Pavilhão Chinês

Enjoy retro cocktails in one of the world’s most bizarre bar interiors.

The most famous of the bars created by the late Lisbon bar maven Luis Pinto Coelho, Pavilhão Chinês opened in 1986 in a building dating back to 1901, and remains a city landmark.

Cabinets of curiosities extend from the floor to the towering ceiling, while the five distinct rooms are adorned with everything from doll’s heads to antique train sets to full-size mannequins clad for the Changing of the Guard. Every available surface, including ceilings, carpets and chairs, is a riot of colour, while the whole space feels more like walking onto a film set than entering a bar.

The substantial, art-deco menu is, like the waistcoat-clad bartenders, a trip back in time, with Alexanders and Grasshoppers aplenty alongside Rob Roys and blue curaçao creations. While nobody comes here for the drinks, the bartenders know their stuff and serve their retro mixes with balance and dignity.