Coffee, Drinks and Food in Coimbra, Portugal
Coimbra. Known for its University, wandering cobbled alleyways and slow pace of life. While some travelers make the pilgrimage here to view the stunning churches, wander the streets and visit the landmarks, we came here to eat, drink and be merry. Read on for our guide on where to get the best coffee, wine and food in town.
Visiting Coimbra? Read our guide to Coimbra over here.
A very nice guide to Coimbra
WHERE: Central Portugal
WHY: Stunning architecture, traditional way of life
TIME: 2 nights
COFFEE
Nicola Café
R. Ferreira Borges 35, 3000-180 Coimbra
Despite being a university town, Coimbra lacks a specialty coffee scene like the burgeoning development in Porto and Lisbon. However, Coimbra’s Nicola Cafe makes up for a lack of specialty coffee with heavy local flair, and a damn good espresso. This place seemed be chock-full of locals every time we walked past, and served up some excellent coffee when we finally sat down. I’d recommend getting there for opening at 8 am - the fresh pastries on display were gorgeous and oh so very tasty.
DRINKS
Kabra Velha
Rua de Fernandes Thomas 16, 3000-167 Coimbra
Tucked away just off the main drag of Praca Do Comercio is Kabra Velha, one of our favourite wine bars we’ve come upon in Europe yet. The owner is knowledgeable, extremely passionate about Portugese wine, and an absolute magician at producing perfect small plates to accompany whatever wine you choose. We opted for a couple of nice reds from the Douro Valley, before finishing up with a glass of 2014 Mariposa Dai Doc - mouth watering stuff.
Wanna read about Portugals best wine, Vinho Verde? Head over here!
Also, read our guide to the best wine bars in Portugal here.
food
Quim Dos Ossos
R. António Vasconcelos 3, 3000-379 Coimbra
Skip the line (and price) at the hotspot Zé Manuel dos Ossos and take a quick walk up the hill to Quim Dos Ossos. They don’t have a website, probably care little for reviews by tourists, and serve up the best food in the city. This was an utter experience - a tiny neighbourhood restaurant run by a husband and wife who served us the very, very best slow cooked lamb and anchovies, with a side of cabbage salad and duck fat potatoes. That, a carafe of wine and a beer only set us back 14 euros, and was the best meal we had in town. The menu is simple, heavily focussed on neighbourhood and folk favourites, and the place was extremely busy when we visited. Make a trip there, you won’t regret it.
Any questions about where else you can eat in Coimbra? Hit us up down below!
This little slice of Europe is mainly known for its sweet pastries, fortified wine and glamorous beaches but Portugal has so much more to offer - namely its people. The incredible hospitality and passion of its population was hard to ignore and we fell in love with the people of Portugal as much as its food, wine and culture.