Over the last decade Lisbon has become one of Europe’s most exciting cities for a good cocktail. We picked six addresses with very different personalities — and at the end we explain one detail good bartenders never compromise on: the ice.
Note: this is an editorial selection. The bars mentioned are not necessarily Iceology customers.
1. Red Frog — the award-winning speakeasy
On Praça da Alegria you ring a bell beneath a red frog to enter a lounge inspired by American Prohibition. Red Frog was No. 40 on The World’s 50 Best Bars 2022 and is known for creative twists on classics.
2. Monkey Mash — contemporary tiki
At the same Praça da Alegria address, Monkey Mash blends the tropical spirit of tiki with modern lab techniques, focusing on sugarcane and agave spirits. A bright space with murals and plenty of greenery.
3. Toca da Raposa — local and foraged ingredients
Between Chiado and Bairro Alto, on Rua da Condessa, Constança Cordeiro’s bar focuses on seasonal, local and foraged ingredients. Deceptively simple-looking cocktails with lots of complexity in the glass.
4. Imprensa — cocktails and oysters
In Príncipe Real, on Rua da Imprensa Nacional, the cocktails are named after typefaces and the menu includes oysters and seafood. A good pick for drinks with a bite.
5. Pavilhão Chinês — a collector’s classic
On Rua Dom Pedro V, a former grocery turned bar, with several rooms filled with antique collections. More than a craft cocktail bar, it is an essential Lisbon experience.
6. Foxtrot — art deco with decades of history
On Travessa de Santa Teresa in Príncipe Real, Foxtrot has been an institution for more than forty years: art deco interiors, low light and classic cocktails.
The ingredient that is not on the menu: ice
Every good bar follows an unwritten rule: ice matters as much as the spirit. A shaken or stirred cocktail relies on ice to chill and dilute just right; an Old Fashioned served over a large clear cube stays balanced far longer than one with small, cloudy ice.
- Dense, clear ice dilutes more slowly and predictably.
- Purified water ensures a neutral taste.
- The right formats — cubes for shaking, spheres and large cubes for spirits, crushed ice for juleps and tiki.
Read more about why good ice is transparent. Run a bar or restaurant? Explore our Hoshizaki craft ice range and talk to us.
Information checked in September 2026. Addresses and opening hours may change — confirm with each bar before visiting.
