From the classic espresso to the creamy, sweet galão, each type of coffee in Portugal has its own unique flavor. If you’re looking for something cold on a hot day, try an espresso com gelo, an icy espresso drink with ice cubes and water. If it’s chilly outside, then go for um bica quente, strong black coffee served hot.
Regardless of what you order, you’ll find that Portuguese cafés are often lively social hubs, filled with people chatting and enjoying their drinks. There is nothing better than sipping your favorite coffee while watching the world go by in one of the coolest countries in Europe. However, to really blend in, it’s important to know how to order coffee in Portugal like a local.
With this guide in hand, you can now become part of Portugal’s café culture (yes, including the local ones where they don’t speak English). Let’s get started!
Ordering Coffee in Portugal Like a Local
It’s important to note that there are two main types of cafés in Portugal. You have the local coffee shops and the trendy cafés full of digital nomads and Chemex glasses.
For most travelers, you’ll likely stick to the latter, where you’ll find common coffee drinks like flat whites and dirty chai lattes. If you’re moving to Portugal, however, or want to blend in with the local culture as a tourist (which we highly recommend), we suggest you experience a local Portuguese café at some point.
What do you need to know about ordering coffee in Portugal? Namely, it’s helpful to know what’s popular and common and how to order in Portuguese.
The most popular coffee in Portugal is the café, which is a small but strong shot of espresso. When we started ordering these after meals in restaurants we were expecting a regular-sized cup of drip coffee only to receive a small shot of espresso, so if you’re interested in something bigger or mild (ripping shots of strong espresso isn’t for everybody), read through this guide to find a Portuguese coffee order that’ll suit your tastes.
Does a shot of espresso sound perfect? When ordering, simply ask for “um café, por favor” and enjoy! If you prefer a bit more milk in your coffee, try the galão, which is similar to a latte. And if you want to really dive into the local culture, pair your coffee with a pastel de nata, a delicious custard-filled, flaky pastry that pairs perfectly with pretty much any coffee order.
When to Drink Coffee in Portugal
When it comes to grabbing a cup of coffee in Portugal, there’s no wrong time. We’re not in Italy, where you might get a few (okay, many) odd stares for ordering a cappuccino in the afternoon. However, we have noticed that coffee shops (in Lisbon, at least) tend to close quite early. We love Copenhagen Coffee House, and most of their locations close at 5 pm, for example.
Espresso is an affordable drink and can be had for as little as €0.65. The most common occasions are after lunch or with dessert when local diners need that caffeine boost to power through the day. Regardless of the time we finish dinner, we always order an americano, and this seems pretty common at most restaurants we’ve been to.
What to Know: There’s no real “wrong” time to order coffee in Portugal. However, cafés do tend to close earlier than they do in the United States or even other parts of Europe. Nearly every one of our favorite coffee shops in Lisbon closes by 6 pm daily.
Whenever you decide to enjoy your caffeine fix in Portugal, remember that it’s not just about the kick it gives you. This traditional break from one’s daily routine is a chance to catch up with friends or coworkers and enjoy each sip. While we haven’t found the Portuguese to have as rich of coffee culture as you might see in a place like Italy or Sweden, they do seem to enjoy their coffee drinks with a pleasant unhurriedness that you don’t necessarily see in places like the United States.
Espresso Coffees
Espresso is a type of coffee made by forcing a small amount of hot water through finely-ground coffee beans. It is usually richer and darker than regular drip coffee, with an intense flavor and aroma. Espresso is often served in small cups or shots, although you can enjoy it in larger sizes as well (as you’ll see below as we guide you through some of the most popular coffee drinks in Portugal).
The texture of espresso is velvety smooth, with a slightly bitter aftertaste that lingers on your tongue. Espresso drinks are often paired with steamed milk or topped with foam for an extra creamy texture, such as a cappuccino or meia de leite, making them popular options for both experienced coffee connoisseurs and casual morning sippers alike.
Also Read: What is Portugal Known For?
