Bracara Academia de Bilhar is a bar in Maximinos, Braga.
Eight pool tables, a dart board and a full bar make this the social hub for a generation of Braga students who measure their evenings in frames of snooker.
Tip: Tables are cheapest before 18:00 on weekdays. Arrive early with a group of four for the longest possible session at the best rate.
Address: Avenida da Liberdade 590, 4710-249 Braga
The taproom for PCB, one of two Braga microbreweries alongside Letra. PCB brews on-site at Quinta da Goja and serves the full range directly from the source.
Tip: Buy a sampler paddle of four 200ml pours to cover the full range in one visit. The session IPA is the everyday drinker; the seasonal darker ales are the showcase.
The taproom for PCB, one of two Braga microbreweries alongside Letra. PCB brews on-site at Quinta da Goja and serves the full range directly from the source.
Tip: Buy a sampler paddle of four 200ml pours to cover the full range in one visit. The session IPA is the everyday drinker; the seasonal darker ales are the showcase.
The 1858 Cafe Vianna operates as a bar in the evenings, serving wine, beer and cocktails under the same arcade that has hosted Braga's public life for 160.
Tip: The evening crowd is older and more mixed than the dedicated bar strip. Ideal for an aperitivo before dinner without the late-night noise.
The shared creative space that houses APE Coffee Roasters and an art gallery transforms on weekend evenings into a cocktail bar. The SETRA rooftop is two.
Tip: The APE bar operates independently from SETRA. If the rooftop is at capacity, the ground floor bar in the same building is a viable alternative with shorter queues.
The second Taberna Belga location, in the São Vicente neighbourhood and serving the same Belgian beer selection and francesinha menu as the original.
Tip: The same menu as the original at the same prices. Use this branch if the Mário de Almeida location is full on a Friday night.
While primarily a daytime cafe, Soul inside the Gnration arts centre extends its natural wine and craft beer service through afternoon programming events.
Tip: Check Gnration's event programme before visiting. The best evenings here are tied to performance or exhibition openings where the conversation matches the quality of the drinks.
By evening, A Brasileira shifts from the morning coffee crowd to an aperitivo bar, serving wine, port, local beers and light snacks under the same.
Tip: A glass of aged white port over ice at the corner terrace at dusk is one of the great cheap Braga rituals. The setting is the value.
