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After a harsh winter, full of rain and storms that left us with little desire to leave the house, it was with gleaming eyes that we saw Peixaria da Poça’s terrace overflowing with seafood, bathed in sunlight. Located in Largo Amália Rodrigues, Estoril, this space was born from a simple idea, yet one deeply rooted in the founders' life experiences: brothers Diogo and Alexandre Santos, who combined stories, childhood memories of Peniche with their grandparents, tradition, and a connection to the sea with the desire to run a restaurant dedicated to fresh fish and neighbourhood socializing.
The genesis of the project also stems from the gap that the owning couple, Ágata Trzaska dos Santos, originally from Poland, and Diogo, felt for a space where they could buy fresh fish. "We used to go to Cascais Market, but we always thought that here, in this neighbourhood, a fishmonger was missing," Ágata recalls. The idea took solid form after their experience with the flower shop Flores da Poça, launched during the pandemic, which allowed them to get to know the neighbourhood better and understand the local dynamics.
The concept of Peixaria da Poça thus combines the sale of fresh fish with an offering of cold small plates, allowing customers to enjoy a tasting experience accompanied by a glass of wine. "We don't have a large kitchen, but we serve several fresh dishes. We want people to come from the beach, have a glass of wine, eat an oyster... We don't intend for people to come here for dinner; it's a place for a light meal or just a snack," Ágata explains.
The menu is carefully selected, highlighting products that arrive daily from the Peniche area.
Among the highlights are the oysters, averaging €3 per unit and €4 for the XL version; brown crab claws (€29.90/kg); dressed brown crab (€22.20/unit); deep-water rose shrimp (€7.80/100g); octopus salad (€14 for 200-250g); and the ceviche, which was recently introduced and does not yet have a set price. Beyond selling fresh fish, Peixaria da Poça wants to create experiential moments around seafood and wine – who knows, perhaps they will start organising tasting events in the future?
The opening of Peixaria da Poça in December coincided with a period of less-than-favourable weather, but the space quickly began to win over the local community. "We were welcomed by everyone in the neighbourhood. People are happy because they missed having a fishmonger close to home."
The ambition of the project is not to become a conventional restaurant, but rather to create a neighbourhood space with fresh products and occasional events. It is unlikely that we will see Peixaria da Poça’s menu expand significantly, but as summer approaches, it will become increasingly common to see people in flip-flops and beach towels, still with sand on their skin, sitting on this terrace with shrimp-stained fingers or using mallets to crack open crabs.
Largo Amália Rodrigues, 125, shop 3 (Estoril). Tue-Sat 09.00-21.00; Sun 09.00-14.00
See also: Farol Hotel – we checked out the new ELEMENT6 restaurant and O’Mast bar
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