This was news to me, but did you know that the Algarve is really into coffee!? Cafes in Lagos are a dime a dozen and can be found everywhere around the city. It was one of the first things that stood out to me when we first arrived. And actually, it is one of the things that surprised me the most about the region. They are obsessed with specialty coffee – but the key is to find the BEST spots!
Not a coffee drinker? No problem. I myself am not a fan of coffee but these cafes had so many other options of drinks and pastries that you’re not missing out if you don’t like coffee! With the countless choices, one of the most difficult things is choosing which cafes to visit! It took a lot of research and trial and error to pick out our favorite cafes during our stay in the Algarve. And I’ve summarized our top 5 cafes in Lagos for you below!
Let me know if the comments if there are any others that are worthy to be added to the list!
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Tips for visiting the Algarve
📆 Give yourself 4-5 days to explore the region. Between the restaurants, beaches, hikes and coastal towns, there is quite a lot to do in this region in Portugal. Personally, we spent 4 full days here and found it to be a perfect amount of time, though we could have stayed a bit longer to fit a few more towns, hikes and relaxing time in!
🏄🏼♀️ Try surfing! This has the be the BEST thing to do in the Algarve and I’m so happy I gave it a try. This is one of the most popular spots to try surfing in Portugal so its the perfect place learn! Even if you are not an experienced surfer (like myself), there are plenty of beginner-friendly options! We spent the perfect morning learning how to surf and it was an absolute highlight of our visit. Here is the exact surfing class in the Algarve we took!
🚗 Renting a car is the easiest way to get around. Before opting to rent a car, we did some research to see if public transit would be an easier, more cost effective option. Although it is cheaper, we found that renting a car was definitely worth the investment! Even getting to and from the airport, we saw that the public transportation options would have taken 2x+ longer than driving. It would have taken us 3 buses and roughly 2 hours of travel by public transit versus a 40-minute car ride!!
Top 5 cafes in Lagos
1. Black and White
📍Address: Rua Marreiros Netto, 40, Lagos, 8600-754
Black and White was probably the busiest cafe we visited! They are an Australian-inspired coffee spot, so don’t be surprised if you find a lot of English speakers here! This cafe is known as a coffee bar and brunch restaurant; you can either sit down and enjoy a leisurely breakfast or pop into their take-out counter next door to get your coffee to go!
And we did both! We came here on two separate occasions. Once for take-out because it was too busy to sit down. Since I’m not a coffee fan, I still had a selection of juices and smoothies to choose from which were really tasty! What was particularly interesting was that they had an open kitchen on the take-out side. So you could watch the behind-the-scenes as they prepare pastries and other dishes.
On our second visit, the wait time for a table was only 10 minutes so we decided to wait it out. The menu had a really great selection of eggs, açai bowls, pancakes and toasts. It was actually quite difficult to choose! I also thought that everything was reasonably priced, so would definitely recommend coming here on your search for some cafes in Lagos.
To keep in mind: This place gets quite busy, and when we went, reservations weren’t possible – anticipate some time to wait!
2. Adoce a Vida
📍Address: Rua Infante de Sagres 20, Lagos, 8600-743
I cannot recommend this spot highly enough! They are super tiny and felt kind of tucked away, but when you find them you won’t be disappointed. This cafe has the BEST pastel de natas that I’ve ever had! They were so good that we actually came back to Lagos another day just so we could come back for more!
On top of the delicious pastries and other snacks, it is also a small grocery store. If you are looking for local products to bring home as souvenirs, this is a great spot to browse. We found jams, hot sauces, liquor, nuts and lots of other products local to the area. They are open from 8:30 until 4:00 every day so you should have no issue popping by when you are in Lagos.
3. Coffee and Waves
📍Address: Tv. do Cotovelo 10, Lagos, 8600-631
Before heading to the Algarve, I asked friends and family for recommendations. Coffee and Waves came up a few times as one of the best cafes in Lagos. It was much smaller than Black and White but it had a similar surf vibe. It was super cute inside and even though we weren’t able to have breakfast here, the food looked incredible! More specifically, I heard from a few people that they have the best açai bowls!
Even though I am not a coffee drinker, I can tell you that I’m very confident they have excellent coffee. From hearing reviews from people I know firsthand and from reading reviews online, everyone RAVES about their coffee. You also might be pleased to know that they are very vegetarian and vegan-friendly!
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4. The Studio.Coffee
📍Address: Rua Soeiro da Costa 20, Lagos, 8600-624
Not too far from the main old town in Lagos, is the Studio.Coffee. A relatively new shop, their coffee became such a success, it has now evolved into a coffee roastery! So if you’re looking for the perfect souvenir to take home, you can buy your favourite coffee beans! You can also find some local handmade products! This is something I found often in the various cafes in Lagos and loved it! I guess since coffee is so popular, it is a great place to also showcase local talent and other products!
At their Lagos location, you can find tonnes of vegan cakes, coffee-based cocktails, brunch, wines and other baked goods. They also are known to host community events – how cool is that!?
5. Indigo Bar
📍Address: Rua Lançarote de Freitas 15, Lagos, 8600-605
Just around the corner from Coffee and Waves is Indigo Bar. Even though this place is listed as a bar, we popped in to check out their cafe as well. They are mainly known as being a rooftop bar with scrumptious cocktails. But cafe-goers will be happy to know that the mornings are dedicated to coffee and breakfast.
Another thing we noticed while we were there, was that it was a very busy, happening place. What I mean by that is, similar to the Studio.Coffee, they also host events. We heard live music and saw that there were community events going on a regular basis!
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BONUS: Another food spot worth checking out
Nah Nah Bah
📍Address: Tv. do Forno 11, Lagos, 8600-632
I couldn’t talk about popular places to eat in Lagos without mentioning Nah Nah Bah.
Nah Nah Bah is FAMOUS for their burgers. Like literally famous. They have been featured in the press and are known to be the “best burger joint in the world”. The restaurant is filled with tiki-tropical decor and is an homage to Bob Marley. It’s not the place to try local Portuguese dishes but it is probably the most iconic restaurant in Lagos. I even visited with vegetarian friends and there were choices for them as well! So, if you’re in doubt about where to eat for dinner, be sure to stop by!
I’d also consider making a reservation, or showing up right when they open. As I said, they are very popular and well-known in Lagos, so they will most likely be busy!
To keep in mind: this place is not a cafe nor does it serve breakfast. I just wanted to highlight it because it is a very popular spot in Lagos.
Which one will you try first?
I hope this list is everything you expected it to be! And I hope that the bonus at the end was a pleasant addition! There are plenty of cafes in Lagos so I’m sure I’ve missed some other fantastic spots. If so, please share in the comments! I am by no means an expert and love hearing other people’s suggestions!
If you are a foodie like me and love collecting the best restaurant and foodie spots on the places you’re visiting – I’ve got you covered. You can find more recommendations on some of my other foodie guides including Paris, Lille, North London and South London!
