
Café Saudade
A historic Sintra cafe in a former cake factory, offering hearty meals, delightful pastries, and a warm, nostalgic atmosphere with exceptionally frien...

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Café Saudade

Highlights
Must-see attractions
A historic Sintra cafe in a former cake factory, offering hearty meals, delightful pastries, and a warm, nostalgic atmosphere with exceptionally friendly service.
"This is one of the best cafes in the heart of Sintra, with great options and a lovely atmosphere."
Fuel Up Before Exploring
Enjoy hearty breakfast meals here before tackling Sintra's steep hills. Great for a filling start to your day.
Must-Try Pastries
Don't miss the traditional pastel de nata, often served with a sprinkle of cinnamon, and the generously sized scones.

Quick Facts
Cuisine
Cafe
Price
Mid-range
Phone
+351 21 242 8804
Address
Av. Dr. Miguel Bombarda 6, 2710-590 Sintra, Portugal
Highlights
Discover the most iconic attractions and experiences

Generous Portions of Delicious Food
Indulge in hearty, nutritious meals with portions so large they're 'Texas sized' and amusingly surprising!

Heavenly Pastries & Excellent Teas
Savor traditional Portuguese pastries like pastel de nata and delightful scones, perfectly paired with a wide tea selection.

Cozy, Nostalgic Atmosphere
Experience genuine hospitality in a cozy, creatively decorated space that feels like a warm hug with historical charm.
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Insider Tips
from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit
Fuel Up Before Exploring
Enjoy hearty breakfast meals here before tackling Sintra's steep hills. Great for a filling start to your day.
Must-Try Pastries
Don't miss the traditional pastel de nata, often served with a sprinkle of cinnamon, and the generously sized scones.
Share the Generous Portions
Sandwiches and scones are famously large; consider sharing to enjoy a variety of offerings or manage portions.
Check for Events
This creative hub sometimes hosts free concerts and exhibitions, adding a cultural layer to your visit.
Tips
from all over the internet
Fuel Up Before Exploring
Enjoy hearty breakfast meals here before tackling Sintra's steep hills. Great for a filling start to your day.
Must-Try Pastries
Don't miss the traditional pastel de nata, often served with a sprinkle of cinnamon, and the generously sized scones.
Share the Generous Portions
Sandwiches and scones are famously large; consider sharing to enjoy a variety of offerings or manage portions.
Check for Events
This creative hub sometimes hosts free concerts and exhibitions, adding a cultural layer to your visit.
What Travellers Say
Reviews Summary
Café Saudade is lauded for its incredibly generous portions of delicious and nutritious meals, as well as its excellent selection of teas and coffee. Diners consistently praise the genuinely friendly staff and the cozy, nostalgic atmosphere that makes the cafe feel like a warm embrace. While overwhelmingly positive, some guests note that the wait can be a bit long during peak times due to its popularity.
"This is such an amazing place to have great meals, healthy and nutritious. Their portions are very generous. The food is tasty, delicious and satisfying. Then we came back for tea (great selection of teas) and cakes and by the way the coffee is excellent. The staff really connect with you and they made our visit memorable. What an incredible atmosphere. Very grateful. Thank you."
Raffaella Russignaga
"My husband and I stopped here for a quick breakfast on our day trip to Sintra as it's conveniently located close to the train station. We were seated at a back room as space was limited.
My best memory however was the large portion sizes of the sandwiches 😀 which tasted great as well. The wait was a tad longer maybe because of the crowd that day but we enjoyed our experience anyway. We even overheard other people in the room express their happy shock when receiving their huge sandwiches as well and joined in for a laugh 😅"
Shannon Day
"This is one of the best cafés in the heart of Sintra. They have great options, both food and drinks. I highly recommend the scones, teas, and milkshakes. The atmosphere is lovely, and the different rooms are beautiful, which is why it’s so popular with tourists. Parking can be tricky, but it’s definitely a must-visit spot for anyone coming to Sintra."
JP
What People Like
What People Dislike
Frequently Asked Questions
Cafe Saudade is renowned for its incredibly generous portion sizes, delicious and nutritious meals, and its wide selection of teas and pastries, especially the pastel de nata and scones.
Yes, Cafe Saudade offers gluten-free options, including bread, and also has vegetarian choices on its menu.
The cafe boasts a cozy, nostalgic atmosphere with vibrant decor, historic charm, and is known for its exceptionally friendly staff, making it a warm and welcoming spot.
