Arroios Anjos Intendente
The most multicultural neighbourhood in the city, where urban art meets food from across the world, underground culture and historical gems, attracts Lisboners more and more each day. Join them and fill your passport with imaginary stamps.
EAT
The best time to go to Ramiro is around five in the afternoon, after lunchtime feasting is over, before dinnertime for tourists and when locals head there for a snack (but don’t spill the beans on this one, please). Within an hour, you will have gobbled up a portion of clams, peeled a good amount of prawns and dunked them in mayo, shared a plate of deliciously fatty Iberian ham, scraped the bottom of a crab shell, shared a steak sandwich and finished off a few beers.
→ Avenida Almirante Reis, 1H. +351 218 851 024. Ter-Dom midday-midnight.
Carvoaria Jacto is a must for carnivores no matter where they are from. There is char-grilled Mirandesa, wagyu and aged beef cooked just the way you like it. The price depends on the cut and weight of the steak and ranges from €6.25 to €44.60 per steak. Sides are ordered separately. Forget poultry, pork or fish and leave them for some other time. The restaurant, which dates back to 1953, was completely remodelled last summer. Queues formed at the door as soon as it opened. The beer helps make the wait easier. → Rua Maria Andrade, 6A. +351 218 147 555. Sun-Fri midday-3pm & 7pm-10pm.
DRINK
Casa Independente’s arrival was a turning point in this neighbourhood’s nightlife. Having a drink while showing off your tattoos became cool. An endless host of gigs and parties will give you the chance to visit Salão Tigre (the tiger room) and you don’t need an invitation to Instagram their pretty patio. In 2016, it expanded into the upper floor, and Andar de Cima was born. The balcony is one of the best in town to enjoy warmer evenings – one more bar, many more shows. → Largo do Intendente Pina Manique, 45. Tue-Thu 5pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 5pm-2am.
SHOP
A true alfacinha (Lisbon local) miraculously revived national brands that had been long lost and opened a chain of shops that are the dream of any tourist for whom fridge magnet souvenirs just won’t do. It’s also a mandatory stop for nostalgic locals who miss Confiança soap bars and Minerva tinned goods. In A Vida Portuguesa, in Intendente, you’ll find a vast variety of products, including toys from the pre-electronic era and stationery that seems to have frozen in time → Largo do Intendente Pina Manique, 23. +351 211 974 512. MonSun 10.30am-7.30pm.
On an alley off Largo do Intendente, you’ll find Retrox, a little vintage wonder specialising in mid-century (50s to 70s) goods. There is no old tat here, rather a careful selection of design pieces like Bauhaus or egg-style chairs – the latter was a 60s classic. And how about a Scandinavian-design sideboard? A souvenir that won’t be easy to pack but will surely stand out back home. → Rua dos Anjos, 4C. +351 918 303 991. Mon-Sat midday-7pm.
DO
At Mezze, hosting and cooking is in the hands of Middle Eastern refugees. Go straight to the kibbeh, a sort of croquette made with lamb, bulgur and walnuts, and don’t forget to tear off a piece of homemade saj bread and dip it in baba ghanoush or hummus. Sharing is encouraged: which is precisely what mezze means. But there is more to discover inside the recently refurbished Mercado de Arroios beyond this Syrian restaurant, like artisan bakery Terrapão, where slow fermented sourdough stars. Take it home with you or enjoy it in the shop with different dishes and nibbles. → Mercado de Arroios, Rua Angela Pinto, 40D, Loja 22/ 23. +351 939 806 699. Tue-Sat 12.30-3pm & 7pm-10pm.
THE BUSIEST MARKET IN THE AREA
Anjos 70 found a home at number 70 on Regueirão dos Anjos and has since become one of the buzziest cultural hubs in town. On the first and third weekends of every month, they host an Art & Flea Market and on every last Saturday Rádio70 invites someone famous to the city to DJ. They also host gigs, exhibitions, parties, fairs, markets, brunches and festivals – just check their instagram page. All the fun. àRegueirão dos Anjos, 70.