I have no idea why to this day it’s still so hard to find authentic Portuguese food outside of Portugal (not that I mind visiting this beautiful country). So when I heard that nonetheless than Nuno Mendes, the acclaimed chef from hotspot Chiltern Firehouse and ex-Viajante, was opening a Portuguese tapas bar in London, I was definitely excited.
Inspired by his humble Lisbon roots, the small restaurant in the Old Spitalfields Market is an intriguing mix of casual dining with a hefty dose of adventurous eating, making Taberna do Mercado a definite novelty on the London food scene.
The great thing is that you won’t have to fight celebrities and long waiting lists to get in here and taste Nuno’s cooking in all its imaginative ways. He’s offering an authentic insight into his homeland’s little known cuisine, a first try for the majority, and adding his modern twist and presentation for an overall ‘weird-but-delightful’ meal.
The menu will seem a bit odd but the helpful and friendly staff will expertly guide you through the small plates, and even suggest an exquisite pairing from the exciting Portuguese wine list. It pays to be daring here and while not all dishes might please your palate (there are some more challenging ones), the quality is way up there and you’ll be thankful to finally discover that there’s way more than sardines and egg custard tarts on the Portuguese table.
So go and be adventurous and if I may make a few suggestions: the runner-bean fritters are a wonderful beginning of meal snack, any of the tinned fish (made in-house) will be stellar especially when you get to soak up that gorgeous oil with the crusty sourdough, and the sandwiches though simple are not to be missed. Bon Appetit!
Runner bean fritters with clam and coriander juice
Monkfish cheeks with garlic and shallots
Sorrel bread pudding with Roscoff onion
Pork bifana sandwich with yeast mayo and fennel
Pastel de nata
Taberna do Mercado
Old Spitalfields Market,
107B Commercial St,
London E1 6BG
T: 44 (0)207 375 0649
Map
