Sol e Pesca
Type: Bar, Late Night / After Hours, Nightlife District
10Best Says
Anglers used to frequent this place when it sold fishing tackle and equipment. So how did a fishermen's hardware store turn itself into one of Lisbon's hippest bar-cafés? Owner Henrique Vaz Pato saw... Read More
Anglers used to frequent this place when it sold fishing tackle and equipment. So how did a fishermen's hardware store turn itself into one of Lisbon's hippest bar-cafés? Owner Henrique Vaz Pato saw an opportunity to refurbish a long-abandoned commercial premises into a trendy nightspot, one that was right in the heart of Cais do Sodré's clubbing district, and opened Sol e Pesca – "Sun and Fishing". Proud of the port area's seafaring tradition, he kept the shop's décor much as it was, and the fishing rods, lines, hooks and weights are still on display. Sol e Pesca also offers a tasty snack menu of tuna, sardine and other assorted seafood (great with wine or an ice-cold beer) and one side of the bar displays an array of these tinned delicacies, which are sold in colourful retro wrapping – American celebrity chef Anthony Bourdain raved about them and featured the bar in his TV series. At night this place lures a young, vibrant crowd and on Saturday nights it really is filled to the gills.
EXPERT TIPS BY:
Paul Bernhardt
Lisbon Local Expert
- Best Nightlife, Bars: "At weekends the nightlife spills out onto the street so if you want to sit at a terrace table, arrive early!"
- Recommended as Best Nightlife Because: Simple, traditional yet irresistibly fashionable, this place has caught the imagination of Lisbon's late night crowd and works both as café and bar.
- Best for Bars Because: A unique example of how to turn an old fishing tackle shop into one of the savviest bars in Lisbon.
