Lume, the return to the neighborhoods
Lume, a recently opened restaurant, brings fresh air to Areeiro.
It aims to be a neighborhood restaurant, with simple and tasty food and a space open to everyone, where the atmosphere is informal, unpretentious and reminiscent of references lost in time (who would remember to bring a china dog back to the spotlight?) for families or groups of friends, and, according to its founders – Fábio Fevereiro and Bruno Marques dos Santos – increasingly difficult to find in Lisbon.
“Neighborhood restaurants are disappearing, they are almost ‘an endangered species’ and we wanted to rescue that spirit and invest in greater proximity to our neighbours”, they confess. “We want to be a reference within the neighbourhood. We walked around Lisbon and found franchises ‘left and right’ and there was an obvious gap in the city. We wanted to highlight one of the best things about Portugal that is so often mentioned by travellers and tourists: its gastronomy. It is part of our identity and we want to preserve it here. Families, for example, are having difficulty finding a place with typical dishes, with comfort cuisine that takes them back to their roots. We hope to make this space in people’s heads soon the most obvious option!”
Lume is first and foremost a rescue for neighborhood restaurants. An unpretentious place, although well cared for, where details that have now fallen into disuse are present, such as the plates with blue stripes, so popular at a certain point in these restaurants in the capital, which have now disappeared, the glass cups that are reminiscent of the glasses used for gallons from other times, among other details that refer to another Lisbon.
The decoration was also designed to create topics for conversation and sharing of stories at the table. More than creating a new concept, they intend to revive the neighborhood spirit, to bring the neighborhood back to the table (and people from outside the neighborhood, of course!).
In terms of the proposed menu, it is a restaurant inspired by traditional Portuguese cuisine, with all the memories associated with it, but here with a special touch of the creativity, experience – and even some boldness – of Chef João Augusto. They assert themselves as an “almost” traditional restaurant, thus safeguarding space for the creativity and innovation that the new generation represents.
The menu, designed by the chef, is very inspired by traditional Portuguese recipes, from the “affectionate” cuisine of mothers, grandmothers and aunts with a good hand in the kitchen and for whom we all feel some nostalgia and longing. Chef João Augusto confesses: “It would be pretentious of me to replicate these recipes that always have a personal touch, which is why, here at Lume we prefer to say that we are an “almost” traditional restaurant. I have my childhood memories closely associated with typical Portuguese dishes, but I also have a personal taste, training, and various experiences and all of this I translate into the dishes I prepare. In other words, each dish will be an important part of the memories that I and many others carry, closely associated with particular flavours and occasions, but always with my creativity in the mix. It is also a way of paying homage to traditional Portuguese cuisine and perpetuating traditions.”
The menu includes easy dishes that appeal to our collective memory. In the starters, the Woodpecker with house-made pickles, the Meat Croquettes (which at Lume say are the best in the world!), the Peixinhos da Horta and Limão, the Pastéis de Massa Terra with Cod, Cockles and Pil- Pil or Shrimp with garlic and coriander; As for the main meat dishes, we can find Ham with Roasted Potatoes Sautéed in Jus, a good Steak with Fried Potatoes and Egg, Stewed Veal Cheek with Potato Puree, or the beautiful Duck Rice and Orange Salad. For the fish dishes, Chef João Augusto reserved for us a delicious Hunted Shrimp Açorda, a Tuna Steak with onion, even, a Grilled Cod, broth, roasted potatoes and grilled cabbage.
There are also options for vegetarians or vegans with Bulhão Pato Mushrooms with carrot puree or Grilled Lettuce with beans with garlic vines.
In a good neighbourhood restaurant there is no shortage of classic desserts such as a Chocolate Mousse (which here has crumble and muscatel), Valentina’s Camel Baba (with almonds), a Rice Pudding in my mother’s style (there it is !), or a Bread Pudding with Port wine syrup.
Every day, like any good neighbourhood restaurant worth its salt, Lume also has a Suggestion of the Day, dishes that are usually off the menu. Among the options we can find: Feijoada à Lisboa (Mondays), Rice with Lingueirão and Cockles (Tuesdays), Stewed Wild Boar and Roasted Potatoes (Wednesdays), Feijoada de Choco (Thursdays), Cabidela de Frango do Campo (Friday), Massada de Cherne (Saturday).
The weekends (or begins?) with an ex-libris: “Cozido ao Lume”. Available every Sunday and inspired by the traditional Cozido à Portuguesa, it has, however, its particularities: every Sunday the sausages are chosen from different small producers. This is also a way of working together with small national producers who have excellent products that deserve to be highlighted. “Cozido ao Lume” is exclusive every Sunday, making it unique and unrepeatable!
LUME
Contacts and opening hours
Rua Guilhermina Suggia 21-A
1700-339 Lisbon
(+351) 926 661 394
Monday to Friday
12 pm-3 pm (lunch); 7 pm-midnight (dinners)*
Saturdays and Sundays
12 pm-4 pm (lunch); 7 pm-midnight (dinners)*
*kitchen closes at 11:30 pm
IG: @restaurante.lume
About Chef João Augusto
From Business Management to Culinary Arts, João Augusto spent his childhood between Comporta, Setúbal and Lisbon. His experience in hospitality began with an internship at Zomato, where he began to feel more curious about the kitchen atmosphere, and, after a first cooking test at the Lisbon Hotel and Tourism School, he never looked back. After completing the course he worked at restaurants such as The Food Temple, 1300 Taberna or Boi Cavalo.
At one point he decided to travel halfway around the world to work as executive chef at Aloita Resort, on a small island in Indonesia. At this resort, with a vegan and plant-based philosophy, he also ended up developing a parallel “career” as a chef on board yachts. Cooking in intimate environments at private dinners is, in fact, one of the challenges that make you happy and complete as a cook.
He returned to Portugal in 2019, organized events and pop up dinners and participated as a Private Chef in the ONA project. Mentor and founder of the Kue Pastry brand is also fascinated by street food, the aromas and frenzy of Asian markets that awaken the senses and also take him back to his travels.
He is currently the Executive Chef at Vila Bica and the recently opened Lume, a space that pays homage to traditional Portuguese food.
A huge music enthusiast, he always cooks to the sound of his favorites. Eclectic in your choices, you can cook to the sound of great classics or house music. He confesses that music awakens his sensitivity for a better combination of flavors.
When he’s not cooking, we can find him surfing by the beach, on a skateboard, reading or restoring his Mercedes campervan, a “companion” on his road trips.
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