Thin-crust pizza, five-napkin burgers, and yummy minestrone served by waiters in pink suspenders
€€
Avenida 24 de Julho, 50
Santos
+351 213 901 641, website
Mon – Wed, 12h – 15h30, 19h30 – 24h; Thu – Sat, 12h – 18h30, 19h30 – 1h; Sun, 12h – 15h30, 19h30 – 24h
Popolo is the ideal place to eat, for lunch or dinner, when you’re not sure what you really want, because everything is pretty damn good here. Authentic Italian it is not — the menu mixes Italian appetizers and pizzas with decidedly U.S.-inspired hamburgers — but fear not. For the light eaters, the minestrone soup here is one of the best in Lisbon and the salads refreshing, crisp, and satisfying. The pizzas are baked perfectly every time, which is amazing considering the number of people here during most hours of the day. And the chef clearly has a love affair with the hamburger, because the ones here are done with the sort of tender care that usually comes with a 15€+ price tag (here, they start at 7,30€). You’ll either love or hate the spacious modernist interior, but the sidewalk tables are charmingly no-frills and perfect for a group of friends or a big, loud family. You’ll have no problem blending in if you’re alone, too. The waiters deserve kudos for handling heavy traffic without losing their charm, and you’ll probably want to forgive them even if it takes them a bit longer than you like to fetch you a glass of wine sometimes.
