Nicola image

Nicola

Restaurant

👍 The cafe is touristy and that explains the high prices and you get every service mistress hassling you to get in. The best thing is the view of the central plaza. We enjoyed the starters- the cheese board, the tomatoes and mozzarella as well as the prosciutto ham --all were delicious. They have a ve... People often mention great, service, good, Lisbon, meal, order, tasty, cafe, prices, attentive,


Address

Praça Dom Pedro IV 24, 1100-200 Lisboa, Portugal

Contact

+351 21 346 0579

Price rating

$$ $$

Rating on Google Maps

3.80 (2.7K reviews)

Open on Google Maps

Working Hours

  • Sunday: 7 AM to 12 AM
  • Monday: 7 AM to 12 AM
  • Tuesday: 7 AM to 12 AM
  • Wednesday: 7 AM to 12 AM
  • Thursday: 7 AM to 12 AM
  • Friday: 7 AM to 12 AM
  • Saturday: 7 AM to 12 AM

Featured Reviews


Frequently mentioned in reviews: great (16) service (14) good (14) Lisbon (13) meal (7) order (6) tasty (6) cafe (6) prices (6) attentive (6)
Reviews are sorted by relevance, prioritizing the most helpful and insightful feedback at the top for easier reference.
  • 3/5 Alexandru F. 2 years ago on Google
    Good food, on the higher end of the price scale. Convenient location with exposure to all the tourists checking out Lisbon, this place may be a bit dated at first. Waiters seemed friendly and communicative but be careful when you order. My wife and I, we went for the sea food dishes and have received, waiting for our order, a stater dish pack (bread, deli meat and spreadable cheese). We have rejected that which was fine, the bread was kept on the table though. Our order came fast, food was averagely tasty, nothing to complain about here. At the end, we payed by card, which again was fast and very accessible but as a piece of advice, check your final note before doing the payment. Ours had an extra water bottle on it which I highlighted and have received the classic " it was a honest mistake when printing the bill ". After payment, I did the numbers and obviously, the water we didn't receive was included which made me ask for it for take way. No problema there, received it with apologies for the situation, but I feel that's more of a cheap show rather than an actual mistake. Don't forget tipping is highly encouraged, feeling the pressure of the waiter rather than having this option as a way to quantify the quality of the service. Overall, I am not dissatisfied but this is clearly a tourist trap which makes me think twice if I would have to come back again next time.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Dorothy O. 1 year ago on Google
    The cafe is touristy and that explains the high prices and you get every service mistress hassling you to get in. The best thing is the view of the central plaza. We enjoyed the starters- the cheese board, the tomatoes and mozzarella as well as the prosciutto ham --all were delicious. They have a very diverse menu from meats to fishes and great desserts and a great choice of drinks.
    4 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Debra S. 2 months ago on Google • 212 reviews New
    We stopped for something hot to drink and dessert. Service was prompt and efficient. Menus are available in Portugese and English, with pictures. Generous outdoor seating on the sidewalk with an awning, heat lamps and additional heaters. There were also lovely blankets. The caramel mousse was thinner than I expected, but it was so rich, it felt like eating ice cream topping without the ice cream. The hot chocolate was rich and creamy.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 AC C. 2 months ago on Google • 180 reviews New
    Small restaurant, personnel was very attentive. Food was good but not great could use improvement. Would visit again if Im ever in Lisbon again. Right in front of a plaza. Recommended this restaurant to the tourists from all over the world.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Putri D. 1 month ago on Google • 232 reviews New
    Cutest yellow cafe Nicola a traditional Portuguese cafe that serves breakfast and snacks. Their coffees are legit and tasty, the barista or servant gave their best service and very attentive. I love the friendly ambience since this cafe is so small and cute full of yellow decorations.

