Bookstore Slash café Slash A hidden gem. This bookstore has a small, shady terrace where you can enjoy coffee and a light snack. Too hot outside? Inside, you can stay nice and cool. The food is homemade and surprisingly good. Think generously filled toast, freshly baked cake, and excellent espresso. Perfect for those who want to escape the city bustle and read, work, or simply relax.

If you need something fresh and healthy, then you have come to the right place Natura Coffee Shop Absolutely perfect. The name might make you think you should go here for a different kind of green (which only works that way in the Netherlands), but no… here it's all about vegetables, fruit, and fresh juices. And that's something that's not the case everywhere in Cape Verde.

Besides smoothies and juices, they also serve filling meals. Think avocado toast, granola with fresh tropical fruit, and hearty rice dishes with fish that will keep you going for hours.

Hide away in the old city center, in a charming café where you can escape for a while. The popular Café Sofia has a small, shady terrace overlooking the lively Plateau. Inside, everything is simple and cozy: warm yellow walls, an old piano, and local art on the walls. On weekends, musicians often play, transforming Café Sofia into a mini concert venue.

The coffee? They make excellent espressos, the kind that really wakes you up. The food? They serve everything from local dishes to international classics, catering to the tourists in the city center.

Also nice: the staff speaks good English, which is not the case in many other places in Cape Verde.