Memmo Alfama

Our Take on Memmo Alfama

The setting is the defining feature. The terrace sits at such a height and angle that it captures the castle across the valley, while remaining high enough above the mediaeval street grid that you cannot hear the traffic below. On a clear evening at 6:30pm, the quality of light is remarkable. The sun hits the castle walls at an angle that makes the stone glow. The sky above Alfama is still bright but deepens rapidly to purple and then black. This is the hour between day and night when the castle lights activate and the city below comes alive.

The bar holds fado listening evenings on Thursday nights, where a guitarist and vocalist perform from 7pm. There is no cover charge, but tables fill within 20 minutes of doors opening. Fado is not performative here. It is an intimate art form delivered to 30 people in close quarters. The bartender is gracious and attentive. The drinks are well-made if not revolutionary. This is a setting bar more than a cocktail bar.

Memmo is more expensive than most Lisbon bars. Cocktails start at 14 euros. But the setting justifies every cent. The editors recommend it as the first choice for anyone visiting Lisbon on a special date night occasion. See also the full rooftop bar guide for Lisbon and compare with Park Bar for a different rooftop experience. Read the best rooftop bars in Lisbon editorial for more context.

The Memmo is not a bar you go to for cocktails alone. You go for the moment. You go to witness the castle light up. You go for conversation in a setting that invites reverence. That is increasingly rare.