6.1.14 Santini

Outlets across the Greater Lisbon area.

In the old downtown, try Rua do Carmo (location HERE).

OK it’s not really a coffee shop; the name of the game here is Gelados.


Which means Gelato, if you’re used to the Italian form, or simply Ice Cream, if you expect the English version.

The first Santini outlet was opened back in 1949 by an Italian family. Nowadays they are all across Greater Lisbon, from the Baixa to shopping centres like that at Amoreiras (HERE) to Carcavelos (HERE) and out at Cascais (HERE).

Most of the flavours available to punters are made with full cream milk, with others, like the just amazing lemon, made as a sorbet. The pistachio has bits of pistachio in it, rather than just flavouring. Same with the coconut.


And the recommendation is not just formed from my opinion: every visit involves not just sampling the product, enjoyable as that is, but also seeing who else rocks up - lots of parents with children, sometimes brought along by those children, grown ups without children, extended family groups, locals, tourists, anyone and everyone can be seen at Santini outlets. They all seem to leave looking happy.

Every so often, people post disobliging reviews, and every time I see one means another visit to check that the product is still as good as the time before. And it always is. Maybe not the cheapest Gelato in Lisbon, but if you want cheap, this is not the place to go.

Oh, and the coffee is OK, too.

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