One of Lisbon’s most iconic taverns was at risk of closing. Instead, it reopened at the end of May under new leadership. A 27-year-old chef with a simple and clear promise: not to change anything that made Varina da Madragoa special.
Varina da Madragoa opened in 1967 on Rua das Madres, in the famous Madragoa neighborhood, between Santos and Lapa. For decades, it was a meeting place for politicians, writers, and journalists. Figures such as José Saramago, Mário Soares, and Francisco Pinto Balsemão have sat at these tables. The presence of various politicians is due to the proximity of the Assembly of the Republic. These figures are remembered through their newspaper clippings and photographs, which still hang on the walls. In addition, it has also been designated a “Shop with History” by the Lisbon City Council.
A new chapter, the same spirit
The restaurant’s reopening is being overseen by António Lobo Xavier, a 27-year-old chef known for Polémico in Campo de Ourique. The decision came about when he and his partners learned the space was available. António Lobo Xavier assures us that, to preserve the venue’s history, the plan is to leave everything as it is, aside from minor adjustments and updates to the equipment and necessary cleaning. The logic has been clear from the start: to preserve the restaurant’s identity.
The reopening will take place as a soft opening, timed for the Santos Populares festival . Throughout June, tables will be shared, in the spirit of old, and the menu will be more limited and adapted to the festival atmosphere: sardines, pan-fried pork sandwich (€4.50), steak sandwich with Serra cheese (€5.50), octopus salad (€11), and grilled pork belly (€8.50). The full menu is scheduled to launch in the first week of July, after the Santos Populares festival.
The traditional, done right
António Lobo Xavier’s goal is not to reinvent. It is to revive the great classics of Portuguese cuisine without distorting them. For the chef, the challenge is greater here than in other projects.
Varina da Madragoa is not a novelty. It is a survivor, and in Lisbon, that is worth much more.
Useful Information
Address: Rua das Madres, 34–36, 1200-711 Lisbon
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday, 7:30 PM to 10:30 PM
Average price: Between €10 and €20
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