The first thing to know about coffee in Portugal is that they like it strong, so if you ask for a coffee, you’ll be given a bica, their equivalent of an espresso. There’s a little debate about where the name bica comes from, with some saying that it refers to how the coffee flows into the espresso cup like a water spring, or bica, while others say that it stands for "beba isto com açúcar" or “drink this with sugar”. Speaking of which, people often have it with two sugars and drink it throughout the day, although lovers of strong coffee will love its intense and sweet bitterness.
If you’re in Lisbon and feel like a special coffee, head to Café A Brasileira. This is one of the oldest coffee establishments in Lisbon and was set up in the 19th century to import Brazilian coffee and introduce it to the people of Lisbon, later becoming a popular destination for intellectuals. That being said, if you don’t fancy the queues, most cafés in Portugal know what they’re doing so you’re in safe hands regardless.
Coffee is drunk all over Portugal and is typically pretty cheap, also serving as a must at breakfast alongside a Portuguese pastry like a pastel de nata (read our guide to Portuguese desserts here). Don’t like strong coffee? Not to worry, ask for a galao or meia de leite (milky coffee) or a garoto (like a galao, but the coffee is put through the espresso machine twice). Alternatively, you can get a café com nata with heaps of cream on top of a sweet coffee.
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