- Insiders Profile -

Nuno Mendes

Chef & Culinary Director 
Santa Joana Restaurant

◆ What do you believe makes Lisbon’s culinary scene so special?

Lisbon today is a serious culinary destination! The mixture between the old Portuguese and the diverse gastronomic cultures that are now well ingrained in the city make it a one of a kind destination. On one side you have a strong tradition and a sense of place and on the other you have an emerging gastronomic scene inspired by current trends and a huge array of cuisines which are melding perfectly with our pristine produce. 

◆ Describe Santa Joana, your new restaurant, in three words.

Fun, sophisticated, singular.

Photo credits: Francisco Nogueira & Charles McCay

◆ Aside from Santa Joana, where do you like to go for dinner with a group of friends?

My favorites are Prado, O Velho Eurico, Canalha, A Taberna da Rua das Flores, Taberna do Calhau, Gambrinus (at the counter), and Essencial.

◆ Which chef is inspiring you the most right now?

João Sá! He’s an old friend, a fantastic chef who’s grown and followed his OWN path and has created one of the most amazing restaurants in Lisbon with a real personal story!

◆ Which Portuguese region is your favorite for its gastronomy and why?

I would have to say Alentejo. It’s a love affair for me...it’s a magical place. I spent most of my youth travelling to the Alentejo and I now miss it dearly. The food is gutsy, visceral, ingenious, and real! I would love to do an amazing project and maybe retire there...one day.

◆ What do you love most about your neighborhood’s food scene?

Hmm... in Lisbon or London? Both are super vibrant and diverse, with serious young talent doing some amazing things and some old classics that remind me of a city of a different time.

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◆ Which cookbooks or culinary reads would you recommend keeping in the kitchen?

– Cozinha Tradicional Portuguesa, by Maria de Lourdes Modesto. It celebrates Portugal. 
– The Book of St. JOHN. One of my favorites of all time. 
– Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art, by Shizuo Tsuji and Yoshiki Tsuji. It's an old publication with drawings. 
– On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, by Harold McGee.

◆ Can you walk us through your perfect day in Lisbon, from sunrise to sunset, including your favorite food stops?

Early walk-through Feira da Ladra with a pit stop for coffee or tea. Walk over through Alfama and Mouraria and make my way to O Velho Eurico for lunch. Walk down and have a quick pit stop at Bifanas do Afonso. Share a bifana with piri piri and loads of mustard, then go. Visit Gulbenkian and hang in the gardens for a while. Get back into town and go to Gambrinus for a nice snack at the counter. Watch the sunset somewhere by the riverfront and have dinner at Prado. Enjoy the time there. Take my special guest to The Kissaten for a nightcap and some amazing vinyl and Japanese whiskey. 

◆ What do you like about Portuguese gastronomy?

The product, the huge diversity of influences it has, and the uniqueness of each separate region.

◆ What’s your favorite dish, and where’s the best place to enjoy it in Lisbon?

Grilled pork secretos with a tomato salad, lots of olive oil, and piri piri. This is a dish that I crave when I arrive in Lisbon. Ideally sitting outside on a sunny day. Luckily, it’s a dish one can find in many places around the city. Make sure the tomatoes are perfectly ripe and that the pork secretos are from Alentejo black foot acorn-fed piggies! That's the dish! Yum.

Prado | Photo credits: Luís Ferraz

◆ Can you share with us your hidden gem or local hangout?

Cantinho da Paz. My introduction to Goan Cuisine fuelled my passion for food and cooking. It started in the late 70’s, and early 80’s in Lisbon at a restaurant called Velha Goa in Campo the Ourique. The flavors and smells that I experienced there had a profound impact on my food journey. Sr. Sebastião’s restaurant was a reference amongst the several Goan eateries found in Lisbon. How amazing it is that Lisbon is the only city I know of that has an actual Goan restaurant food scene.

Sebastião and my father who introduced me to this have both passed but Sebastião’s daughter continues to represent the amazing flavours of Goa at Cantinho da Paz. This is the place I feel at home the most.. when I’m there I think of my grandmother, my father, and all those amazing moments we spent together eating great food in my youth.