Martinho da Arcada

Portuguese restaurant · Rossio

Martinho da Arcada

Portuguese restaurant · Rossio

1

Praça do Comércio 3, 1100-148 Lisboa, Portugal

Photos

Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Google
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp
Martinho da Arcada by Yelp

Highlights

Martinho da Arcada is a historic Lisbon café where you can savor traditional fish dishes and delightful pastries, all in a charming, classic setting.  

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Placeholder

Praça do Comércio 3, 1100-148 Lisboa, Portugal Get directions

martinhodaarcada.pt
@martinhodaarcada_

$$$ · Menu

Information

Static Map

Praça do Comércio 3, 1100-148 Lisboa, Portugal Get directions

+1 218879259
martinhodaarcada.pt
@martinhodaarcada_

$$$ · Menu

Features

dine in
takeout
delivery
payment credit card
Tap to pay
reservations
wifi
outdoor seating

Last updated

Dec 31, 2024

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@afar

"Martinho da Arcada, the Oldest Cafe in Lisbon Martinho da Arcada is a Lisbon legend. Thanks to a friend's recommendation, I passed through it just to experience the phenomenon and look inside. The cafe was founded in 1778 as Café do Gelo (the Ice Cafe) and mostly sold beverages and ice. After passing through the hands of different owners, in the early nineteenth century it was called the Casa da Neve (the House of Snow) and sold ice cream to the best of Lisbon society. Only in 1845 did it receive its current name—after its owner at the time, Martinho Bartolomeu Rodrigues, who turned it into one of the finest and most popular cafes in the city. Its two-century history is closely linked to the social, political, and cultural life of Lisbon. If you come for dinner, make reservations."

Cafes in Lisbon
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Julien Penalba

Google
Simple and tasty food (we tried just fish) Prices are honest, drinks are quite cheap. Good for lunch to avoid the heat (as the building provides good shadow)

Jelo “Eat all day” Potter

Google
Well well well, the 17th of the restaurant is still the same time as the first time. Can't say much because everything was amazing. My first time having Sardines, I didn't know the right way to eat and enjoy them, Paola was a server there, and he taught me how to do it. It was a warning heart I loved it. And all the waiters show me around the history. Well, that is the best place to feel at home. Thank you very much.

Erin Homiak

Google
For a touristy spot I am impressed with this place. I usually go here just for their pastel de nata bc I think they have the second best, after pasties de Belem. I ended up having lunch here and it was super tasty and the price was reasonable.

Mark Horrocks

Google
Fish dish was fantastic with flavour and tasted very good. The one that dropped the rating down was the meat dish. The sirloin steak was very thin, looked very light, almost anaemic, not cooked to medium. I had eaten better steaks in Lisbon & that they had totally missed the mark. Chips were floppy, lifeless and undercooked. Recommend for fish, stay clear for meat dishes as better restaurants out there

Lisa Johnson

Google
Dined in today for lunch and it was delicious. Traditional Portuguese fare prepared with the best ingredients. Wait staff were friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. Thoroughly enjoyed our experience at this historical old restaurant.

Jason Meadors

Google
We stopped here for an accidental breakfast, thinking we would be somewhere else. What a wonderful accident to have. The host, gracious and ebullient. The atmosphere, lovely (we sat outside). The food, wonderful. We had an apricot treat, codfish and beef croquettes, and the ham-and-cheese focaccia sandwiches. The apricot and croquettes were the clear favorites, and we ordered more. The host explained the restaurant to us, its history, and invited us to look around. (He was also harangued a bit by an over-authoritarian patron at another table, and he was entirely. solicitous. Quite impressive.) We had a rollicking good breakfast and conversation. It was a wonderful day to start a Lisbon morning.

Bob Patton

Google
Classic old Portuguese restaurant. Had lunch inside there today. Food was very good. Excellent service from knowledgeable waiters. Seems a bit more formal inside than on the patio. Quiet and refined. I’d be delighted to return.

