- Insiders Profile -

Hanna Lytvynenko

Hanna is the co-founder of Neptune Commune, one of Lisbon's most influential hospitality groups. Together with her life and business partner, Misha, they helped pioneer the city's breakfast and brunch culture before expanding into a collection of restaurants, cafés, bakeries, and neighbourhood venues, each with its own distinct identity.

From specialty coffee and exceptional pastries to Mediterranean-inspired restaurants and the recently opened Courage Bist ro, Neptune Commune has become synonymous with thoughtful hospitality, beautiful spaces, and concepts that people genuinely return to. More than opening restaurants, Hanna and Misha have spent the past decade helping shape the way Lisbon eats, meets, and gathers.

◆ You and your life and business partner, Misha, were among the pioneers of Lisbon's breakfast and brunch scene. Looking back, what made you believe this was the right concept at the right time?

Honestly, we opened Heim Cafe because we were craving something that didn’t exist in Lisbon yet — a proper neighborhood brunch cafe, the kind of place we ourselves wanted to walk into. We trusted our gut more than any market research. And it was a huge risk — we put our entire savings into the first opening — but we believed if we missed that space, so did others.

◆ If you had to describe Neptune Commune in just three words, what would they be?

I would give you two answers. Everything is possible, because that’s genuinely the belief that got us from one small cafe to where we are now. And People. Passion. Memories, because that’s what we’re actually trying to create every day, for our guests and our teams.

◆ Today, Neptune Commune has grown into one of Lisbon's most successful hospitality groups. Looking back, what do you think has been the biggest driver behind that growth?

Honestly, the biggest driver is that we genuinely love what we do. It sounds simple, but it’s true — opening our own place was the dream, the same one most people in hospitality carry. Everything else — the growth, the new concepts — came from staying close to that. Seeing guests come back, reading their feedback, that’s what tells us we’re doing something right.

◆ Every Neptune venue has its own personality, yet they all somehow feel connected. What's the secret to creating concepts that are different, while still feeling unmistakably "Neptune"?

I don't think there's a secret; we put the same energy and belief into every project, and we respect each one's identity — we want them to be different, to have their own character. Our guests are actually one of our biggest sources of inspiration. Every space starts from a story we want to tell, and more often than not, that story is theirs as much as it is ours.

◆ Whether it's your pastries, coffee, interiors, or service, people seem to become genuinely loyal to your venues. In your opinion, what turns a first-time customer into a regular?

You need the basics right — good coffee, good food, that’s non-negotiable. But what actually creates loyalty is the human part: being remembered, being welcomed the same way every time. That’s the part people can’t get from just anywhere.

◆ Hospitality trends come and go, but Neptune's venues seem to stand the test of time. What principles have you never been willing to compromise on?

Two things, really. The quality of what we serve — we’ve never cut corners there, even when it would be cheaper or faster. And how we treat our team, because if people don’t feel respected at work, guests feel it too, no matter how good the food is. And beyond that, we’ve never chased a trend just because it was popular. Every concept we’ve opened came from something we wanted to exist, not from watching what was doing well on Instagram.

◆You've built the business together as both life and business partners. How do you divide your roles, and what do you think makes your partnership work so well?

Misha and I have been together for 13 years, and we’ve run a family business together for 9 of them. Family always comes first for us, and we’ve learned to discuss work issues as business partners, not as a couple. We even took business coaching sessions to help with that. And I think we’re a good example that you can build projects and have kids at the same time.

In terms of roles: as co-founders, we've been involved in every stage of this company — we started out as a waiter and a line cook, after all. As we grew, we needed support to keep growing, and today we have an incredible team we share both dreams and responsibilities with. We're still hands-on across the board, but mainly on the creative development of new projects — that's where Misha and I spend most of our energy.

◆ As someone who has helped shape Lisbon's hospitality scene over the past decade, what excites you most about where the city is heading next?

What excites me is how open Lisbon still is. New people keep arriving with new ideas, new cuisines, new ways of doing things, and the city keeps absorbing all of it without losing its own character.

When we were just starting out, there were hardly any exciting projects in the city — and today it’s a whole community of colleagues raising the level. That pushes us too. Lisbon is also becoming a truly international city, not just touristy — more people moving here to actually build things, not just pass through. That mix is what makes it exciting to keep growing here.

◆ As a Lisbon Insider, what would be your perfect 24-hour Lisbon itinerary? We'd love your recommendations for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a drink besides your own venues.

For coffee and vibes — Good Company Bookshop and Th e Layers.
For lunch — O Arêgos, our neighbour at Heim Santos.
For dinner — I'd point you to two streets that almost feel like one, Rua de São Paulo and Rua da Boa Vista (Cais Sodré), and incredible projects like Farès, Cosmo, Lu pita, Boa Vista S ocial Club and others.

You'll be in good hands, and even better food.

◆ Finally, after the opening of Courage Bistro, what's next for Neptune Commune?

We don't stop, haha — we're already developing new ideas. But we want each one to have a clear purpose. We're not interested in filling the city with new spaces just for the sake of it; everything needs a reason, a "why" behind it. Hospitality will always guide us, it's the path we know best, but we're also excited to explore new ideas and new fields. We honestly can't wait for what's coming next.

Farès | Good Company | Lupita