Near gates in Terminal 1, Vale Café is your quick coffee stop
Terminal 1 at POA doesn’t have many sit-down options, so Vale Café fills the gap for a fast espresso and snack before boarding. You’ll find it airside, a short walk from several domestic gates, with a counter-service setup and limited stools. Turnover is quick, which works if your boarding pass says group 1 or 2 and you only have 10–15 minutes to spare.
Vale Café focuses on Brazilian-style coffee drinks at airport prices: expect to pay a bit more than in central Porto Alegre, roughly in the R$8–R$15 range for basic espresso drinks. You can usually get a pingado, cappuccino, or straight espresso made to order. It runs throughout core flight banks in Terminal 1, opening early morning to catch the first departures and staying open into the evening while domestic flights are still going.
Food is mostly grab-and-go: pão de queijo, simple sandwiches, and packaged sweets. A coffee plus a small snack generally comes in under R$30, which is cheaper than a full-service meal elsewhere in the city but normal for POA. Portions lean light, so this is more “hold-you-over-for-2-hours” than “full dinner before a 4-hour leg.” If you want something warm, ask what just came out rather than grabbing the item that has sat in the case the longest.
There’s no real seating area, just a few spots at the counter and whatever chairs you can find near nearby gates in Terminal 1. Power outlets can be limited, so don’t count on charging your phone here before a 2–3 hour hop to São Paulo or Rio. Staff turnover is quick and service is functional, so be specific when you order to avoid mix-ups.
Tip: order and pay in one go, then step two or three meters to the side so late-running passengers behind you can grab coffee before their group is called.