Category: Quality Restaurant

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Restaurant Clube Naval Lisbon: fresh fish, sailing school & great riverfront lunch

Located on a privileged spot right near the river Tagus, a view at the 25 April Bridge and right next to the Bélem Marina, Restaurant do Clube Naval in Lisbon is a great experience!

Restaurant do Clube Naval Belém Lisbon & children sailing lessons

The bright sunlight of Lisbon floods the terrace on the ground floor. On the first floor there’s Clube Naval’s cosy restaurant overlooking the river through the enormous glass windows.

Restaurant do Clube Naval Belém Lisbon, January 2017

The inside first floor restaurant is a great place during the colder wintermonths.

Especially on Sundays Portuguese families like to enjoy a lunch together. Go early.  Great atmosphere 🙂

Restaurant do Clube Naval Belém Lisbon, January 2017

​Excellent f​resh fish & daily suggestion (prato do dia)

Very friendly waiters! The menu is varied: always fresh fish and traditional Portuguese dishes, like f.i. roasted fish fillet with razor clams, prawns and sirloin steak.

Restaurant do Clube Naval Belém Lisbon & Rinus Broere, 2024

Because the climate in Lisbon is mild all year round, it is often possible to enjoy your meal on the terrace near the river.

YouTube: Loesje, Rinus & Nelson January 2024

Bill for 3 persons: 2 x dourada (sea bream), bife atum  (tuna steak) & delicious bottle of Portuguese white (house) wine € 11 ): € 107

Restaurant do Clube Naval Belém Lisbon , September 2018 & Josephine Lucassen, tourist guide

Daily suggestion (prato do dia).

Octopus salad (salada de polvo), mussels (mexilhões). Ask for the ‘daily suggestion’ (prato do dia).

Lisbon, Belém & Monument to the Discoveries

Restaurant Clube de Naval’s terrace & Monument to the Discoveries

The restaurant is located right next to the Bélem Marina and the Monument to the Discoveries ( Padrão dos Descobrimentos). A visit to this historic city region of Belém is a must for every Lisbon visitor!

Restaurant do Clube Naval Belém Lisbon & river Tagus esplanade

O Clube Naval de Lisboa (Sailing school)

The restaurant is located in a part of a building of a sailing school, founded in 1892, a private non-profit association. The school currently has a paddling tank, various types of boats for learning rowing and sailing. 160 years celebration: YouTube

Building Associação Naval (Sailing Association) & beautiful mural

Restaurant do Club de Naval
Brasília Avenue, Belém Dock, Lisbon Naval Club Building
Open: Wednesday – Monday 12h – 22h (closed Tuesday).
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Website & menu ( in Portuguese and in English)
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Terrace Restaurant Club de Naval Belem Lisbon, June 2023
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From Lisbon by train from Cais do Sodré railway station : stop Belém (Linha de Cascais). Facebook

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Restaurant Casa do Alentejo Lisbon & amazing former 17th C. Moorish Palace

A few minutes walk from Rossio Square in Lisbon,  behind a small door in a popular tourist street there’s Casa do Alentejo: suddenly you step in an amazing Moorish palace, with an impressive courtyard! (in 2023 celebrating 100 years)

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon, a former Moorish palace, 2019

‘Casa do Alentejo’ was created 100 years ago, to be a meeting place for people from Portugal’s historical province Alentejo (além Tejo means beyond the Tagus) and to cultivate its unique culture. At that time many people from this region left home in search for a better life in Lisbon.

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon, a former Moorish palace

The palace dates from the last quarter of the 17th C., but its current appearance is a result of considerable alterations carried out in 1918.

Nowadays here’s the headquarters of the association of the Alentejo people.

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon, friend Loesje Broere & ballroom

Ballroom & activities

Many activities take place here: on Saturdays the ‘Alentejo afternoons’ (tardes Alentejanas), with choral groups. On Sunday, dancing begins at 3:30 pm in the beautifull ballroom. Mostly elderley people come here to socialize.

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon & singers, November 2023

Singers waiting for their turn to perform in the ballroom. Cante Alentejano is traditional singing performed by amateur choral groups, without instrumentation. YouTube

There’s also a library and a handicraft shop of typical products of Alentejo (downstairs).

