February 2025 | TRAVEL
LISBON’s VIBRANT NEW CULINARY HOTSPOT
Santa Joana
words Onur Baştürk
One of the most exciting and lively restaurants I’ve visited in Lisbon recently has to be Santa Joana. Opened in late October 2024, it is the flagship restaurant of the new Lisbon hotel by Locke, a brand with properties across major European cities, including London, Paris, and Berlin.
Run in partnership with White Rabbit Projects, the restaurant is helmed by globally renowned chef and culinary director Nuno Mendes. Santa Joana blends Lisbon’s newfound energy with Portugal’s rich culinary history, offering a menu that showcases the country’s gastronomic traditions, evolution, and heritage—a true culinary journey through time.
Sourcing ingredients from a vast network of farmers, producers, and artisans within a 300 km radius—including Wisdom Valley, Nutrifresco, and Carnes do Campo—the menu highlights the best of Portuguese land and sea. “One of the luxuries of working in Lisbon is having access to incredible ingredients,” says Chef Mendes, adding, “A few years ago, gastronomic language was barely present on our menus. Now, Lisbon is celebrating its produce and flavors on a whole new level.”
SANTA JOANA’S SIGNATURE DISHES
A tribute to traditional flavors, the standout dishes include Grilled Chicken with Pica Pau Sauce, Grilled Alentejo Pork Presa with Pickled Turnip & Roasted Walnut Sauce, Chickpea Fritters, Smoked Pork Chouriço, and Mussels from Sagres—all reflecting Portugal’s exceptional ingredients and culinary craftsmanship.
3 DISTINCT BARS CURATED WITH SPIRITLAND
Santa Joana is more than just a restaurant—it’s also an ideal destination for parties, thanks to three uniquely designed bar spaces developed in collaboration with music and culture specialists Spiritland. It even hosted the Lisbon Art Weekend opening party, where an expat-heavy crowd transformed the atmosphere into something that felt distinctly New York.
Upstairs, Bar Joana boasts an exciting wine selection, while O Pequeno, on the ground floor, stands out for its champagne and signature martini service. The cocktail menu features bold creations such as the Red Pepper & Tomato, made with ginjinha, red pepper, sun-dried tomato, and citrus, and the Apricot & Oolong, a whisky-based punch with apricot, oolong tea, fenugreek, and oat milk.
A DESIGN ROOTED IN HISTORY
Housed in a former monastery, Santa Joana’s interior is a tribute to Lisbon’s layered past. The space retains its original stonework and 17th-century architectural details, seamlessly integrated into a design-forward setting by the renowned studio Lázaro Rosa-Violán.
The restaurant’s walls feature works by textile artist Carolina Vaz, Portuguese design studio Pareidólia, and ceramics atelier Grauo Cerâmica—each piece inspired by the building’s history and the archaeological discoveries made on-site.
