Café
Pastéis de Belém
Since 1837 this Belém bakery has made its custard tarts by hand to a closely guarded recipe linked to the nearby Jerónimos Monastery.
Café Nicola
An Art Deco café on Rossio, opened in 1929 on the site of an eighteenth-century coffee house, with a terrace facing the square and a statue of the poet Bocage.
At a glance
- Type
- Historic café
- Area
- Rossio, Lisbon, Portugal
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
Good to know
- Art Deco interior
- Terrace on Rossio
Why we recommend it
Café Nicola stands on the west side of Rossio, Lisbon's main square, and it carries one of the longest histories of any café in the city. The first Lisbon coffee houses, or botequins, were opened by Italians in the eighteenth century, and among them was the Botequim do Nicola on this square, a meeting place for writers, artists and politicians that earned the nickname of the Academy. The poet Manuel Maria Barbosa du Bocage was a famous regular, and his presence is still marked by a sculpture of him inside.
The present Café Nicola opened in 1929, founded by Joaquim Fonseca Albuquerque. In 1935 it was renovated by Raul Tojal, who modernised the space in the style of the day, Art Deco, with geometric forms in the facade and interior. Paintings of Bocage and his time by Fernando Santos decorate the walls. The building and its facade, with its distinctive lettering, are one of the best preserved Art Deco ensembles in the Baixa. In the 1930s and 1940s, when Lisbon was neutral ground in wartime Europe, the café also appeared as a backdrop in stories of espionage.
Today it works as a café and restaurant. The house speciality is the Nicola steak, served in the traditional Lisbon style, and there are coffee, pastries, sandwiches and light meals throughout the day. The terrace on Rossio is a good spot to watch the life of the square, with the Teatro Nacional D. Maria II, the fountains and the wave-patterned pavement in front of you, while the interior is the place to appreciate the Art Deco decoration.
The café suits anyone interested in Lisbon's café culture and history, and it makes a convenient stop for breakfast, a coffee or a simple lunch while exploring the Baixa. Prices on the terrace are higher than inside. The café has also hosted fado performances in a room downstairs on some evenings, so ask if you are interested. Opening hours are not published on an official website, so check locally.
Café Nicola is on Rossio itself, next to Rossio metro station on the green line and a short walk from Restauradores and Baixa-Chiado. The Rossio railway station, A Ginjinha on Largo de São Domingos and Rua Augusta are all within a couple of minutes.
Café Nicola FAQs
When did Café Nicola open?
The current café opened in 1929, on the site associated with the eighteenth-century Botequim do Nicola.
What style is the interior?
Art Deco, from a 1935 renovation by Raul Tojal.
Who was Bocage?
An eighteenth-century Portuguese poet who was a famous regular of the original Nicola, commemorated by a sculpture in the café.
What is the house speciality?
The Nicola steak.
Can you sit outside?
Yes. The café has a terrace facing Rossio.
Where is Café Nicola?
At Praça Dom Pedro IV 24-25, on the west side of Rossio.
Which metro station is closest?
Rossio station on the green line.