After our near-legendary marathon dining session at O Palco the previous evening, on our second day in Coimbra we were looking for a rather light lunch the next day as we were wandering the many steep streets of Coimbra. This eventually brought us to a place I had seen the previous day while walking R. Quebra Costas (“The Street that Breaks Ribs”), a steep staircase just below Sé Velha de Coimbra. Halfway up the steps is this little joint, A Tasquinha (“The Tavern”) with a single service counter with some stools, and a few small tables spilling out onto the outdoor stairs in good weather. This was pretty much exactly the sort of light lunch spot we were looking for.
Looking into A Tasquinha, you can see this is a cozy place: it’s a short service counter, with only six usable stools (there were seven stools, but one appears to be inconveniently situated and now dedicated to holding pandemic-era hand sanitizer). Really, both the diminutive and somewhat improvised manner of the business, and the short service counter really made me think of this as somewhat like a Portuguese version of Al’s Breakfast in its feel.
Indeed, aside from a small restroom at the back, the single service counter is pretty much the entire interior. It’s hard to see here, but like Al’s breakfast, this was originally an alley between buildings; above the back bar is the roofline from the adjacent building jutting into the space. This simplicity spills over to the menu, which is a series of simple sandwiches and beverages at very affordable prices, and apparently aimed squarely at the local University students who regularly wander the streets in their academic robes.
Since it was still a warm day outside, I decided to order some lemonade (listed as a special on a hand-lettered card on the counter), and it was a proper, made to order, squeezed in front of me fresh lemonade. Refreshing.
Three of us opted for the sample simple lunch, a bifana. A traditional Portuguese sandwich made of thin-sliced marinated pork served on a crusty Portuguese roll, grilled to order on the small grill at the front of the restaurant. Everything works here, a nice tender and flavorful pork, a good crisp on it from the griddle, and some fresh lettuce and tomato. Simple, elegant, good, and in the case of A Tasquinha, even cheap (around €2.50).
Sophie, meanwhile, went for the sardine sandwich. Portugal is well-known for particularly good sardines, and this was a nice sandwich of several filleted sardines and roasted peppers on a sandwich freshly toasted on the sandwich press. Due to allergies I usually avoid sardines at lunch, but this sandwich was mighty tempting looking.
Overall, A Tasquinha was the exact sort of place Offbeat Eats thrives on: small, quirky little joint with great food, great prices, and a friendly staff. This is definitely worth checking out if you are in Coimbra.
