Ofício: An Atypical Restaurant In Lisbon
The restaurant Ofício: Tasco Atípico is one of the few restaurants in Lisbon distinguished as Bib Gourmand by the Michelin guide.
Ofício opened in June 2021, in the middle of the pandemic. But instead of losing focus, it used this opportunity to test its menu. This guided the team to find the perfect traditional dishes they could serve in a more refined style adapted to today’s high cuisine.
This atypical Portuguese street restaurant, also referred to as tasco, brings back the tradition of eating good food with your friends in a relaxed environment. Which nowadays is hard to find in the heart of Lisbon, making Ofício a staple for locals.
The Concept
It’s the middle of March, and flowers are already blooming with Lisbon’s warm spring weather. This fact made walking into a chilled room with an oyster bar, shelves filled with small production wine bottles, and a neon sign that reads “Revolution”, feel so welcoming.
Hoping this sign is a good omen to the food we are about to eat, I happily sit on a clear blue chair and start gazing at their menu. The design is a scribbled page, filled with traditional sayings that represent a foodie’s heaven, with a touch of humor. The arrows and underlining drawings hint at the ever-changing recipes at Ofício. The menu changes every 4 to 6 months, depending on the season of ingredients. Plus, they have a monthly add-on menu titled “take it or leave it!” filled with temporarily available dishes in season you shouldn’t miss.
As they say, Ofício “is for people who like to eat, value where their food comes from and the traditions worth keeping and remembering.”
And now we are ready to feast!
The Experience
Just as any good tasco in Portugal, Ofício welcomes a sharing experience with their menu. So be prepared to eat a little bit of everything, from cold to hot dishes, meat in store, and dessert. And don’t shy away from their wine selection, made of small production vineyards all around Europe.
In short, you are in charge of your experience by choosing from the incredible dishes on the menu. You cannot leave without trying their staple dishes. Those are their vegetable tacos, their beef tartare with brioche bread, oysters, and their signature dessert: cheese tart by chef Hugo Candeias. This sweet piece of heaven is served with sea salt on the side and is the gem of the restaurant. Also available to buy to-go.
The food is so incredibly seasoned and presented we were absolutely blown away. We decided to eat the iconic dishes – where the beef tartare and the rosemary olive oil brioche did not disappoint – and their seasonal offers. There was a bit of everything, from prawns and scallops to the best Iberian meat and leek, mushroom, and broccoli cooked in a way I’d never eaten before. Who knew broccoli could be so sweet, crunchy, and delicious all at the same time.
At Ofício, ingredients are cooked and presented in a new fashion that tests your taste buds. I cannot wait to go again, proof that great atypical Portuguese food is available in the heart of Lisbon. Hopefully, I’ll meet you there!
Words by @madforyou_lhm
All Photos Courtesy of Ofício, Tasco Atípico (© Luís Ferraz)
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