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon, a former Moorish palace & one of the restaurants

Beautiful tiles (ajulejos) & Portuguese history

The dining rooms are picturesque, with open fireplaces and decorated with beautiful tiles (azulejos). The azulejo is a form of Portuguese painted, tin-glazed, ceramic tilework.

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon, a former Moorish palace & one of the restaurants

Tiles: a typical aspect of Portuguese culture.

Azulejo (tile) comes from the Arabic word az-zulayj, meaning polished stone. Wherever you go in Portugal, azulejos are to be found inside and outside cafes, churches, palaces, ordinary houses and even ceilings, train- or subway stations.

Restaurant Casa do Alentejo &  friend Margriet de Vrieze, Nov. ’23

Dinner (traditional dishes from regio Alentejo): Carne de Porco à Alentejana is one of the most traditional and popular pork dishes of Portuguese cuisine. A  combination of pork and clams, with potatoes and coriander. (Wiki ) Average price 3-course meal: € 30 – 35.

Delicious! Sericaia com ameixas de Elvas

One of the most famous delicacies in the Alentejo region!
A conventual sweet, always accompanied by Elvas plum jam (Ameixas Rainha Cláudia), an obligatory presence in Alentejo gastronomy. Recipe

Casa do Alentejo Lisbon: outside place & tavern

Opening hours Casa do Alentejo Lisbon

Restaurant: 12pm – 3pm & 7pm – 23pm, Tuesday – Sunday. Outside taberna  12pm – 23pm.  Area de Alentejo: Tuesday – Saturday 12pm – 23pm.     Facebook

YouTube: Postkarte für Pauline

Reservations: +351 213 405 140

Former Moorish palace Casa do Alentejo Lisbon

Casa do Alentejo 100 years & Fountain of Friendship

Casa do Alentejo inaugurated April 25th 2023 the sculpture commemorating its 100 years. A Fountain of Friendship, designed by the Moorish sculptor Jorge Pé-Curto. The work will be displayed in the Páteo Arabe.

Restaurant Casa do Alentejo, Rua das Portas de Santo Antão 58, Lisbon

Street restaurant Casa do Alentejo, December 2019.

A wonderful exception in this street: no tourist trap!

More about this street….

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Restaurant/bar Atlantic Grill near Cascais, quality food & amazing sea view

Around Lisbon there’re beautiful beaches, well known for their calm waters, fine sand and quality restaurants like Atlantic Grill, near Cascais  🙂  🙂

Wonderful sea view from the terrace of Restaurant Átlantic Grill near Cascais, August 2019. Watch: facebook.

Specialty: fresh fish, shellfish & seafood

It’s not only the privileged location on a beach between Lisbon and Cascais, that justifies a stop at this restaurant. The quality of the cuisine is essential, which has fish and seafood as a specialty.

Restaurant/bar Atlantic Grill near Cascais, August 2019.

On the background: Cascais, a favourite tourist destination in Portugal, ca. 30 km from Lisbon, easy to reach by train from station Cais do Sodré).

This region is also a popular surf spot .

Restaurant/bar Atlantic Grill near Cascais & seafood. (picture: Atlantic Grill)

YouTube: very sympathetic restaurant owner Jorge Monteiro & how to prepare picanha (rump cap)

My choice for almoçar (Portuguese lunch): picanha , a prime beef cut, very popular in South America/ Brasil (former Portuguese colony).

Restaurant Atlantic Grill near Cascais & picanha: € 11:99. August 2019

Meat picanha & history

The term “picanha” (pea-kan-yah) derives from the word “picana”, which was a pole used by ranchers in the southern parts of Portugal and Spain for herding cattle. This herding technique was then taken to Brazil by Portuguese emigrants and eventually the term “picanha” was adopted to refer to the part where the cow was poked by ranchers.  Source: Wikipedia

Restaurant/bar Atlantic Grill near Cascais. (Picture: Atlantic Grill)

Daily live music or DJ.  Also to book for birthday parties. Special prices for groups. Rooftop & inside dining.

Wonderful location!  🙂 🙂  You Tube Bafureira Beach

Website restaurant Atlantic Grill  & menu

Restaurant Atlantic Grill near Cascais & entrance to inside dining

How to get there

By car: Bafureira beach is about 20/30 minutes away from the center of Lisbon. Go along the “Marginal” (the name of the road), in direction to “Cascais” . About half way across the “marginal” there’re signs to “S. Pedro do Estoril‘. Free parking near the restaurant for approx. 200 cars.