Parking in Sintra can be tricky, but Cafe Saudade is conveniently located near the train station, making it accessible by public transport.
Cafe Saudade typically opens around 8:00 AM, making it a great spot for early risers, though it's closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Absolutely! The portions, especially for sandwiches and scones, are very generous and often recommended for sharing.
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Morning: Start your day at Café Saudade, just a few meters from Sintra train station. This small cafe, serving homemade chocolate cake that is a real treat, is full of soul, with antique furniture and vintage decorations. From there, head to the historic center, visit craft stores like Bazar Sintra, and try the famous travesseiros at the 1862 pastry shop Casa Piriquita.
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Café Saudade, a former cake factory on Avenida Miguel Bombarda, serves as a creative hub, offering free concerts, exhibitions by local artists and even a knitting club. Restaurant A Raposa (Rua Conde Ferreira, 29) looks more film set than dining room, with its petal-strewn central table, handpainted ceiling and lace place settings.
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A short stroll downhill from the train station, this cozy spot has marble-topped tables and an elaborately decorated ceiling. It serves delicious scones, cakes, and pastries in a setting that evokes the grandeur of another era. The strong coffee and hearty breakfasts are good fuel for a day climbing the town's steep hills.
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Where Cafe Saudade now stands, there used to be housed the historical Queijadas da Mathilde cheesecake factory from 1888 to 1974.These queijadas de Sintra (cheesecakes) were a favorite of King Ferdinand II (who restored the Pena Palace). During the 3rd quarter of the 19th century, the king gave the factory founder a stamp marked Mathilde, to brand the cheesecakes bound for the royal family.The Cafe Saudade was restored and preserved over a year long renovation in 2008 and opened in the summer of 2009. Recycled and regional materials and resources were used to create an environment that authentic.
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Café Saudade 00 351 21 242 8804 is set in the bakery that once furnished King Ferdinand II with queijadas (cakes made with soft cheese).Today, the charming spot is a great place to pop in to for a café con leche or light lunch. A little outside of Sintra, beachfront restaurant Azenhas do Mar azenhasdomar.com serves the freshest fish. Try lobster with shell fish risotto or cod à lagareiro (in olive oil) with a glass from nearby Regional de Colares Winery.
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For a more contemporary and laid-back experience, head to Café Saudade, a spacious and beautifully restored 19th-century building turned café. Here, you’ll find a combination of warm ambiance, creative décor, and a delightful selection of both Portuguese and international sweets. The café’s name, saudade, evokes that deeply Portuguese feeling of longing and nostalgia—a fitting sentiment for a place that celebrates the joy of slow living and indulgence.
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Café Saudade is a well-rated family breakfast spot in an old building on the cobbled streets leading up to the historic heart of Sintra. Basically, you leave the train station or the parking area right at the base of the hill and start the slow incline up to the sights. Then, there it is, spilling out onto its own patio terrace with its taupe-painted façade, blooms of pink flowers, and age-stained iron balustrades marking the windows above.
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Founded in the early 20th century by a local family, Cafe Saudade has remained a beloved gathering spot for generations of Sintra residents. Its name, meaning “nostalgia” in Portuguese, reflects the café’s commitment to preserving the town’s rich heritage while offering a warm welcome to visitors from near and far. This café’s vibrant decor, adorned with colorful tiles and eclectic furnishings, captures the essence of Portuguese culture.
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Dr. Miguel Bombarda, just steps from Sintra station, Saudade offers a delightful breakfast experience that locals and travelers cherish. You’ll find this charming café opens at 8:00 AM (except Mondays and Tuesdays), perfect for early risers keen to fuel up before exploring Sintra’s wonders. The menu caters to all dietary needs with standout Iberico sandwiches and fresh pastries, including gluten-free options that don’t sacrifice flavor.
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Spacious and very clean room and bathroom, lovely and very helpful staff, reasonable rates, great breakfast served at their nearby restaurant Cafe Saudade, and, complimentary port all day in the nice living room of the inn!. I especially enjoyed dinner at the new restaurant Incomum, almost across the street from the inn. A pleasant ten-minute walk to the center of town, past traditional and modern art, parks, etc.
