Long before lights twinkled, shop windows were dressed up, or Christmas tunes filled radios and shopping centres, Fortaleza do Guincho’s ocean-view table was already set to perfection, adorned with floral arrangements and candles in festive reds and greens. Just days after chef Gil Fernandes celebrated a decade at the helm, the occasion was a different kind of celebration: unveiling the restaurant’s Christmas and New Year’s Eve menus at Portugal’s longest-running Michelin-starred establishment.
Available for dinner on 24th December and lunch on the 25th, Fortaleza do Guincho’s festive tasting menu begins with sourdough breads and house-made butters, styled to resemble the pebbles of Abano beach, followed by snacks such as the crab-stuffed sonho with spicy achar mayonnaise and persimmon chutney.
The starter and fish course pay homage to the waters surrounding the restaurant, the very source of inspiration for Gil Fernandes – Cape Raso lobster with a Carcavelos wine vinaigrette, and gilthead bream with razor clams and seaweed.
The meat course offers a festive classic reimagined by the Ribamar-born chef in Lourinhã: the cabrito serpentina, sourced from Herdade de São Luís in Évora, served with celeriac leaves and wild mushrooms from Quinta do Pisão in Cascais, a partner of Gil Fernandes for the past year and a half.
The feast, priced at €185 per person, concludes with the restrained yet exotic sweetness of a spiced bebinca, honey and citrus bringing the perfect finale.
Old Year, New Year
To bid farewell to 2025 and welcome 2026, Gil Fernandes has crafted two more special menus. The New Year’s Eve menu, “with a touch more glamour,” begins with red mullet, coastal prawn and pomegranate, followed by langoustine with wild mushrooms and citrus. The fish course this time is Peniche sea bass with cauliflower and capers, while the meat course features Alentejo pork with pak choi and truffle. Before dessert – dark chocolate, olive oil and celeriac – there’s a selection of regional cheeses. With wine pairings and champagne, the New Year’s Eve dinner is €425 per person.
The first-day-of-the-year lunch returns to the Christmas menu price (€185) and includes langoustine with wild mushrooms and citrus, the sea bass and black pork dishes from the night before, and the same chocolate, olive oil and celeriac dessert.
Estrada do Guincho 2413, Cascais
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