Gourmet
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How and where to taste good portuguese wines in Lisbon
There isn’t only Bordeaux, Burgundy and the Côtes du Rhône in life! Oenophiles know it, Portugal is an excellent country of wine. The poorly known Portuguese vineyard has about thirty regions of origin. Various wine productions, of which one can discover the tannins on the tables of famous bars or Lisbon restaurants, or why not during an organized tour dedicated to the best beverages of the region. Thus gently exhilarated by the local aromas, you will perhaps not leave Lisbon without one or two good bottles found among the cellars and specialty shops of the Portuguese capital. Cheers! A rich Portuguese vineyard Portuguese crus, we know especially Porto, Vinho Verde, or Madeira. The Lusitanian vineyard however has a wide variety of reds, whites or sparkling wines that can accompany all kinds of dishes and various occasions. Lisbon itself has no less than nine denominations of origin: Bucelas, Colares and Carcavelos to the south, Alenquer, Arruda, Lourinhã, Óbidos and Torres Vedras in the center, and Encostas d'Aire to the north. The white Bucelas is for example excellent to accompany your local sardines. Visiting Sintra, you can taste the red Colares which is vinified not far, and without going too far, the wines of Estremadura are among the best whites of the country. Further south of the white city, Moscatel d'Arràbida is produced. Sweet, golden, it is ideal for an aperitif or dessert, when it is 20 or 30 years old. Grilled meats will be better matched with a good red Dâo. For tables with stronger flavors, we will favor the wines of Alentejo, Barraida or Douro, a small region of the North also well known for the famous Porto. Speaking of Porto, just know that if it is appreciated by the French at the time of the aperitif, or as a starter with a good melon, the English prefer it with their cheese, while the Portuguese drink it for their part at the end of the meal. The other star of Portuguese nectars, of course, is the Vinho Verde. If It holds its name of "green wine" of its fresh spring and early harvest (unlike the "Vinho Maduro", or "ripe wine"), make no mistake: this sparkling wine can be red as white. Finally, let's not forget the wines of the Algarve, which bloom in the sun of the wine region of Portimão. Originally from the Algarve too, Amarguinha is a very sweet bitter almond liqueur. The diversity of the Portuguese vintages does not prevent to discover the joys of the famous liquors of the country. Typically from Lisbon, the Ginjinha or Ginja is indeed an "unmissable" of the capital, it's up to you to see if you prefer this cherry alcohol with or without the cherry at the bottom of the cup. Finally, in hot weather, you can always soak your lips in the freshness of a national beer of your choice: Sagres, Super Bock, Crystal or Imperial. Appellations of Portuguese wines Note that Portuguese wines are subject to a classification that is divided into four categories: DOC (Denominação de origem controlada), IPR (Indicação de Provenção de Provençncia Regulada), VR (Vinhos Regionais, synonyms of "Vins de Pays"), and finally the Vinhos de Mesa or "Table Wines". The DOC and IPR categories comply with European legislation Q.W.P.S.R. (Quality wines produced in specified regions). The DOC appellation is the equivalent of the French AOC (Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée). These wines of very high taste and aromatic qualities, are attached to soils and meet the highest standards (grape varieties, soil characteristics, alcohol content, etc.). The DOC category counts every year new elected, among which we find the Porto, the Barraida, the Pico or Madeira among other famous bottles. The IPR classified wines (which can be translated as "Regulated Provenance Indication") wait for their DOC designation, and observed in this respect for five years in order to obtain it. So to speak, these IPRs are the casting candidates for "The New Star" of Portuguese wine. The "Vinhos Regionais", of good quality, fulfill the condition of a determined regional origin, but do not meet all the rules imposed by the DOC name. The Algarve, Alentejano, Estremadura, are part of it. Portuguese table wines can have some good surprises, but most have nothing of the quality of their neighbors under controlled appellations Good addresses to enjoy wine in Lisbon Now that we know everything about the wine heritage of Portugal, all that is left is to find good places to enjoy these good wines in Lisbon. The capital has no shortage of places