Malhadinha Nova

The story

At Malhadinha Nova in Aljustrel: Michelin Green Star Alentejo Country Cooking

At Malhadinha Nova in Aljustrel, a restaurant guided by the land

The restaurant at Herdade da Malhadinha Nova is more than a dining room – it is the culinary expression of a 744-hectare estate in the Alentejo. Here, produce travels from field to plate, not from a wholesale market. The kitchen, led by Executive Chef Joachim Koerper, draws almost exclusively from the property’s own organic gardens, olive groves, vineyards and livestock, including DOP-protected Alentejo beef, Merina sheep and black pork. The result is a cuisine that is grounded, seasonal and deeply tied to the region’s traditions.

Chef Koerper arrived in Portugal after a career that took him through France, Spain and Brazil, including a stint at the Michelin-starred Eleven in Lisbon. At Malhadinha, he works alongside his wife, Pastry Chef Cintia Koerper, a graduate of Alain Ducasse’s Paris and Rio de Janeiro programs with over three decades of experience. Together, their cooking is built on precision and intelligent flavour combinations, always leaning on the local larder.

The restaurant’s commitment to sustainability earned it a Michelin Green Star in 2024 – an award renewed in 2025. It is a fine-dining destination where Mediterranean country cooking is the language, not a trend. The tasting menus change with the seasons; spring and summer bring lighter, vegetable-forward compositions from the organic horta.

Sommelier Andrii Pokryshko pairs each course with wines from the estate, where the vineyards produce the only bottles poured at the table. In a region where the landscape dictates the rhythm, Malhadinha Nova offers an honest, accomplished take on Alentejo’s culinary heritage – one plate at a time.