Buna Coffee & People

Founded in 2019 by two former schoolmates from Moscow, Olga and Ana, Buna has grown from a single counter near Sao Bento into a small Lisbon group, with this Santos address (a corner spot by the 28 tram line) built around a Japanese inspired minimalism of bonsai and manga rather than the reclaimed wood look common elsewhere in the city's specialty scene. The signature is Coffee Omakase, priced from 15 euros: three to six coffees chosen by the barista rather than the customer, Lisbon's first cafe built around that specific trust the barista format.

Beans come from Manhattan Coffee Roasters, Friedhats, Gardelli, and Sumo Coffee Roasters rather than an in house roast, run through an open bar counter designed for conversation with whoever's behind it. There's no kitchen on site, so pastries come from local partners rather than a house bakery. Dogs are welcome at the outdoor tables, and the open, sociable counter format extends to monthly coffee workshops for anyone who wants to go deeper than a cup.