Benard Cafe and Pastry Shop, Lisbon

Benard Café and Pastry Shop is one of Chiado’s historic cafés, founded in 1868 by French baker Elie Benard as Café–Bakery Franceza on Rua do Loreto. Known for its fine bread, biscuits, brioches, and French-style cakes, it soon became associated with quality, elegance, and cosmopolitan taste. The Benard name gained further prestige through Elie’s business ventures and his role as supplier to the Portuguese and Italian royal houses.

After Elie’s death, his sons continued the business, and in 1902 Casimiro Benard moved the pastry branch to Rua Garrett, where it became Patisserie Benard. Its croissants, refined atmosphere, and fashionable location made it a popular meeting place for Lisbon’s stylish society. Remodelled in 1914, the café became closely linked to Chiado’s social life, especially as a place for tea, coffee, conversation, and people-watching. Though the business changed ownership in 1932 and later faced decline, it was saved in 1983 by Maria Augusta Montes, who restored its interiors and revived its tradition of quality production.

Benard offers outdoor tables for drinks in the fresh air, while its two interior rooms preserve the café’s historic atmosphere. Besides pastries, it also serves lunch and dinner, with Portuguese dishes, salads, and quiches. Still, its main specialty remains the warm croissant, made from a secret recipe and long considered a customer favourite.