Tavares Restaurant, Tavares Tea Room or Tavares Rico Restaurant

Category: Civil Architecture > Restaurant

District: Lisboa > Lisboa > Lisboa > Misericórdia

Location

Rua da Misericórdia, nº 37, Chiado, Lisbon.

Foundation

1784, the oldest restaurant in operation in Portugal.

Early History

Began as a "Talão" tavern, famous for "refreshments, fried eggs, and other drinks."

Tavares Brothers' Management

In 1823, it became a meeting point suspected of supporting opponents of King Dom Miguel.

Transformation in 1861

Vicente Marques Caldeira bought and renovated the place, making it elegant and sophisticated, with luxurious interiors and the name "Café-Restaurant, Tavares".

Literary Setting

Eça de Queirós mentioned the restaurant in the novel "Os Maias", where he described the quality of the meals.

Famous Patrons

19th-century intellectuals, such as Oliveira Martins, Guerra Junqueiro, and Eça de Queirós, were regular patrons.

Renovations of 1903

Hermógenes dos Reis introduced gilded carvings, Belle Époque and Art Nouveau lamps, and stained-glass windows at the entrance.

Elite Club

A place frequented by politicians, aristocrats, and bourgeois. Sidónio Pais had lunch there on the eve of the 1917 coup d'état.

Management and Bankruptcy

After the death of Manuel Caldeira, the restaurant had several managements and faced bankruptcy in 1940. In 1956, a new management avoided changing the business sector.

Rebirth in 1959

The restaurant resumed its traditional activity. After the Revolution of 1974, it temporarily adapted to a more economical public to avoid bankruptcy.

Notable Clientele

Mário Soares and Francisco Sá Carneiro were regular customers. Sá Carneiro had lunch there before the Camarate accident in 1980.

Recognition

In 1984, on its bicentennial, it received the Gold Medal of the City of Lisbon.

Sources: https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Restaurante_Tavares

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt