I visited one of Lisbon’s most photographed breakfast spots – Etma Bakery, which is part of the Neptune Commune group owning several other popular cafes and bistros in the city. Etma itself started quietly in December 2024 as an in-house bakery supplying bread and pastries to other venues, before the team finally opened a standalone bakery-café in October 2025. What began as a neighbourhood project for locals has since gone viral on TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest, pulling in a steady mix of tourists and loyal regulars.
On the exterior, two large windows wrapped around the corner and opened fully onto the street, framing the bakery’s icon and centrepiece: a marble-topped pastry counter with a grey linen skirt that was topped with a spread of baked goods. I highly recommend going in the morning if you would like to choose from their full selection of pastries as the selection was noticeably smaller (than in other photos I saw on social media) when I went in the afternoon.
Inside, the space was intimate, with tables closely packed together with seating available for perhaps at most 20 pax. The décor had a Scandinavian feel – clean lines, warm tones, neutral colours and plenty of natural light pouring in through the corner windows.
I headed to the counter and picked two pastries for my afternoon treat. Underneath the flaky layers of the Cruffin (EUR4.9) were a just-subtly sweet vanilla custard and a tangy raspberry jam, the flavours intertwining seamlessly.
Meanwhile, the Poppy Seed Bun (EUR3) was soft, generously topped and filled with poppy seeds. I was expecting a distinctive taste from the poppy seeds, however in reality they did not have a strong taste but just a faint nutty taste.
I ordered a Cappucino (EUR3.8, +EUR0.6 for oat milk) and Matcha Latte (EUR5) as accompaniment to the pastries.
For something more substantial, there was a food menu which offered all-day breakfast dishes such as omelettes, scrambled eggs, open-faced toasts and sandwiches.
With a huge following and queues that form early in the day, beware of the crowd and waiting time if you’re visiting especially on weekend mornings. As for me, I skipped the morning crowd and instead enjoyed a slow, unhurried mid-afternoon in the café – albeit with fewer pastry options.
R. Silva Carvalho 64B, 1250-255 Lisboa, Portugal
8.30am – 4pm daily