Restaurant Peixenalinha Beach Sao Pedro do Estoril Bafureira6

Bufareira beach, Parede S. Pedro do Estoril, picture: 2009

Restaurant Atlantic Grill

Praia da Bafureira,  Av. Marginal 2755-239 Parede,  S. Pedro do Estoril, Cascais. Open: every day.

November 2009: Bafureira beach & Erika Reusens

Facebook restaurant Atlantic Grill

From Lisbon by train: ‘Linha de Cascais’ (name of the train line joining Lisbon to Cascais) from Cais do Sodré, Lisbon’s major bus, metro, ferry & trainstation.

Trainstop (paragem):  São Pedro do Estoril (ca. 10 minutes walk) to restaurant Atlantic Grill

Restaurant/bar Atlantic Grill near Cascais, inside dining (Picture: Atlantic Grill)

Praia (beach) Bafureira is very small, surrounded by cliffs and accessed by a narrow staircase from the upper parking lot.

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Restaurant ‘RAMIRO’ Lisbon: superb seafood, great steak & history

Cervejaria ‘Ramiro‘ is not just a restaurant in Lisbon. If you look for superb fresh seafood at a good price, this “Cervejaria” (litt. beerhouse) is the place to be! It’s always crowded and rather noisy, with tables full of locals, all having a great time. The atmosphere is loud and exciting.  YouTube

Ramiro restaurant 1

A Friday afternoon, around 16:00. Restaurant Ramiro is open from 12:00 till midnight, so if you like to come in at 17:00 you’re welcome!

Portuguese love there seafood with beer (or with ice cold vinho verde , young wine). You can order big shrimps (gambas or camarão tigre), scampi (lagostim) and crab (caranguejo).

Cooked fresh seafood tastes fantastic with mayonaise, grilled seafood goes very well with ‘molho de limão’. This is a sauce of butter, lemon and a bit of piri-piri.

Ramiro restaurant Lisbon Pedro Goncalves manager

Restaurant Ramiro Lisbon

Pedro Miguel P. Gonçalves, manager restaurant ‘Ramiro’ : “You may start by tasting the delicious dark smoked ham “Pata Negra 5, J Sanchez Romero Carvajal”.

Ramiro Gamba Cozida

Restaurant Ramiro Lisbon

One of my favorite dishes: Camarão à Guilho (garlic shrimp).

If you’re only in the mood for a snack, try a ‘prego’ , a steak sandwich. The steak is grilled on the plate. The Portuguese eat the prego’s (literally: nails, referring to the full stomach after eating one) with mustard or piri-piri.

O Ramiro restaurant Lisbon superb seafood

Restaurant Ramiro Lisbon

History : The Ramiro Beer house was founded on in 1956, by the hand of Ramiro’s father, being a small “pasture house”. With the passing of the years Mr. Ramiro slowly introduced seafood. This concept aroused a great interest creating a beer house (Cervejaria).

Ramiro Restaurant lisbon 6 seafood

Restaurant Ramiro Lisbon

Romantic ‘table for 2’.

I can sincerely recommend this place! 🙂 If you are more in the mood for a restaurant with red candles and soft music, you might be disappointed, but upstairs you can make a reservation for a romantic ‘table for 2’.

If you don’t like seafood, here you can also enjoy a real good steak .

Ramiro restaurant Lisbon Av Almirante Reis

RESTAURANT ‘RAMIRO‘

Restaurant Ramiro is open from 12:00 till midnight.

Avenida Almirante Reis 1 G-H, Intendente, Lisbon. OPEN on Sundays.

December 2019: The Ramiro restaurant in Lisbon is very popular

There’s often a long line of people waiting in the street..

TAKE AWAY. Call at +351218851024 and order a seafood meal. Closed on Mondays.

Ramiro Restaurant Lisbon street view

Restaurant Ramiro Lisbon near  beautiful square Intendente

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Quality Restaurant Café Martinho da Arcada Lisbon & poet Pessoa’s table

Opening in 1782, Restaurant Café Martinho da Arcada, located in the corner of the Praça do Comércio 37 near the Tagus river, is one of the oldest restaurants /cafés in Lisbon.

