Restaurante Dom Joaquim, Evora

Deserves all the good words.

If you’re visiting the Alentejo then you really must explore Evora, the region’s capital city and soon to be European Capital of Culture in 2027. Mrs HB and I spent a few days discovering the area in 2023 whilst on holiday from the north to the south of Portugal. But our discovery of Restaurante Dom Joaquim was quite by chance.

As it happens, we were supposed to be dining somewhere else that night and, having put on our posh frocks and driven out of our way only to be completely let down by the venue, we decided to hightail it to Evora, the nearest place that would surely have something still taking reservations at 7.30pm. And thank goodness for the Michelin Guide! Dressed to the nines, in temperatures soaring at 30 degrees even at that time of night, we turned up on the doorstep of Dom Joaquim having been told we may need to wait a while for a table. And I could clearly see why.

Dom Joaquim has consistently been in the Michelin Guide for over 10 years – evidenced by the burgundy stickers plastered all over the doors, along with multitudes of other culinary awards. The dining room is large but rather gratifyingly traditional and classy that could be from the 1950s, with a dark wood bar at the back of the room housing hundreds of bottles of wine. And beyond that, a small door sending out traditional Portuguese dishes that smell simply delicious.

Smartly set tables are spaced out to allow for private conversation, and the dining room is absolutely FULL of Portuguese families enjoying their evening together. The place is a little slice of calm with a dress code of ‘come as you are’ and a hum of happy chatter. Efficient and friendly staff flit around quietly serving dish upon dish of tasty looking food.

Putting the world to rights with every classic Alentejo dish they serve.

In the end we only had to wait around 15 minutes to be seated (which is good thing as I was about ready to eat my hand from hunger!) and presented with an extensive menu. Fortunately they offer an English menu as well as Portuguese because it’s not an easy language, and the food in the Alentejo can catch you off guard if you don’t know what it is! You can’t start a meal without small cold plates to share – choose from olives, presunto, rabbit in oil and herbs, quail’s eggs with celery salt. Be careful though because this can easily become a meal in itself!

But I cannot talk about the food before talking about the wine list, which is also extensive. Owner and chef, Joaquim Almeida, is also a qualified sommelier and clearly knows and loves his wines. With wines from throughout Portugal, predominantly Alentejo, you’ll find Mouchao, Rocim, Cartuxa to name but a few. We didn’t need to spend too much time deciding on what to drink though because Joaquim himself appeared at our table with suggestions based on our personal taste. We weren’t disappointed with the bottle of Mouchão Ponte, priced very reasonably at around £20. That might seem expensive for this region but it’s VERY good wine from a VERY good producer. So no complaints here.

Wine opened and platitudes complete, Joaquim disappeared off to the kitchen to cook our meal, which was recommended we hadn’t chosen but which he had recommended to match the wine. First up, succulent, garlicky oven-baked prawns with crunchy mustard seeds and plenty of extra-virgin olive oil to eat alongside a bag of traditional Alentejo bread. You’d think the quantity of garlic in the sauce simply antisocial, but instead it was soft, spreadable… and probably left me unkissable. Fortunately, Mrs HB was tucking into them too! Next, ‘queijo curado’ – a mature hard cheese, sliced and served with homemade Alicante Bouschet grape jam. So delicious and not something found on a restaurant menu anywhere else.

For mains, we had veal fillet with a white cream sauce full of mushrooms and more prawns with crunchy onions and a bowl of batatas fritas – crisps by any other name – homemade and topped with flor de sal and dried oregano. Then, slow-braised black pork cheeks in red wine with roasted sweet potatoes and apple sauce. It’s both precise and generous cookery. But don’t expect any green vegetables or salad; you’ll be waiting a long time for them unless you ask for them as an extra.

Beautifully executed Alentejo indulgence.

To finish, there’s traditional Alentejo desserts: rice pudding with orange and cinnamon, egg and cinnamon cake, chocolate cake, desserts that are super-sweet and sugary. But that’s just the way in this region. Or you can opt for homemade ice-cream. Choose from honey and olive oil, red wine, lemon, strawberry, chocolate, the list goes on. Whatever you choose, you will leave replete, and probably after a glass of port to boot.

Dom Joaquim may seem a little pricey compared to other Alentejo restaurants in the area. But that’s where the comparisons stop. The food is outstanding. The wine is outstanding. The hospitality is outstanding.

Classy, classic and to the point, the passion for Alentejo gastronomy shows in the every dish presented, thanks to the talent and attention to details present in their preparation. It’s why the restaurant has been in the Michelin Guide for so many years: the consistency of the food and the friendly welcome of Joaquim and the staff. I’ve now dined at the restaurant several times in the last year simply because I can’t think of a better place to go in Evora. Every time.