Ann Abel, Author at Portugal Confidential

Avó: Portuguese Comfort Food with a Chef’s Touch in Lisbon

Ann Abel — Wed, 14 Oct 2026 16:45:47 +0000

Hugo Candeias is not the first chef to say he was inspired by his grandmother. But his new restaurant, Avó—“grandmother” in Portuguese—is a particularly lovely tribute. He says it’s an homage to grandmothers everywhere, and a response to our collective desire to return to a comforting kitchen and a table where we feel close to the ones we love. Candeias is a serious chef, having spent 14 years in top kitchens in England, Denmark, and Spain, where he was part […]

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The Best Hotels in Douro Valley

Ann Abel — Tue, 06 Oct 2026 17:22:20 +0000

There’s never been a better time to visit Portugal’s most iconic wine country. The UNESCO-recognized Douro Valley is, famously, the oldest demarcated wine region in the world, and many of its producers have been operating for three or four centuries. But while it’s an area defined by time and tradition, it’s also a place where novelty is blossoming and the hospitality bar keeps rising. What was once just a destination for wine nerds is now also a playground for nature […]

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Salicórnia: Chef Luís Anjos Celebrates the Eastern Algarve

Ann Abel — Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:46:17 +0000

Chef Louis Anjos made a name for himself at some of the Algarve’s most prestigious fine-dining kitchens, including Vila Vita Parc, Bon Bon, and Al Sud, where he earned a Michelin star. But his latest act, Salicórnia, is something altogether different. He’s traded the western Algarve for the far eastern reaches, where he’s joined forces with Verdelago, an ambitious resort and residential development between Altura and Praia Verde. And he’s kept the skilled technique and passion for fresh local products […]

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Best Serviced Apartments in Porto

Ann Abel — Tue, 08 Sep 2026 08:41:27 +0000

Longer stays, fewer rules, and a desire for more freedom are fueling today’s serviced apartment trend. And just as it is in Lisbon, that trend is going strong in Porto. The “aparthotel” format, which combines residential-style accommodations (multiple bedrooms, kitchens, washers and dryers) with hotel-style conveniences like housekeeping and concierges, fits the way people travel now. That’s especially true for families, grown-up digital nomads (35+), remote-working professionals, and research-minded visitors on their moving-to-Portugal scouting trips. Porto’s version of the genre […]

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Gilbert Van Lee’s Atmosphere Turns a Tiny Dão Village into a Fine-Dining Destination

Ann Abel — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 10:13:22 +0000

Portugal’s most ambitious new fine-dining restaurant of 2026 is not in Lisbon or Porto, nor in the moneyed Algarve or luxe Douro Valley. Instead, longtime Belgian chef Gilbert Jean Van Lee chose Vilar Seco, a village in the Dão wine region, for his deeply personal new endeavor. His restaurant, Atmosphere, is both a love letter to Portugal and the culmination of an international career that’s spanned more than three decades. Van Lee moved to Portugal with his wife in 2019, […]

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Best Small Boutique Hotels in Lisbon

Ann Abel — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 09:28:59 +0000

From the recent hotel headlines in Lisbon, it would seem that bigger is better. Large international luxury brands, including Andaz and the Standard, as well as new independent players, have been descending on the capital, taking over entire city blocks in Baixa or grand edifices around Avenida da Liberdade. But within the shadow of all that, the city’s boutique hotel scene is also thriving. These small hotels offer a discreet alternative. In some cases, there’s not even a sign announcing […]

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JNcQUOI Fish: Lisbon’s Chic New Seafood Destination

Ann Abel — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 09:29:57 +0000

At JNcQUOI Fish, chef Filipe Carvalho has put together a beautifully designed presentation about the fish and seafood in Portuguese waters. The longtime chef, who previously held a Michelin star at Fifty Seconds, lovingly catalogued the species, their seasonality, and the precise cooking techniques to make their flavors sing. This presentation exists in the literal sense—a digital file meant to be studied by the restaurant’s employees (and curious diners)—but also in a more metaphorical way. It’s fair to say that […]

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Lamina: A Bold Portuguese Restaurant in Lisbon by Chef Vasco Coelho Santos

Ann Abel — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 11:51:33 +0000

The latest venture from Lisbon’s savvy Paradigma restaurant group (the folks behind unassuming foodie favorites like Ofício and Canalha), Lamina marks the return of chef Vasco Coelho Santos to the capital. While the chef worked in some of Spain’s top kitchens (Mugaritz, Arzak, and El Bulli among them) and earned his Michelin star in Porto for the Basque-accented Euskalduna Studio, his new Lisbon restaurant is proudly Portuguese. Strictly speaking, the food has a northern accent, as both Coelho Santos and […]

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