A Brasileira: Lisbon’s Café and Fernando Pessoa

On Rua Garrett, the steep shopping street that runs through Lisbon’s Chiado district, a bronze man in a fedora sits at a café table on the pavement, legs crossed, with an empty chair beside him. Tourists queue to sit in it. He’s Fernando Pessoa, Portugal’s most famous modern poet, and the café behind him is A Brasileira. Opened in 1905 to sell Brazilian coffee, it became a meeting place for Lisbon’s writers and modernist painters, and today it’s one of the most photographed cafés in Europe.

Here’s the history of A Brasileira in Lisbon, the real story of its Pessoa connection, the bica legend, and how to enjoy a visit without the tourist-trap feeling.

Key takeaways

• A Brasileira opened on Rua Garrett in Chiado in November 1905, founded by Adriano Telles to sell coffee from Brazil.
• Its interior was turned into a café from 1908 and redesigned in 1922; by 1925 it displayed works by Portugal’s new modernist painters.
• Fernando Pessoa was a regular, and a bronze statue of him by Lagoa Henriques has sat outside since 1988.
• A popular story says the bica (Lisbon’s espresso) was born here; the origin of the word is debated.

In this article

1. History of A Brasileira, Lisbon
2. Fernando Pessoa and the statue
3. The bica story
4. Visiting today
5. FAQ

History of A Brasileira, Lisbon

A coffee shop for Brazilian coffee (1905)

Adriano Telles had made his fortune in the coffee trade in Brazil before returning to Portugal. According to Lojas com História, the Lisbon city program that recognizes historic shops, he first opened a shop in Porto and, two years later, in 1905, opened the Lisbon branch in Chiado, in a space that had been a shirt maker’s. Wikipedia gives the opening date as 19 November 1905.

It started as a shop, not a café. Telles imported coffee from Minas Gerais, at a time when drinking coffee at home wasn’t yet common in Lisbon, along with Brazilian products such as guava paste and tapioca. To win customers over, he gave away coffee: Wikipedia says buyers of a kilo of ground coffee received a free cup, and the historic shops register describes a long period when drinking coffee there was free. Either way, tasting was the sales pitch.

From shop to café (1908 and 1922)

In 1908 the space was remodeled into a café, designed by the architect Norte Júnior, and coffee began to be sold by the cup. A further redesign in 1922 under José Pacheco gave the café much of the look visitors still see: a green and gold entrance, mirrored walls, brass fittings, an oak bar, wooden booths and a clock at the far end.

A gallery of modernist art (1925)

By 1925, the walls carried a collection of paintings by a new generation of Portuguese artists who frequented the café, including José de Almada Negreiros, Eduardo Viana, António Soares, Jorge Barradas, Bernardo Marques, José Pacheco and Stuart Carvalhais. Critics were not impressed at first, but the works later grew in value. The originals were sold in 1969, and the collection was renewed in 1971 with works by later painters.

Fernando Pessoa and the statue

Fernando Pessoa (1888–1935) wrote under dozens of invented personas he called heteronyms, and he earned his living for years as a commercial correspondent and translator. A Brasileira was one of his regular haunts, along with other Chiado and Baixa cafés.

Here’s a detail many visitors don’t know: Wikipedia notes that Pessoa’s favorite café was actually Martinho da Arcada, on the Praça do Comércio. A Brasileira got the statue, but Martinho da Arcada can claim his favorite table.

The bronze statue, by sculptor Lagoa Henriques, was placed on the terrace in 1988, the centenary of Pessoa’s birth. The historic shops register calls it the most photographed bronze sculpture in the country. The empty chair is part of the design: you’re invited to sit with him.

The bica story

In Lisbon, a small espresso is called a bica. A Brasileira is often credited as the first place to sell it. A popular story says the café hung a sign reading “Beba Isto Com Açúcar” (“drink this with sugar”), to persuade customers to try the strong, unfamiliar coffee, and that the initials B-I-C-A became the name. Lojas com História notes that the origin of the word is debated; another explanation links it to bica, the word for a spout or tap. Treat the acronym as a charming legend.

For more on how to order and drink coffee in Portugal, including the bica, read our guide to Portuguese coffee and the bica.

A Brasileira timeline

Visiting A Brasileira today

• Where: Rua Garrett, Chiado, near Baixa-Chiado metro station.
• Hours: Lojas com História lists it as open daily from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.; check before you go.
• Stand at the bar: a bica at the counter is the local way, usually quicker and cheaper than table service on the terrace.
• Look up and around: the mirrors, carved wood and paintings are the reason to step inside, not just photograph the statue.
• Go early: the terrace and the statue are busiest from late morning.
• Pair it: a custard tart goes perfectly with a bica. If you’re heading west, read about Pastéis de Belém.

A taste of Brazil at home

A Brasileira was built on Brazilian coffee, and a Brazilian bean is still the classic base for a short, sweet Portuguese-style shot. Our Brazil Santos is a smooth, balanced medium roast with cocoa, roasted nut and low acidity, and a fantastic espresso base. For something closer to the darker café style, try Italian Roast, our darkest, with thick crema, or the Latin American Blend, a medium-dark roast of Central and South American coffees with a gentle cocoa finish. Order ground for espresso if you use a moka pot or machine.

A Brasileira FAQ

When did A Brasileira open?

The Lisbon café opened in November 1905 on Rua Garrett in Chiado.

Why is Fernando Pessoa’s statue at A Brasileira?

Pessoa was a regular at the café, part of Chiado’s literary scene. The bronze by Lagoa Henriques was installed in 1988, the centenary of his birth.

Did A Brasileira invent the bica?

It’s often credited with being the first to sell it, and the “Beba Isto Com Açúcar” acronym is a popular story. The word’s true origin is debated.

Is A Brasileira worth visiting?

Yes, for the interior, the history and a quick bica at the bar. Expect crowds on the terrace.

Why is it called A Brasileira?

“The Brazilian” in Portuguese, a reference to the Brazilian coffee it was founded to sell.

Sources

1. Café A Brasileira, Wikipedia
2. A Brasileira, Lojas com História (Lisbon historic shops program)

Facts checked in October 2026.

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