Bairro do Avillez is yet another jewel in the ever growing culinary empire of renowned chef José Avillez. It located not far from a number of his other restaurants in the popular Chiado area. Bairro do Avillez, which means “Avillez’s neighborhood”, occupies 1,000 m2 in a building that was once a convent and spans an entire city block. With a broad collection of dining options and food concepts all located under one roof, the restaurant feels like it could be its own neighborhood – and it’s one that you won’t want to miss.

Taberna serves hearty food and a variety of traditional Portuguese “petiscos” (snacks) that have been updated and reimagined, including beef croquettes (some say the best in Lisbon),  tuna steak sandwich with vinegary vegetables, cod with cornbread and chorizo crumbs, and octopus with garlic and kimchi.

Páteo is a lovely dining area located in the building’s courtyard with a first floor balcony. Here diners can enjoy a menu that features fish and seafood that is expertly prepared using modern cooking techniques.

Mercearia is a gourmet deli and store where you can buy products to eat in the patio or take home. The store stocks a variety of quality Portuguese products, including cheese, sausage, artisinal canned goods, olive oil and wine, along with cookbooks, kitchen tools and aprons.

Chef Avillez also created Beco-Cabaret Gourmet inside of Bairro do Avillez for diners looking for something more – dinner and a show. Located down a hidden hallway and only open at night, seating at Beco is limited to just 20 tables and it has the feel of a 1920’s speakeasy. Dinner consists of a Tasting Menu that includes the chef’s most famous and favorite dishes, and lasts about 2 – 2.5 hours. After the dinner/show, Beco becomes a bar. Tickets for Beco must be purchased in advance, so do plan ahead if you want to enjoy this unique dining experience.

Taberna , Páteo and Mercearia are open daily but their hours do vary, so check the website below for more info on each one, including opening hours and menus.

• Rua Nova da Trindade, 18
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Phone: +351 215 830 290
• Website: bairrodoavillez

Beco-Cabaret Gourmet opens at 8:30pm on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

Photo credit: Grupo José Avillez

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Lisbon remains a top destination for foodies, as the country’s top chefs continue to add to their expanding food empires. One of the latest additions to the buzzing food scene is a new restaurant from acclaimed chef Henrique Sá Pessoa, best known for his Michelin-starred restaurant Alma.

Chef Sá Pessoa’s newest venture is called Tapisco, a play on the words “tapas” used in Spain and “petiscos” used in Portugal. With his new venture the chef celebrates the Iberian cuisine and small plates that are a tradition in both Spain and Portugal. Tapisco is the casual restaurant that the chef has been wanting to open in Lisbon after the critical acclaim of Alma, and although he has created a space and setting that is informal, it still retains a level of sophistication and delivers a modern fine dining experience that is more laid back.

The menu includes a variety of traditional Spanish and Portuguese dishes, including Spanish tortilla (Tortilla de Patatas), Iberian ham (Jamón Ibérico), garlic shrimp (Gambas al Ajillo), lentil stew (Estofado de Lentejas), baby clams (Amêijoas à Bulhão), and salted codfish (Bacalhau à Brás and Bacalhau à Lagareiro). Chocolate lovers will want to leave room for the Dark Chocolate Mousse that is served with olive oil and fleur de sel. The bar also serves a full complement of drinks, including a selection of Vermouth, signature cocktails, Spanish and Portuguese wines, and beer.

Tapisco is located in the charming Príncipe Real neighborhood that borders the Bairro Alto, and is open daily from noon to midnight.

• Rua D. Pedro V, 81
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Phone: 213 420 681
• Website: Tapisco

Photo credit: Tapisco

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Tucked away behind glass doors in Lisbon’s hip and trendy Chiado neighborhood is a food court that is worthy of a baron, namely the Baron of Quintela. His beautifully restored 18th C. palace, with its elegant staircase, fresco murals and stunning stained-glass window with the Quintela coat of arms, was completely restored and reborn as the Palácio Chiado in 2016.

The concept for the Palácio Chiado was developed by three partners, one of whom is the grandson of the building’s owner. The idea behind the Palácio was to open up the building to allow others to experience the grandeur of the palace from within.

Inside the Palácio Chiado you will find seven different restaurants spread over two floors of the palace that offer a variety of food concepts, from drinks to dessert. Many are outposts of existing popular restaurants. Located on the ground floor is a very lively bar area, with tables where diners can sit, relax and enjoy a meal. Past the bar is an area with a number of food stalls, including the Meat Bar, Sea by Local, Local Chiado (vegetarian and healthy dishes), Bacalhau Lisbon (traditional cod dishes), and Confeitaria do Palácio (traditional Portuguese desserts). Ascending the grand double staircase to the more intimate and formal rooms on the second floor you will find Farrobodó, serving a variety of traditional Portuguese dishes, and Sushic Chiado, serving creative sushi dishes infused with traditional Portuguese flavors.

The Palácio has had a great deal of buzz since it opened, and has rapidly become a local favorite in the neighborhood that has become a focal point for the vibrant food scene that has emerged in Portugal. It is a perfect place to go if you like to try different things, or if you are traveling with others and find it hard to find one cuisine that will satisfy everyone’s palate.  The beauty of the Palácio is that no one has to compromise, as there is enough variety in the types of foods offered that everyone will find something they like. Each diner is given a card when they enter the Palácio, and that card is then presented to each vendor to record the items ordered. Diners then present the card to pay for their food/drinks on the way out.

Palácio Chiado is open Sunday through Thursday from 12:00 pm to midnight, and Friday and Saturday from 12:00 pm to 2:00 am.

• Rua do Alecrim, 70
• Lisbon, Portugal
• Phone: 210 101 184
• Website: Palácio Chiado

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Photo credit: © Christopher Pappas · All rights reserved.

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