Café Santa Cruz

It's a nice place for breakfast, lunch or dinner. During the night there is live music. Be aware that they don't accept cards but there is an ATM nearby. It has a nice architecture, the prices are not bad, they have a variety of options, the staff are friendly and you can sit outside.

The service was amazing - I loved how friendly our waiter (Costa) was, always charming and quick with a smile. The food was delicious and while there was a limited menu, what we had we enjoyed. The look of the place was splendiferous and everyone was so happy. We would love to go there everyday.
- review by my 7yo daughter

A cafe located in a former church with a nice menu and service, great views from the cafe terrace and daily evening vado concerts.

The cafe is located in the city center, next to the Santa Cruz Church.
We were on Friday evening - we got to a live performance of the male fado. It looked like half of the city's residents were there... The service is in the good old style - the waiter writes down the order on a piece of paper, only cash for payment. We liked it, we took wine, a cheese plate, croissants.

The environment is 6 stars - one of my favourite historical places to drink a coffee and eat a Pastel de Nata. Just get a table, relax, envoy the environment and admire the architecture. Cheers!

I just had a drink here but it was very atmospheric to look out over the square and see what was happening there. The cafe is next to the monastery so there's also the opportunity to inspect the architecture of this beautiful building.

It is located at the centre of the town at Praca 8 Maio and next to the Igreja Santa Cruz. Local@beer is good and croissants with Ham and cheese are tasty.

Good place old in coimbra
For couple amazing calm
To relax 😌

Beautiful place, with atmosphere and charisma. The service was okay, but we were quite a big group so cant blame the service as we might been difficult and that might have been very loud.

Really nice place to enjoy Fado at 6pm. Amazing!

This cafe on the walking street and just adjacent to Igreja de Santa Cruz. The cafe itself is in a historic building which is visible by its ceiling. It has a beg terrace too. We just visited for drinks on a hot summer afternoon. The staff is helpful and we chose a local beer on his recommendation. Enjoyed the time with beautiful view of the Igreja.

Dating back to 1923 this cafe is situated in part of the original Church of Santa Cruz.The architecture is impressive and a visit is highly recommended.Unlike the Majestic in Porto, for example, this is not a tourist trap but a genuine cafe serving snacks and great coffee. I had not visited here since 2009 but am glad to say it retains its place as my most favorite cafe in Coimbra.

My kinda place! Art Nouveau building with drinks and Fado. What else could you ask for?

Good place for a snack while visiting Coimbra. The prices are good and the location is great. Plus, the building conveys the historic roots it has. The service is super friendly and they’re happy to help as-needed.

Great cafe for some snacks and wine/beer/coffee/tea while taking in a free Fado show. Shows start at 9, and you could still find seats when the show started. Centrally located, it is a converted chapel that has retained much of its character. We found the acoustics were great for this type of show.

Very beautiful café and great service! We would definitely recommend dropping by at 18:00 for the Fado representation. The one we were able to experience was incredibly charming. The coffee was, as in the rest of Portugal, excellent and the Bifana was also very good. We even came back the next day, as the atmosphere is stunning.

Inaugurated in 1923, this cafe-restaurant that celebrates the history of Coimbra occupies the old parish church of Saint John of the Cross. It was built in 1539. The Café Santa Cruz is located next to the church of the same name, in front of the square Oito de Maio. Do not be surprised if here, at dusk, you come across poetic presentations or reading sessions. The Café has a rich cultural agenda, with musical presentations, artistic interventions and educational activities aimed at the general public.

In addition to contemplating its architecture or simply staying on its esplanade to watch the passers-by in the daily life of the city, visitors can order the crúzios - a popular regional sweet of monastic origin that takes its name from the members of the Order of the Holy Cross.

If you're curious about what's in the region, take a look at the free audio guide at this link:

https://izi.travel/en/c125-coimbra/en

I hope you enjoy your time in Coimbra!

Surprisingly good service. All the people behind the counter were very friendly and patient. I went there twice. First time I tried their famous almond pastry (not bad!) And I returned later that day at 6pm since they had the Fado show. Free admissions. We ordered some tea and watched the Fado show which lasted about 45-min. Since it was free we decided to buy their CD for €15. The show was really good. Highly recommend!

Perfect place for a quiet snack with coffee or beer. Excellent service and free Fado performances.

Nice cafe by Santa Cruz. Beautiful interior.

Great to see the buildings sitting outside of the cafe.