Lisbon Restaurante da Arcada Praca do Comercio 37

The restaurant’s terrace under the beautiful arcades, Praça do Comércio

YouTube about this square Praca do Comercio. Situated downtown, this cafe was once the ideal setting for the so called ‘tertúlia’s‘ (café talks). Well known names from Portuguese life, such as Bocage, Amalia Rodrigues and Portugal’s most famous 20th C. poet Fernando Pessoa, were some of its usual customers.

Lisbon Restaurante Martinho da Arcada Antonio Barbosa de Sousa

Owner of café/restaurant ‘Martinho da Arcada’, senhor Antônio Barbosa de Sousa.

Portugal’s famous poet and writer Pessoa

Pessoa (1888-1935), worked and lived in the Baixa area in Lisbon, he wrote pieces of his work in this restaurant after closing time.

Lisbon Restaurante Martinho da Arcada table Pessoa

Restaurant Martinho da Arcade Lisbon: Pessoa’s table is still there…

Fernando Pessoa’s favorite dish: juliana soup, cod and fried eggs with cheese. Until the autumn of 1989 the cafe was retained in the style in which Pessoa enjoyed it. Meeting him for coffee….

Lisbon Restaurante Martinho da Arcada interior1

The inside dining room

These days mainly employees of the surrounding ministries and business people meet here for lunch. The staff is very friendly. Prices: not cheap, but the quality is excellent.

Lisbon Restaurante Martinho da Arcada staff

Café/restaurant ‘Martinho da Arcada Lisbon

Beautiful antique tiles (azulejos)

Café/restaurant ‘Martinho da Arcada’Lisbon 2016, senhor Antônio Barbosa de Sousa & my good friend Margarethe de Vrieze

In the afternoon this wonderful traditonal Portuguese place is worth a visit for tea and applepie ( 7.50 euro).

Clam stew 17.00 euro, veal medallions 18.50 euro, small bottle of Rimor  white wine euro 9.00.

The menu lists regional Portuguese cuisine; try a amijoa cataplana (clam stew)!

More about Fernando Pessoa on this website

restaurant Martinho da Arcada friendly waiter

Café/restaurant ‘Martinho da Arcada Lisbon & very friendly waiters 🙂

Restaurant Café Martinho da Arcada, located in the corner of the Praça do Comércio 37 near the Tagus river .     Website 

Open: Monday to Saturday 7am – 11pm (not open on Sundays)

Lisbon Praça do Comércio Feb 2011

Lisbon Praça do Comércio , February 2011

Are you a wine lover? You can taste a selection of fine Portuguese wines for free at Sala Ogival, also located at Praça do Comércio, Lisbon

 

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Restaurant Ibo Lisbon: sophisticated cuisine & Mozambique flavours

Restaurant Ibo in Lisbon is a remarkable culinary experience! A sunny day, delicious food and a beautiful view over the river Tagus: what more do you want for lunch during a trip to Lisbon? 

Restaurant IBO Lisbon Tagus River 2

Restaurant ‘Ibo’ Lisbon facing the Tagus river: a surprising culinary experience

Lisbon is divided into 2 parts by the river Tagus, Portugal’s longest river. Restaurant ‘Ibo”, situated at the north bank, is housed in a former salt warehouse built in the beginning of the 20th century, next to Cais do Sodré ferry terminal.

Restaurant ‘Ibo’ Lisbon: my friend Erika Reusens likes dishes with flavours from Mozambique

The restaurant’s name refers to an island in the Indian Ocean north of Mozambique: Ibo. We ordered:

Caril de Camarão (shrimp curry) 19 €, Caril de Galinha à Mocambicana (chicken curry) 19 €, a bottle of white wine, Castello D’Alba 18 € (exclusively wines from the best Portuguese producers and winemakers), agua (water) 2 €.

If you are not curious for a different experience: restaurant ‘Ibo‘ also offers Portuguese gastronomy.

