After Seventh Brunch (which already has locations in Cascais, Lisbon, and Porto), Brazilian entrepreneur Eduardo Volpato decided to open a new venture, Vivre Real Food. Dedicated to healthy eating, it opened its doors in early September in the heart of the village, right next to Seventh, with an indoor space and an outdoor terrace.
“The idea came up when we were travelling through the French countryside, where several cities have a higher life expectancy. And that is very much linked to a balanced and healthy diet”, Eduardo tells Time Out.
Although Seventh also focuses on healthy food, the entrepreneur wanted to create a new brand to avoid being solely associated with the brunch segment. Vivre Real Food offers a more traditional restaurant menu, with starters, main courses, and desserts.
You can start, for example, with a Haram (€8), grilled halloumi cheese served with a date vinaigrette, marinated tomato salad, basil, crispy buckwheat, and sourdough bread; an Espiga (€7), consisting of corn on the cob marinated in lime zest and smoked paprika, served with a vegan lime mayonnaise; or a Liang (€7), three steamed buns finished in the pan, filled with vegetables and ginger, served with ponzu sauce.
On the main course menu, highlights include the Gianna (€15), a breaded veal loin parmigiana in panko flour, served with roasted tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese, turmeric wild rice with toasted hazelnuts, panko farofa, and parsley; the Pad Thai (€14), rice noodles with Thai sauce, shrimp, and stir-fried vegetables, finished with peanuts; the Juno (€13), a protein pasta lasagna with lentil bolognese, mushrooms, and walnuts, millet bechamel sauce, topped with mozzarella, and served with a salad; or, among others, the Cacusso (€14), a grilled tilapia fillet served on a bed of sweet potato purée, with a sunflower seed vinaigrette and herb-infused olive oil.
Pair your meal with natural juices or cocktails from the menu. In the juice section, the Jaune (€8), made with pineapple, passion fruit, mango, turmeric, and ginger, and the Rose (€8), with lemon, apple, hibiscus tea, berries, and cardamom, are standouts. If you're in the mood for cocktails, try the Kina (€8), with white Port wine, lemon juice, hibiscus flower, and ginger tonic; or the Havana (€7), made with rum, lime, turmeric syrup, mint, and tonic water. They also offer natural wines, mocktails, MAI kombucha, Why Not craft sodas, and Musa craft beers.
Finally, choose between the Arachis (€7), a tart filled with date caramel and peanut butter, topped with dark chocolate and an oat base; the Musa (€7), grilled banana with a walnut crunch, homemade ice cream, and a sweetened milk made from millet and coconut sugar; or the Mara (€7), a mango and passion fruit crème brûlée with a caramelized yellow sugar crust.
“We don’t just have vegetarian options, but we have several, and we want the general public to try them because people still have that perception that, because it’s vegetarian or vegan, it might not be as flavorful or as good. What we want to show is that we can have delicious vegetarian and vegan options, but without necessarily targeting that specific audience”.
The new concept was designed with a more Portuguese audience in mind, which is why the choice was made to open in Cascais, where Seventh Brunch has more national clients. Eduardo adds that Vivre Real Food could follow in the footsteps of its older sibling and potentially become a chain as well.
As for Seventh, the Brazilian entrepreneur reveals that there is a long-term plan in place to open 23 locations around the world. In the first half of 2025 alone, he plans to open three more spaces in Lisbon – specifically in the Parque das Nações, Avenidas Novas, and Príncipe Real areas. However, they are focusing on a distinct concept, aiming for Seventh to become less of a restaurant and more of a café, offering pastries and snacks for breakfast and snacks, with the goal of maintaining activity throughout the day, not just during the main meal times.
"We want people to be able to go there to work or study, or simply enjoy a coffee or a special croissant without having to order from the brunch menu. Our aim is to attract a more local Portuguese audience with these new spaces".
International expansion is also underway: they are currently looking for locations in Madrid and Barcelona.
Rua Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, 157, Cascais. 916 039 415. Mon, Thu and Fri 11.00-15.00; Sat 11.00-21.00; Sun 11.00-16.00