Belcanto – Portuguese Haute Cuisine of José Avillez

Belcanto, the classic restaurant in Lisbon’s Chaido district, is a showcase for one of Portugal’s most exciting chefs, José Avillez..

50 years ago, the space was a late night gathering place for artists and opera patrons who frequented the nearby St. Charles theatre. In the afternoons, Belcanto was a “gentleman’s club” where dancing girls performed on a small stage. Yet, in 2012, the Avillez Group fully restored the deteriorating Belcanto, and turned it in a mecca for fine dining enthusiasts. In 2019, the restaurant moved next door, providing more space for diners and staff.

Many Portuguese remember when Avillez was the Michelin star chef from Lisbon’s oldest and grandest restaurant Tavares. These days, most know him with an impressive CV, having worked in kitchens alongside gastronomic superstars Ferran Adria, Eric Frechon and Alain Ducasse. Early in 2011, Avillez set out to build his own epicurean empire with the opening of O Cantinho do Avillez, and has since become a very successful chef/restaurateur/media sensation with numerous restaurants, books and television appearance. He earned his first Michelin star for Belcanto in 2012 and the second in 2014. To top things off, Avillez was awarded the awarded the Grand Prix de L ’Art de La Cuisine by the International Academy of Gastronomy, a distinction that “rewards great contemporary cooking artists whose culinary mastery and creativity are recognized worldwide, in 2018.

At Belcanto, Avillez prepares contemporary Portuguese. Each menu and dish is intended to evoke a unique sensory and gastronomic voyage. The a la carte menu features some of Avillez most popular dishes such as Sea Bass with avocado, salsify and dashi.

belcanto lisbon — Sea Bass with Avocado Photo: Boa Onda

Yet, two tasting menus take diners on diverging journeys. The Carousel Menu is an homage to Portuguese tenacity, always pushing forward and striving for better. On this menu, familiar Portuguese dishes are reimagined like Marinated and Braised Sardine, with roasted bell pepper cream, eggplant, grape pickles and ash. The Lisbon Menu is “a collection of dishes that reflect the city’s transformations through time,” with highlights like Tuna Belly Tartare, with oyster, cucumber and apple pearl, and borage, and Brioche with Cod Liver and trout roe.