Restaurants

Saturday mornings see Portobello Road’s market-goers queue down the street for this café’s famed pastéis de nata (custard tarts) and bicas (espressos). High-quality coffee is a Portuguese staple, and Lisboa’s bica holds the Ladbroke Grove crown. With limited seating, this cultural hotspot is used predominantly as a takeaway, but it’s a shame not to linger here and take in the well-aged charm (including a grand blue and white tiled mural of Lisbon). An imposing glass counter fills much of the interior, stacked high with fresh sandwiches and pastries, along with sweets made mostly from egg yolks and sugar. In summer, outdoor seating is in great demand, but if you’re lucky enough to bag a chair, soak up the noisy Portuguese chatter, close your eyes and bite into a creamy custard tart. You might be in Belem.

Time Out Eating & Drinking Guide 2008