Maré by José Avillez 

Located on the iconic Guincho road, Maré is a seaside restaurant in a place where fish reigns both on the plate and in the ocean. It is a recent project by chef José Avillez, probably the most awarded and renowned Portuguese chef today.

The décor is inspired by the sea, with a light and informal touch, as expected from a coastal venue. The main dining room, in shades of blue, is spacious and features an elegant service counter. Closer to the sea is the covered terrace, sheltered from the wind, offering outdoor comfort even on stormy days. There is also an open-air terrace and a private room for groups, ensuring privacy away from the main area.

The kitchen, led by chef Filipe Pina, keeps the identity of the José Avillez group alive, combining tradition and respect for authentic flavours with the excellence of the products used.

Among the menu highlights, the Scarlet Prawn Rice stands out as the house specialty. The “Bacalhau à Brás” is reinvented with explosive olives, already emblematic in the group’s cuisine. The corvina ceviche impresses with its freshness, and the Sea Platter — ideal for two people, with Scarlet Prawn, Corvina, Clams and Squid — is a true maritime celebration.

To finish, the Hazelnut in different textures or the Passion Fruit dessert are recommended, a true ode to the heavens for lovers of this tropical fruit.

The wine list, although not extensive, is carefully curated, with house wines that pair perfectly with the restaurant’s gastronomic offerings.

You can also visit:

Cascais Marina

Guincho, road and lighthouses

Beach

Cascais

O NOBRE

Located next to Campo Pequeno in Lisbon, O Nobre by Chef Justa Nobre is one of the last bastions of outstanding Portuguese gastronomy, where creativity is harmoniously intertwined with the flavours and traditions that are held so dear.

The light and elegant décor is spread across three rooms: the main dining room and two more private spaces, ideal for a more intimate experience. The wine cellar, discreetly integrated into the room, proudly displays the nectars ready to be served, enriching every meal with the perfect pairing. The starters are an irresistible invitation to the senses.

Iberian ham, thinly sliced liver or gratinated goat cheese promise a memorable beginning, joined by the iconic Spider Crab Soup, the unmistakable signature of Chef Justa Nobre.

The menu is a tribute to shared taste memories, reinterpreted with mastery.

Standout dishes include the codfish, where the Chef harmonises cured ham to intensify the flavours, or the delicate baby squid from the coast in garlic sauce, an ode to simplicity and the pure taste of the sea. Among so many options, there is also the sea bass loin à Justa, the succulent leg of kid goat and the divine seafood cataplana, a gastronomic experience that transports diners straight to paradise. To finish, the desserts are a true temptation.

Light and delicate farófias, the seductive pumpkin fondant with ice cream, the classic sopa dourada or the exquisite pudim de abade are just some of the choices that make the final decision a delicious challenge.

Café Alentejo

A few meters from the emblematic Praça do Giraldo, on a discreet little street that gently slopes down, lies Café Alentejo, a restaurant where Alentejo tradition remains alive, with subtle touches of modernity. The entrance, almost hidden, invites an escape from the heat and a dive into a welcoming atmosphere, with dark burgundy walls and marble tables that evoke times gone by.
There, time seems to slow down. The tables tell stories of other days, when groups of men gathered around glasses of wine and shared snacks, amid unhurried conversations and knowing glances.
Once a Casa de Pasto and later a tavern until the mid-1990s, the space was given new life in 1999 by Rita Simão, who managed to preserve the soul of the place while elevating traditional cuisine with renewed care.
The visit took place at lunchtime. The dining room, filled with both tourists and locals, welcomed guests with the friendliness of the staff, who with humor and ease guided everyone to one of the available tables.
The extensive and tempting menu stirred the appetite with suggestions that made everything seem worth tasting. Off the menu, the wild mushrooms called out and it was love at first bite. Sautéed with a drizzle of olive oil and fresh coriander, they arrived at the table on a Bordalo Pinheiro plate, accompanied by an Alentejo wine wisely recommended and by the region’s bread, now considered one of the best in the world.
Moments like this justify every visit to restaurants with soul, where the care for the customer is as evident as the flavor on the plate.
Next came the grouper soup, a rich and balanced broth, with plenty of fish, perfectly cooked potatoes, peppers and tomato well blended together. The only regret was the dominant presence of pennyroyal which, although traditional, imposed itself too much for this particular taste. Still, it is a dish to be considered by those who appreciate the intense flavor of pennyroyal.
The meal could already have ended there, but greed won. Oxtail in red wine was ordered, served with homemade mashed potatoes. The meat, tender and well seasoned, wrapped in balanced spices, was a finale worthy of note — or rather, almost a finale.
Because there was still room for torrão real, a dessert fit for kings: almond wrapped in an intense yet smooth cream, which brought the meal to a close on a divine note. The well-pulled espresso sealed the experience with elegance.
In the city of the Temple of Diana, Café Alentejo is more than a restaurant — it is a reason to return, again and again.

Ferrugem, Famalicão

Located in Portela de Famalicão, Ferrugem is owned by Chef Renato Cunha, an exceptional cook who is also a gastronome and a scholar of traditional Portuguese cuisine, refining flavors in his own style and elevating tradition to a contemporary creative approach without losing its roots and techniques. A modern, elegant space, ideal for a demanding gastronomic experience.