Cafés and places to work in Arroios, Lisbon
Portugal's best specialty coffee shop of 2025, laptop-friendly cafés, a 1946 pastelaria on our own street, a vegan café in the market and a free library: where to drink coffee and work in Arroios.
Photo: Flickr user 40611389@N00 · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Arroios is one of the best parts of Lisbon for coffee. There are award-winning specialty cafés that welcome laptops, an old pastelaria on our own street, and a free public library for when you'd rather not buy a third flat white. Walking times are from our residence on Rua Morais Soares.
On the doorstep
Pastelaria Nilde (Rua Morais Soares 61, about 1 min) has been on our street since 1946. Go for a bica and a pastel de nata, or fresh bread in the morning. It also sells regional cheeses, cured meats and bolo-rei all year round. Open Monday to Saturday from 06:00.
Specialty coffee you can work from
- •How About Coffee (Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques 41B, about 12 min): named Portugal's best specialty coffee shop at the European Coffee Trip Awards 2025. It roasts on site and has free Wi-Fi, a laptop-friendly room and a terrace. Weekdays 08:30 to 18:00, weekends 09:00 to 17:00.
- •Kiosk Cafe (Travessa das Amoreiras a Arroios 18, about 11 min): a small specialty café with books and brunch on a quiet side street, listed as laptop-friendly with free Wi-Fi. Open every day, 09:00 to 17:00.
- •Dong Coffee (Rua Quirino da Fonseca 17A, about 10 min): opened in 2025 and roasts its own coffee; regulars rave about the espresso and the V60. Opening times differ between listings, so check before you go.
- •Pequeno Café e Bistrô (inside the Mercado de Arroios, about 8 min): a fully vegan café with a seasonal menu, house-made vegan cheese and kombucha, and free Wi-Fi. Closed on Wednesdays.
For free, or for focus
- •Biblioteca da Penha de França (Rua Francisco Pedro Curado 6-A, about 10 min): a free municipal library with Wi-Fi and quiet study space. Open Monday to Saturday, 10:00 to 18:00; check the BLX site around holidays.
- •Sítio Alto de São João (Parada do Alto de São João 17A, about 9 min): co-working in a converted warehouse with a café and a terrace. Day passes can be booked online. Open weekdays 09:00 to 18:00.
For food nearby, see where to eat in Arroios, and for the neighbourhood calendar see markets and events in Arroios.
Frequently asked
What is the best café to work from in Arroios?
How About Coffee on the Alameda and Kiosk Cafe near Praça do Chile are both listed as laptop-friendly with free Wi-Fi. How About Coffee was named Portugal's best specialty coffee shop in 2025.
Where can I study for free in Arroios?
At the Biblioteca da Penha de França, a municipal library about 10 minutes from our residence, with Wi-Fi and quiet study space, open Monday to Saturday from 10:00 to 18:00.
Where can I get a good pastel de nata in Arroios?
Pastelaria Nilde on Rua Morais Soares, open since 1946, is known for its pastel de nata and fresh bread.
Rooms in Arroios
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Morais Soares 61 Residence
Morais Soares 61 Residence
Morais Soares 61 Residence
Morais Soares 61 Residence
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