Sip your manhattan in this speakeasy, if you can get a table.
€€
Alto de São Francisco, 21A
Rato
+351 213 852 851, website
Mon – Thu, 18h – 02h; Fri – Sat, 21h – 03h; Sun, closed
Opened in 1972, this is the grandfather of the iconic Foxtrot Bar and Pavilhão Chinês — all opened by the same brilliant, tasteful gentleman, Sr. Pinto Coelho. According to his daughter Maria João who currently owns Procopio, he “opened [it] in 1972, Parodia in 1975, Foxtrot in 1978, and Pavilhão Chinês in 1986. The type of decoration he did on each one is the same.” With an impressive drink menu and accompanying tostas, this cozy art nouveau bar is a delight for the senses. An old piano serves as the focal point, and in the winter months, the crackling of the fireplace doubles the charm inside while the cobblestone travessa garden adds more seating to the bar when it gets a little too crowded, which is the case more often than not.