dedicated to the pleasures of oenology, and lovers of good wines will find a wide choice of bistros, restaurants with good wine waiters, or beautiful cellars to visit. We have selected four places to be discover for wine lovers in Lisbon. The Old Pharmacy, for example, is a must wine bar located in the Bairro Alto district. The attentive service welcomes a large audience in its former pharmacy decor, to provide its best "therapeutic" advice ... Right in the city center, the Sommelier Lisbon restaurant is, as its name indicates, a gourmet table of choice, ideal to accompany your meal with the best bottles. Its wine list includes more than 80 selections! But the “must” to devote a moment entirely dedicated to tasting wines from all over the country, is the vaulted room of ViniPortugal, enthroned on the Praça da Commercio. For the price of a package of your choice, you can taste different wines by the glass, and discover all the variety of terroirs and vintages of Portugal. Here, we do not just toast, or even "drink a drink" in a friendly place, we explore. Wine events and thematic tastings are also offered among many activities. Then go, do not sulk our pleasure, at the turn of a paved alley, to lean on the counter of a typical ginjhana. Lisbon abounds of it, and it is easy to spot them especially in the neighborhood of Rossio, with cherry stones thrown on the sidewalk. The historic spot remains A Ginjinha Espinheira, where for the modest sum of 1.10 €, the boss will send you the delicious cherry liqueur so beloved of Lisbon (and nothing else, we are there only for that!). The Old Pharmacy: 83, R. do Diario de Notícias 73 – Lisbon Opening hours: daily from 17h30 to 00h00 Sommelier Lisbon: Rua do Telhal, 57 – Lisbon Opening hours: every day from 18:30 to 00:45 ViniPortugal Sala Ogival: Terreiro do Paco, Ala Poente – Lisbon Opening hours: from 11h to 18h30 In Ginjinha Espinheira: Largo de São Domingos, 8 – Lisbon Opening hours: daily from 9h to 22h Discover the Portuguese wine culture… and bring back home some aromas You have become an expert in Portuguese wines, you have tasted the ones you liked and now know which are your favorite. Impossible to go home without bringing back at least a good bottle, and why not, the memory of a real tour on the wine route in the region! All you need to do is get off the tram nº28 near the cathedral. Behind the new shop Cellar GN, we find the famous Garrafeira Nacional. The wine shop offers the full range of Portuguese wines, from the finest DOC table wine, from the greenest vinho to the oldest vintages. To go further in the oenological exploration of the region, why not try an organized day on the wine roads. Many tours offer for example, a private driver who picks you up to guide you a whole day between tastings in the most beautiful cellars of the region, visits in the most prestigious vineyards, and stops in charming villages. A complete sensory experience that allows you to fully enjoy the character of local wines ... with moderation, but also enjoyment! GN Cellar - Rua da Conceição, 20/26 - Lisbonne Opening hours: everyday from 10h à 21h
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How and where to taste good portuguese wines in Lisbon
Lisbon in all sweetness; Lisbon’s pastries and tearooms
Pasteis de nata, pastels de Belém: these tarts filled with egg cream have become famous all over the world. Upon their evocation, we imagine a Portugal full of sweetness and tastefulness, ravishing in vanilla and cinnamon, we would not be mistaken... Doce de ovos, a debauchery of pastry cream Pasteis are the first Portuguese dessert that comes to mind, but unfortunately it is often the only one. Yet a visitor who arrives in Lisbon can be perplexed by the profusion of cakes and pastries that are offered to him, arranged in enticing pyramids behind the showcases of tea rooms with Art Nouveau aesthetics. What is not surprising is the art that the Portuguese and the Lisboans use to accommodate the pastry cream - all sauces, so to speak. How many different cakes can you stuff with "doce de ovos", this delicious egg cream? An infinite number, it seems. But why then egg cream? How many drops of egg yolks are used up every day by Portuguese pastry chefs? Tradition has it that it was the monks and nuns who made all of Portugal discover the "doces conventuais", the "convent pastries". The monasteries had the opposite problem: what to do with so many egg yolks, once the whites have been used to whiten the mass wine and make the hosts? The answer was found thanks to the abundance of sugar that came from the Portuguese