What does a local breakfast look like in Lisbon?
A proper Lisbon breakfast is quick, standing up, and taken at a counter. Order a *bica* — a short, intense espresso — and a *torrada*, which is thick sliced bread toasted and slathered with enough butter that it soaks through, or a *pastel de nata* if you want something sweet. Locals do not linger over elaborate spreads; this is fuel consumed in under ten minutes before work. Almost any neighborhood café will do this well for under two euros total. In Mouraria or Intendente, you will find older tascas where the ritual feels unchanged for decades. Avoid the tourist-facing spots around Praça do Comércio, which charge three times as much for the same thing served with considerably less character. Some cafés also offer *pão com manteiga* — simple bread and butter — or a *meia de leite*, a milkier coffee closer to a flat white, for those who find the bica too aggressive first thing in the morning.
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