Good, simple booze by good, simple people, with excellent music
€€
Travessa da, R. Ribeira Nova 30
Cais do Sodré
916 225 600, website
Tue – Thu, 18h – 2h; Fri – Sat, 18h – 3h; Sun, 18h – 2h
Francisco gets the best alcohol, makes his own syrups, and finds the freshest herbs and fruits. He’s also constantly creating cocktails, knows the classics very well (we have followed him to his third bar now because of his extra dry martinis), and on top of it all always has excellent music, be it by a live band that he’ll occasionally join or whatever he and his helpers throw on the stereo. Many people stick with the beer and wine here, because Palheta doesn’t charge tourist prices, unlike many of their neighbors. But the cocktails here are always top notch and delivered without the hocus-pocus bullshit that is so common in most cocktail bars in this city. It’s particularly impressive considering that the bottle selection isn’t huge — just the good stuff and none of the hype, basically.
