Best Cafés for Remote Work in Lisbon
Introduction
In recent years, Lisbon has consistently been highlighted as one of the world’s digital nomad capitals. Not only do remote professionals from all nationalities find a temporary base in Portugal’s largest city, but the pandemic has also transformed the online work paradigm for Portuguese people who increasingly enjoy the flexibility of performing their professional tasks regardless of location.
There are several types of online workers: some have specific jobs that allow them to complete their tasks regardless of where they are in the world; some are freelancers working on project-based assignments; and others might even have their own companies, either solo or with remote teams spread across the globe. Regardless of which category you most identify with, one thing is common to all those who earn their living online: the desire and need to find comfortable and interesting places where they can spend some productive hours outside their homes.
The best places for remote workers are those that welcome online work, not only in the sense that staff don’t mind you occupying a table for several hours, but also because they offer fast free Wi-Fi and, importantly, enough power outlets for when you need to recharge your equipment. A good atmosphere, a beautiful view if possible, and even the opportunity to meet others in similar situations are certainly great additional bonuses for a productive day!
Best Cafés for Remote Work
Hello, Kristof
A specialty café with a hipster and artistic vibe
If you’re the type of person who needs good coffee when sitting down to work with your laptop, know that Hello, Kristof serves some of the best coffee in Lisbon. The Wi-Fi is as powerful as the coffee, and the communal table, which serves as the space’s centerpiece, also functions as a meeting point for online workers who might want to get to know each other – though, of course, this isn’t mandatory. A notable variety of independent magazines decorates Hello, Kristof’s walls, and this reading material can be a good source of entertainment when you need a break from your laptop screen.
📍 Rua do Poço dos Negros 103, 1200-337 Lisboa www.instagram.com/hellokristof
Café da Garagem
For working with views of Lisbon’s historic center
While most cafés we consider conducive to a productive afternoon on the computer aren’t located in Lisbon’s historic center, Café da Garagem, at the top of Mouraria, is a pleasant exception. If working with natural light and views of one of Lisbon’s hills seems inspiring, try sitting by the window of this café, where people often set up with their laptops. As day transitions into evening, this is a great place to enjoy a glass of wine, which can help you unwind after a workday. Since the café is part of the beautiful and historic Teatro Taborda, inaugurated in 1870 and currently home to Teatro de Garagem company, some days you can watch a play in the early evening without having to go further than climbing a flight of stairs.
📍 Costa do Castelo 75, 1100-178 Lisboa www.instagram.com/cafe.dagaragem
Copenhagen Coffee Lab
Minimalist Nordic décor to help you focus on work
Undoubtedly one of Lisbon’s most popular specialty coffee shops, Copenhagen Coffee Lab has several stores throughout the city, including in popular neighborhoods like Alfama, Baixa, Estrela, Cais do Sodré, and the increasingly bustling Alcântara. Here you’ll find a predominantly international clientele, with a mix of expatriates, tourists, and digital nomads, as their prices tend to be quite high for the average Portuguese. But it’s a great place to visit when you’re in the mood for good specialty coffee and Scandinavian pastries. The Wi-Fi is good, there are many electrical outlets that naturally make this café inviting for remote professionals, and the minimalist decoration can work particularly well if you’re the type of person who is easily distracted in a more cluttered environment.
📍 Lab & Bakery: Rua Nova da Piedade 10, 1200-192 Lisboa 📍 Alfama: Escolas Gerais 34, 1100-213 Lisboa 📍 Baixa: Rua de Santa Justa 14, 1100-230 Lisboa 📍 Estrela: Av. Álvares Cabral 13C, 1250-015 Lisboa 📍 Alcântara: Rua Prior do Crato 1a, 1350-352 Lisboa 📍 Campo de Santa Clara: Campo de Santa Clara 136, 1100-474 Lisboa 📍 Cais do Sodré: Rua de S. Paulo 62, 1200-019 Lisboa www.instagram.com/cphcoffeelab
Selva
To meet other remote workers
Selva is a gem in the heart of Alcântara, where most cafés are typical Portuguese pastry shops, usually too bustling to really work quietly. Selva has two floors, and the upper space frequently hosts themed days where digital nomads gather to work side by side. This is a great opportunity to network, make new friends if you’re new to the city, and also get a push to handle online tasks, motivated by what others around you are simultaneously doing. Besides specialty coffee, Selva serves light meals and delicious homemade cakes and cookies that will make you want to spend some time there.
📍 Rua Luís de Camões 112 A, 1300-361 Lisboa www.instagram.com/selva.lisboa
Gulbenkian Museum Cafeteria
A green oasis in the middle of the city
If many nomads travel to Lisbon to take advantage of good weather and sunshine, it would make perfect sense to think of places where you can actually work outdoors. There’s no shortage of terraces in Lisbon. But few are as special as Gulbenkian’s. Here you can enjoy good Wi-Fi, and the Gulbenkian gardens are a much-desired oasis in the middle of the city. The calm atmosphere here can be conducive to work. Plus, you can always get up and stretch your legs surrounded by greenery, something you shouldn’t forget to do from time to time, regardless of where you’re working!
📍 Av. de Berna 45A, 1067-001 Lisboa www.instagram.com/fcgulbenkian
Rebel Café
Bring your dog
Want to take your pet to work? At Rebel Café, you can sit down to work online while enjoying great food and drinks, and you can also bring your dog along. This location is right next to the popular São Pedro de Alcântara viewpoint, and we have to acknowledge that the space was really designed ideally for remote workers, with large tables and easy access to power outlets. This café on the ground floor of The Lumiares hotel serves meals throughout the day, and because your furry friends can also accompany you, they not only have water bowls available but also sell dog biscuits so no one goes hungry.
📍 Rua de São Pedro de Alcântara 35, 1200-146 Lisboa www.instagram.com/rebel.cafe.lisboa
