Food and Wine

Vidigueira, the "City of Wine" 2013

Saturday, 12 January 2013 00:00

Vidigueira has won the title "City of Wine" next year, with several planned initiatives related to viticulture in the Alentejo. The town will also focus on promoting scientific ideas through technical meetings, discussions and trainings for professionals and enthusiasts in the world of wine. The program is also part of a series of gastronomic events combining cuisine, winemaking, local products and various cultural, sporting, recreational and environmental events.

Eleven Portuguese restaurants were recognized the 2013 edition of the Michelin Guide, and the Belcanto, in Lisbon, was selected as a new addition

Friday, 28 December 2012 00:00

Like the 2012 edition, the Michelin Spain and Portugal offers two stars ("excellent table, worth the detour") to Restaurant Ocean, ‘commanded’ by Hans Neuter in Lagoa and Vila Joya, headed by Dieter Koschina in Albufeira.

In 2013, six establishments maintained a Michelin star ("good in its category") that this year had seen the following recognized: Willie's (Vilamoura), São Gabriel and Henrique Reis (both in Almancil), Il Gallo d'Oro (Funchal), Casa da Calçada (Amarante) and Fortaleza do Guincho (Cascais).

The restaurants Yeatman, chief Ricardo Costa, in Vila Nova de Gaia, and Feitoria, headed by José Cordeiro, Lisbon, renewed the Michelin star they received in 2012.

In next year's edition, Belcanto Restaurant in Lisbon, led by Chief José Avillez, is featured for the first time with a Michelin star.

In 2014 five more restaurants can be awarded a Michelin star, according to the guide for next year, called "2013 tables with star potential."

Food Markets are Reborn

Friday, 14 December 2012 00:00

Next year, the markets of Campo de Ourique, Ribeira and the Forno do Tijolo in Lisbon will offer new uses of traditional commerce, in an effort to revitalize areas. Market Campo de Ourique will install a zone of Gourmet Food Court in April 2013. Ribeira Market magazine “Time Out” was responsible for the creation of a restaurant, a bar/nightclub and a bar that is still to be finalized.

Market Forno do Tijolo - Located in Anjos, will offer space designed to support an independent laboratory and a digital manufacturing (Fab Lab)

Market Arroios - is in the process of being renovated. The market is set for the end of January. The upstairs already has an independent restaurant.

plus in PORTO

Market Mercado do Bolhao will create a market for flavors and traditional foods.

Market of Bom Sucesso will reopen in January with gourmet shops, a supermarket, a 4-star hotel with a music theme and the Manuel Antonio Cycling Foundation.

Some of the newest restaurants and bars in Porto

Wednesday, 12 December 2012 00:00

Forno Velho Restaurant at Hotel Carris Porto Ribeira: At the new Hotel Carris Porto Ribeira, opened in October 2012, the Forno Velho restaurant follows in the tradition of the Old Porto and Douro region. The restaurant offers a Portuguese cuisine that retains the flavors, aromas and recipes of grandmothers, with some touches of renovation.

Vila Porto Clube - Located in downtown Porto, near the Rivoli Theatre, this restaurant aims to bring more excitement and glamour to this area of the city. With a large area (more than 1,500 square meters), Club Vila Porto is divided into two areas: disco area on the ground floor, and lounge area on the first floor. The musical offering is based mainly on dance music and rock.

Casa de Pasto Canastra Azul - Between the tavern and a snacks bar, the Canastra Azul retrieves the feel of traditional eateries of Porto. Many visitors find it when walking to the old town, but there are those who have come here from around the world. They are entering a typical house that looks like something out of a painting, among all the different pieces of furniture and bright colors of traditional objects. The idea is the same, to feel inside a house, where guests come to eat soup, and various delicacies, spotlighted on the menu. The price is at the discretion of each, simply answer the question: how valuable is this experience for you?

 

Café Lusitano / Terrasse Elisabete – “A cosmopolitan eatery that seems to have stopped in 1900” is how the interior designer and managing partner described the spot created from an old mill warehouse. It is a different space to the extent that the Cafe Lusitano recreates the feel  of a coffee house in the 50s culturally and at the same time, offers several unique surprises. They serve light meals and snacks with delicious homemade cakes. In April 2012, the Terrasse Café Lusitano inaugurated the Elisabete, in the courtyard outside the building. This space was designed by architect Alexandre Burmester and offers a new year-round space bar and terrace.

Breyner 85 - Behind the imposing door of number 85 Rua do Breyner, we found a wonderful retreat. So much more than a bar, it is an authentic cultural center where the drinks and snacks mix with live music or dance lessons, exhibitions and concerts of various musical styles. The building was completely rehabilitated for new functions while maintaining decorative elements of the past (such as the magnificent carved wooden ceilings) that gives it a unique charm and personality. The decor was designed to restore the environment of these old classic rooms, adding the right amount of modernity through the colors used.

Champanheria da Baixa - Porto’s downtown has had, since January 2012, an innovative champagne bar. It is the first in Porto and one of the few that exist in the country. This bar serves sparkling Cavas and champagnes by the glass, or glass flute. These same ingredients are also served in exotic cocktails. The drink list also includes sangria. For snacking, there are tapas, carpaccio, bruschetta and sausage boards. A bohemian atmosphere, decorated with an aesthetic of Toulouse Lautrec, you can choose to sit on the balcony overlooking the street or on comfortable couches in the lounge. www.champanheriadabaixa.com

 

Bar 117 - Bar 117 opened in April in downtown Porto. It has a dance floor and a musical style for each day of the week.

