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[title]From the outside, Tia Maria looks like a typical British pub. But once you step foot inside, you’re welcomed into a blend of dining spaces and dancing areas, whisking you from London to the samba and football land of Brazil.
You’ll find Tia Maria nestled in the streets of south Lambeth, in the vibrant enclave known affectionately as Little Portugal. This neighbourhood emerged organically during the 1960s and 1970s, fuelled by an influx of Portuguese migrants seeking prosperity in the UK.
These days, Portuguese is the second most common language here, with an estimated 30,000 Portuguese people calling it their home. ‘It’s like being transported back to Portugal,’ says Daniela Martins, who is from Lazarim and has called the UK home for more than eight years. ‘I can speak my language freely and savour the flavours of home.’
Here, the Portuguese community has woven a tapestry of culture and tradition, establishing a home away from home via Portuguese-owned shops, bakeries, and eateries selling the iconic pastéis de nata egg custard tarts, rissoles savoury patties rolled in breadcrumbs and bacalhau salted cod dishes – each a delicious testament to Portugal’s culinary heritage.
Now a pillar of Little Portugal, it was almost by chance that Tia Maria came to be when it opened more than a decade ago. ‘One day, I went to fix a computer at a café, right across the street from where we are today,’ says Eduardo Dantas, the owner.
‘This guy was Portuguese and didn’t want to run his business anymore; it was barely open. He insisted that I should open a Brazilian restaurant. I went there once, twice, I fixed another computer, and again he insisted, ‘‘I’ll do anything; I’ll negotiate the deposit, offer instalments, sell it, whatever you want, just open a Brazilian place here’’. With all this pressure, I finally gave in, and that’s how it all started. Tia Mariazinha, as I like to call it.’
Before long, the business needed to move out of its original location to accommodate crowds. By November 2010, less than a year after opening, an opportunity appeared to move to a larger pub across the street, where it has thrived ever since. ‘We know many stories of people who have come together and got married through meeting at Tia Maria,’ says Eduardo. ‘There are many stories like that. Many people sometimes come to celebrate here because they met here, formed families, and so on.’
These days, Tia Maria is a bustling venue known for its delicious food and live music. On Sundays, clients can take forró dance classes while eating portions of cassava fries with various dipping sauces, or the favoured coxinhas crispy chicken croquettes filled with a creamy chicken mixture, coated in breadcrumbs and fried to perfection.
From the Portuguese-owned restaurant A Toca, to Casa Benfica, where Benfica football fans gather to celebrate their passion for the team, Tia Maria is just one of the spaces in Little Portugal which makes the area more than just a culinary haven; it’s also a hub of cultural celebration. Every June, the neighbourhood comes alive with the festivities of Festa de São João and Festa de Santo António, where colourful parades, traditional music and spirited dancing fill the streets.
Tia Maria is hosting a São João Party on July 7, starting at 4pm.