colonies. Lisbon, a paradise for the sweet toothed Once you have tried the famous pasteis, it is time to turn to other specialties, such as the bolas de Berlim, filled donuts, you guessed it, with egg cream, Portuguese variant of the Berliner Pfannkuchen ; or the torta de Azeitao, which requires no less than 10 eggs, 200 grams of sugar - and a little bit of flour for the shape. And which we then fill them of egg cream. Portuguese cakes are not afraid to promise mounts and wonders. Thus, the "toucinho de ceu" with the evocative name ("ceu" means "heaven") offers you the keys to paradise... but not only. "Toucinho" means bacon. Airy delights on one side, calories on the other, this "bacon from heaven" was traditionally made with lard, replaced today by butter. Apart from the butter in considerable quantity and sugar and the almond powder, what are the other ingredients of the toucinho de ceu? You will never guess: egg yolks. However, contrary to what one might think, the Portuguese pastry is not just sugar and egg yolks. Among other delicacies such as the chocolate salame or queijada of Sintra, one must discover "dreams" ("sonhos"), these delicate donuts sprinkled with cinnamon and icing sugar. Starred chef George Mendes gives us his own recipe. Where to enjoy pastries in Lisbon? If one can try to make these delicious cakes at home (provided, of course, you have a supply of egg yolks), you can also discover with delight the famous Lisbon tea salons. Here along are four among the many celebrated, but you may enjoy discovering your own little addresses found in small alleys: "pastelarias" abound, with magic words, "fabrica proprio", on their awning, which testify that the pastries are made on-site. Confeitaria Nacional La Confeitaria Nacional is the oldest of the bakeries. Founded in 1829, the house is still run today by the same family, the sixth generation of descendants of the founder Balthazar Castanheiro. To every lord, all honor: the house is the official supplier of the presidential palace, after having been that of the royal family. The place, victim of its fame, is very popular with tourists. But a pilgrimage is imposing in this temple of pastry. One can come to admire the azulejos and to sip a very good coffee or a beer, at times of less crowding, that is to say during the opening or late at night. Praça da Figueira, 18, 1100-241 Lisbon - +351 21 342 4470 - every day from 8 am to 10 pm, except on Mondays, from 8 am to 8 pm and on Sundays from 9 am to 10 pm. Pastelaria Versailles Behind the sumptuous facade, the interior of the Pastelaria Versailles has little to envy in the Hall of Mirrors in the palace of the same name: the delicate white volutes of the ceiling moldings stand out against a gray pearl background, the candlesticks sparkle and the waiters in vest astonish. In the long service room, the showcase of pastries makes your mouth water. There are also hot chocolates, "à la française" or "à la espagnole", as well as black tea from Mozambique, the "chá preto de Moçambique". The glacier of the same house recently opened on the same street, a few numbers of the main pastry (no. 21). There is also a branch in the Belem district. Avenida da República, nº 15 - A, 1050-185 Lisbon - +351 21 354 6340 - every day from 7:30 am to 11:45 pm. Versailles Belém - Rua da Junqueira 528 / Calçada da Ajuda 8, 1300-314 Lisbon - +351 21 822 8090 - daily from 7:30 am to 11 pm. Pastelaria Suiça Separated simply by the Rua da Betesga, the two rivals Pastelaria Suiça and Confeitaria Nacional look at each other as a faience dog, but for gourmets, there is no need to choose: you can be loyal to both! Under a less imposing exterior than its sisters, Pastelaria Suiça nevertheless exudes refinement. Here too, the thick white tablecloths freshly ironed are de rigueur, and the long showcase where the desserts are stacked is equally impressive. Pastelaria Suiça - Praça Dom Pedro IV, 96 to 104, 1100-202, Lisbon - +351 21 321 4090 - daily from 7am to 9pm. Pastelaria Orion Less lavishing, but not less delicious, Pastelaria Orion has more the appearance of a comfortable neighborhood cafe than a tea room. This pastelaria is a little away from the tourist floods, the attendance is more local. Besides, one can quickly become a regular: if it does not have the pedigree and the antiquity of the other more famous pastries (it was founded, after all, "only" 1945), Pastelaria Orion is equally jealous when it comes to the quality of its products and its recipes. Pastelaria Orion - Calçada do Combro 1, 1200-012 Lisboa, Portugal - +351 21 342 0485 - daily from 7am to 8pm.
