The Alvalade neighborhood in Lisbon was considered one of the 40 coolest 'hoods in the world by Timeout magazine.
Alvalade is a neighborhood with bit of everything and a truly unique charm. In the middle of the 20th century, Alvalade was synonymous with Lisbon's middle class with higher standards, and it became an experimental place for residential architecture and urban planning, something that still can be appreciated today.
For Lisboetas exploring its streets, Alvalade brings back memories of several mandatory stops; pastry stores, restaurants of all kinds, bakeries, and art galleries, among others. The Avenida da Igreja is the central axis, connecting the Church of São João de Brito to Campo Grande, which gives access to all the stops in our tour.
We walked around and made a mini-itinerary with for those who like interesting wines and food.
Chez Chouette
This is a new venture of Leopoldo Calhau, chef and entrepreneur, known for his Taberna do Calhau and Bla Bla Glu Glu projects, both on Rua das Olarias, in the neighborhood of Mouraria. The concept of Chez Colette (which means "it's cool!" in French) is a wine bar and wine cellar with Portuguese snacks and groceries, in a space of straight lines, high ceilings and a somewhat "work in progress" appearance.
Leopoldo is very passionate about wines, especially those from small producers who aim for "low intervention", natural and biodynamic wines. He manages to offer and interesting selection of Portuguese wines from almost every region, right next to some French wines that share the same production approach.
A well curated selection of Portuguese craft beers is another reason to visit this place.
Slow fermentation breads from Millstone Sourdough, Pâté en Croûte and Pickles, Ham and Portuguese as well as French cheeses, are among the "snacks". Some are served in ceramic Aquiles, by the renowned Portuguese ceramist Inês Soares. Attention to detail.
Contact:
R. Acácio de Paiva, 20A, Lisboa
Phone 21 409 8817
Mon-Fri 12h-19h - Sát 11h30-15h30
Dois Dedos de Conserva
A small space ideal for the connoisseur of traditional and original products. Once you enter it is impossible not to be in awe by the variety, rarity and careful selection of the products on offer.
There are preserves of the very best brands; tuna belly, mackerel roe, sardines of various condiments and preparations, right next to tempting cookies, teas, infusions, honey and jellies.
If you are looking for a special gift or don't leave behind the Portuguese ceramics to elegantly display food on any table.
Always on the lookout for original products, the owners are constantly adding new things, like wines, handmade liqueurs, and therapeutic pillows with Sour Cherry stones, often following recommendations from their customers.
We also found soaps made from natural ingredients with scents such as orange blossom from Nally, an almost century-old Portuguese brand. There's also a soap made from donkey's milk! Wanna try it? Then you must visit Dois Dedos de Conserva.
Oh, did we mention the Partridge de Escabeche and the pepper jelly? I told you this is the place for true connoisseurs!
Contact:
Rua Acácio de Paiva, Nº6-C
1700-005 Lisboa
doisdedosdeconserva2021@gmail.com
Phone: 21 197 8841
Cell: 91 467 7312
Mon-Fri 10h-19h - Sát 10h-20h
Garrafeira d’Alvalade
Right on Avenida da Igreja, just steps from the Church of São João de Brito, you will find Garrafeira d'Alvalade, founded in 1954.
The wine store is quite small, but it offers a well curated selection, including not only the most iconic Portuguese wines, but many excellent ones that aren't so famous (yet).
All Portuguese regions are fairly represented and properly labeled. A quick look at the labels and it was easy to guess who is the person curating the store. His name is Alcídio Gomes, someone who has been working in the wine industry for over 40 years and known by everybody, from producers, distributors or restaurant owners. Alcídio always had a dream of opening his own wine store in a traditional area of Lisbon, and offer the best Portuguese wines. For the past four years he and his son have been running the rejuvenated Garrafeira d'Alvalade.
Here's an example of the gems one can find on the shelves.
Give the wide variety of Champagne and Sparkling wines it is evident that Alcídio is very passionate about them. But there's also room for the very best brandies produced in Portugal, as well as other high-quality spirits, gins and whiskies.
In addition to the physical wine store, purchases can be made online on a well-organized website, that currently offers international shipping to six European countries.
Contact:
Avenida da Igreja nº3 C
1700-230 Lisboa
geral@garrafeiradalvalade.pt
Phone:21 157 6919
Cell:92 815 4740
Mon-Fri 10h-19:30h - Sát 10h-18:30h
Did you already know these places? Do you have other "hidden gems" for us? If so, please share them with us!
Comments