Café
A café or bica is a unique espresso that is traditionally served in a mini cup with an accompanying sugar packet. Its strong flavor fills only half of the cup, and its name comes from the phrase “Beba Isto Com Açucar,” which literally translates to “drink this with sugar.”
The history behind the drink is actually rooted in a charming café in Lisbon’s Chiado neighborhood, A Brasileira do Chiado. When coffee first became a “thing” here after being imported from Brazil, it was apparently too strong for most local customers.
The owner of the restaurant started writing “Beba Isto Com Açucar” on the menu for customers to make the drink more palatable, and they eventually shortened it to an acronym that has now become a common slang word for strong, black espresso.
If you’re in Lisbon, we highly recommend stopping by A Brasileira to enjoy a bica. The interior is stunning, and the locale itself is overflowing with a history that dates back to 1905.
What to Know: A bica in Portugal (in Lisbon, to be more exact) is a small, strong shot of espresso. It’ll often come in an espresso glass or look slightly bigger, like the one in the photo above. In Portugal, it’s rare that they fill the coffee glasses to the top for espresso-based drinks like this unless you order something with milk.
Café Cheio (Bica Cheia)
A café cheio is a traditional Portuguese coffee drink that is basically a larger and more watered-down version of a regular bica. They take the espresso and add just a bit of hot water to make the drink fill the cup and last longer (and make it easier to sip on).
It has a potent, full-bodied flavor that can be easily adjusted with the addition of more water or sugar. Café cheio is typically the preferred choice for many natives of Portugal, and it can also be ordered in a larger glass as an abatanado, which comes in the same large glass as the meia leite (which we’ll talk about in just a bit).
What to Know: As mentioned above, it’s rare that they’ll fill your cup to the brim here. So if you’re looking for black espresso without the frills but think a regular café is too strong, ask for a café cheio.
Pingado
What if you like a little creamer in your coffee but don’t want to order a full-on latte or fancy drink? Order a pingado, which is just regular coffee with a drop of cold milk, typically about 0.3 fl. oz, for just the right touch of creaminess and flavor.
For all you Colombians out there, this is what we might call a “pintado,” which has a similar meaning in Spanish as pingado does in Portuguese. However, in Colombia, you’ll note that a “pintado” comes with warm milk. The point, though, is that you’re not ordering a latte specifically with espresso and steamed milk.
Duplo
Whether you know it as a “doppio” in Italy or “espresso doble” in Spain and Latin America, it’s all the same: two espresso shots. In Portugal, a duplo is a coffee drink that is crafted from two espresso shots poured into one cup. It has a unique flavor that’s both bold and intense, making it the ideal way to start off your day with a jolt of energy.
Cafe Com Cheirinho
Café com cheirinho is a Portuguese coffee specialty made with added alcohol, such as brandy. It’s what you get when you combine Portuguese spirits with Portuguese coffee for one tasty, intoxicating treat. It has a similar consistency to espresso but more in volume and often includes an ingredient like fruit or wine. You’ll typically find it served as a digestif.
What to Know: Depending on where you go, you might find that they’ll serve the alcohol and coffee separately like this for you to mix and drink however you wish.
Com Gelo
Café com gelo translates to “coffee with ice.” So, basically, it’s an…yep, you guessed it, an iced coffee. It’s served chilled and is a great way to enjoy a cold yet highly caffeinated beverage in the summer months.
Of course, as is the case with any of the espresso-based drinks on this list, you can always ask for decaffeinated coffee in Portugal. You would simply ask for café descafeinado. You can typically order most drinks decaffeinated, although it doesn’t seem to be as big of a thing here as in a place like the United States.
Milky Coffees
Unless you visit a local corner cafe or a cafe in a smaller town, most coffee shops in Portugal offer several types of milk these days. Oat milk seems to be the most popular here instead of almond milk, and they do charge slightly more for swapping out regular milk for oat milk. However, it’s never more than about €0.60, even at the “trendiest” cafes.
Garoto
A garoto is also a type of espresso-based beverage but with more milk than a pingado. It’s usually served in a regular-sized coffee cup, making it perfect for those who prefer their espresso drinks with more of a creamy texture but don’t want the large glass that comes with a galão (which we’ll discuss below).
Both drinks are popular among Portuguese locals and visitors alike. The difference in taste between them lies mostly in the amount of milk added to each beverage; a pingado has very little, while a garoto has quite a bit more. Overall, a garoto is pretty similar to your standard latte.
Meia de Leite
Meia de leite coffee is a unique type of espresso-based beverage that combines half coffee and half steamed milk (the name literally translates to “half milk”). This means the coffee-to-milk ratio is 1:1. Therefore, it is slightly stronger than the classic galão, making it ideal for those looking to enjoy a smooth, balanced cup of coffee with a bit more kick.
What to Know: Visually, there’s not much difference between a garoto and meia de leite. In fact, in some places, you might find the baristas or servers end up making them quite similar. If it’s half milk, half coffee, it’s a meia de leite.
Galão
Galão is a popular Portuguese coffee drink made with hot milk and espresso, served in a tall crystal glass. It is usually enjoyed in the morning and, by mid-afternoon, is often paired with something sweet like a cake or cookie (or the ever-famous pastéis de nata).
Also Read: What Are Pastéis de Nata? | Portuguese Custard Tarts
As mentioned above, it’s less intense than a meia de leite, with a coffee-to-milk ratio of 1:3. So, if you’re looking for a milk-based drink with an addition of coffee (and not the other way around), a galão might be what you’re looking for.
Cappuccino
Just as you’ll find in other countries, cappuccinos are popular in Portugal, too. A cappuccino is a velvety coffee beverage made from espresso, steamed milk, and foam. It’s the perfect combination of bitter and sweet that makes it so hard to resist.
The espresso shot provides an intense flavor, while the steamed milk helps to mellow out the intensity of the espresso and brings out its smooth, nutty notes. Then to finish off this masterpiece, light and creamy foam is carefully layered on top.
Even in Portugal, an experienced barista will often adorn the drink with a delicate dusting of cocoa powder or cinnamon for extra flair. A true cappuccino should have equal parts espresso, steamed milk, and foam. So, it’s similar to a meia de leite in this sense, just with foam added into the mix.
Non-Coffee Drinks
Don’t want coffee but still want to enjoy spending time at a local Portuguese café? Don’t worry. Most have several non-coffee drinks with and without caffeine. Here are two of the most popular options we’ve seen on most menus in Portugal.
Carioca de Limão
This translates literally to a “lemon peel infusion.” In other words, it’s a tea made with lemon peel, typical of Portugal. This is a great drink if you happen to come down with a cold while visiting Portugal (add honey and ginger for a healthy shot of immunity) or simply want something warm that isn’t tea.
Chá
Chá is a type of traditional tea popular in Portugal and many other countries worldwide. It can either be black tea (chá preto) which can be enjoyed on its own or with milk, or it can come in various flavors for added sweetness.
FAQs About Coffee in Portugal
Should you or should you not order a glass of water with your espresso?
It’s always an option to request a glass of water with your coffee. This is quite a common habit, although not mandatory if you don’t mind the lingering aftertaste. The verdict comes down to personal preference. Adding a glass of water can provide some relief from the intensity of the espresso flavor, but it’s up to you whether it’s necessary or not.
Should I order an espresso with sugar or black?
When enjoying an espresso in Portugal, it’s all about personal preference. Do you want to add some sweetness and creaminess to your coffee with a packet of sugar? Or would you prefer it to be simply black and unsweetened? If you decide on the former, your barista will know exactly what to do. But if an unsweetened cup of espresso is more your style, just ask for “sem (without) açúcar,” and they’ll do the rest!
What should I choose to complement my coffee order in Portugal?
If you’re visiting Portugal and looking for something to enjoy with your coffee, then a pastel de nata is the perfect way to go. Aside from this specialty pastry, many pastry shops also offer traditional Portuguese meals around noon.
From caldo verde to francesinha, these authentic dishes are both delicious and reasonably priced, an ideal combination for eager travelers on a budget. Don’t forget to look into all of the other wonderful treats available at Portuguese cafes as well; they’ll give your taste buds a treat.