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Lisbon in all sweetness; Lisbon’s pastries and tearooms
The trendiest restaurants of Lisbon
Because a pleasant setting is often as important as the quality of the plate during an evening in a restaurant, discover our selection of the trendiest design restaurants in Lisbon, for a combined pleasure of your eyes and your taste buds! 100 Maneiras A refined setting, all dressed in white, a unique concept with an imposed "tasting" menu, which connects dishes and different taste discoveries... The talent and inspiration of the chef Ljubomir Stanisic attracts the whole of Lisbon to his table, and they all continue to ask for more! Rua do Teixeira, 35, Encarnação Kais Kais is a 19th century warehouse restored into a gigantic industrial-style restaurant, where wooden furniture and metallic structures blend elegantly, and where olive trees grow against the brick walls. We are as impressed by the space of the place as by the refinement of the plates. Rua Cintura do Porto de Lisboa, Armazém 1 (Cais da Viscondessa) Bica do sapato The view on the Tagus is breathtaking, and the design frame is not left neglected. Once owned by actor John Malkovitch, the restaurant Bica do Sapato is a must-see in Lisbon, with original cuisine and high quality. A sure bet for gourmets and design lovers. Avenida Infante D. Henrique, Armazém B Largo It is the designer Miguel Cancio Martins, who we owe the Buddha Bar in Paris to, and who converted this former cloister into a trendy table, elected in 2013 among the 10 best tables of the capital by Time Out magazine. Aquariums filled with phosphorescent jellyfish and big mouths along the wall in contrast with the stone vaults of the building. The menu is more classical than the decor, but nevertheless pleasing. Rua Serpa Pinto, 10A – 1200-445 Chiado Eleven In a gigantic building overlooking the Eduardo VII Park, the Eleven, formerly the only restaurant starred by the Michelin guide in Lisbon, offers a unique panorama and one of the most creative dish. Chef Joachim Koerper combines fresh, high-quality produce for a Mediterranean cuisine very flavourable. On the floor above, the bistro Twelve offers a more accessible menu where tapas and risottos are in the spotlight. Rua Marquês da Fronteira Jardim Amália Rodrigues Pharmacia Located in front of the Santa Catarina mirador, the Pharmacia restaurant, housed in the charming mansion of the Pharmacy Museum, offers the world of pharmacy in detail. The setting is perfect, the decoration very beautiful, the attentive service and the amazing plates. Do not hesitate to let yourself be amazed by the menu "surprise", whose multiple appetizers will amaze your taste buds. Rua Marechal Saldanha 1 Tabik Elected as the rising star of the Portuguese culinary scene in 2015 by the Condé Nast Traveler, Chef Manuel Lino has already come a long way, and anchored his restaurant Tabik among the most popular tables in Lisbon. He reinterprets the classics of Portuguese cuisine with more contemporary techniques and surprising associations. Av. da Liberdade 41
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The trendiest restaurants of Lisbon
Les Pasteis de Nata, Lisbon’s delight
Kind of a small pastry flan, often eaten warm and sprinkled with cinnamon, the pastel de Nata has become an emblem of the Lisbon gastronomy. Discover the origin of this pastry, popular with locals and tourists, and an easy recipe to bring a bit of Lisbon home! The History Pastel de Nata "cream pie" in Portuguese was created in the early nineteenth century by the monks of the Jéronimos Monastery (Mosteiro dos Jeronimos), located in the city of Belem, which has become a district of Lisbon. When the liberal revolution broke out in 1820, it was ordered to close all the monasteries, all the monks were then expelled. To survive, one of them decided to produce small tartlets that were formerly made in convents, and sell them in a small shop adjoining the monastery. Belem was then a tourist destination in itself; many visitors would come to contemplate the Tower of Belem (Torre de Belem) and the Monastery. The success of these small flans was immediate, and since 1837, only the original Fabrica dos Pasteis de Belem produces and sells the original recipe of these cakes renamed Pasteis de Belem. We now find these throughout all of Portugal, but also far beyond! Brazil has of course adopted it, but more surprisingly, the entire Asian continent: introduced via Macao at the time of the Portuguese colonial presence, the pastel de nata seduced China, then Cambodia, Malaysia, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong. This global success has made pastel de nata one of the 50 best foods in the world by The Guardian! The recipe After a gourmet stay in Lisbon would you want to experience a bit of Portuguese flavors at home? Follow this quick and easy recipe! 2 pâtes feuilletées (puff pastry) 4 egg yolks 2 whole eggs 500 ml milk 20g of flour 250 g sugar 1 washed organic lemon zest about 1 cm in width. Roll the puff pastry on itself to make a small sausage and cut slices of about 1cm thick. Place each slice in a small tart pan (flat) and flatten it with your thumb so that the batter covers the pan. Dilute 20 g of flour into 500ml of milk. Whisk. Add lemon zest. bring then the milk to boil while whisking regularly. At the first boil, remove from heat and reserve. Mix the eggs and egg yolks and set aside. For the syrup: Mix 250g of sugar and a little bit of water (sugar should be moist). Melt the sugar slowly. Cook the syrup until it reaches a temperature of 107/110 ° C. Remove it from heat and stir into milk / flour mixture, stirring often and vigorously enough. Remove the lemon zest. Add the eggs, still mixing regularly. Place the pans full of dough on a baking sheet. fill 3/4 full with cream. Bake in a preheated oven (250 to 300 °c) for 7 to 10 minutes. Ready To taste?
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Les Pasteis de Nata, Lisbon’s delight