The small-but-powerful O Frade has lately been racking up a lot of awards, for things like “best everyday restaurant” and “Michelin Bib Gourmand.” There’s a good reason for that.
Chef Diogo Carvalho has a skilled hand with classic Portuguese petiscos, such as chickpeas with squid, codfish salad, and duck escabeche. The “main dishes” section of the menu is short but straight to the point. There are two things to get here: the octopus rice and the duck rice.
The quality is such that a lot of local chefs and foodies have begun hanging out here on their days off—it’s good without being complicated. And the vibe helps. Most of the seats are at a counter around an open food-prep area, where Afonso is often holding court as he cooks. O Frade is a place to share a relaxed meal with friends, or even one of a few places in greater Lisbon to go for a casual solo dinner.
The warmth and intimacy are all the more earned because Afonso and his business partner and cousin Sérgio Frade (more of a front-of-house guy), came from grandparents who had a restaurant by the same name in the Alentejo since the 1960s. You can bet there are still more than a few family recipes making their way to diners’ places.
But ultimately, they serve “food they like to eat” with influences from all over the country, along with their family’s DOC wines. And that’s a pretty good reason to go.
O Frade
Calçada da Ajuda 14
Belém
Lisbon
Mobile: +351 939 482 939
Hours: Tuesday to Sunday – 12:30 to 15:00 and 19:30 to 23:00