Grenache

The story

Grenache Lisbon: Modern French Bistro with Michelin Star in Alfama

Grenache

In the courtyard of Pátio de Dom Fradique, steps from Lisbon's Castelo São Jorge, Grenache brings together tradition and modernity. The kitchen treats French technique and Portuguese produce as natural partners, not opposing forces.

Chef Philippe Gelfi, originally from Avignon, started cooking at fifteen. He worked with Chef Christian Etienne at his Michelin-starred restaurant in Avignon, then moved to Paris as Executive Chef of Pierre Sang in Gambey, followed by a stint at the two-starred Le Gabriel with Chef Jérôme Banctel at Hôtel La Réserve. At Grenache, he applies that classical French training to local ingredients.

The bistro menu is direct and confident. Starters include salmon gravlax with crème fraîche and pickled cucumber, terrine de campagne, and beef tongue with gribiche. The beef tartare comes with a bread tuile and arugula; bone marrow is served with a garlic and shallot condiment. Mains change with the market: fish of the day with sauce velouté and butter beans, bavette with green pepper sauce and fries, or a green risotto with lemon ricotta and hazelnuts. Desserts like textures of chocolate with rosemary ice cream and strawberry-basil sorbet with lemon curd close the meal.

The wine list, curated with care, ranges from Burgundy to the Douro Valley. The restaurant has earned a Michelin star, a recognition of the kitchen's precision and the harmony between French technique and Portuguese terroir.

Grenache serves dinner Thursday through Monday, with the bistro location at Rua Angelina Vidal operating separately. The atmosphere in the courtyard is relaxed, the cooking anything but.