Hanna

Google
We ordered Chef salad x 2 and drinks. The waiter praised the dish in advance; contains everything in a versatile way. The salad was assembled from very cheap ingredients; canned tuna, canned mushrooms, grated carrot, a few pieces of cucumber and raw tomato. Even the pieces of asparagus in the dish were cut lengthwise 😏🤣. The price of the whole is €17 a portion. Is that restaurant just a tourist trap or is it underestimating customers?

Julien Penalba

Google
Simple and tasty food (we tried just fish) Prices are honest, drinks are quite cheap. Good for lunch to avoid the heat (as the building provides good shadow)

Jelo “Eat all day” Potter

Google
Well well well, the 17th of the restaurant is still the same time as the first time. Can't say much because everything was amazing. My first time having Sardines, I didn't know the right way to eat and enjoy them, Paola was a server there, and he taught me how to do it. It was a warning heart I loved it. And all the waiters show me around the history. Well, that is the best place to feel at home. Thank you very much.

Erin Homiak

Google
For a touristy spot I am impressed with this place. I usually go here just for their pastel de nata bc I think they have the second best, after pasties de Belem. I ended up having lunch here and it was super tasty and the price was reasonable.

Mark Horrocks

Google
Fish dish was fantastic with flavour and tasted very good. The one that dropped the rating down was the meat dish. The sirloin steak was very thin, looked very light, almost anaemic, not cooked to medium. I had eaten better steaks in Lisbon & that they had totally missed the mark. Chips were floppy, lifeless and undercooked. Recommend for fish, stay clear for meat dishes as better restaurants out there

Lisa Johnson

Google
Dined in today for lunch and it was delicious. Traditional Portuguese fare prepared with the best ingredients. Wait staff were friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. Thoroughly enjoyed our experience at this historical old restaurant.

Jason Meadors

Google
We stopped here for an accidental breakfast, thinking we would be somewhere else. What a wonderful accident to have. The host, gracious and ebullient. The atmosphere, lovely (we sat outside). The food, wonderful. We had an apricot treat, codfish and beef croquettes, and the ham-and-cheese focaccia sandwiches. The apricot and croquettes were the clear favorites, and we ordered more. The host explained the restaurant to us, its history, and invited us to look around. (He was also harangued a bit by an over-authoritarian patron at another table, and he was entirely. solicitous. Quite impressive.) We had a rollicking good breakfast and conversation. It was a wonderful day to start a Lisbon morning.

Bob Patton

Google
Classic old Portuguese restaurant. Had lunch inside there today. Food was very good. Excellent service from knowledgeable waiters. Seems a bit more formal inside than on the patio. Quiet and refined. I’d be delighted to return.

Hanna

Google
We ordered Chef salad x 2 and drinks. The waiter praised the dish in advance; contains everything in a versatile way. The salad was assembled from very cheap ingredients; canned tuna, canned mushrooms, grated carrot, a few pieces of cucumber and raw tomato. Even the pieces of asparagus in the dish were cut lengthwise 😏🤣. The price of the whole is €17 a portion. Is that restaurant just a tourist trap or is it underestimating customers?

Kirk S.

Yelp
Cute, but expensive for what you get. I tried this place on a whim, mostly due to the location - it's right on Praça do Comércio, so it's really hard to beat the location. Being able to sit down and relax in the area was alone worth the cash. In terms of the food, well... it was good, but probably not as good as the price indicated. This place charges for its location. That said, the fish I tried here was definitely fresh and cooked fairly well, so I can't complain too much.

Craig C.

Yelp
Service was moderate. Food was not good at all. Very bland, would not go back. They push you hard to buy the most expensive thing.

A S.

Yelp
Feels like an old school Portuguese restaurant, with a spacious interior and an outside area overlooking the Tagus. Staff are friendly and speak very good English. Good for fish, recommend the grouper with roast potatoes and vegetables, steeped in garlic. Alternatively try the corvina, a soft flaky white fish. All the food was very flavoursome and tasty.  Probably not the cheapest restaurant in town but not horrendously expensive given its location.  About €90 for 2, one course and a bottle of wine, sharing a dessert, inc tip.

