2025-03-20
Now here’s something you don’t see every day: a coffee plantation in the Azores, more specifically in Fajã dos Vimes, on the island of São Jorge – Portugal!
The microclimate of Fajã dos Vimes, combined with the fertile volcanic soil by the sea, created the perfect conditions for Arabica coffee to thrive.
The result? 100% organic coffee, with no need for chemicals in the production or treatment of these precious beans.
But does coffee from the Azores taste any different?
Well, as a coffee lover and after visiting other plantations around the world, I can assure you that it is! This coffee is richer, creamier and with a flavor that reflects the soil where it was grown.
If you’re curious about this unexpected phenomenon, read on and find out why coffee from the Azores arouses so much curiosity.
Discover the only coffee plantation in Portugal: the story of Café Nunes
The coffee plants that give rise to Azorean coffee have a history that spans the Atlantic Ocean.
It is believed that they originated in Brazil, brought by Azoreans who emigrated there in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Motivated by the difficult living conditions in the Azores, thousands of islanders left in search of better opportunities.
On their return, around 2,000 emigrants brought with them not only new experiences, but also coffee seeds and seedlings, thus starting an unexpected tradition on the island of São Jorge.
Fajã dos Vimes turned out to be the perfect place for coffee to adapt.
Its mild microclimate, protected from strong winds and with constant humidity, allowed the plants to adapt and thrive.
Even today, the Café Nunes plantation keeps this heritage alive, producing a rare and exclusive coffee, harvested and processed by hand.
How is coffee produced in the Azores?
Coffee in the Azores is produced entirely by hand, almost rudimentarily I would say. And that’s no exaggeration, believe me.
I saw with my own eyes the process of hulling the beans: a handful at a time, with the help of a simple brick – yes, the kind used in construction.
The method may seem improbable, but this is how, generation after generation, coffee is hulled in Fajã dos Vimes.
Roasting is also traditional: the beans go into a frying pan, over a fire, in a slow, artisanal process.
Harvesting is done by hand, grain by grain, because the fruit doesn’t ripen evenly on the tree.
Once harvested, the beans are dried in the sun for 2 to 3 weeks and stored in their husks in bags, protected until winter.
Only then are they hulled, roasted and prepared for consumption, resulting in a unique coffee!
👉Did you know that the coffee bean has 3 husks?
Visit to a coffee plantation in the Azores: what to expect from the experience
The experience began at Café Nunes, where I tasted the famous Azorean coffee. I had a feeling that the visit to Fajã dos Vimes was going to be special, and I wasn’t wrong!
While the beans were being roasted in the frying pan, Alzira Nunes told us that her great-grandparents already had around 30 coffee plants, meaning that this tradition goes back more than 200 years.
And when the couple bought the land to build their own house in the 1970s, there were already some coffee plants there.
For years, they harvested the beans just for their own consumption, without imagining that, decades later, the plantation would become one of Fajã dos Vimes’ greatest curiosities.
Café Nunes opened its doors in 1997, offering both industrial and Fajã coffee. But the reaction from customers was curious: many doubted that there was a coffee plantation at the back of the café. Over time, the story spread by word of mouth, attracting more and more visitors.
Today, with around a thousand coffee trees, Café Nunes serves only Fajã coffee, an exclusive, artisanal product steeped in history. And you know what? It’s definitely worth a taste!
Before leaving, I still had the chance to see the room where the traditional looms are located, where the famous high stitch quilts are made – another tradition that has stood the test of time in Fajã dos Vimes.
Tasting coffee from the Azores: where to drink and buy it?
The best place to taste coffee from the Azores is at Café Nunes, in Fajã dos Vimes, where the coffee plants grow.
You can also buy packets of coffee to take home with you, if you wish.
I’ve also seen Azorean coffee on sale at the São Jorge cheese factory (União de Cooperativas Agricolas de Lacticínios de São Jorge).
Where is Fajã dos Vimes and how do I get there?
Fajã dos Vimes is located on the south coast of the island of São Jorge, in the Azores.
To get there, you can drive about 25 km from Velas, or 12 km from Calheta.
Access is via the Regional Road, following the signs to the fajã. The descent is steep and narrow, typical of the fajãs of São Jorge, but the road is paved and in good condition.
So it’s very easy to get to this little coffee paradise.
Address and contact details for Café Nunes
Fajã dos Vimes,138, 9850-213 Sao Jorge, Azores.
Mobile: +351 967 552 354.
Is the coffee plantation in Fajã dos Vimes worth a visit?
Yes, definitely! Visiting the coffee plantation at Fajã dos Vimes is a unique experience on São Jorge Island in the Azores.
As well as being the only coffee plantation in Portugal, the artisanal model reigns here, from picking the beans to roasting them by hand in the frying pan.
The history of the plantation is incredible, passed down from generation to generation for over 200 years. At Café Nunes, you can taste a rare coffee, grown and prepared right there, while enjoying the incredible view over the ocean.
But the experience doesn’t stop at coffee! During the same visit, you can visit the traditional looms where the famous high stitch quilts are made, another Fajã dos Vimes tradition.
It’s an authentic tour, full of history and unique flavors. Very worthwhile!
*I traveled to São Jorge at the invitation of Casas Açorianas – Associação de Turismo em Espaço Rural, sponsored by Grupo SATA.
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We are a Portuguese Family traveling around the world and sharing our journey and experiences at passaportenobolso.com. Here you can find plenty of family budget travel tips as well as practical information about numerous destinations in Europe, Africa, Asia and America. We have visited 40+ countries and we don’t plan on stopping anytime soon. From time to time I travel alone… Follow everything on YouTube / Instagram / Facebook / TikTok / X / Pinterest.
