It’s almost time for Arrebita Portimão, the festival that sees top chefs coming together to serve gourmet creations outdoors, on the street, directly to the public.
From September 5 to 7, the town’s Praça da República (Alameda) square will turn into Portugal’s biggest open-air kitchen, with 29 top chefs bringing signature dishes to the street.
The action starts on Friday, September 5, with the first-ever Grande Arrozada – Edição Limitada, created in partnership with Bom Sucesso. From 6pm, five chefs will present five very different takes on rice, from traditional recipes to original and innovative dishes. With just 350 portions per recipe, foodies are advised to come early and hungry. Among the invited chefs for the rice celebration are Joaquim Saragga Leal, from Os Papagaios in Lisbon, with his ‘arroz de mar’ (sea rice); Afonso Alves, from Mezze in Lisbon, with uramaki yuso filled with miso, salmon and avocado; Miguel Beja, also from Lisbon, with his ‘paella valenciana’; António Moniz, from Mizu Teppanyaki in Porches, with makluba of spiced rice, aubergine and capon; and Nuno Martins, from Numa in Portimão, who will close the evening on a sweet note with arroz doce (sweet rice), cinnamon ice cream and lemon textures.
The festivities continue on Saturday, September 6, with 12 chefs from across the country joining Algarve talents for a night of bold flavours. The impressive line-up of chefs features Paulo Alves (Praia no Parque, Lisbon), Maurício Vale (Soi, Lisbon), Rui Lima (Deselegante, Santarém) and Maumau Horsth (Águas de Bacalhau, Braga), alongside regional names such as Rui Mira (Casa do Rio, Estômbar), David Monteiro (Galo Barreta, Olhão), Albano Félix (Terrazo, Faro), Nuno Martins (Numa, Portimão) and Alípio Branco (Vila Vita Parc, Porches).
On Sunday, September 7, the spotlight turns to heavy hitters like Luís Brito (A Ver Tavira, Tavira), Rodolfo Lavrador (Cura, Lisbon) and Rui Filipe (Palatial, Braga), joined by a team of many of Portimão’s finest, such as Francisco Cristelo (U Venâncio), João Marreiros (Loki), Emídio Freire (Faina) and Leandro Silva and Catarina Monteiro (Duoo Gastro Theatre), as well as Alana Mostachio from Lisbon and Ana Moura from Lamelas, Porto Covo.
The festival also highlights the Algarve’s regional cuisine, with ten local projects, five of them from Portimão, offering a taste of the region’s traditional gastronomy. Among the most awaited debuts is that of Portimão restaurant U Venâncio, which will present “Da lota à Tiborna,” a tribute to the town’s emblematic sardine.
According to organises, Arrebita aims to be more than just a festival, acting instead as a living showcase of Portuguese cuisine that is accessible to everyone. Admission is free, and every chef’s dish is priced at €7.50, served from 6pm to 11pm. The dishes are created with using Portuguese meats from Best Farmer Recheio, fresh local fish, and the event are features vegetarian choices and exclusive desserts created by four different chefs each day.
The festival also promises music, fun and games, from DJ sets to a mechanical bull and table football.
Created in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic, Arrebita Portugal has since travelled to the Alentejo, Idanha-a-Nova, Guarda and Famalicão, winning the Grande Prémio de Gastronomia of the Portuguese Gastronomy Academy in 2021 and, in 2024, becoming Europe’s only certified organic food festival. The Portimão edition is produced by Amuse Bouche with the support of the municipal council of Portimão.
