Just a couple years after opening, Mona Verde Rooftop didn’t really need a refresh. But it got one anyway, and one that’s likely to broaden its appeal. The owners added a sand-colored canopy to protect guests from the brightest sun and to extend the outdoor dining season, cultivated their grown-in and grown-up landscaping, and revamped the music program to include DJs, live artists, and a nightly curated experience that ranges from chill grooves to dance floor beats.
The most significant change they made is welcoming chef Inga Martin into the kitchen. The talented Martin, who was most recently at the ambitious and popular Go A Lisboa (sadly closed to make way for the expansion of the Lisbon Metro), brings her deft touch to crowd-pleasing fare that ranges from happy hour snacks to full-on dinners, mixing Portuguese classics with international influences.
One of her instant classics is a delicate shrimp tartare that’s served in a hot dog bun with Mona Verde’s signature spicy mayo. It shares space on the menu with colorful inventions like grilled oyster mushrooms (from Lisbon’s sustainable producer Nãm) prepared in anticucho style and served with a vivid salsa verde, and tuna tartare with avocado and sriracha-miso sauce.
The main plates are sturdier but not overwhelming, including grilled octopus served with spicy nduja butter and brocollini, and flame-seared sea bass with asparagus, peas, and beurre blanc foam. There are chocolate and dulce de leche desserts, but the standout is a grilled pineapple with mango curd and coconut ice cream.
None of the food is very complicated, and neither are the inventive cocktails. Rather, it’s all light and accessible, just what makes sense on a plant-filled rooftop hidden atop a nondescript office building, that still manages to feel like one of Lisbon’s best-kept secrets.
For more information, visit the Mona Verde website.
Mona Verde Rooftop
Rua Castilho No.14C
8th floor
Lisbon
Reservations:
Phone: +351 914 023 304
Email: booking@monaexperience.com
Hours: Everyday – 18:00 to 2:00 (last booking for dinner at 22:30)
