Belcanto
Lisbon, Portugal
⭐2 Stars
The Experience
From Michelin Guide
Belcanto boasts a superb location in the Bairro Alto (Chiado) district popular with tourists, on a corner close to a former convent damaged by the large earthquake that devastated the city in 1755. In his culinary empire’s showcase gourmet restaurant, chef José Avillez offers a modern à la carte and a single tasting menu entitled Belcanto that takes guests on a journey of gastronomic discovery in a dining room divided into different spaces, alongside a chef’s table in the kitchen. Avillez explains that all his dishes are influenced by Lisbon’s different light, its maritime shoreline and its distinct districts: in the words of this celebrated chef, “cooking is our very own fado, and our own form of expression”. He recreates recipes that recall our childhood memories, such as the classic “grandmother’s rice pudding” (arroz-doce da nossa avó), which boasts a sublime delicacy and a truly special flavour. Interestingly, the napkin provided for dessert is in the shape of a sleeve, recalling the way the chef once wiped his mouth on his sleeve as a child!
Unique Things
From Visitor Experiences
Belcanto's intimate setting with only ten tables in a wood-panelled dining room creates a sophisticated nook of old-world Portugal, blending refined elegance with a new-world culinary adventure.
Chef José Avillez’s nonconformist approach combines traditional Portuguese classics like suckling pig and pot-au-feu with experimental and whimsical dishes such as "The garden of the goose that laid the golden eggs," showcasing creativity and storytelling through food.
The Chef’s Table experience offers a completely surprising tasting menu with no prior disclosure of dishes, enhancing the element of discovery and elevating the dining experience through vaulted ceilings, natural light, and beautiful decor that complements the food.
Ingredient Stars
From Visitor Experiences
The most honored or signature ingredients at Belcanto, the Michelin-starred restaurant in Lisbon, are:
Giant Red Shrimp (Carabineiro): This Atlantic shrimp is a hallmark ingredient, celebrated for its sweetness, saltiness, and umami flavor that evokes the Portuguese seas. It is prepared with a delicate technique involving rosemary "ashes" inspired by traditional charcoal grilling, which imparts a smoky flavor reminiscent of Portuguese childhood memories of grilled seafood and piri piri chicken.
Fresh Local Seafood: Reflecting Portugal's maritime heritage, a variety of fresh seafood is central to dishes like the signature "Dip in the Sea," which showcases the diversity and depth of Portuguese marine life through carefully selected seafood elements.
Rosemary Powder ("Ashes"): Used in the preparation of the shrimp dish, this ingredient is smoked and blended to create a powder that adds a distinctive charcoal-smoky aroma and flavor, connecting the dish to traditional Portuguese grilling methods.
Cod (Bacalhau) and Clams (Bulhão Pato style): These are traditional Portuguese seafood staples that appear in refined forms, such as smoked horse mackerel with cod’s liver and Bulhão Pato clams, highlighting the restaurant’s dedication to local flavors and culinary heritage.
These ingredients are not only chosen for their quality but also for their cultural significance, as Belcanto’s cuisine aims to transport diners to the essence of Portuguese landscapes, traditions, and memories through innovative techniques and storytelling.
Menu & Pricing
Current Offerings & Prices
Tasting Menus
- Lunch Menu (6 courses): €120
- Dinner Menu (8 courses): €180
- Vegetarian Menu (8 courses): €190
Signature Dishes
- Blue Lobster: €95
- Turbot with Mussels and Salsify: €65
In The Media
4 Lisbon Restaurants Not to Miss - The New York Times
May 25, 2012 ... Not at the meal and moment in question: when a server at the chef José Avillez's brilliant restaurant Belcanto, in Lisbon, set the second in a ...
nytimes.com
Belcanto, Lisbon, Portugal - Restaurant Review | Condé Nast Traveler
Thanks to chef Jose Avillez's dramatic re-envisioning in 2012, Belcanto, in Chiado, is the first restaurant in Lisbon to earn two Michelin stars.
cntraveler.com
Belcanto - Review - Baixa - Lisbon - The Infatuation
Jul 24, 2023 ... Belcanto serves two different fine dining menus in an old monastery in Baixa ... The Best Restaurants In Lisbon. There are so many great places to ...
theinfatuation.com