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If you're in search of a cozy café that offers a respite from your explorations, Café Saudade is the perfect spot. Known for its welcoming atmosphere and friendly staff, this charming establishment is renowned for its freshly brewed coffee and delectable pastries. Treat yourself to a traditional pastel de nata, a creamy custard tart with a crisp, flaky crust, paired with a rich cup of Portuguese coffee.
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Não é novo, mas os scones gigantes, os parfaits de iogurte, muesli e fruta, as torradas em pão de passas ou pão de centeio orgânico produzido em Sintra e os bolos, todos os bolos, continuam a merecer o nosso amor e fidelidade. É um dos cafés mais acolhedores da vila de Sintra. Fica numa antiga fábrica de queijadas, tem um pé direito alto com um tecto trabalhado e paredes cheias de andorinhas.
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A relaxed café-restaurant close to Sintra train station, that is perfect for breakfast, brunch or afternoon tea. Located in a beautiful old converted house that transports you to another time, offering simple, home made food including hearty toasted sandwiches, salads, and a good brunch menu and selection of herbal and organic fresh teas to accompany Mathilde’s infamous cheesecake.
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Well, Café Saudade has an array of amazing cakes, salads, and pastries which includes gluten-free and vegan options too!. However, it’s the apple pie that has left us speechless. Made of big chunks of fresh apples, condensed milk, and a whole lot of other (secret) ingredients–we suspect cinnamon and lemon play a part–this is a marvelous pie with a crunchy cookie base.
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Saudade ontleent zijn naam aan de beroemde onvertaalbare Portugese term die "ontbrekend" of "verlangen" benadert. Uitstekend geschikt voor lunches, het gebouw zelf is een plaats van historisch belang en is opgericht als een gespecialiseerde bakkerij voor de 19e-eeuwse koning Ferdinand II, een
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Café Saudade is a gem of a cafe in Sintra that serves the area’s best coffee and sandwiches. Like Cafe Majestic in Porto or Pasteis de Belem in Lisbon, it offers the quintessential Portuguese café experience. Thus, it’s a great place to linger and enjoy the ambiance.
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This whimsical café in a former cheesecake factory captures Sintra's bohemian spirit. Giant scones, hearty brunches, and walls covered in vintage posters create an atmosphere that attracts artists and writers. The connection to Sintra's cultural history runs deep.
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Our sandwiches were tasty but the dish was overpriced with no side included. And for espresso coffee lovers, the coffees were watery and bitter, and the milk was poorly foamed. I was happy they had gluten free bread for the sandwich, it was delicious!
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Saudade is a lovely cafe with beautiful rooms and delicious food. Decor is cute and colorful and the overall ambiance can be described as "homey". Conveniently located near the Sintra train station, Saudade offers guests a perfect start to their day.
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With an amazing choice of pastries, yogurts, coffees, paninis and salads, you won’t leave here hungry. This is a great place for breakfast or a light lunch. While I didn’t see a kids menu, there were plenty of options that children would like.
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Lays in the entrance of the village and it’s a must see spot, for brunch or just to have a little (not so little) afternoon snack!. Everybody in Sintra knows this place and loves it!. A master piece that you really need to appreciate.
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If you arrive in Sintra by train, follow the crowd to Cafe Saudade. It is a great place any time of day for dessert, coffee, and amazing small plates. It is located in a vintage cake factory that was in operation from 1888-1974.
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There are restaurants serving typical Sintra cuisine, such as Café Saudade, Taverna dos Trovadores or Estefanea Café, which also have live music and a cosy atmosphere.
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While you can enjoy the free wifi and share a picture on your socials!. Cafe Saudade offers many vegetarian options and also serve soy, oat and almond drinks.
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from TikTok, Instagram & Reddit