Maomaria - The name is a play on words that joins Mao and the Virgin Mary, hence the name “Maomaria,” a new bar that opened its doors in May 2012. A space for all audiences, it has a dance floor and even a wine bar.

Restaurant Alma Portuense - Opened in May 2012 in the renovated Trindade Shopping Centre in the heart of the city, Alma Portuense flavors are inspired by the lifestyle of the city. With a space of two floors and a terrace, the decor pays homage to the landscapes and iconic places in Porto. The menu features traditional dishes of Portuguese cuisine and some specialties like steak à Alma and steak Folhado. Geared toward tourists, the restaurant offers breakfast and Sunday brunch. It also has affordable daily menus from 5 euros to 2.75 euros and dishes with Happy Hour with tapas (gizzards, skewers, etc.).

Tattva Design Restaurant - In the Design Tattva Hostel in the historic center of Porto, the restaurant opened in June 2012. The goal was to make this area a place where cultures of the world mingle at the table. In Tattva Restaurant, details and design were carefully studied to create a new level of comfort and intimacy. The restaurant offers a lunch buffet (with soup, salad, a meat, fish or vegetarian dish, drink and coffee) and traditional Portuguese-influenced cuisine, catering to vegetarian options.

Zaza - Sandwiches & Bar – This restaurant opened its doors in downtown Porto in July 2012, with a cafe, bar snacks and healthy options. From the late afternoon and into the night, there are various snacks and wine by the glass. Another novelty is the gin bar with leading premium brands in the market. And you better not forget the sangria Alvarinho, homage to the original land owner who is from Monção. Try the quiche of the day, the boards of cheeses and sausages or baked pudding.

Porto Tónico - Opened in July 2012 in downtown Porto, Porto Tónico  is situated at Rua Cândido dos Reis, in the heart of Porto night life. With decorations by the famous interior designer Paulo Lobo, this location presents an innovative club, with two distinct areas, a lounge and dance floor with another. DJs play music Thursday through Saturday, from rock and pop from the 70s to the present day. It also offers an extensive list of cocktails and traditional drinks, gins from internationally renowned labels and Port wines. Offerings include cocktails, sushi, Indian cuisine and more conventional options. Porto Tónico is part of the same group that owns the city's well-known bars such as Real Indiana, Teppan, Luau, Insense and Oporto.

Cervejaria O Mercado - Innovative design boss Luis Americo opened the brewery Cervejaria O Mercado in July 2012 in the Ferreira Borges Market. Decorated with antiques and vintage bricks, the Brewery offers a warm and relaxed ambiance as is characteristic in all good breweries. We highlight the wide variety of snacks and some originality as in francesinha  pizza or steak with black truffle sauce. All served with house beer, served in buckets of cold aluminum as well.

Restaurante Bar Pátua - Opened in the summer of 2012, situated in downtown Porto, in a building with three floors, with a mezzanine and basement bar is Restaurante Bar Pátua. In front of the kitchen is the boss, João Freire Pimentel, focused on creative cuisine with various influences, the Portuguese cuisine to Asian flavors, with Italian specialties. In addition to the main dishes, there are bar snacks and cocktails toasting with many. The brunch is another one of the strengths of Patois, served daily. Savor it in the interior room or on the terrace overlooking the city. The decor is artistic, with various works of art scattered throughout the house, and the space is open for cultural initiatives.

Restaurante West & East opened its doors in the summer of 2012. It offers three types of food in the same space: Russian, Portuguese and Brazilian. Live music is offered on the weekend. The restaurant organizes groups and birthday parties, with menus and special items.

Zsa Zsa Restaurant - Opened in December 2011, this restaurant brings the flavors of Hungary to Porto. Decorated with posters and photographs of Hungary, the space is warm and festive. Opt for snacks at the bar or the restaurant's menu.

Oporto, Art, Sound & Food - Opened in November 2011, this is a small and cozy bar that serves wine by the glass and mixes art with great music. This is an irresistible combination that has captivated a loyal customer base in a limited space.

Arquivo Restaurant - Opened in November 2011 in a palace from the late 19^th century, the Arquivo crosses experiences of cuisine, design and contemporary art. Arquivo offers meticulous service and reserves rooms for exclusive use. The Porto Archives District inherited the name, which operated here from 1932 to 1995. Now it is furnished with pieces from the collection of vintage designer Raul Sousa, an ever-changing show. The Archive operates a kitchen with classic methods and international inspiration.

Astoria Restaurant - The famous Café Astoria was renovated and is now integrated into the Hotel InterContinental Cardosas Palace. Opened in 2011, it worked as the restaurant of this luxury unit, located in the heart of Porto, the lower half of the Avenida dos Aliados. From elegant to relaxed, with views of the heart of the city, the Astoria is open for lunch and dinner. The kitchen offers Portuguese treats, with a variety of seafood (oysters highlighted) and traditional products. The kitchen is the responsibility of the chief Pedro Sequeira and the menu offers lunch menus at lower prices.

Traça Restaurant - Opened in June 2011 in Largo de S. Domingos, next to the Palácio das Artes in the historic center of Porto, the Traça is installed in an historic building where there once was a stationery store and a drugstore. Totally refurbished, yet faithful to the memory of a building dating back to the 17^th century, through the materials used, and the objects of decoration, such as floor tiles imitating ancient pieces in iron and slate table where you can read the menu. With a focus on game dishes, the menu is inspired by a traditional Iberian-influenced cuisine and offers some original suggestions as cecina salad (cured beef).

Túnel Bar - Opened in June 2011 in downtown Porto, Túnel Bar is housed in a former lamp shop and owes its name to the tunnel Túnel de Ceuta. The space recreates the setting of a tunnel.

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