Certain neighborhoods in Lisbon are chockablock with natural wine bars serving ingredient-driven small plates. But it’s still a rarity in the Algarve, which makes Travia a welcome exception. The restaurant, on a prime corner in central Lagos, has menu of market-driven dishes and about 50 natural, organic, and low-intervention wines from small Portuguese producers.
The restaurant, which opened in 2021, was a natural outgrowth of co-owner Maria Loureiro de Lemos’s background working in the international corporate world, Algarvian gastronomic tourism, and local sustainability and entrepreneurship programs. She and her partner in business and in life, Lee Moulton, have brought the space that previously housed a historic café—one known for its literary gatherings—firmly into the 21st century.
Like any serious ingredient-forward restaurant, Travia changes its menu often, based on what looks good at the market each day. A few of the most popular dishes don’t change, such as smoked mackerel with cilantro and mint, and roasted carrots with labneh and pistachio. At a recent dinner, other dishes included sea bass ceviche, oysters with passion fruit, and goat cheese with piri-piri jam.
Because of the commitment to sustainability, there’s also a wildcard item on the menu that’s listed simply as Travia—the restaurant’s name is regional slang for the food scraps that were given to pigs. Here, it means a daily dish that the cooks whip up with leftovers that might otherwise be wasted. (Another meaning of the word is connected to being disoriented, perhaps a reference to the departures from Portuguese tradition on the plates.)
The space is understated and welcoming, with indoor and outdoor tables. Service is friendly and polished and, overall, the experience is relaxed and rewarding.
For more information, visit the Travia website.
Travia
Rua Marreiros Netto 41
Lagos
Western Algarve
Phone: +351 913 023 126
Email: reservations@traviawineandfood.com
Hours: Thursday to Tuesday – 17:00 to 24:00
