Restaurants and Cafés

This café has not changed its name since being founded by the original Nicola, originally from Italy, in 1787. It was a regular of one of Portugal's leading 19th century literary figures, the poet Manuel Maria Barbosa du Bocage (1766-1805). When sick and poor in the later years of his life, he would end up owing his survival to its then owner, José Pedro Silva. The refurbishment carried out in 1935 by the architect Raul Tojal has gone unchanged ever since. Inside, there are several oil paintings by Fernando Santos depicting scenes from the life of Bocage. The Café Nicola has a deserved reputation for its excellent steaks topped with a fried egg.