Restaurant Ibo Cais do Sodre Lisbon view from terrace

Restaurant ‘Ibo’ Lisbon & wonderful views from the terrace

Former colony of the Portuguese empire

Mozambique became independent in 1975, after over four centuries of Portuguese rule: famous explorer Vasco da Gama reportedly rested on the island in 1502. In the late eighteenth century, Portuguese colonialists built the Fort of São João, which still survives, and the town, as a slave port, became the second most important in the region. Nowadays the beautiful Ibo island is a popular tourist area.

Restaurant ‘Ibo’ Lisbon, a sunny day in November & one of the friendly waiters

Starters: in the more expensive Portuguese restaurants you have to pay for starters like bread, cheese and often olives or shrimps.

The waiter will bring you some unrequested starter dishes: as those are not free, feel free not to touch them and they will not be charged on your bill (não, obrigado).  In this restaurant you pay 3 € for a starter (some bread, tapenade and humus) which is OK, because sometimes 10/15 € is added for a small starter you did not ask for.

Restaurant ‘Ibo’ Lisbon & flavours from former Portuguese colony Mozambique

Camarões selvagens à Laurentina (wild shrimps), € 19: really delicious! Glass of white wine (VB Crasto) € 5.50

Lovely ladies & Laurentina beer

The waiter told me that Laurentina is Mozambique’s oldest beer brand. The name is dedicated to lovely ladies: ‘laurentinas’ 😉 . Read more…  

Restaurant Ibo Lisbon facing the Tagus river nov 14 papaya desert

Restaurant ‘Ibo’ Lisbon: papaya dessert (sobremesa)….. whow!!  🙂  € 8

This restaurant specializes in the food of Mozambique but adds a few influences from another former Portuguese colony, India’s Goa. The freshness and quality of products is ensured, because the owner, João Pedrosa, daily visits the nearby old and Lisbon’s legendary market Mercado da Ribeira (really worth to go there , only 5 minutes walk).

Restaurant ‘Ibo‘ Lisbon: casa do banho (ladies’ room)

Don’t expect an interior decorated with all kinds of art from Africa. There’s a modern and bright decoration inside the restaurant. Until I visited the ladies’ room: a beautiful portrait, this African lady on the wall! But she doesn’t seem to be very happy….

Restaurant ‘Ibo‘ Lisbon & terrace view: ferry to the other side of the river Tagus

From here you can easily take the ferry (every 10 minutes) to Cacilhas (a part of Lisbon, the other side of the river), return ticket: cheap : more………….

Ibo Restaurante, Cais do Sodré,  Lisbon, Armazem A – Compartimento 2. Phone (00351) 961 332 024. Also open for lunch on Sundays.

Website Ibo restaurant (also in English)

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Zero Zero Lisbon: Italian restaurant & pizzeria, delicious food & outdoor dining

While walking around in area Príncipe Real in Lisbon we discovered Italian restaurant & pizzeria Zero Zero. One of the most beautiful terraces in the city, just near the Botanical Garden (Jardim Botânico, one of Europe’s finest!)

Italian restaurant Zero Zero Lisbon, lovely outdour dining area & friend Margriet de Vrieze

Restaurant Zero Zero has one of Lisbon’s most beautiful terraces in the city center. We feel a bit like being in the heart of Italy, in the shade of bougainvilleas and the scent of flowers. A part of he terrace is covered with a canopy made of (I guess) willow branches, creating a lovely filtered sunlight.

Italian restaurant & pizzeria Zero Zero Lisbon: delicious food

Our lunch:

Starter Fried Squid (Entrada Frittura di Calamari), eggplant, carrot and broccoli € 9.00; Salade Caprese with Mozzarella € 8.00; Salade Couscous with gambas € 12.00; small bottle of water € 1.50; 2 glasses of white wine (Trebbiano Marche) € 6.00. 2 cafe Espresso € 2:00

Italian restaurant & pizzeria Zero Zero Lisbon & beautiful terrace with bougainvilleas

No reservations, go early for lunch

Restaurant Zero Zero does not accept reservations but in case you have to wait for a table you can taste a variety of Italian cheeses and hams in the little deli shop at the entrance of the restaurant.
My experience: when you arrive for lunch around 12:30, there are plenty of tables available, also outside.

