Quintal da Música is the best-known live music venue on the Platô and one of the most reliable places in Praia to hear Cape Verdean music on any given night. The format is simple: an open courtyard, plastic chairs, cold beer, and musicians who play morna, funaná, or coladeira depending on the evening. It gets going late, as most Cape Verdean music venues do — arrive before 10pm and you may find it empty, arrive at midnight and it will be full.
The music here is the real thing rather than a tourist showcase. The crowd is a mix of locals and travellers, and the atmosphere is convivial without being performative. This is where you understand why people talk about Cape Verdean music — the morna in particular, with its melancholy Portuguese-inflected melodies, is like nothing else.