The Algarve is a very interesting and relaxing region that bustles in the summer and sleeps in the off season. It's the entire southern facing coast of Portugal, on the Atlantic slightly outside the Strait of Gibraltar.
You can find "stand up" coffee and pastries, such as pasteis de nata, just about anywhere. But maybe you want "sit down" coffee instead of "stand up" coffee. It was easier to default Starbucks, which I had a feeling would be present, so I just rolled with it.
This Starbucks store is inside Mar Shopping. Mar Shopping is nothing to sneeze at, being more impressive than a lot of North American shopping malls. It's also where the region's only Ikea is located.
The menu is mostly the same the world over, but the "pedestrian" drip coffee that we are used to in North America is not there. (When it comes to coffee, "pedestrian" works just fine for me.) I could have obtained close to what I was looking for by ordering an Americano. I didn't want to do that, so I ordered hot tea and their flavors mostly duplicate the ones in North America. Their sweet and savory items are a little different. Portuguese Starbucks seem to be more emphatic on donuts, muffins, and even pasteis de nata. They also have quiche. Since this late visit was going to serve as dinner, that's what I ordered. So far, there's nothing really out of the ordinary here, but read on.
The way the interior is outfitted really makes it conducive to staying a while. The locale has a woodsy feel, understated lighting, and the typical seating. What's really convenient is the island in the center that is parallel to the service counter with seating on both sides of it and charging outlets. That's where I tend to sit.
The other thing that stood out is the quality of the service. I've been here several times over various trips and the service is consistently good. The hospitable demeanor of one young lady who is a native Portuguese speaker and one young man who is a native Spanish speaker especially stood out. (With the Spanish border some 45 minutes to the east, many Spaniards also visit the Algarve and more Spanish is spoken here than in other parts of Portugal.) However, to service the international customer base of this resort region, the employees are able to help customers in several languages.
This Starbucks store can be accessed directly from the exterior or from the inside of Mar Shopping. Because of the mild climate, there is also an outdoor seating area sheltered by the overhang of the level above. With a climate resembling that of the Mediterranean, summer evenings outside can be cooler than one might think. So, with the need to keep an electronic device charged, I stayed inside.
This Starbucks at Mar Shopping is filed away in my head. Here, near the administrative center of the Algarve, there are 2 stores. One is in Forum Algarve in Faro and I don't like it as much as I do this one. (I was told that they are working on updating that store.) There is a 3rd one in Portimao. Its being there in one of the bigger cities in the Western Algarve makes sense, but I've not been that store. However, if I keep returning to this particular Starbucks store, that, to me, means that I'm giving a big nod to this specific location. read more