Photo courtesy of Paul Bernhardt

Café Império

Cuisine: European, Portuguese

Last updated on February 25, 2018

Price Range: $

10Best Says

Dating back to 1955, Império is one of Lisbon's great architectural design reference points. The café sits in the lobby of the old Cinema Império, which was inaugurated in 1952. The building also functioned as a theatre between 1961 and 1965. Films are no longer screened here, and the theatre closed long ago. But Império remains a unique dining institution, and still retains its vintage 1950's ambiance. Ample floor space attracts large groups, mostly Portuguese locals, who come here for the famous bife à Império (their specialty steak dish), or the cod. Another great "must try" is the crème de papaia com licor Cassis, Império's signature cocktail.

Address:

Avenida Almirante Reis 205
Lisbon, 1000-048

Phone:

+351 21 247 1765

Website:

cafeimperio.pt

EXPERT TIPS BY: Paul Bernhardt
Lisbon Local Expert

Group Friendly: "Look for the wall mural above the dining hall, the work of Luis Dourdil (1914-1989), one of Portugal's most respected painters, designers and muralists."

Best for Group Friendly Because: Eating at Café Império is to revisit the 1950s, and there's plenty of room for diners to digest the vintage atmosphere.