Trem Velho

Trem Velho means “old train”, and that is what it is: a three-carriage train that has sat beside Cascais station since May 1973, first as a bar and now as a restaurant. The Cascais line from Lisbon ends here, so a child can step off a modern train and walk a few metres to eat in an old one.

The owners stripped it back during the pandemic and rebuilt the inside in 2021. According to NiT, they kept the chassis, laid a new floor in the same Brazilian sucupira wood as the original, and had an artisan recreate the buttoned leather look of the old ceiling. There are more than 80 seats. Time Out reported that one carriage became an open terrace with a view towards the sea, which is the seat to ask for on a warm day.

Recent reviews on TheFork keep coming back to the train theme. One parent in 2026 described it as an attractive place for parents and children because of the train, and others mention the sea view and feeling as if you are sitting in an old carriage. A few regulars think the older décor felt more like a train, and one reviewer found other train bars better decorated, so set expectations: it is a real carriage with a modern restaurant fitted inside, not a railway museum.

Trem Velho calls itself a steakhouse, and the grill is the centre of the menu. For children the useful part is further down. On the TheFork menu (last updated in December 2024), toasties start at €7.50 for cheese and ham, and the “Cascais” burger with cheddar and chips is €11.90. Pregos, the Portuguese steak sandwich, start at €9.90, and chicken wings with barbecue sauce are €9.90 for eight. A side of chips is €4.

Desserts carry railway names. The house pudding is called Inter-Cidades after the intercity trains: chocolate, biscuit and whipped cream, made to a recipe the menu dates back to 1973. There is also an Oreo mousse named Pendular (after the tilting trains), apple tart, and a two-scoop bowl of ice cream for €4.90.

We found no children’s menu and no mention of high chairs, so ask when you book. Prices on the booking app can lag behind the restaurant: one 2026 reviewer paid €16 for a francesinha listed lower elsewhere, so treat the figures above as a guide.

Cascais is the last stop on the train from Cais do Sodré in Lisbon, and the carriage is right by the station exit, so this is one of the easiest themed meals to reach without a car. There is paid street parking if you drive.

It is open every day from noon, and late into the night, so a lunch or early dinner is the family-friendly slot. The carriages are narrow, as trains are, so a big buggy may need folding. Praia da Conceição, a small town beach, is a short walk away, and Santini for ice cream is also in the centre of Cascais.

Nearby days out: the Cascais butterfly house and Anima Park. For another train meal in Lisbon, Railroad Caffe delivers drinks on toy trains.

Is it still open?

Yes. When we checked in September 2026 it was taking bookings on TheFork, with reviews from the previous few weeks, and its Instagram page gave daily hours of 12:00 to 01:00.

Is it a real train?

Yes. It is an old three-carriage train that has stood beside Cascais station since 1973. The inside was refitted in 2021, so it looks newer than the outside.

What can a fussy eater have?

A cheese and ham toastie, a plain burger with chips, chicken wings or a bowl of ice cream. Ask for sauces on the side.

Do we need to book?

It is safer at weekends and in summer. Phone +351 214 867 355 or use TheFork, and ask for the terrace carriage if the weather is good.