Café Nicola

Nicola and its grand façade have been here since 1929, but occupy the site of a famous 18th-century café where poet Manuel Maria Barbosa du Bocage held court (his statue is still toasted nightly). In the 20th century, Nicola was a centre for political intrigue, with the dictatorship's secret police assigned to keep tabs on would-be agitators. Its marble, steel and glass interior is the result of a 1990s renovation, but the paintings are 1935 originals by Fernando Santos.