Party. Brunch. Repeat.

Portugal is always my #1 recommended destination for an exchange or warm European trip! Very vibrant people, great fresh food, lots of activities, good partying, incredible beaches…what more could you want?? This whole blog can be written about Portugal. I went to Portugal three times during my exchange, yes THREE TIMES! Brunch in Europe is a top experience and Portugal was definitely a standout, these are some top brunch recommendations for Lisbon and Lagos.

Lisbon

Beautiful brunches at SUCH a low cost! In order of favorites:

Nikolao: Great patio seating and really amazing food options. Every plate was great, go-tos were their granola bowl, pancakes, and french toast. It is also so so affordable!! You have to wait a bit but you can walk around and check out the nearby shops.

The Mill: Very small and cute with a nice window seat for people watching. Very good yogurt and banana bread! Highly recommend their carrot cake too (take it to go and eat it on the beach!!).

Fauna & Flora: A very popular pick amongst tourists. I recommend making a reservation ahead of time unless you are willing to wait a while. Really big menu and lots of options that you’d typically see in North America. Good if you want a taste of something familiar. The pancakes were pretty good but a bit dry compared to other places.

Lagos

Black and White: I went here for my birthday brunch! Great savory dishes like breakfast burritos. More limited in their options but they had lots of yummy pastries as well. Also super great vibe, high ceilings, and really cool staff. Keep in mind that the kitchen closes much earlier than the coffee bar so double-check before you go!

Coffee and Waves: This place was amazing to surf town vibes with acai bowls and matcha lattes. They have a half-half toast option where you can do sweet and savory. Very friendly staff!

Pro tip: Groceries stores often have little breakfast nooks with locals sitting having their coffee and reading the paper. Don’t knock it! You can get great pastries and coffees really quickly, especially if you are catching a bus to go on an excursion and want something for the road.

P.S. Honest Greens is the best healthy ‘chain’ restaurant in Portugal and Spain. They have brunch but I never went, but their dinner is amazing so I bet their brunch is too. Mostly vegan options.

Thanks a brunch for reading!