Cafeography
Lisbon · Cais do Sodré & Santos

Cafés in Cais do Sodré & Santos

The riverside west of Baixa: the market hall, ferries and design-district cafés.

Photo: Eva Rafajová, Pexels License

Cais do Sodré is the flat stretch of riverfront west of the Baixa. Early in the 19th century it was known as Bairro dos Remolares; from 1855 public works turned it into a district of warehouses, sailors and import-export houses, and by the end of the century it had the Hotel Central that Eça de Queirós put into Os Maias (The Maias).3 Today the name belongs to a railway station, a metro station and a ferry terminal with boats to Cacilhas, Seixal and Montijo.3

Santos and Madragoa continue west. Santos is known as the Design District because IADE, the design and communication faculty, is close by, and the National Museum of Ancient Art stands at the top of Rua das Janelas Verdes.4 Along this stretch, cafés cluster on Rua de São Paulo, Rua do Poço dos Negros and Rua de Santos-o-Velho.

Local tip: Coming off an early train or ferry, cross to Praça do Duque da Terceira: Sanduichita is serving from 06:00 every day, before anything on Rua de São Paulo opens.

At a glance

55Cafés listed
16With opening hours
06:00Earliest opening
02:00Latest closing
  • Opens earliest: Sanduichita, from 06:00 (Mon–Fri 06:00–21:30 · Sat–Sun 06:00–20:00).
  • Closes latest: Mr. Chips, until 02:00 (Mon–Thu 07:30–20:00 · Fri–Sat 07:30–02:00 · Sun 07:30–20:00).
  • Most common features: outdoor seating (20%), wi-fi (11%), vegetarian options (11%).

Flora & Fauna

FAUNA & FLORA

  • Rua da Esperança, 33
  • Tue–Sat 09:00–19:00 · Sun 09:00–17:00
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Coffee chains in Cais do Sodré & Santos

Trains, ferries and the metro at Cais do Sodré

Cais do Sodré is the end of the Green line, which runs north to Telheiras.6 Tram 18 starts here and climbs to the Ajuda cemetery.7 Santos has no metro yet. The circular line under construction from Rato to Cais do Sodré will add stations at Santos and Estrela; work began in 2018 for a 2023 opening, and Metropolitano de Lisboa now targets the first quarter of 2027.5

Mercado da Ribeira and the Time Out Market

The market hall on Avenida 24 de Julho opened in 1882 as the Ribeira Nova Market, designed by the engineer Francisco Ressano Garcia. It survived a major fire in 1893, was demolished in 1926 and rebuilt in 1930 under a large dome.1 Locals nicknamed that dome the Turnip Mosque.2 Regular market trading wound down from 2000.1

In 2014 Time Out took over management, kept part of the produce trade and added 26 restaurants and eight bars.1 The food hall at number 49 is open Sunday to Wednesday 10:00–00:00 and Thursday to Saturday 10:00–02:00.2 Nearby Rua Nova do Carvalho, known as Pink Street, is the center of the district's nightlife.3

Santos, Madragoa and the museum quarter

The Church of Santos-o-Velho, dedicated to the martyrs Veríssimo, Máxima and Júlia, dates from 1147; restorations in 1861 and 1876 gave it its present look.4 The National Museum of Ancient Art, in the Alvor Palace, holds more than 40,000 works from the 12th to the 19th century.4 Santos was once full of students until late, but its nightlife is now much quieter.4

Rua de Santos-o-Velho has three cafés: Heim Cafe at number 2, Café Pastelaria Apolo XI at 92 and ELE ELA Café at 118. In Madragoa, A Flor da Selva at 32 Travessa do Pasteleiro keeps old shop hours, Monday to Friday 09:00–13:00 and 14:00–18:00, while Mascote da Madragoa is open daily 08:30–02:00.

Where to find coffee from early to late

Praça do Duque da Terceira, in front of the station, has the earliest start in the area: Sanduichita from 06:00 every day and Jeronymo from 07:00 to 22:00. Mr. Chips, on Praça da Ribeira Nova, opens at 07:30 and stays open until 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays.

Rua de São Paulo has a run of cafés, among them Copenhagen Coffee Lab & Bakery at 62, The Cakery at 160 (Tuesday to Sunday, 09:00–18:00) and Grupeto Bike Café CAIS at 178 (Monday to Saturday, 09:00–19:30). On Rua do Poço dos Negros, Hello, Kristof at 103 is a quiet specialty café open daily 08:45–15:45, and Dr. Bernard Boavida at 119 opens weekdays only.

Sources

  1. Time Out Market (Open House Lisboa), Trienal de Arquitectura de Lisboa, accessed October 2026
  2. Time Out Market Lisboa, Time Out Lisbon, accessed October 2026
  3. Cais do Sodré, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  4. Santos neighborhood guide, Lisboa Secreta, accessed October 2026
  5. Atraso vai em três anos e três meses, mas Metro aponta abertura da Linha Circular para início de 2027, Time Out Lisboa, accessed October 2026
  6. Lisbon Metro, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
  7. Trams in Lisbon, Wikipedia, accessed October 2026
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In Cais do Sodré & Santos, also browse: Specialty coffee Pastelarias Esplanadas Wi-Fi Brunch Open by 6am Open late

FAQ

Cais do Sodré & Santos cafés: questions

When did the Time Out Market open at Cais do Sodré in Lisbon?

Time Out took over the Mercado da Ribeira in 2014, keeping part of the produce trade and adding 26 restaurants and eight bars. The hall opened in 1882 as the Ribeira Nova Market and was rebuilt in 1930 under a large dome. It is open Sunday to Wednesday 10:00–00:00 and Thursday to Saturday 10:00–02:00.

Where can you get coffee early near Cais do Sodré station in Lisbon?

On Praça do Duque da Terceira, in front of the station, Sanduichita opens at 06:00 every day and Jeronymo from 07:00 to 22:00. Mr. Chips on Praça da Ribeira Nova opens at 07:30 and stays open until 02:00 on Fridays and Saturdays. On Rua de São Paulo, The Cakery and Grupeto Bike Café open at 09:00.

When will Santos in Lisbon get a metro station?

Santos will get a station on the new circular line from Rato to Cais do Sodré, which also adds a stop at Estrela. Work began in 2018 for a 2023 opening; Metropolitano de Lisboa now targets the first quarter of 2027. Until then the nearest metro is Cais do Sodré, the end of the Green line.

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