Lebanese cuisine has arrived at Cascais Marina. In the last days of April, the Citron Pressé food truck quietly parked by the stairs next to the Citadel – the main entrance for pedestrians after a stroll through the town.
Citron Pressé is the younger sibling of Citron, a Lebanese restaurant in central Lisbon that opened two and a half years ago. Before that, this project for authentic, homemade cooking operated at Weat, a dark kitchen in Alcântara, where Time Out critic Alfredo Lacerda stopped by to try Karim Yafaoui’s Lebanese delicacies – an experience he certainly doesn’t regret.
This story began in 2021, when Karim moved from Switzerland, where he had spent most of his life. He worked in banking but longed for a 'completely different' life with his family. They chose Portugal because they wanted 'a more relaxed place, with lots of sun and beach,' he tells Time Out.
They had always praised his culinary skills with traditional dishes from his home country. 'I’ve always kept a strong connection to Lebanon, where I was born, and I have a passion for cooking.' When he arrived in Lisbon, he naturally explored the existing Lebanese food scene. 'With all due respect, I didn’t find what I was looking for in terms of homemade cuisine. So, I decided to do something about it, and we opened the kitchen at Weat.
It was here that he refined his recipes, doing test after test, serving customers through delivery and take-away—though there were also a few shared tables on-site to serve the various projects at the food hub.
When they opened the restaurant near Lisbon's Sé, it didn’t take long to become a hit, drawing in more and more customers. 'One of our regulars was the CEO of Marina de Cascais, who came to lunch at Citron several times. One day, we talked about maybe opening something there. But there was no space. Later, I contacted him, asked if we could set up a container or something like that, and he told me he had space for a food truck.
That’s how Citron Pressé was born—a playful pun: 'citron pressé' means 'freshly squeezed lemon'—and the homemade lemonade, made the Lebanese way, is one of the standout items on the menu. But 'pressé' also means 'hurried' in French. 'We decided to do something more in the fast-food realm.'
Citron Pressé, which offers delivery in Cascais, serves a streamlined version of the menu from their Lisbon restaurant. Their focus is mainly on wraps, like the Shawarma (€12.50), featuring marinated meat, tahini (sesame paste), onion, parsley, sumac, roasted tomato, and pickles in toasted Lebanese bread; or the Falafel Beirute (€9.50), with chickpeas, sesame paste, tomato, mint, parsley, and the same bread.
They also serve mezzes, a variety of small dishes perfect for sharing. Try the Kibbeh (€9.50), minced meat with bulgur, caramelized onions, pomegranate molasses, and a blend of spices; the Spicy Fries (€6.50), with coriander, garlic, pepper, fresh chili, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil; the Hummus (€6.50), made with chickpeas, sesame paste, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil; or the Mutabbal (€6.50), a dish of roasted aubergines, sesame paste, garlic, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil.
If you’re in the mood for something sweet, go for the Sfouf (€5.50), a Lebanese turmeric cake; or the Chocolate Brownies (€5.50) with a touch of tahini, the sesame paste that’s a staple in almost all their dishes. To drink, you can’t miss the classic lemonade (€4.50), prepared daily with orange blossom.
Marina de Cascais. Wed-Fri 13.00-20.00; Sat-Sun 12.00-22.00. 924 268 468