When you’re competing with countries from all over the world, claiming prizes in one category is challenging enough – let alone two! But that’s exactly what Portugal did at this year’s World Culinary Awards, which is back for its fifth edition.
First up, Lisbon took home the prize for Europe’s Best Culinary City Destination. The city’s restaurant scene has seen a lot of changes in recent years, with spots like Izcalli and Boi-Cavalo closing their doors while new restaurants are popping up ridiculously fast – so fast that they compromise on quality.
But you can still eat some darn good food in Lisbon, whether you’re a seafood obsessive, an old-fashioned meat head or a devoted vegan. The food scene here is stellar – check out our favourite restaurants – and the city is home to an impressive 17 Michelin-starred spaces. So we’re not surprised at the win!
Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Barcelona, Copenhagen, London, Florence, Vienna and Paris is no easy feat. In a celebratory statement, Lisbon’s mayor Carlos Moedas said: ‘It’s an enormous honour to see Lisbon’s identity and traditions awarded for the first time in this sector, and to witness how innovation blends with these gastronomic traditions. This award acknowledges the quality that sets Lisbon’s cuisine apart and encourages all the professionals who keep it alive.’
Porto also won the award for Europe’s Best Emerging Culinary City Destination, beating the likes of Berlin, Batumi, Cannes and Dubrovnik, but that was far from all Portugal achieved.
Vila Joya in Albufeira, led by two-Michelin-starred chef Dieter Koschina, won the award for Best Fine Dining Hotel Restaurant in Europe, and Belcanto, José Avillez’s two-star restaurant, was named the best restaurant in Portugal. What a night!
Here’s a roundup of our favourite restaurants in Lisbon, our favourites in Porto, and the best things to do across this marvellous country.
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