Very underwhelming. Another revivalist space in the city, the name Vinharia suggests its dedication to wines. You can't miss it if you're in the Cais do Sodré area - look for the gazebo where the pink street ends (yes, this actually makes sense once you're there).
We were meeting some friends there and while we waited, we asked for the wine menu. Surprise, surprise, there isn't one! Our first waiter was very apologetic and tried to explain to us what they did have - even though he was portuguese he told us he was used to explaining the menu options in english.
In fairness the waiters were very friendly, but the place seems to be geared up for tourists. The lack of interesting wines - they offered 4 different wines, a frisante, a rose, a white and a red, along with 3 or 4 other bottles - was enough to tell us they weren't trying to cater for wine lovers.
We ordered a medium carafe of their red and also a slice of sardine tart and a cod fish cake. Neither of them particularly appealing, not too bad but also nothing to be reminded. We did like the goat's cheese we tasted after that, but we were disappointed we had to order bread on the side AND there were more slices of cheese than slices of bread - I know, I know, how did we ever overcome this terrible obstacle...
I did like some of the details, such as the plastic beach buckets fitted into the tables serving as wine coolers, but that isn't enough to make me want to go back. The bathroom is appallingly shabby but they let you use the bathroom of the restaurant next door, where you feel like you're inside an artistic installation. Simply not good.
Two stars for the effort, but it didn't convince me. read more