# Buying a little bistro



## chefleigh75 (Aug 13, 2021)

Hi i am looking to purchase outright a little bistro bar in Portugal. I have thirty years experience and am passionate about my cooking and using local fresh produce etc. I would like some advice on how the tax system works .. what finances i would need insurances etc and the whole set up of a bar. Nothing massive just enough to create a great foody bar .. I am not scared of hard graft at all .. Just would like some advice on where to get the best advice. Thanks L


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## Strontium (Sep 16, 2015)

Hi and Welcome,
I'd suggest you come over and spend some time looking at what others do in the way of restaurants, snack bars etc. The "local" type bar/cafe seem to exist on a local customers - often a single price set lunch for workers then coffee n snacks n beer.
Tourist places have a variety but often the low season is difficult and some close for months, fishing areas are full of the tourist trap fish restaurants. Reasonable size supermarkets all have cafe/restaurants and carparking. 
Additionally the average wage here is low compared to most of Europe and "family" style restaurants tend to have extended family helping at odd times.
I don't want to put you off but I have worked in catering in the UK and here things are different and Covid has has added another layer of difficulty, my "local" bar/restaurant serving locally seasonal food changed hands about 8 years ago - after going under - (from one Brit family to another) but, despite being quite popular with Portuguese and expats is now closed, which is not related to how much work they put in but just the situation here.
Good Luck.


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## nb888 (Jan 15, 2021)

Also suggest you go to Portugal and see for yourself what the local experiences offer. I have been to a few places around the country, Try Ze Manel De Ossos in Coimbra, although a little bit aimed for tourists as I would imagine your target market would be, the place is down a seedy alley and is tiny, it is the quality of the food and the personality of the owner that makes it's reputation... at least according to sites like tripadvisor. In my experience it is alright but a bit of a parody of itself but thousands of tourists lap it all up. Try that seafood place in a hut on the beachfront in Milfontes as well, this place is a little off the beaten track and more authentic. Other places are available to visit.... there is nothing like going in person to get some feelers.
I would say just serving good food is not enough, generations of families are already doing that throughout the country. What is your unique selling point. Objectively what makes you think you can do it better than the locals? What is your target market? A lot of these markets are sewn up however with the opening up of the country to foreign tourists some businesses may have closed permanently in the last 2 years so there may be some opportunities but I would say do your research and be prepared to spot a gap and move in. My personal feeling is there is a gap in the market in low to mid range beach front low key bar and restaurants serving basic seafood and beer to day trippers in the less obvious areas. The atlantic part of Spain further north seem to have developed this theme quite well on their coastal areas so maybe look there for inspiration...
I have no idea around the financial side other than in portugal as in every other country in the world you are not going to get rich running a bistro...


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