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It all starts with the name: Solta (let go). To let go of stress, worries and anxieties. In this restaurant, the idea is to feel relaxed, to release frustrations and, above all, to come in freely. That’s how Anna Kobrinskay, who is responsible for the space that opened on 5 April in Cascais, on the central Rua das Flores, describes it.
Anna and her husband, Kontsantin Diver, are architects and designers at Snob Architects. They are used to creating spaces for others, but decided to build their own project, designed down to the last detail. “Everything you can see here was made by us, starting with the interior,” she says. From the furniture choices – mixing vintage pieces with contemporary elements – to the lighting, everything was designed by the pair. Finding the right location wasn’t easy: “It took us a long time to find a place, that was the hardest part,” she recalls, until they came across the space that made them move forward, with neighbours such as Acqafarina next door and Sult just a few steps away.
Recently arrived in Portugal, they brought with them references from different parts of the world, particularly from their backgrounds – Anna is from Israel, her husband from Russia. The restaurant reflects this mix of influences, as well as a desire to create an inclusive, comfortable space designed both for locals and for the international community living in Cascais. “We wanted to create a place where everyone could come, feel comfortable and enjoy themselves,” she explains. “There are many expats who are used to different types of food. We wanted to serve something that feels familiar to them.”
That diversity is clear in the menu, which doesn’t follow strict time boundaries. “Our goal is to serve food throughout the day,” says Anna. For breakfast and brunch, there are dishes such as a croissant with ham, hollandaise sauce and brie (13€) and a pulled pork sandwich (12.50€).
At lunch and dinner, the menu moves across broader territory, with a Mediterranean base open to other influences. Standout dishes include an unexpectedly good cod fish & chips with smoked aioli (12€), sea bass with asparagus and Provençal sauce (17€), and dry-aged wagyu steak with pepper sauce (25€), which underlines the restaurant’s strong focus on meat and has been one of the main reasons customers return, Anna says.
There is also a late-night offering, with a creative cocktail selection, all priced at 9€. Based on classics but reinterpreted with Portuguese ingredients, they are not standardised drinks, explains bar manager Ilia Shirokov. Highlights include the pineapple spritz with pineapple, gin and honey, the pear collins with pear and ginger, and the Negroni de Portugal, a local take on the Italian classic.
Although still in its early days, the future plan is to extend and consolidate this full-day experience. “We are planning to keep the restaurant open until 2am, so people can come and enjoy our drinks,” Anna reveals, with further ideas including events, live music and even screening matches from the 2026 World Cup. “We want to be both a place where families can come, but also where people can enjoy the night,” she says.
Rua das Flores, 9 (Cascais). Mon–Sun 11.00–23.00