Art C.

Yelp
The food here in this old restaurant in a very touristy part of town was pretty delish. We had the traditional cabbage soup, bacalhau à brás, and a beef filet, Portuguese style. All quite tasty, though not mind blowing. Most of our issues came down to service (or lack thereof). The waiters were a bit rude. We had to scavenge for water since they disappeared in the middle of service (I think they were changing shifts or something but still). They also charged us for a takeout container (silly) and maybe something else we didn't ask for. Hard to tell... Anyways, if you have to wonder if you're being ripped off, and the service is already bad, that's not a place you want to be.

Manna C.

Yelp
Stopped by this cafe as I was by Praça do Comércio and needed a cup of espresso. The cafe says they have been open since 1782. It's a nice place to look into the plaza without actually eating or drinking at the restaurants in the plaza. The waiter was super friendly and attentive since there wasn't that many people there at the time. Nice place to grab a drink (alcoholic drinks available) and people watch.

Gustavo N.

Yelp
It is a traditional restaurant from 1778. However the food was not as good as expected for such tradition. I ordered Bacalau à Bráz and it was reheated with some parts cold.

Areej Q.

Yelp
After a lengthy walk around Praca de comercio, this was the perfect spot to sit down, relax and watch passerby's as we imbibed our coffees. We sat on the terrace, with the sun overhead and a view of the Tagus, chatting with the wait staff who were polite and professional, offering recommendations on sites to see. What appears to be a small cafe, is anything but. The interior and exterior both offer ample seating. We didn't order any food so this review is strictly about the coffee and service, which were excellent. Shoutout to Antonio Gomes and his team for leaving an impression :)

John T.

Yelp
We stopped by here for a very quick breakfast before heading out for our next trip. We came in the morning around 8:30am and were able to get seats right away. Seems this place is popular amongst tourist and locals for a quick bite. Quality of the pastries were just ok for us. We ordered about half savory and half sweet, asked them to heat up the savory ones but they were still cold when they served us. Also, the sweet ones were overly sweet. It's supposed to be one of the oldest cafes in Lisbon, the servers were nice but we weren't crazy about the food.

Vintage B.

Yelp
Had the feeling of being ripped off a bit. The food wasn't bad. But we got a different menu than others (Portugees) did with very different pricing. The waiters were hanging about watching us, hovering in times of Covid!, (nothing to do I guess) and at the end pointing out specifically where to add the tip. Filled in 0 sorry to say.

James P. B.

Yelp
The food is overpriced for the quality, probably because they are cashing in on the fact Fernando Pessoa used to eat here.

Ling L.

Yelp
While this is a restaurant, I can only comment on their breakfast, or snack fare. I was surprised to conclude that their natas were even more delicious then the ones in Belem, served warm and still crunchy. Sitting outside, sipping coffee and admiring the view from Praca do Comercio is a priceless experience, the location does make a difference. The waiter was extremely nice, and accommodated our every request, although no, he did not have strawberries to go with the sweets. He instead offered a fruit cup, which was fresh and generous. Would love to go back, better natas without the hike? Sounds like a good deal to me.

Zhen L.

Yelp
Ordered the cod fish and the shrimp with garlic. Fish taste so fishy and bad. The shrimp was over cooked and not fresh.

Laura M.

Yelp
On the square which is fun to sit and people watch. We had a big water, omelet, grilled cheese and ham sandwich, octopus with garlic, fish soup, toasted bread and milk for 40 Euro. Everything was good. The omelets come with french fries and a salad. This place fills up quickly with tourists and locals. Grab a seat don't wait. The staff will move you if you are in the wrong area.

Sidney K.

Yelp
It feels like we were taken advantage of. We were charged 2.75€ for each piece of bread and 15€ for cheese. During checkout they charged us 25€ more by doing wrong addition, this is outside of the gratuity. For a party of 8, we paid an extra 60€. This is upsetting. Check your bills and ask for price upfront.