Italian restaurant & pizzeria Zero Zero Lisbon, June 2016

Pizza Formaggiosa € 10.50: tomato, mozzarella Fior di latte (written also as fiordilatte, made from fresh pasteurized or unpasteurized cow’s milk), gorgonzola, spinach and nuts.
Pizza Cappriccio € 12.00:  ham, cheese and mushrooms; Salade Couscous with gambas € 12; glass of white wine (Trebbiano Marche) € 3.00.

Italian restaurant & pizzeria Zero Zero Lisbon & inside pizza oven

Italian Flour ’00’  & secret pizza recipe

Pizza is not one of my favorite dishes, but my friends loved the great quality. ZeroZero offers 15 pizza choices and besides there are lots of vegetarian options.  If you eat inside you can see pizzas being made. The service was done with care and sympathy 🙂

Restaurant Zero Zero Lisbon September 2017: Marinus Broere & delicious tiramisu (€ 5)

‘00′ or Zero Zero

All the ingredients come from the best Italian producers, especially the Venice region.
The secret is in the dough, Zero Zero’ pizzeria uses a ‘balanced mixture of flour ’00’  and some other flours.

That’s why the name of this fine restaurant: ‘00′ or Zero Zero  😉

Italian restaurant & pizzeria Zero Zero Lisbon: small deli shop at the restaurant’s entrance

More than a restaurant

Zero Zero is assumed to be Lisbon’s first Proseccheria‘ , thanks to the Prosecco bar at the entrance and their classic cocktails.

Italian restaurant & pizzeria Zero Zero Lisbon: NV Lissabon September 2017

Small deli shop

At the entrance of the restaurant there’s also a small deli where a variety of Italian cheeses, hams and delicacies can be bought in order to bring to your table or to take-away.

Italian restaurant & pizzeria ZeroZero Lisbon: small deli shop at the restaurant’s entrance

The restaurant is open daily between 12:00 – 00h00, also on Sundays. Fridays and Saturdays until 01h00). Free parking place available.

Italian restaurant & pizzeria Zero Zero Lisbon June 2016: lunch with some Dutch friends

This restaurant is a perfect place for lunch or hot summer night dining in Lisbon’s city center.

Italian restaurant & pizzeria ZeroZero Lisbon

Pizzeria Zero Zero, Príncipe Real (trendy area)
Rua da Escola Politécnica, 32
Lisbon
facebook   website 

Beautiful terrace & a free parking space

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Elegant tea- and lunchroom ‘Versailles’ Lisbon: old-fashioned service & funny pastries

If you like to visit one museum during your stay in Lisbon make it the Gulbenkian. It’s the collection of the Armenian oil billionaire who made Lisbon his home. It covers everything from Egyptian to 20th Century art.

Tea- and lunchroom (Pastelaria, Pâtisserie) Versailles Lisbon september 2017

Elegant tea- and lunchroom Versailles (from 1922)

After visiting the Gulbekian Museum, a must-do is to go to the nearby and wonderful old tea and lunchroom Versailles (1922) at Avenida da República, which has it’s own bakery. The homemade cakes and pastries are delicious, like the famous Portuguese Pasteis de natas.

Tea- and lunchroom (Pastelaria) Versailles Lisbon & delicious funny ‘bird’ pastries 😉

Elegant setting in informal and friendly atmosphere

The decor is rich, with chandeliers, gilt mirrors, stained-glass windows, tall stucco ceilings, and black-and-white marble floors. It looks like it could be straight of Paris…!

Mostly elderly people and greats of the Lisbon cafe scene enjoy their bica (espresso) here.

Tea- and lunchroom (Pastelaria) Versailles Lisbon, February 2017 : NV Lissabon

History

When lunchroom Pastelaria Versailles was inaugurated on November 25 in the year 1922, the objective was to turn into a symbol of the fashionable Avenidas Novas, an elegant and new neighborhood in Lisbon.

Construction fury first halve of 20th century

The construction fury replaced many of the beautiful small palaces and stylish houses of the first halve of the 20th century by today’s unattractive buildings at Avenida da República, but happily Pastelaria ‘Versailles’ is still there!  🙂 🙂

Tea- and lunchroom (Pastelaria) Versailles Lisbon, February 2017 & NV Lissabon

Silver-plated tea sets

The wide variety of snacks includes codfish balls and toasted ham-and-cheese sandwiches. They are also famous for their confectioneries served in a glass.

