Welcome to Where the Chefs Eat a column in which chefs share their go-to restaurants in their favorite cities.
The Lisbon that Nuno Mendes grew up in during the 1980s was nothing like the city we know and love today. The City of Light was “a very tough city,” Mendes says. “Back then, there was no sense of national pride.”
Mendes then traveled the world, exploring different ingredients and innovative global cooking techniques under the likes of Wolfgang Puck and Rocco di Spirito, before settling in East London where he has now lived for 20 years. While Hackney is home, the Lisbon that Mendes knows and loves today is thriving—so, he finally decided to open a restaurant there. Following the success of his highly acclaimed London restaurants Lisboeta, The Loft Project, Bacchus, and Viajante, Santa Joana opened in Lisbon last October to rave reviews, allowing him to split his time between London and his childhood home.
“It’s a stunning, one-of-a-kind space,” Mendes says about Santa Joana. “It’s in an old convent with beautiful high ceilings, the kind of space you don’t really find, so this is a dream come true for me. And what’s critical is you can really feel the heartbeat of the city in that restaurant.” He acknowledges that he’s in good company cooking in the city, given the incredible chefs in Lisbon today: “The food culture is now much broader than it was when I was younger. The food we’re cooking is traditional yet also reflects the current and contemporary aspects of Lisbon’s culinary culture.”
Part of the energy in kitchens and restaurants comes from the people in the city itself, he says. “Lisbon is now a city full of vibrant, excited people, a lot of young people, a lot of Portuguese people who have traveled the world and then come back home again. And I love that I can use products, 99 per cent of which have come from only 300 meters away.”
So, we asked Mendes to share his favorite restaurants in Lisbon—where he goes the minute he touches down in the city. “I wanted to highlight the places that are my personal favorites, that have such an amazing atmosphere. [Where] you really feel like you’re being welcomed into somebody’s home.” And when you walk in, you’ll know where you are: “Every single one of my recommendations could only exist in Lisbon.”
Prado
Tv. das Pedras Negras 2 (Baixa)
“The menu changes regularly at Prado, one of my favorite restaurants. The team works with a lot of excellent small producers, and there is a fantastic wine list. It’s hyper-seasonal, but it’s perfectly inspired by Portuguese products and by classic Portuguese cooking. It’s a very different restaurant to St John in London, but it’s got a similar approach and ethos of using the entire fish from nose to tail; not wasting anything. The people who visit Prado seek it out, so the clientele seems alive and on board with what they’re doing. There’s also a great little wine bar. The food is incredible in there if you want something quick and light.”