O Leão de Porches

O Leão de Porches Restaurant is the home of delectable dining in the Algarve. Charming, original, elegantly quirky, and yes - delectable, this is a restaurant for food lovers, where the passion and expertise of the team is evident in every exquisite dish that graces each plate.

O Leão de Porches is one of those hidden gems for which the Algarve is so famous and it seems every little detail has a story to tell. Located in Porches - another fascinating place - the restaurant is housed in a 17th century building. No neon signs and TVs here - instead you have thick white-washed walls, ancient rafters, wooden shutters and ambience galore. The décor is unobtrusive yet with plenty of personal touches such as the hand painted pottery by Patrick Swift from Porches Potery nearby and the large teddy bear that serves as an extra guest to even out the numbers at table when required! The garden patio is magical on those warm summer nights with candles gently lighting the tables and the soundtrack provided by the nearby church bells.

Beautiful as the setting maybe, the real star at O Leão de Porches is the food. Host and owner Bianca, Belgian by birth and gourmand by inclination, oversees the preparation and service of some of the most exquisite dishes you will find in the Algarve. Using the most modern techniques and the best ingredients - local and imported - the menu at O Leão de Porches is a creative fusion of seasonal Mediterranean and Portuguese flavors. The skill, technique and artistry required to produce the dishes sets O Leão de Porches far apart from the crowd. Here you are treated to food that you would not just rustle up in your home kitchen.

As befitting the superb food, and in keeping with the restaurant, the service is also elegant, discreet and yet relaxed. Bianca is on hand to help with your choices, and to advise on wine to accompany your meal. Open for dinner, every day except Wednesday, there is an à la carte menu as well as the Chef's Recommendation.

O Leão de Porches, together with sister restaurants Bon Bon and Pimenta Preta in Carvoeiro form what is becoming known as the Gourmet Triangle in the Algarve. All three restaurants offer exceptional food, setting the bar very high as far as presentation, service and of course taste, is concerned. Exceptional too is the value for money for the quality at each of the restaurants.