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When my family of four packed up our lives and moved to Portugal, it was for the safety, warmth of the people, affordability as an American, and a slower pace of life.
But what I did not expect was how deeply I would fall in love with the food scene here, specifically the brunch scene, which is thriving in a way that caught me completely off guard.
Lisbon is not just a place you visit for pastéis de nata and espresso, though those two things alone are reason enough to book a flight.
It is a city where the weekend brunch culture has quietly exploded into something genuinely special.
I am a mom of two, a travel lover, a digital nomad, and now a full-time Lisbon resident. Every time I discover something incredible about this place, whether it is a hidden beach, a jaw-dropping hotel view, or a plate of food that makes me want to cry a little, my first instinct is to tell everyone I know.
This blog exists because of that instinct. So if you are planning a trip to Lisbon, if you are an expat here already, or if you are simply someone who takes brunch seriously, you are in exactly the right place.
These are my personal, tested, five-star-rated picks for the best brunch in Lisbon. I eat here with my kids. I eat here with my husband. I eat here with girlfriends visiting from the States.
Each of these places has earned its spot on this list for a very specific reason, and I am going to tell you exactly what to order, what to expect, and why each one is worth your time.
And, below I have a map of all the places with their links so bookmark this page, or keep this tab open for your planning!
Why Lisbon Is a Dream Destination for Brunch Lovers
Lisbon has a quality of life that is genuinely hard to explain to people who have not experienced it firsthand. The light here is different. The pace is different.
On a Sunday morning, the city exhales. People linger over coffee. Families take over the parks. Restaurants set out their outdoor tables and the whole city seems to agree, without anyone saying it out loud, that today is a day for sitting, eating, and staying a little longer than necessary.
The food culture in Lisbon has evolved dramatically over the past several years. While traditional Portuguese cuisine is deeply rooted and beloved, the city’s restaurant scene has absorbed influences from Brazil, Mozambique, India, France, and beyond.
That global influence shows up in really exciting ways on brunch menus around the city, and it is part of what makes eating here feel like an adventure every single time.
For families especially, Lisbon is a brunch dream. Many restaurants here are genuinely, authentically child-friendly, not just tolerant of children but actually designed with them in mind.
The Best Brunch Spots in Lisbon, Ranked From Personal Experience
Martinhal Lisbon Oriente Hotel: The Terrace Brunch That Feels Like a Main Character Moment
I am going to start with what I genuinely believe is the single best brunch experience in all of Lisbon, and I say that with full conviction after eating my way through this city like it is my full-time job.
The Sunday Terrace Brunch at the Martinhal Lisbon Oriente Hotel is not just a meal. It is an event, a vibe, an incredibly long and joyful afternoon that you will be talking about for the rest of your trip.
The Martinhal brand is well known throughout Portugal for being a luxury family resort experience done exceptionally well, and their Lisbon property in the Parque das Nações area is no exception. The Sunday brunch here runs in the afternoon and is structured as a full buffet experience with dishes from all over the world.
But what makes it stand out, aside from the sheer quality and variety of the food, is the South Asian and Indian flair woven throughout the spread.
Think fragrant curries and bold spices sitting alongside European classics and fresh seafood. It is a genuinely unexpected and beautiful combination that just works.
Now here is where it gets even better. The wine is bottomless.
Fully, gloriously bottomless. You sit down, the glass appears, and it keeps appearing for the duration of your meal. Meanwhile, your children are running free on the lawn outside, watched over by attentive monitors and kept busy with organized kids’ activities.
As a mom of two, I cannot overstate what it means to sit at a beautiful table with great food and an endless glass of wine while someone else entertains my kids twenty feet away. It is the closest thing to a spa day I can experience while also technically parenting.
The live music sets the tone perfectly. It never overpowers conversation but adds this warm, festive energy to the whole afternoon. If you are visiting Lisbon and you can only do one big brunch experience, make it this one. Book in advance because it fills up, especially on summer Sundays.
A.P.F. Cafe: The French-Owned Lisbon Gem That Has Everything
If the Martinhal Terrace Brunch is the most impressive brunch experience in Lisbon, then A.P.F. Cafe is the one I find myself returning to most often, because it is the perfect everyday brunch spot for families who want charm, great food, and a genuine sense that this restaurant was built with parents in mind.
The owner is French, and if that one sentence does not already have your full attention, let me keep going. He’s also incredibly friendly.
French culinary sensibility applied to a Lisbon brunch cafe means the food is precise, creative, and deeply satisfying.
The menu is thoughtfully put together, the ambiance is warm and genuinely charming without feeling staged, and the space itself is spacious in a way that feels luxurious in a city where square footage is often at a premium.
