Apologies for the extended sabbatical from food writing, but I promise I have an excuse – and a good one! My summer was unfortunately hijacked by unreasonable university professors breathing down my neck about such insignificant things as my… Master’s Dissertation. Yes, I spent those rare warm days in the UK writing hundreds of words every day, leaving me quite incapable of writing hundreds more about food, no matter how much more enjoyable I find the latter.
However, as there is a silver lining in every struggle, after weeks of wiping tears off my laptop keyboard, and complaining to all coursemates and non-coursemates who would listen, I found the perfect place to spend all my time “in the name of research”. I decided to dedicate my dissertation to a small strip of street on South Lambeth Road spotted with Portuguese cafés, restaurants, and bars: London’s Little Portugal.
An Introduction to Little Portugal, London
Nestled between Vauxhall and Stockwell tube stations, Little Portugal offers a big selection of locally owned Portuguese businesses, transporting even the most oblivious visitor to sunny Lisbon (if only they ignore the English twin houses lining the road and the street signs indicating all types of ‘streets’, ‘closes’ and ‘mews’). As you breathe in the soft sweetness of a perfectly prepared pastel de nata or listen to the lively morning conversations of locals greeting each other with a cheery ‘bom dia’, Little Portugal offers you a little piece of Lusophone magic that helps you forget even the biggest struggles in life – such as a looming deadline for a 15.000-word paper.
Although I was driven to Little Portugal by academic duty, I kept returning for the food, the pastry, and the lovely community that welcomed me with poking jokes and a big smile. I stuffed my face with bolo de arroz, while listening to an enthusiastic explanation of the apparently unmissable Madeiran cocktail poncha. I was getting tosta de queijo on my top and trousers while exchanging stories with a lovely Portuguese man about gardening and football. I was breathing in the aromas of a real Portuguese bica, while recalling all our favourite things about Lisbon with another ex-resident. Not only did I make amazing memories, but through gaining insight into the inner workings of a tight-knit diasporic group, I also understood my own immigrant identity a little bit better.
So whether you are Portuguese or just love Portuguese food, whether you have visited Portugal and haven’t been able to stop thinking about pão de deus, or just love seafood and drinking wine in the middle of the day, Little Portugal is the place for you. To help you navigate the transnational streets of Little Portugal, below is all you need to know about the area, its people, its history, and which places you absolutely cannot miss there.
History of Little Portugal
Well-established Portuguese communities started springing up in London in the late 60s and early 70s when large groups of Portuguese people left their homeland to flee from the dictatorship imposed upon their country by Salazar. Popular destinations included France, Germany, Canada, and of course, the UK. As many groups settled around each other, they – in a true Southern European manner – established a self-sufficient informal support network, where they helped each other with issues of language, housing, employment, and accessing social services – thus laying the base for what is now known as Little Portugal.
As the Portuguese diaspora became tight-knit and contained within one area of London, subsequent Portuguese immigrant groups tended to join them in their corner of the city, integrating seamlessly into the Portuguese community. Nowadays, the number of Portuguese-born people in the area is estimated at around 30.000 (Can you tell I spent three months of my life researching this?). The more the community grew, the more ways they found of marking their presence in their new place of residence. South Lambeth Road is now not only lined with Portuguese businesses that sell Portuguese food, drinks, and pastries, but it also provides a venue for many Portuguese celebrations and events – a real Lusophone heaven.
Places to Visit in Little Portugal
Little Portugal is full of hidden gems that offer both Portuguese flavours and Portuguese pricing, standing out amongst other London eateries for their affordability. There is not one business on this road that I would advise against; however, there is a limit to how much I can write – my fingers are still recovering from that dissertation (Did I mention it was 15.000 words??) – so below I have compiled a list of my top four for you to try and enjoy!
The Three Lions
Only the most perceptive of you will notice that this first restaurant does not have a very Portuguese name – but do not let this deter you: The Three Lions is positively one of the most authentically Portuguese places I have ever visited outside of Portugal. Standing proudly red and blue on a humble street corner on South Lambeth Road, The Three Lions greets its visitors with a warm and highly decorated interior room, all four walls of which are adorned with myriads of Portuguese scarves, images, musical instruments, and so on.
And authenticity is not just a question of aesthetics in The Three Lions: their menu serves all the Portuguese classics from codfish to Francesinha, and does it in a world class quality – even the ambassador of Portugal has dined here before! (If that’s not an endorsement, then I don’t know what is.) Given their fantastic cooking, it is no surprise that The Three Lions has become somewhat of a community hub for the locals, often putting on musical and cultural events for all Portuguese celebrations. If you’re ever looking to be a part of a welcoming group of Portuguese people, well, this is definitely the palace for you!
My favorite thing about The Three Lions: They serve all the Portuguese brands that I have been missing since moving away and while that’s great news for my soul, it’s not been helping my Compal obsession.
The Wedding House Patisserie
Despite its name, this patisserie does not only sell wedding cakes – although I would definitely visit such a place. Indeed, a perfect twin of the Portuguese pastelaria, the Wedding House Patisserie has all the freshest pastries and cakes that a stomach used to indulgent vanilla custard and the coconuttiest pão de deus requires of its holder.
In this Madeiran-owned business, you will be transported to a calmer way of life, munching on your sweet treat amongst ladies discussing the gossip of the town, and older gentlemen filling out the daily crossword. The Wedding House Patisserie is not a place to visit once – it is one you keep returning to, if not for the food (although yes, for the food), then for the cheekiness of its servers and the sweetness of its pastry.
My favourite thing about The Wedding House Patisserie: It’s a café where you feel utterly yourself, amongst people always ready for a chat even if that means shouting across tables to do it.
Velho Portugal
Velho Portugal stands out from its neighbouring businesses with its quirky interior designed to echo the winemaking traditions of Portugal. Not only are the walls adorned with images of vineyards and sumptuous grapes, but the tables and seats themselves are made of upcycled oak barrels – making it extremely difficult to resist a glass of wine alongside your dinner.
Velho Portugal is not a place you go to for a casual chat. The dim lighting, the beautiful interior, and the politeness of the people will all make you feel pampered and thankfully, the quality of the food corresponds to the luxuriousness of the presentation. Their menu includes some beautifully prepared tapas, seafood, and more classic Portuguese dishes.
My favourite thing about Velho Portugal: It is always a special occasion to enter into a space, and be immediately greeted by the familiar aromas of codfish and green onion.
Estrela Restaurant
Leaving the star for last (get it?), dining in this Portuguese restaurant completely transports you from the streets of Lambeth to the warm streets of Baixa Chiado. Estrela has decided to defy English weather traditions and accompany its fairly large interior space with an even larger terraced seating area, inviting its visitors to enjoy their lunch under the beautiful (or sometimes grey) skies of London. Their extensive menu of seafood, meaty dishes, and a large wine selection is indeed best enjoyed when in fresh air and good company.
My favourite thing about Estrela: While their menu is not super veggie friendly, their tapas are absolutely amazing and suitable for a meat-free diet.