  • 2/5 Valerie D. 10 months ago on Google
    Unplanned visit while walking in Lisbon. Look lovely from the outside. Big, bright, and well laid tables. Waiters smartly dressed. Busy inside. The waiter was very attentive. Unfortunately the food was not great, despite the higher than normal prices. Paella was tepid, she'll fish chewy and overcooked, grilled prawns the same, and cod cake just tasted off onion. Gave feedback at the time so they removed the price of our wine from the bill and have its free deserts. Very disappointing meal.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 1/5 Simon S. 7 months ago on Google
    Well, mates, let me tell you about this recent dining experience my missus and I had. Now, I'm all for believing that a dodgy meal should be a rare thing, but sometimes life serves up a clanger, and this was one of those times. So there we were, strolling down the street, when our peepers caught sight of this bustling joint. Grilled prawns sizzling away, fish dishes that'd make Poseidon proud – it all seemed like a jolly good spot. We thought, "Why not give it a whirl?" The missus fancied those grilled prawns, bless her heart. She went all in, ordered a whoppin' 400 grams of the beauties. Yours truly, I had my eye on some local cod, and another fishy number to boot. Chuck in a bit of simple lettuce action, and of course, a pint of the good stuff and a dash of sparkling water. Now, the service kicked off with a bang. That pint and bubbly water slid onto the table faster than you can say "knife," and those prawns danced their way over too. Let me tell you, they were a masterpiece – juicy, fresh, cooked to perfection. Mouth waterin' just at the thought. But here's where the hiccup hit. My grub? Nowhere to be seen. The missus polished off her plate like a trooper, and I was still twiddlin' me thumbs. Even the second pint the waiter kindly offered took a gap year before showing up. Waited around 20 minutes, or maybe it felt more like a bloomin' hour, and still no sign of my order. Hangry vibes were in full swing, and we were well and truly parched. So, after a solid 25 minutes post-prawns, we threw in the towel, canceled the rest of the order, and hightailed it outta there. So there you have it, chums. Not every meal can be a smash hit, and this time we drew the short straw. The prawns were the real heroes of the day, but sadly, the rest of the experience left us with growlin' stomachs and a longing for more prompt service.
    2 people found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 snarkyguy 2 months ago on Google • 227 reviews New
    Great service and the food was outstanding. I like the coffee beans (which sounds weird I know) in the steak. Original and it was super tasty. Highly recommend! Arie, our waiter, was a super nice guy.

  • 5/5 Tarnya W. 2 months ago on Google • 4 reviews New
    The food, drinks and atmosphere is amazing! We were served by Arif who was great and attentive. Definitely recommend this spot!
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Nehal Anthea F. 2 months ago on Google • 3 reviews New
    Oh our first visit to Lisbon our first dinner and Arif made our day complete with the lovely recommendation of the grilled fish..was very relishing, fresh and rich in texture. Will love to visit again. Excellent customer service 👍 Would definitely recommend it to friends and family.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Chavi A. 1 year ago on Google
    Recommended by a friend so we went despite the average reviews. The food was good but probably the most expensive meal we had in Lisbon. It's on the square near the theatre so it gets a lot of tourists. Don't expect speedy service but it isn't too bad either. Wine was okay.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Onethia M. 5 months ago on Google
    My husband and I ate at Cafe Nicola tonight. We were greeted by Rick (Ricardo) who showed us the options and we had a great waiter who served. We ate the cod and prawn stew for two. It was delicious and the service and atmosphere was impeccable. If you are visiting Lisbon make this a dining choice.
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 4/5 Travelling G. 5 months ago on Google • 55 reviews
    Great location looking on to Rossio Square, perfect for drinks, breakfast, lunch or dinner. Returned here after 5 years and service was still attentive. We had the octopus rice and Nicola Beefsteak Tenderloin. The rice was tasty with a slight kick, and the tenderloin was tender with lots of gravy, which was percect for their fries. Being in a busy tourist area, it is expected to have higher prices, but food was delicious and a great memory for our last day in Lisbon.

  • 3/5 Miss M. 2 months ago on Google • 5 reviews New
    Unfortunately i had a bad experience. The interior is good, but the waiters look very tired and not approachable. The food is really really bad, I ordered squid and potatoes, everything was salty and squid is not chewable. I haven’t read the reviews before going as i was really hungry and that was my mistake. Don’t recommend!

  • 5/5 Reza B. 2 months ago on Google • 5 reviews New
    Wonderful restaurant with quite a history. Jonathan made our experience even better. He is such a great character who is made for this job. Enjoy the food while enjoying the wonderful view of the city.

  • 2/5 Sapna P. 5 months ago on Google
    We were told this was the oldest coffee shop in Lisbon and had been recommended by many locals to come here. Nicola is located in a perfect location overlooking the square. We only came for a coffee in the morning and none of us liked it at all - it tasted like lukewarm instant coffee and my cappuccino was very watery. I didn’t get the hype about this place at all - we were all disappointed, spent a lot of money which was a waste and ended up going to Starbucks afterwards for our caffeine hit.

  • 3/5 Alon M. 7 months ago on Google
    Right on the Rossio square sits this iconic Cafe. We came for our last breakfast. The prices were very high for the very modest portions. And we barely saw the square due to trucks parking on the street. We sat in far better places in this beautiful city....

  • 5/5 cindy W. 1 year ago on Google
    We had lunch in another seafood restaurant with great reviews and was very disappointed, so we decided to have dinner in Nicola which is next to our hotel. To our surprise( in good way), the seafood is very fresh and tasty, the service is great, and the atmosphere is classic. The price might be a little bit higher, but it totally worths it. Too bad we are leaving tomorrow otherwise we would definitely come back… highly recommended.