A.P.F. has an outdoor seating area, an upstairs section, and a downstairs area, and every part of the space has its own personality. It is the kind of place you can spend hours in without ever feeling rushed or like you have overstayed.
But the thing that makes A.P.F. truly extraordinary, the thing that made my jaw literally drop the first time I visited, is the indoor playground in the basement. WITH A BABYSITTER!
I am not talking about a corner with a few toys and a coloring sheet. I am talking about a genuine, full-sized indoor playground with a trampoline, an enormous collection of toys and activities, and actual staff members down there watching the children while parents eat upstairs in peace.
In all my years of traveling and dining out as a mom, I have never encountered anything quite like this in a restaurant setting. It is unheard of, and it is absolutely brilliant.
My kids disappear downstairs the moment we arrive and I get to eat an entire meal from start to finish without once getting up from my seat. That is worth more to me than a Michelin star.
A.P.F. is also very Lisbon in its aesthetic, very family-friendly in its energy, and very much a place where you feel like a local rather than a tourist. I cannot recommend it enough.
The food is also amazing and there are vegan friendly options which are equally amazing. I got the tofu scramble once and was blown away.
Nina Cafe in Parque das Nações: Avocado Toast and River Views That Belong on a Magazine Cover
The Parque das Nações neighborhood does not always get the credit it deserves from people who stick to the more touristed parts of the city.
It is modern, it is waterfront, and it has some genuinely excellent food.
Nina is one of those places that I would recommend to literally anyone, whether you are a solo traveler, a couple, or a family with small kids.
The vibe at Nina is relaxed, easy, and cool in the best way. It is a specialty coffee spot first and foremost, and the coffee is exceptional, the kind that makes you rethink every mediocre cup you have had before. But the food menu is the real star.
The burgers are fantastic, the avocado toast is the best avocado toast I have had in my entire life and I have eaten a lot of avocado toast on a lot of continents, and the overall quality is consistently five stars every time I go. Not four, not four and a half. Five.
If you sit outside at Nina, you get a view of the Tagus River that is genuinely breathtaking. This is Lisbon’s wide, shimmering river that stretches out toward the Atlantic, and on a clear day sitting at an outdoor table at Nina with a great coffee and a plate of food in front of you, it genuinely feels like your life is a travel documentary and you are the star of it.
There are also little games available for kids, making it a comfortable and easy choice for families. Go early if you can and definitely get that avocado toast.
Lola Brunch and Coffee: Pink, Pretty, and Surprisingly Delicious
Okay so I have a confession. When I first walked into Lola Brunch and Coffee, I thought the vibe was going to be all aesthetics and no substance.
The place is absolutely adorable. The decor is pink and feminine and cute in a way that is extremely Instagrammable and very on brand for a certain kind of brunch spot that prioritizes looks over flavor.
I was prepared to be underwhelmed by the actual food.
I was completely wrong. The food at Lola is genuinely, legitimately good. It surprised me and I have been back multiple times since that first visit. The matcha options here are a particular highlight. I ordered the matcha with mango and it was fantastic.
I had my eye on the matcha with lavender but they were out that day, which is the kind of brunch tragedy you recover from but never fully forget. The menu overall is creative and fresh, the prices are very reasonable, and the quality is consistent.
The location adds to its charm. It is in a really lovely, walkable area of Lisbon that makes it a great stop during a day of exploring the city. If you are traveling with girlfriends or doing a solo trip and want a place that feels special without requiring a reservation or a serious commitment, Lola is your spot.
It is cute, affordable, and the food backs up every bit of the aesthetic.
7th Brunch: Two Locations, One Consistently Excellent Menu
If you are looking for a brunch spot in Lisbon that is reliable, well-executed, and available in multiple neighborhoods, 7th Brunch is your answer. There are a couple of locations around the city, and I have eaten at both.
My personal favorite, even though I have a lot of love for the Parque das Nações location, is the one at Calçada do Combro 147, 1200-452 in Lisboa, in the Bairro Alto neighborhood. That location has the best energy of the two and something about being in Bairro Alto, one of my absolute favorite neighborhoods in this city, elevates the experience.
The menu at 7th Brunch is solid across the board. You are not going to be surprised by a dish that does not work.
Everything is executed with care and the portions are generous without being ridiculous. It is the kind of brunch spot you bring someone to when you want them to like you, whether that is a first date, a visiting friend, or a client meeting that accidentally became casual. Both locations are worth your time, but if you are going to pick one, go to Bairro Alto.
Breakfast Lovers: The Popular One You Need to Arrive Early For
The name is a little on the nose, but the reputation is completely earned. Breakfast Lovers is one of the most popular brunch destinations in Lisbon and the crowds are not lying. The food is delicious, the location is great, and the overall experience is one that I happily keep returning to. The one thing I will tell you clearly and without apology is this: get there early.
