Boa Cama Boa Mesa 2023: discover the Platinum and Gold Forks

It is one of the 2023 Platinum Forks and is already a regular presence at the Boa Cama Boa Mesa awards, led by one of the stars of national cuisine, chef José Avilez. If you are a fan of Portuguese gastronomy, here you will take your palate to another level. One of the most popular choices on the menu is “Horta da Galinha dos Ovos de Ouro” (Garden of the Golden Egg Hen), made with gold leaf, truffle and hazelnut. But this is just one of the options on a manu that promises an unforgettable journey.

Also in Lisbon, this restaurant promises to take you to the clouds! The glass-enclosed room, at around 120 meters high, helps with the sensation, but it is the unforgettable experience provided by the chef Martín Berasategui's menu that will make you fly. Order one of the classics: a “Brandade de Bacalhau” (Codfish) or venture out for other flavors, because any of the choices will take you to heaven, while contemplating the views over the Tagus River. This year it was one of the winners of the Platinum Fork of Boa Cama Boa Mesa.

It is one of the Platinum Forks of Boa Cama Boa Mesa, in 2023, and is led by Austrian chef Hans Neuner, who arrived in Portugal in 2007 in search of new flavors. Although passionate about national cuisine, he continues to seek inspiration abroad. This year marks the start of a new season on its menu with “Memórias do Brasil” (Memories of Brazil), the fourth chapter of a saga that started three years ago with “À Descoberta de Portugal” (Discovering Portugal), followed by “Edições das Ilhas” (Islands Editions) and “Rota da Índia” (India Route). This summer, if you're on holiday in the Algarve, it's a must-go restaurant.

Located on the top of a hill, in Vila Nova de Gaia, the magnificent scenery with the Douro River and the Historic Center of Porto – classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site – gives you a spectacular starting point for a unique gastronomic experience. From the hands of chef Ricardo Costa, traditional Portuguese flavors are interpreted in a creative and contemporary style, combining wine with gastronomy. The menu is a journey through regional gastronomic specialties, including “Leitão” (Piglet) and “Tripa de Chocolate”, a return to Aveiro, the chef's origins.

Minho region is always an excellent destination to eat. In the Historic Center of Guimarães, in a small square full of history, we find the restaurant A Cozinha, one of the Golden Forks of Boa Cama Boa Mesa 2023, in charge of chef António Loureiro. Based on sustainability and the use of seasonal local products, their creations are based on Portuguese cuisine. Its dishes give life to flavors and textures in multiple combinations, which in a passionate, intense and unique way will take you through an unforgettable sensory experience.

Henrique Sá Pessoa opens his Alma ("Soul" in Portuguese) with a cuisine whose flavor is based on Portuguese tradition, his travels around the world and his passion for Asia. The result is a refined cuisine, with perfect technique and an excellent product use. Despite the menus being renewed frequently, in the “Alma” menu you will find classics from the chef's career, where you will find codfish or suckling pig. The space is very cozy and sophisticated, but you will feel right at home!

The result of the architectural genius of Pritzker Siza Vieira, Casa de Chá da Boa Nova is a building classified as a National Monument and integrated in the International Architecture Route. Built in an idyllic setting, at the table it is Chef Rui Paula who calls the shots, with an original and ambitious menu, where the sea dishes, such as fish and shellfish, stand out, with an excellent wine list to go with it. A unique space, worth visiting for all it offers!

Located in the heart of downtown Porto, this restaurant awarded the Golden Fork in 2023, by Boa Cama Boa Mesa, welcomes us with a relaxed and welcoming atmosphere, where the counter will allow you to watch the preparation of the magic that comes from the hands of chef Vasco Coelho Santos. National and seasonal products are the star ingredients of a cuisine that honors Portuguese gastronomy, and that will take you to another dimension.

Fortaleza do Guincho, in Cascais, has been leading in national cuisine for over 20 years. Originally with a classic French base cuisine, here the products and national traditions gained more and more prominence at the table. The space has magnificent sea views – you'll feel like you're on a cruise ship – and is only open from Thursday to Saturday.

Another Boa Cama Boa Mesa Gold Fork in 2023, this time in Trás-os-Montes, belongs to G Pousada, which shows the best that can be done with everything found in the Trás-os-Montes region. Chef Óscar Gonçalves presents creative proposals, inspired by tradition and some artists from the region name the menus: lose yourself in the delights of a Graças Morais, an Armando, Alves, a Nadir Afonso or a Júlio Resende.

It is the gourmet restaurant of the five-star hotel The Cliff Bay – Funchal, Madeira Island – and its cuisine has been under the command of the French chef Benoît Sinthon, since 2004. Here you will travel through the flavors of aromatic cuisine, with Iberian inspiration, where the great protagonist are the ingredients of Madeira Island. The careful, creative and refined presentation is the icing on the cake.

With its doors open since 2015, it is one of the stars of the capital city at the table. Chef Alexandre Silva is in charge of the space and works with a premise based on sustainability and a zero waste policy. At the table, boldness, creativity and surprise will set the tone for each dish, and the menu lives with the taste of the seasons and is inspired by tradition.

Focused on seasonal flavors, many of the ingredients used in this restaurant come from Quinta de Lemos itself, which chef Diogo Rocha, a native of the Viseu region, tries to keep in their purest and most natural state, to bring them to the table with the more genuine flavors. The result is pure, simple and delicious dishes that evoke the Dão landscapes.

Open since 1947, Rei dos Leitões, in Mealhada, is one of the oldest suckling pig restaurants in the country. In its 75 years of history and tradition, it has accumulated several national and international awards and, despite its years serving lovers of good suckling pig, it has managed to update itself, maintaining a welcoming and familiar atmosphere and an always attentive and friendly service. The menu includes several alternatives to its star product, such as “Rojões à Bairrada” (pork), “Sapateira Recheada” (crab) or “Cordeiro de Leite” (lamb).

The Algarve region is full of options where to eat with quality and refinement, and Vila Joya, in Albufeira, is a good example. Integrated in the hotel of the same name, and with incredible views of the sea and the gardens, it serves innovative dishes that transport us to different geographies. Immerse yourself in a gastronomy that makes the most surprising combinations, masterfully led by chef Dieter Koschina.

Inserted in the luxury tourist complex known for its golf course, the Monte Rei Golf & Country Club, the Vistas Rui Silvestre restaurant like the hotel that welcomes it, is full of luxury and elegance. Chef Rui Silvestre uses fresh, locally sourced ingredients to create unique dishes, where he shows a strong connection with the ocean, a fascination with travel and discoveries, and a love for his country and traditions. Wonderful sea views result in a complete gourmet experience.