💡 A regular espresso in Lisbon is called uma bica, and in general um café; coffee with milk in a glass is um galão.
💡 In pastelarias you're often offered to have a pastry or toast warmed up - be ready for this question.
💡 If you don't know the name, just point and say Este aqui - "This one".
💡 In many cafés the price at a table on the terrace can be a little higher than at the counter.
💡 In small cafés you often pay at the till or counter, rather than wait for the bill at the table.
💡 Mais alguma coisa? - one of the most common questions in Portugal: in cafés, shops, pharmacies. Learn to recognise it in all its versions.
💡 Breakfast is pequeno-almoço; buttered toast is a torrada, and a hot sandwich is a tosta.
💡 Plant milk in Portugal is often called bebida: bebida de soja, bebida de aveia.
💡 In pastelarias you often order and pay at the counter, and in cafés with waiters at the table. If in doubt, just ask.
💡 A NIF on the receipt is not compulsory - you can simply decline.
💡 Wi-Fi is pronounced "wy-fy" here, and the password is often called by the English word password.
💡 Cakes to order at a pastelaria usually need to be ordered a few days ahead.
💡 The shortest greeting on a cake is Parabéns! ("Congratulations!"); it's also what people say aloud for a birthday.
💡 The café terrace is a esplanada; there you're often served by a waiter, so you can sit down and wait.
💡 A sandwich is often called sandes here; prego is a steak roll, bifana a pork one.
💡 When answering the phone, Portuguese people often say Estou? or Estou, sim? - it's like "Hello?".
💡 In many restaurants you wait for the waiter to show you a table instead of sitting down yourself.
💡 Many restaurants offer a prato do dia or menu do dia at lunch - a dish of the day at a fixed price, often with a drink and coffee.
💡 The bread, olives and pâtés brought before your order (couvert) are usually charged for if you eat them. You can politely decline.
💡 Waiters are used to questions about allergens - ask directly, it's normal.
💡 Bife is steak; bem passado - well done, mal passado - rare.
💡 Portuguese restaurants are usually very welcoming to children - just ask for a high chair.
💡 The polite Desculpe, mas… ("Sorry, but…") is the best way to start any complaint.
💡 Tipping in Portugal is not obligatory: people often just leave small change or round the amount up.
💡 To take away in Portuguese is para levar; many people also say it in English: take-away.