At Belvedere you can dine like a king – Places

The story goes that the place where the Grande Real Villa Itália hotel is located today, in Cascais, and the Belvedere restaurant, was once the refuge of King Humbert II of Savoy. After the proclamation of the republic in Italy, the monarch, the last Italian king, was exiled and chose Cascais as his home. In honor of this rich heritage, Belvedere presents a menu with traditional Italian dishessome contemporary and others inspired by favorites of the Royal House of Savoy. The latter are easily identifiable by a small crown next to the name.

The restaurant has undergone several renovations, modernizing itself, but maintaining the typical glamor and sophistication of a fine dining. Upon arriving at the Belvedere, we are led through a wing of the hotel to to the first floor, where the restaurant is located, passing by the imposing canvas by Portuguese painter Ernesto Condeixa. The first impression is the contrast between the hotel and restaurant lighting. The soft and intimate light of the Belvedere transforms the environment, giving it a serene and romantic atmosphere. The bluish tones, combined with the white and green of the plants, remind us of the sea, which is nearby and can be enjoyed from the restaurant’s terrace. As the name suggests, “Belvedere” is an Italian word that means “beautiful view” (derived from “bel” – beautiful – and “vedere” – view).

The menu, designed and worked on by the team led by executive chef Luís Sousa, is extensive and follows the Italian tradition, divided into several moments. The meal begins with the traditional cover, where the focaccia deserves to be highlighted. For the Prohibitedafter listening to the chef’s recommendations, we opted for the grilled tiger prawn with black garlic and tomato pesto (R$37), a dish full of flavor, which proved to be one of the night’s favorites.

For the Firstwe chose the Risotto al limone with Atlantic violet prawn (€33), in which the lemon flavor, very present, gives the dish a perfect freshness to start the main dishes. The atmosphere was further enriched by the performance of two musicians from the Lisbon Film Orchestra, who accompanied the dinner with soft melodies, evoking the imagery of the Italian coast, without ever becoming intrusive. This musical accompaniment, reserved for Friday and Saturday dinnerscontributes to the cinematic atmosphere of the space.

The second dish from the Primi section it was the Paccheri al pomodoro (€25), one of the highlights of the night. This large-format pasta is tossed in a tomato sauce and finished at the table with parmesan and basil. The process of mixing the sauce with the cheese, known as mantecaturagives the dish a unique creaminess – a true explosion of flavors. This dish pays homage to the famous Da Vittorio restaurant, a three-star Michelin restaurant in Brusaporto, Lombardy, where Vittorio Cerea created this recipe during a visit to Orlando in the 1980s.

This was followed by roast sea bass with celery and radicchio (€35), in which the crispy skin and creamy purée that accompanies it deserve special mention. To finish the meal, the chosen dessert was the Meringata al limone (€12), but we cannot fail to highlight the Cassata Siciliana (€16) – a traditional delicacy served at the wedding of Humberto II with Maria José of Belgium. This dessert, made up of layers of cake soaked in liqueur and exquisite creams, ends the gastronomic experience in a sublime way.

Where? Grande Real Villa Itália Rua Frei Nicolau de Oliveira, 100 2750-319 Cascais. When? Every day, 7pm-11pm. Reserva?