LISBON BARS

Chilling out with a drink

There's a wide range of bars and pubs in Lisbon, and visitors should not leave the city without doing some bar-hopping in Bairro Alto. Whether you're looking for a traditional wine bar or a sleek rooftop for a cocktail, there is a place for you.

Practically every bar serves imperial (draught beer of the Portuguese "Sagres" or "Super Bock" brands), usually costing less than 2 euros, while the increasingly popular caipirinhas and caipiroscas average about 3 euros. Cocktails are more expensive, the best of which are found at Cinco Lounge. To try local drinks, go into A Ginginha in late afternoon or sample port at Solar do Vinho do Porto. For a unique experience, look into Pavilhão Chines (also the best place to sit and chat).
More information on these and other places is found below.

SEE ALSO THE 10 BEST ROOFTOP BARS AND TERRACES IN LISBON »
AND THE 10 MOST BEAUTIFUL BARS IN LISBON »

	ARTIS Rua do Diario de Noticias, 95-97, Bairro Alto A cozy wine bar with wooden furnishings that give it a decades-old ambience. It serves a variety of "petiscos" (Portuguese "tapas") and wines.
	BICAENSE Rua da Bica Duarte Belo, 38-42, Bairro Alto This laid-back lounge bar on the steep street climbed by the Bica Elevator is a favorite among cool young Lisboetas. Film projectors dominate the decor of the front room, while next door are multi-colored lights. A fun crowd of arty types and clubbers gather to enjoy the sounds of hip house and future soul spun by a resident DJ.
	BRITISH BAR Rua Bernadino Costa, 52, Downtown This Anglo-Portuguese bar close to Cais do Sodre train station seems stuck in the 1930s, and literally goes back in time with a famous anticlockwise clock. It has Guinness on tap to satisfy homesick Brits.
	CINCO LOUNGE Rua Ruben A. Leitão, 17-A, Principe Real, (www.cincolounge.com) One of the city's coolest spots with a relaxed yet sophisticated environment. It's run by an experienced team that's worked on Michelin-starred restaurants and Relais & Chateaux hotels, so the decor and service is expectedly top-notch. It serves strikingly original cocktails using fresh fruits as well as good snacks and sushi. Not the most inexpensive nightspot in the city, but highly recommended.
	A GINGINHA Largo de Sao Domingos, 8, Downtown It is something of a ritual for locals and tourists to step into this tiny hole-in-the-wall bar at the end of the day. It's named after a local cherry brandy served as a shot, something you may want to try if you like strong drinks.
	GRAPES & BITES Rua do Norte, 81, Bairro Alto With large barrels serving as tables, here you can sit for a variety of almost 200 Portuguese wines accompanied by cheese or other snacks.
	HOT CLUB DE PORTUGAL Praça da Alegria, 48, (www.hotclubedeportugal.org) It's over 60 years old and one of the world's oldest jazz clubs. Quincy Jones and Dexter Gordon were among the famous names to have gone through its doors, and today it's the place to be among jazz aficionados.
	MAJONG Rua da Atalaia 3, Bairro Alto The decor (usually minimalist) changes regularly, but what always remains is a faithful clientele who has come here for years and made it one of Bairro Alto's best-known bars. Sit by the large windows watching the Bairro Alto wanderers and listen to the usual World Music or electronic sounds.
	MARIA CAXUXA Rua da Barroca 6-12, Bairro Alto Who would have thought that a former bakery would turn into one of the trendiest bars in Bairro Alto? Some of the furniture and machinery (including a wood oven on the wall) remain from the bakery. It has a welcoming ambience and an atypically-large interior (by Bairro Alto standards), but of course most still prefer to follow the old Bairro Alto tradition by standing outside. On weekdays the sounds are relaxing lounge music, while on weekends it tends to be house.
	MATIZ POMBALINA Rua das Trinas, 25, (www.matiz-pombalina.pt) Located away from the nightlife crowds in a quiet neighborhood, this is a wonderful space to spend the night with a good cocktail. It's in an 18th-century building and includes classic furnishings in three elegant rooms where jazz, soul and other chill-out sounds can be heard.
	O'GILIN's IRISH PUB Rua dos Remolares, 8, Downtown This is the oldest Irish pub in the city with a very convivial atmosphere. It has imported beers on tap and traditional Irish bands often perform.
	THE OLD PHARMACY Rua do Diário de Noticias, 73-83, Bairro Alto The name says it all: This is a space once occupied by a pharmacy and its cabinets remain, now filled with wine bottles. Next door is a smaller space decorated with Asian crafts and at both places you can sit with a variety of wine glasses.
	PÁGINAS TANTAS Rua do Diário de Noticias, 85, Bairro Alto It's one of the best-established bars in Bairro Alto and it's easy to see why: It's more spacious than most and it's consistent in providing good nights of drinks to the sound of jazz. Great for people-watching through the large windows as you sit with a drink.
	PAVILHÃO CHINÊS Rua Dom Pedro V, 89, Principe Real And now for something completely different... This former 19th-century tea and coffee shop is a really quirky bar with an eclectic decor and comfortable sofas. The rooms are surrounded by glass cabinets stuffed with curious and odd artifacts from around the world, and there is a wide selection of teas and other drinks. It also has a good snack menu, which together with a backroom pool table, attracts people of all ages.
	PENSÃO AMOR Rua do Alecrim, 19 A former guesthouse that was essentially a brothel is now one of Lisbon's most memorable bars. It has a classic-naughty cabaret decor spread over several rooms.
	PORTAS LARGAS Rua da Atalaia, 105, Bairro Alto Wide doors ("portas largas") open into a popular old-fashioned bar with a marble counter, an old cash register, and blue and white tiles creating a rather rustic look. It has traditionally been known as a stopover for gays heading to club Fragil across the street, but now attracts a mixture of casual drinkers and tourists. Despite the spacious interior, many choose to stand by the doorway chatting and people-watching.
	ROOFTOP BAR Praça Martim Moniz, 2 Found at the top of Mundial Hotel (on the 9th floor), this bar opens late in the afternoon to serve cocktails while offering city views.
	SILK Rua da Misericórdia, 14, (www.silk-club.com) The city's most exclusive bar stands on a rooftop of the trendy Chiado shopping district. There are nearly-360-degree views of Lisbon and low tables where you're served cocktails together with tapas or sushi.
	SKY BAR Avenida da Liberdade, 185 The top of the Tivoli Lisboa Hotel opens from May to October as this rooftop bar with Lisbon as a backdrop. Facing the castle and the river, you'll be served a list of cocktails and light snacks to enjoy throughout the evening, before or after dinner.
	SOLAR DO VINHO DO PORTO Rua de São Pedro de Alcantara, 45, Bairro Alto The Port Wine Institute, set in an 18th-century palace, lures in visitors with over 300 varieties of port. This is a classy, more upscale spot.
	WINE BAR DO CASTELO Rua Bartolomeu Gusmão, 13 Tourists love this bar by the castle gate which introduces them to Portuguese wine served by the glass. There are over 150 choices to make, accompanied by a plate of cheeses.
	WINE LOVER Rua das Gáveas, 38, Bairro Alto Found in Bairro Alto, this bar offers you the chance to try a good selection of Portuguese wines by the glass. They may accompany local sausages and cheeses, often to the sound of live music.