Many visitors to Portugal want to eat a Pastel de Nata or another Portuguese dessert every morning. We get that and did the same during our first visit to Portugal too.
However, since we've lived in Portugal for more than three years, we've dug deeper into the Lisbon food scene and have embraced the city's burgeoning brunch scene. Yes, Lisbon has joined the global brunch movement.
With menus featuring avocado egg toast and omelettes, Lisbon cafes serve brunch all over the city. Just like Amsterdam and Hamburg, Lisbon has dozens of cafes specializing in the best meal of the day.
An easy option would be to skip brunch in Lisbon and eat a Pastel de Nata instead. However, Lisboa pastelarias serve fresh Pasteis de Nata all day long. In other words, you can eat brunch in Lisbon and enjoy a Pastel de Nata later that same day.
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. While some 'eat for the insta', savvy diners care more about eating great food.
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.
Not to brag but we've eaten a lot of brunches since we moved to Lisbon in early 2019. How many? Enough that we're unofficial Lisbon brunch experts.
Our favorite places for brunch in Lisbon run the gamut from cute and cozy to modern and expansive. Some serve crafted specialty coffee drinks while others offer outdoor seating. We typically avoid restaurants that vie for the status of 'most instagrammable brunch in Lisbon' since that's not our thing.
Some of the best Lisbon brunch spots serve familiar brunch favorites. Others specialize in dishes specific to Portugal or its South American brother, Brazil. And, in a surprising turn of events, many serve photogenic plates that also taste great.
Visit 2foodtrippers to discover our picks for the 20 best Lisbon brunch spots including real life photos and pro tips.
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