rua de São Pedro de Alcântara 35, Bairro Alto | +351 211 160 200 | lumirooftop@thelumiares.com
Best Brunches in Lisbon
The Therapist
Both at the original in what’s left of the LX Factory and in the new outpost in Alvalade, the Therapist is out to serve brunch fare that’s healthful and functional—it’s actually designed to boost mood and enhance calm. New this summer is the picnic menu, with the same avocado toast and fried eggs, that’s available in a thermal bag for pickup from either location or online from the delivery apps.
Rua Rodrigues de Faria 103 | +351 913 648 993 | lxfactory@thetherapist.pt
Best Brunches in Lisbon
Café Dede’s
Brazilian Portuguese Chef Dede has quite the resume. In his 15-plus-year career, he cooked at a remote safari lodge in Kenya, in front of the stove at a risotto restaurant in Italy and by the side of the Michelin two-star chef Dieter Koschina at Vila Joya in the Algarve. At his hole-in-the-wall brunch spot in the out-of-the-way Lapa neighborhood (followed by a second outpost in a wellness-focused members club nearby), he elevates classic dishes like avocado toast (in this case with marinated feta, pickled ginger, and coriander) and challenges Lisboetas to try new ones, like the okonomiyaki egg pancake with shredded veggies and sriracha mayo.
Rua de Sant’Ana à Lapa 33 | +351 935 269 319 | info@cafededes.com
Best Brunches in Lisbon
Nicolau and Olivia
There’s a certain strain of brunch in Lisbon that we might call Instagram brunch. It’s still satisfying and tasty, but when you go, you probably might at least have an idea in the back of your mind that these little pink brunch plates (thank you, beetroot hummus, for the heavy lifting you’ve been doing these past couple of years) will look good on your social feeds. But for several years now, Nicolau has managed to be the rare place that brought in the fabulous crowd while also serving really delicious food. In summer 2022, they opened a new outpost, called Olivia, that serves heartier fare, like the signature eggs with asparagus and presunto, and the homemade cinnamon rolls.
R. de São Nicolau 17 | +351 218 860 312 | info@ilovenicolau.com
Best Brunches in Lisbon
Dear Breakfast
Julien Garrec opened the first Dear Breakfast, in São Bento, back in 2017, just when Lisbon was starting to become the reigning capital of cool and brunch was starting to become a big thing here. He set about opening a spot for egg-centric dishes (such as Benedict or scrambled with truffles) paired with creative juices and cocktails, with the help of chefs Raquel Patronilho (ex–Four Seasons) and Steve Brown. The design is understated (nothing twee like mason jars), and the vibe is beautifully relaxed. Garrec has since grown the business to two more locations, one on an iconic street along the tram line in Chiado and the other in Aflama, near the Sé cathedral.
Rua das Gaivotas 17 & Calçada Marquês de Abrantes 146, Santos | +351 964 867 125 | reservations@dearbreakfast.com
Best Brunches in Lisbon
KaffeeHaus
Taking a page from the atmosphere of Vienna’s famous cafe’s, this Chiado standby invites patrons to sip traditional Viennese coffee creations like the Einspänner, Pharisäer, or Biedermeier, while browsing their selection of newspapers and magazines. The food is likewise traditional, with Wiener Schnitzel being a calling card, but the brunch section of the menu gets a bit more Mediterranean, with dishes like scrambled eggs, oven roasted tomato, homemade basil pesto, baby spinach, parmesan, and toasted pine nuts, or toasted bread with arugula, scrambled eggs, smoked salmon, zucchini, caramelized onions, and yogurt sauce.
Rua Anchieta 3 | +351 210 956 828 | kaffeehaus.chiado@gmail.com
Best Brunches in Lisbon
Heim Café
A longtime anchor of Santos’s lively café scene, the Ukranian-owned Heim was a pioneer of Lisbon’s pretty brunch trend. There’s bright pink beetroot hummus, and perfectly fanned out avocado. But it’s also well thought out and tasty, with dishes like mushroom toast with poached egg, sweet potato puree, avocado, nuts, and granola, or chorizo hash with potato, pepper, onion, jalapeño, cheese, green peas, and fried egg. Pro tip: Treat yourself to a weekday brunch here—the weekend crowds can be daunting, but as with most of these casual places, the brunch menu is served all day every day.
Rua Santos-O-Velho 2 and 4 | +351 935 775 833
Best Brunches in Lisbon
Neighbourhood
There are plenty of international influences at this casual favorite among foreigners living in Lisbon. The owners are Australian by way of London—they make a mean flat white—but their collaborates and cooks have included Americans, Scandinavians, and other sundry Europeans, all of whom seem to have left a mark. It’s hard to find a better US-style breakfast burrito in Lisbon—the ones here come in meat, eggy-veggie, or vegan, with optional kimchi and properly spicy hot sauce—the avocado toast can come with jalapeño or kimchi, and the Turkish eggs, with yogurt and dill, are a delight.
Largo do Conde Barão 25 | +351 214 068 809
Best Brunch Lisbon