The Space
“Alecrim às Flores”is a restaurant with a bar and an esplanade located in the heart of the historic centre of the city of Lisbon, bordering on the Bairro Alto and half way between the Chiado and Cais do Sodré.

The space currently occupied by the restaurant was a foundry in the recent past and prior to that it operated as the "Canteen of the Marquês de Pombal", a portent for its current use by the "Alecrim às Flores".

The reconstruction and adaptations made to this Pombaline space have entirely respected and highlighted the architectural elements of that era. The arches and arcades in stone and solid brick, the cradle ceilings in solid brick and original floor surface were all restored and integrated as attractive and decorative elements, bestowing the space with a sober and unpretentious feel which, in conjunction with the minimalist decor, gives it a monastic yet cosy feel.

The architectural project, which was conceived by the architect João Lino, emphasized the pre-existing architectural elements through the use of equally dignified materials, such as stone and exotic woods. In this manner, a balanced final result was achieved in which the contrasts between modern and classic are sufficiently apparent.

The interior decoration was conceived by Joana Mantero Moraes and Sofia Vaz Antunes, in strict cooperation with the architect João Lino. It followed the same ideas that guided the architectural project, maintaining the monastic feel of the space but using colours that aim to bring light, warmth and comfort to the "Alecrim às Flores". The atmosphere that has resulted from this work is pleasant and cosy and the modern decor reflects and enhances the eighteenth century architectural character of the space.

Cuisine
The cuisine is international with Mediterranean roots, coupled with a strong and underlying influence of traditional Portuguese cuisine blended with a touch of modernity that our Chef, Ricardo do Canto, introduces in the creation and presentation of each dish.

We recommend starting off with the cod, salmon or veal carpaccios with rucola or, alternatively, the fowl´s liver with honey and Sherry. Try also the al nero (black) pasta with tiger prawns or the grilled sirloin steak with balsamic vinegar and rucola. To finish off, try the unmissible Eusébio ice-cream, a surprise with two different textures of chocolate, cream and strawberries or wild berries.

History
“The squaring of the circle”
The "Alecrim às Flores" project  was born out of a conversation between two friends, Domingos Telles da Gama and Carlos Vaz Antunes. The former, being a cook, had the "know-how" and restaurant business experience and the latter had the location.

The objective that was defined by both men was to create a small restaurant with high level Mediterranean-inspired-cuisine and a medium/high service quality set in a beautiful and appealing location in which one would feel like staying.

Equally important was that the decor and materials used were to be of excellent quality and the setting irreproachable.

Lastly, it was to be a project that, achieving all the above, could still be considered a low to medium priced restaurant.

In essence, we were searching for the "squaring of a circle". Today we believe that we have found it.

In the pre-opening phase, Domingos Telles da Gama left the project for professional reasons and João Mantero Moraes, a friend in common, took his place in the company and in “Alecrim às Flores”. The latter, as General Manager, and drawing inspiration from his origins, gave the developing concept an “alentejano” touch.

After having opened its doors to the public on the 6th of October 2003, we are happy to report that "Alecrim às Flores" is known to many and is recognised by the majority of these as a restaurant of note in Lisbon.