Restaurateur Ana Sofia Lopes' Guide to Black-Owned Lisbon
Born and raised in Lisbon, Portugal, Ana Sofia is the Cape Verdean owner of Sofia’s Place, a trendy restaurant situated in the heart of São Bento. The youngest of five children, Sofia was raised to appreciate her African heritage through art, gastronomy, and music. Ultimately, this appreciation for her culture is what inspired Sofia to open her restaurant.
“I’m not a chef, nor do I want to be one,” she says. “I love to cook—and I’m a great host and manager.” Once a month, the restaurant hosts an event called Diaspora Fridays, when Sofia showcases the work of a guest chef or cook, each of whom brings a cuisine from a different part of the African diaspora. “Sofia’s Place has many colors. It’s a place of gathering. It’s a place for our people. It’s for us and by us,” she explains. “Of course, other nations are welcome as well, but we need a place for us … a sophisticated environment that is still homey, welcoming, and full of gratitude and love.”
Here, Sofia shares her best tips for getting to the heart of Black-owned Lisbon.
Where to stay in Lisbon
Lisbon is known for its delectable food and its breathtaking views. If you’re looking for luxury, the best hotels are along Avenida de Liberdade. Other good options for hotels and rentals include Cais do Sodré, Baixa, Chiado, Saldanha, São Sebastião, and the lovely Cascais area. Each of these areas also offers plenty of places to eat, drink, explore, and party.
For more of a local experience, head to the bustling streets of Alfama, Alameda, or Anjos. These lively, charismatic neighborhoods offer a relatively easy commute to downtown as well as a multicultural, homey feel.
What to see and do in Lisbon
According to Sofia, there are great ways to experience Black culture in Lisbon, particularly if you venture outside the city center—and she recommends embracing them all. She compares the idea to heading to Harlem in New York City, instead of spending time in Lower Manhattan. Immerse yourself in neighborhoods—like the ones found in the municipalities of Amadora and Oeiras—where tourists can intermingle with both Afropolitan expats and locals, take in the breathtaking architecture, and spend time exploring the art galleries, museums, restaurants, and bars.
“If you enjoy art, you can head to the eclectic Marvila neighborhood to peruse galleries, cafés, music venues, and more,” she suggests. If you enjoy walking, head to the waterfront for a beautiful view of the Tagus River, the Cristo Rei Christ Statue, and the Ponte de 25 Abril—which bears a striking resemblance to San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. You can also dine at one of the many cafés located at the Praça do Comércio. Alternatively, if you want to shop, head to Colombo, one of the largest malls in Europe.
You can also immerse yourself in the Portuguese experience in Alfama, the historical center of Lisbon. During the day, you can tour the Castelo São Jorge and walk down to the Miradouro de Santa Luzia to watch the sunset. At night, let the scent of Portuguese food guide you through the alleyways, stopping for some wine and to see a performance of fado, a traditional style of Portuguese singing known for its melancholy lyrics.
Where to eat and drink in Lisbon
One of the best ways to experience the city’s Black culture is through its restaurants, and Sofia offers a number of recommendations. “Of course, you must visit me at Sofia’s Place, but I have my favorites as well,” she says, before suggesting the bar-restaurants Tabernáculo by Hernâni Miguel (for food from Guinea-Bissau) and Social B Lisboa (for cuisine from Mozambique), as well as Mambo’s (which offers dishes from Angola, Cape Verde, and Senegal).
If you’re searching for an alternative to the bars and clubs of the infamous Pink Street, look no further than the lesser known, but more enchanting Green Street, a festive side street lined with multi-cultural restaurants and shops.
Other Black-owned businesses in Lisbon
If you’re looking for other Black-owned businesses in the city, a good place to start is with the city’s nightlife options. For an Afro-Latin experience, head to the warehouse club of B.Leza for kizomba and semba, dances and music genres hailing from Angola. If you’re interested in listening to the rhythmic sounds of live music while dining on African food, try Djairsound in Santos.
Sofia is also happy to help visitors find other spots around the city. “If you would like to connect on a deeper level and learn about Afropolitans in Lisbon, visit me at Sofia’s Place," Sofia offers. "I’ll gladly arrange dinners, set up appointments for beauty treatments, and showcase many other places here in the community."
You can also check out Mariama Injai’s website Nô Bai, which highlights Black-owned businesses throughout Portugal.
Black history in Portugal
Portugal has acknowledged little of its troubling role as the initiator of the 16th-century transatlantic slave trade, but to learn about that side of the country’s history, you can search out tours, like the African Lisbon Tour offered by local activist Naky Gaglo (primarily known as just “Naky”), that illuminate the impact West Africans have had on Portuguese society.
For centuries, Africans have had a strong presence in all echelons of Portuguese society and African cultures and customs have been heavily integrated into Portuguese society through food, art, music, dance, and textiles.
However, many people of color still cannot imagine being able to start a business in an exclusive Lisbon neighborhood. A few restaurants, like Sofia’s Place, are paving the way. “I’m especially proud of securing a location in São Bento because my parents met there—and the Cape Verdean community was prominent in the 1970s,” Sofia gushes. For her, it’s imperative to show people how high a little girl from the streets of Alta de Santa Catarina (a low-income neighborhood in Oeiras) can soar—and to demonstrate to other entrepreneurs that with perseverance and support from the community, they can do it, too.
More ways to explore Lisbon
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