  • 2/5 Shannon G. 5 months ago on Google
    Not to be confused with Nicolau Lisboa, which is pretty highly rated. Pretty Limited menu which is overpriced for what you get compared to other nearby restaurants. Juice came warm and only had 2 ice cubes, but it wasn’t very good either way so didn’t end up drinking. Main reason for the 2 stars is that in the course of our breakfast (maybe 45-50 minutes max) three different men came through selling sunglasses to tables. I’m fortunate to have come from a big city so I know how to deal with them but the table next to us was getting bombarded and the men would not leave despite them repeatedly saying they were not interested and pointing out that they were already wearing sun glasses. It stinks to have to be rude but hovering over a table and asking how much money people/are willing to give have is a bit much so one time we stepped in and told him they said no and to move along. Wouldn’t go back.

  • 5/5 Nadir M. 4 months ago on Google
    Nice place I'm the center of Lisbon. We had nice plates of fish. Impeccable service with the top waiters Ricardo e Carmina. Recommend!

  • 5/5 M I. 1 year ago on Google
    I'd been here twice when I was on vacation in Lisbon, May 2022 and now back for the day on a cruise. I brought my mom here, because I enjoyed it so much on my prior vacation. It's such a great cafe. We sat outside and our server Edgar took great care of us. The food is excellent. I ordered Nicola Brunch and my mom ordered an omelet. Excellent food. We had Pasteis and while they were very good, we found others we'd loved better in Belem. I would make a point of going back here on every Lisbon vacation.

  • 3/5 Bradley P. 1 year ago on Google
    I enjoyed the location of this cafe. It's right in the middle of the main square. I ordered a mango smoothie. It was a much smaller glass than the one pictured in the menu. My wife and I also ordered a coffee and chai tea. Both were pretty good but everything here is double the price than other shops which are just a few blocks away.

  • 5/5 Ben R. 1 year ago on Google
    Absolutely unbelievable place. One of the best meals I've had in a long time. Got the Brazilian style steak and it was fantastic. Big portions, good prices and quality and service is through the roof. Will definitely be recommending and when I'm back in Lisbon I'll be here again no doubt. Get the cookie cake for dessert 👍

  • 5/5 Gabriel Della C. 1 year ago on Google
    I have to say that I enjoyed myself , very generous portion of octopus which was delicious, prices are reasonable, definitely worth to try!!

  • 5/5 Sameer H. 1 year ago on Google
    Ok so the best meal we have had in Lisbon. Seafood paella was amazing, says its for 2pax, however 3 can eat this meal. Great wine selection and so many Chou es for dessert. Our Waiter Ricardo was awesome. Service was friendly, speedy and 5star.

  • 4/5 Sarah O. 1 year ago on Google
    Friendly staff and good service. Food was tasty and great coffee.Nice outdoor seating looking out onto square. Would recommend!

  • 5/5 Jazz J. 1 year ago on Google
    Very very good food and great services!! Really recommended. We are certainly coming back here. It's a bit pricey but really worth it.

  • 4/5 Douglas F. 1 year ago on Google
    A very standard tourist spot. We struggled to find many places open on a sunday so we settled here. The food was good, nothing that blew us away. We felt both main dishes we had needed something extra (sauce or seasoning) to enhance the dishes and they were a bit bland after a few bites. Great portion sizes and I was very pleased with the wine menu which offered great Portuguese wines. The waiting staff were brilliant. Sometimes at tourist spots you often get over charged or extras added on that you didn't order but our server was very friendly and upfront about everything and the bill was spot on. It was a great location with good people watching views which we love.

  • 5/5 caz W. 3 months ago on Google • 2 reviews New
    Carlos garçon was brilliant - very entertaining and attentive. The food was in general was lovely (see photos attached). Lovely spot overlooking the Christmas market
    1 person found this review helpful 👍

  • 5/5 Kassandra Y. 2 months ago on Google • 2 reviews New
    Amazing food and staff ! Carlos and Rick were amazing. Honestly the best octopus I ever had. Perfect americano to end off the meal. Will definitely be back!


Call +351 21 346 0579 Open on Google Maps

Amenities


  • Payments
    • ✓️ Debit cards
    • ✓️ Credit cards
    • ✓️ NFC mobile payments
  • Offerings
    • ✓️ Beer
    • ✓️ Wine
    • ✓️ Coffee
    • ✓️ Alcohol
    • ✓️ Cocktails
    • ✓️ Hard liquor
    • ✓️ Small plates
    • ✓️ Late-night food
  • Accessibility
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible seating
    • ✓️ Wheelchair accessible entrance
  • Dining options
    • ✓️ Lunch
    • ✓️ Brunch
    • ✓️ Dinner
    • ✓️ Dessert
    • ✓️ Seating
    • ✓️ Breakfast
  • Service options
    • ✓️ Dine-in
    • ✗ Delivery
    • ✓️ Outdoor seating

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