As an old-fashioned and formal touch, immaculately attired waiters serve customers from silver-plated tea sets. In addition to coffee and tea, the house specialty is hot chocolate.

Tea- and lunchroom (Pastelaria) Versailles Lisbon , February 2017 & NV Lissabon

‘Grande dame‘ of Lisbon’ & part of national heritage

Pastelaria Versailles, long known as the ‘grande dame‘ of Lisbon’ was recently declared a part of the national heritage. It still serves the famous Mozambique black tea that was introduced in 1662.

Lunch, served in a back room, is of such Portuguese specialties as codfish with almonds. Most visitors come here for tea or coffee, served with sandwiches and snacks. Desserts, including duchesses (whipped-cream cakes) are justifiably famous.

Pastelaria Versailles street 2

Entrance tea- and lunchroom Versailles in Lisbon

Tea and lunchroom Versailles Lisbon
Avenida da Republica 15a
Open: daily from 7:30 till 22:00 
Metro: Saldanha.
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Versailles 3 window dressing

Window dressing Pastelaria Versailles representing Portugal and former colonies  🙁     🙁

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Restaurant ‘O Prego da Peixaria’ Lisbon: excellent steak & chips à la Marilyn Monroe

Restaurant ‘O Prego da Peixaria’ in Lisbon pays tribute to the Portuguese steak sandwich, the prego, also a traditional snack in seafood restaurants. Recommendable!

Restaurant ‘O Prego da Peixaria’ Lisbon area Principe Real & wonderful designed wall

Portuguese way of life & artist Gonçalo Mar

The wall, designed by artist Gonçalo Mar, is a humorous re-creation of a well-known image of Marquis of Pombal, an 18th-century Portuguese statesman. The term Pombaline is used to the architectural style adopted in Lisbon after the great earthquake in 1755.

Restaurant ‘O Prego da Peixaria’ Lisbon area Principe Real & sandwich with tuna fish

It looks delicious and it sure is! 🙂 . Burger with grilled tuna fish 13 € (um prego com atum dos Açores), bread (bolo do caco de alfarroba , Carob tree), accompanied with fried sweet potatoes (batada doce) 1.50 €. Glass of white wine: Papa Figos, 4.00 €.

YouTube: traditional bread from the isle of Madeira , bolo do caco, very tasty!

Restaurant ‘O Prego da Peixaria’ Lisbon area Principe Real March 2017: Pedro & Dina

Boeuf de Wagyu (Japanese super-beef) & Marilyn Monroe potatoe chips

2 croquetes 3.80 €, 1 Rissól de Camarão (shrimp) 1.90 €, Pavé (filet) Yuppie Pão 9.50 €, Prato Pavé de boeuf de Wagyu (dish with vegetables and ‘Marilyn Monroe’ potatoe chips) 11.50 €, 2 fried sweet potatoes (batata doce) 3.00 €, 2 glasses of red wine (O Tinto d’ O Prego) 7.00 €.

Why potato chips (wavy, extremely thin and crispy , as indicated on the menu card) à la Mariliyn Monroe? I assume her famous wavy dress? and maybe Marilyn’s ‘potato sack’ dress?  😉

Restaurant ‘O Prego da Peixaria’ Lisbon area Principe Real March 2017

Order a steak sandwich in a fishery??

O Prego da Peixaria litterally means ‘the fishery’s steak sandwich’. It sounds confusing but it has to do with a Portuguese tradition: after enjoying a meal in a seafood restaurant it’s usual to order a steak sandwich, o prego .. litt. nail, referring to the full stomach after eating one, as someone told me.. 😉  

Restaurant ‘O Prego da Peixaria’ Lisbon area Principe Real March 2017

Portuguese history & Casas de Pasto (pasture house) 

The decor is fantastic! The idea is reviving the atmosphere in the cafes and the old Casas de Pasto.

Old Casa de Pasto ‘pasture house’ in Portugal – around 1920 … Source: Kuentro blogspot

Lisbon people (Lisboetas) once had the curious custom of going to stroll gardens to withdraw from the city to enjoy some pleasure of the countryside, usually on Sundays. They organised family picnics or simply had lunch in de old Casas de Pasto, so called because initially only giving fodder to the animals while the owners were negotiating at the fair. In many of them still retain the rings that held the animals.

