It’s a joy to see Michelin-starred dining in Portugal spread out from the expected urban areas and the Algarve and into the less-traveled reaches of the country. A prime example of that is António Loureiro’s simply named A Cozinha (the kitchen) in Guimarães. Fittingly, for a restaurant in a city that is considered the birthplace of Portugal, the cuisine is deeply local.
After winning a number of awards, including Chef of the Year in 2014, Loureiro returned to his hometown to create a cuisine that celebrates his own origins as well as those of the country. But his pretty two-story house of a restaurant is a world away from the tascas around town.
Loureiro brings innovative techniques to reinvent the classics. The vegetable garden on the roof provides many of the ingredients, and therefore the menu changes with the seasons. Constants are delicate textures and intense aromas, and a cuisine that balances the legacy of the past with new innovation. Expect to be surprised.
For more information, visit the Restaurant A Cozinha website.
A Cozinha
Largo do Serralho 4
Guimarães
Phone: +351 253 534 022
Email: reservas@restauranteacozinha.pt
Hours:
Tuesday to Saturday – 12:30 to 15:30 and 19:30 to 23:00
Monday – 19:30 to 23:00
Photos courtesy of A Cozinha