The 20 best things to do in Arroios

Terrapão, the artisanal bakery in the Mercado do Arroios opened back in December 2018. It offers excellent sourdough bread, as well as dishes and snacks using the breads as a base. It’s a small space, with the oven and bread-making process in full view, with a few seats at the counter. The décor is simple, featuring earthy and aqua-green tones, and a cosy warmth for those coming in from the cold. They have four breads that are always on the menu: the house bread, made with white wheat, barbela wheat, rye, and organic whole spelt; the wheat sourdough bread, made with white wheat and barbela wheat, which undergoes a cold fermentation process lasting around 20 hours. They look pretty similar, only differentiated by the scores in the crust, but the distinction becomes clear upon slicing. Then there are the more ‘conventional’ options, like the French baguette and ciabatta. Corn and rye broa (a traditional Portuguese bread), also naturally fermented, are also regular features. In general, however, the idea is to always offer new and different breads that can easily last a week.

The sports complex at Campo Mártires da Pátria (which is primarily used by basketball enthusiasts) is also an open-air gallery. Transformed by urban artist Akacorleone, the colourful artwork, titled Balance, features a person on either side of the court. It is a collaboration with the Underdogs street art gallery (which was co-founded by the legendary Portuguese street artist Vhils), the Lisbon City Council, the Arroios Parish Council, and the Hoppers sports platform. In addition to the painted court surface, the basketball hoops are also brightly coloured. The field is also equipped with futsal goals.

The best time to go to Ramiro is 5pm: the early evening is a sweet spot when the big lunchtime feasts have ended, but it's not yet time for British tourists to have dinner, and the Portuguese are just starting to think about having a snack. In no time, you'll have enjoyed some clams, peeled some prawns and dipped them in mayonnaise, shared a plate of deliciously fatty ham, scraped out a crab shell, split a steak sandwich, and downed a few draft beers. But be warned – Ramiro has one of the biggest queues in the area. Oh and please, let’s keep the 5pm secret between us. 

Elisa Sartor and Sara Cappai, two Italians living in the capital, opened Piena – libri persone visioni, an independent bookstore in Arroios exclusively dedicated to Italian books. The space is colourful and practical, with benches tucked under the shelves (because a conversation about books with this duo is worth pulling up a seat for). The bookstore features works by Italian authors as well as works which have been translated into Italian. There is a clear preference for independent publishers, but they also stock must-have titles from major publishing houses.

Walking down Rua António Pedro, it’s hard not to notice the name on the black awnings: Fox Coffee – O Rei do Cachupa (which translates to the king of cachupa). Fox, who lends his name to the restaurant, is the man responsible for the hearty and indulgent cachupa (a slow-cooked stew of corn, beans, cassava, sweet potato, fish or meat and sometimes also blood sausage, from Cape Verde), which is served here and gives its name to the restaurant. ‘His name is António, but everyone knows him as Fox. And although he’s Portuguese, he has Cape Verdean roots, from the island of Sal,’ explains the manager. The recipe is a family tradition, passed down from his parents. The restaurant isn’t very large, but it’s cosy, with African touches here and there, and the soundtrack is always Cape Verdean music. Outside, there’s a terrace with about a dozen tables. The menu features dishes like Fox-style chicken, oven-baked pork ribs, sirloin steak with grogue (a Cape Verdean alcoholic drink made from sugarcane), or cod dishes like bacalhau à brás and bacalhau à padeiro, but it’s no surprise that cachupa is the most popular dish. The best-seller is the meat cachupa, which is served in a small clay pot, that’s filled to the brim, but you can also try the fish cachupa or even a vegetarian version. Something for everyone, then.

Inspired by Celtiberian and Lusitanian culture, O Covil (which translates as the den or lair) is an ideal spot for starting the evening and is probably the only place in Lisbon where you can find draft mead, a great alternative for those tired of cider. Both Margarida Malheiros and Rui Bajouca, the bar’s founders, were fans of the ancient drink, especially the one from the Apiagro brand, a company run by beekeepers from Torres Vedras, which has become something of the bar’s official beverage. The focus is on honouring Celtiberian culture as well as the traditions of ancient Nordic and Germanic peoples; for this reason, the bar features a small but growing library on the subject, along with themed food and events.

You can’t miss the kiosk which houses Mustarda when walking through Jardim Constantino. The old green kiosk, which was closed to the public, has been given a bold lick of mustard yellow paint, a new terrace, and now serves artisanal burgers. But the offerings go beyond burgers, with a packed schedule designed to make the most of the terrace. In addition to concerts, there’s a TV showing various sports programmes, and the plan is to host outdoor cinema nights during the warmer months.

At Tigre de Papel, there are bargain books right at the entrance (where you might unearth detective novels from the Colecção Vampiro selection, or gamebooks from the Fighting Fantasy series for less than five euros), rare and obscure editions, second-hand volumes, and small publishers waiting to be discovered, all amidst a fantastic selection of new releases, zines, and children's literature. But there’s more to this space than just books on the shelves: there’s a lively cultural programme too, which includes debates, workshops, and book launches.

This spot once served as a place for market workers to grab a bite to eat and something to drink, but eventually, it faded into obscurity. Joana Amado took it over, revamped the space and its menu, changed the name to Os Papagaios. in doing so, she has revived one of Arroios’s most iconic spots, which is now filled with fresh ideas and culinary fusions. You won’t find fizzy drinks on the menu – they’ve been replaced by the smoothie of the day, orange juice, or tea, served hot or cold. The coffee, in all its variations, is by Flor da Selva, wood-roasted in Lisbon. Eggs are a house speciality – fried plain or with bacon, scrambled with cherry tomatoes and mushrooms, or in an omelette with options like chives, Azorean cheese, or a mixed version. The bread, freshly delivered daily by the neighbouring Terrapão bakery, accompanies almost everything. For lunch, the peixinhos da horta (deep-fried green beans) are a must-try starter.

Adeila and Numa came to Lisbon with the idea of introducing the city to Marseille-style pizza and that’s exactly what they’ve done at Mabiche. There’s a strong emphasis on seafood – like sardines and anchovies – and the dough has shifted from the fluffy Neapolitan style to a thinner, crispier version made with olive oil. The pizza dough is even served as a starter, cut into triangles, almost like focaccia, accompanied by burrata, guacamole, or ceviche. The desserts are a family affair, as Numa prepares his grandmother’s pudding, a flan de mémé, served in a bowl and topped with caramel. There’s easily enough for two to share in this pud, so bear that in mind when ordering.