With the time the owners of the Casas de Pasto also began to feed the animal owners and so flourished a business that came to give rise to the modern restaurants. Source: folclore de Portugal

Restaurant ‘O Prego da Peixaria’ Lisbon area Principe Real & menu card: with a pencil you can specify which prego or dish you like to order and how: rare, medium or well-done.

Restaurant ‘ O Prego da Peixaria’. No reservations
Rua da Escola Politécnica, 40 | Lisbon | phone 213 471 356, 
facebook . Open: every day from 12:00 tot 24:00.
website   
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Restaurant Bairro do Avillez Lisbon: suprising seating areas & tasty dishes

José Avillez’ new restaurant in Lisbon, Bairro do Avillez (Avillez’ ‘neighborhood’) is located in Chiado. A spacious and spectacular location, with 2 separated seating areas.

restaurant-bairro-do-avillez-lisbon-window-erika-pateo-2016

Patio Restaurant Bairro do Avillez decorated as a traditional downtown Lisbon neighborhood & ‘neighbor’ Erika Reusens 😉

 2 Michelin stars

José Avillez is one of the most renowned chefs in Portugal. He currently owns six restaurants, five in Lisbon and one in Oporto. His cooking style, contemporary and of Portuguese inspiration, has earned him a Michelin star in 2012 (restaurant Belcanto in Lisbon) and, in 2014, it received a second one, making it the first restaurant in Lisbon to have this honour).

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Restaurant Bairro do Avillez Lisbon & wonderful decorated spacious patio

Patio restaurant representing a traditional Lisbon neighborhood

The Patio restaurant is really surprising: a huge open kitchen and a wonderful creative decoration. A large skylight lets in plenty of natural light. There are different doors, typical Portuguese tiles and closed- or open windows to give you the idea of being in a traditional downtown Lisbon neighborhood, where people often hanging out of their windows. YouTube

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Restaurant Bairro do Avillez Lisbon & our dinner end of August 2016

Our dinner: 2 couvert € 7.00, Bife de Lombo (tenderloin steak) € 18.00; Legumes Salteados (sautéed vegetables) € 4.00; French fries € 3.00; 1 Bife Tártaro (tartar steak) € 14.00; água Vitalis (bottle of water) € 3.00; Wine: Casa Passarella (bottle of white wine) € 16.00; (by the glass € 4.00). Desert: Avelã (hazelnut cream); Mil Folhas Pastel de Nata € 6.00 (litt. ‘thousand sheets’ Pastel de Nata (famous Portuguese egg tart pastry) € 6.00.

Bill for 2 persons: € 91.00.

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Restaurant Bairro do Avillez Lisbon & delicious desserts

Bairro Avillez patio restaurant: tasty dishes & great ambiance

Once we were seated it took quite some time before a waiter came to our table. This restaurant just opened its doors, it’s understandable. The food was tasty, rather expensive in Lisbon (ca. € 45 p.p.), but the great ambiance was worth it!  🙂

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Restaurant Bairro do Avillez Lisbon & Taberna (Tavern)

Three concepts in one space: restaurant, tavern & grocery/gift store

Once you enter number 18 of Rua Nova da Trindade there’s the Taberna (tavern), a good idea to enjoy lunch, dinner or an ‘in-between’ snack in the afternoon. In de Tavern it is not possible to make reservations.

Mercearia (grocery & gift store)

Not just cheeses, sausages and canned goods but also kitchen accessories, books and aprons. More…... (website José Avillez). The charcuterie specialties rely on the advice of the illustrious shop in Lisbon:  ‘Manteigaria Silva’.

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Restaurant ‘Bairro’ do Avillez Lisbon & the grocery store’s creative decoration

Bairro do Avillez, Rua Nova da Trindade 18. Lisbon

Opening hours: Taberna (tavern) & Mercearia (grocery/gift shop): daily from 12:00 pm till midnight.

Patio restaurant: daily, from 12:00 pm to 15:00 pm and from 19:00 pm till midnight. Closed on public holidays, December 24 (dinner) and 25. Phone: (351) 215 830 290 (reservations). Facebook

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Patio Restaurant Bairro do Avillez Lisbon, Erika Reusens & the friendly waitress