Pestana Palace
With national and international distinctions, the excellence of the Pestana brand has been reinforced, the quality of the service provided to guests and the professionalism of the teams is a differentiating element at both Pestana Palace Lisboa and Pestana Cidadela Cascais. The leading position in Portugal and the assertion in global markets is already a reality and the bet on Portuguese gastronomy is part of this recipe.
Pestana Palace garden
Restaurante Valle-Flôr at Pestana Palace Lisbon
Emblematic hotel Pestana Palace Lisbon is housed in an impressive 19th century palace that once belonged to the Marquise of Valle Flor. Surrounded by impressive gardens that are now a Heritage Site, the impressive palatial atmosphere of the hotel complex exudes luxury and exclusivity. Countless public figures and top international stars who have visited Lisbon have stayed in its rooms and suites. In fact, the incomparable Madonna stayed at this spectacular hotel for six months while building work was completed on a house she had bought in the Portuguese capital.
Today, the former ball rooms of the Valle-Flôr palace are home to Restaurante Valle-Flôr. With classic furniture and decoration in a regency style that precisely matches the period and setting, the dining room has an elegant and exclusive air that makes it a unique spot in the city.
Pestana Palace
Chef Pedro Marques is in charge of a kitchen that serves carefully prepared traditional Portuguese dishes and places particular importance on local produce, excellent Atlantic fish, unbeatable Portuguese meat and magnificent seasonal vegetables. However, while the kitchen at Restaurante Valle-Flôr mainly offers Portuguese food, there is also room for international flavours, including wonderful typical Japanese recipes or Sunday brunch, which is packed with exotic appetizers and dishes.
In addition to the main dining room, the restaurant also has private rooms where diners can receive a personalised service; one is found in the former office of the Marquise, and another in the old palace kitchens, where you can still see the huge marble table. This was where Madonna chose to eat all her meals during her time at the Pestana Palace Lisbon.
Taberna da Praça, Pestana Cidadela in Cascais
The Pestana Cidadela Cascais hotel complex will take your breath away when you see it for the first time. Set in an ancient fortress-citadel built between the 15th and 17th centuries, its fortified, arrow-shaped bastions are typical of defensive military structures of the Modern Age.
Various barracks buildings lie behind its walls and once housed the soldiers who ran this strategic costal defence structure. When hotel group Pestana rebuilt and refurbished it as a hotel, great care was taken to respect its original layout so that today, guests can enjoy the feeling of seclusion offered by staying in a fortress.
Pestana Cidadela
Taberna da Praça is the hotel’s main restaurant. Chef Manuel Alexandre is in charge of a menu that features traditional Portuguese dishes, including popular patanisca, eggs with asparagus, famous cod à bras and potato skins. In the chef’s words: “the idea is to delight diners by showing them Portugal and its history through food”.
The restaurant’s various cosy rooms, each decorated with a different theme, and its excellent food, with an emphasis on local, seasonal produce and traditional Portuguese flavours, have made Taverna da Praça a fashionable spot among visitors and local residents alike because it’s the perfect place to enjoy a casual meal, chatting and having fun while you experience the best of Portuguese food.
