When Grenache was awarded a Michelin star in 2025, a few of the city’s food lovers scratched their heads. That’s because the restaurant has flown largely under the radar; while other ambitious restaurants around town made a lot of noise, chef Philippe Gelfi and his wife, Matshaya Pinto, were quietly in the kitchen and dining room of their own, focused on taking care of their guests.
The understated restaurant is tucked away in the tranquil Pátio de Dom Fradique at the foot of Lisbon’s castle. It’s admittedly a tourisy area, but don’t let the location scare you: Gelfi and his team consistently turn out high-quality fare at an honest price.
Grenache offers two tasting menus, one with seven and the other with nine official courses (not counting the inevitable amuses-bouches and petit-fours that round out these affairs) that combine French sophistication and technique with Portuguese ingredients. They change with the seasons, of course, but include plates like smoked oysters from Tavira with Ossetra caviar (pictured at top), red mullet with saffron rice and bouillabaisse, and wagyu beef from Galicia with pommes Anna (French-style sliced potatoes cooked in butter) and seaweed chutney.
The dining room, with just a handful of tables in front of the open kitchen, feels more like the living room of an elegant friend. But in summer, the tables to book are the ones in the romantic patio, where delicate flowers fill the planters and pots alongside the tables.
For more information, visit the Grenache Lisbon website.
Grenache
Pátio de Dom Fradique 12
Lisbon
Phone: +351 218 871 616
Email: grenache.lisboa@gmail.com
Hours: Thursday to Monday – 19:00 to 22:30