The place fills up fast and the wait can be long if you show up whenever you feel like it. Treat this like a concert you actually care about and plan accordingly.
The menu is creative and well-executed, the coffee is good, and the whole place has a warm, inviting energy that makes you want to sit for a long time. It is popular for a reason, and the reviews across every platform back that up. Just be strategic about timing and you will have a fantastic experience.
My Top Two Picks If You Are Traveling With Kids
I want to be very clear with the traveling moms reading this because I know you are here and I know the struggle is real.
Taking kids to brunch should not mean spending the entire meal cutting food into tiny pieces, chasing a toddler through a restaurant, and inhaling your eggs cold while answering a question about why the sky is blue.
You deserve to actually sit down and eat your food like a human being.
My top two picks for brunch with children in Lisbon are the Martinhal Terrace Brunch and A.P.F. Cafe, and they are not even close to anything else on this list in terms of the family experience they provide.
The Martinhal gives you bottomless wine, kids’ activities, lawn space, and monitors watching your children while you eat. A.P.F. gives you a full indoor playground with supervision so you can eat an entire meal without standing up once.
These two places have genuinely changed my relationship with weekend dining in Lisbon and I cannot recommend them enough to any parent who wants to actually enjoy their food while their kids enjoy theirs.
Final Thoughts: Lisbon Will Ruin Every Other Brunch for You
I moved my family to Portugal with a lot of hopes and some nervous energy, and this city has exceeded every single expectation I brought with me. The food, the people, the pace of life on a Sunday morning when the whole city seems to slow down and breathe, it is everything I wanted and then some.
The brunch scene here is a genuine highlight of living in Lisbon, and these six spots are the ones I trust completely, the ones I bring people to when I want them to fall in love with this city the way I did.
If you are planning a trip to Lisbon, do yourself a favor and block out at least two or three leisurely weekend mornings to actually sit and eat and take it all in. Do not rush through this city.
It was not designed for rushing. Get the bottomless wine at Martinhal, send your kids to the playground at A.P.F., eat that avocado toast at Nina, and let Lisbon do what it does best, which is make you feel like everything is exactly as it should be.
And then find me on instagram and please tell me which one was your favorite, because I genuinely want to know.
Portugal Travel Planning Guide
🚑 Should I buy travel insurance for Portugal?
It is strongly recommended. Non residents do not automatically receive free public healthcare, although private healthcare is available. Travel insurance covers emergencies, delays, and medical visits. If you require a Schengen visa, insurance is mandatory. Visitors Coverage is a highly trusted and recommended choice.
💳 Will my debit card or credit card work in Portugal, and do I need cash?
Most major credit and debit cards work in Portugal, including Visa, Mastercard, and many travel cards from US and UK banks. Some smaller cafés, markets, and rural spots still prefer cash, so carry a little on hand. To avoid foreign transaction fees, cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Reserve are excellent options. For ATM withdrawals and currency exchange, use a Wise card. Wise usually provides better exchange rates than traditional banks and is widely accepted at Portuguese ATMs and anywhere debit and credit cards are accepted.
📲 Will my phone work in Portugal?
Many major carriers offer roaming plans, but costs vary. For affordable data, purchase a local SIM from Vodafone or MEO or use an eSIM like Airalo. Public wifi exists but is not always reliable, so a local data plan is ideal.
🚙💨 Is it safe to rent a car in Portugal?
Yes. Renting a car is one of the best ways to explore Portugal. Roads are well maintained. Expect toll highways and narrow streets in older villages. Automatic cars are limited, so book early. I recommend using Discover Cars to find the most reputable rental car company. Just filter for the company with the best reviews.
💧 Can you drink tap water in Portugal?
Yes. Tap water is safe throughout Lisbon, Porto, the Algarve, and most populated regions. In remote rural areas water systems may vary, so check locally if you are unsure. Many visitors prefer a filtered bottle because the mineral taste can be stronger in some areas, though generally safe.
🏩 Best way to book accommodations in Portugal
I use Booking.com and Hotels.com for hotels. Mostly Hotels.com because I love a rewards program! For unforgettable, luxury stays, I highly recommend Plum Guide for your stay. VRBO also works incredibly well for luxury stays, especially for families.
✈️ Best site to search for flights to Portugal
Skyscanner and Google Flights provide reliable fare tracking for Lisbon, Porto, and Faro. Prices vary significantly by season, with summer being the highest.
🎫 Do I need a visa for Portugal?
US, UK, and most EU passport holders do not need a visa for short tourist stays within the 90-day Schengen limit. Stays longer than 90 days require a visa arranged before arrival.
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