THE GARAGE - SMOKEHOUSE & BBQ
The Garage - Smokehouse & BBQ - Largo do Calvário, 31A, 1300-115 Lisbon
I remember the Fonte dos Passarinhos. It was one of Largo do Calvário's best-known restaurants in Lisbon. An old-fashioned Portuguese tavern where you ate well, where the traditional dishes were the silver of the house. One day the restaurant closed doors. For a long time, the space was closed until it gave way to The Garage - Smokehouse & BBQ, a space dedicated to an American barbecue.
I enjoy being a meat lover and went to try this new space. It's very distinct from several meat restaurants in Lisbon. I've never heard of a restaurant with a texas cuisine in my city. I don't remember another restaurant that has a smoker. By the way, two. They are next to the kitchen and this is where the meat is cooked slowly.
The restaurant is owned by two brothers who were born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. After a few years in Germany, they made roots in Lisbon and brought out the best food in the USA: well-cooked meats, with distinctive flavors, at affordable prices, in a space with a distinctly American vibe. The main menu is the barbecue combo, although there is no fixed menu. It varies according to the ingredients they use, always fresh.
From spare ribs, pork belly or sausage, there's a little of everything for those who like good meat. Side dishes such as coleslaw salad or potato salad and mac & cheese are on the food list of those entering The Garage. There's the possibility of choosing one type of meat and two side dishes or two types of meat and three suggestions to accompany. My bet was for the chicken breasts. My friend chose the well-known brisket. I think it was impossible to say which one was better. Both dishes were really delicious.
The meat comes with a completely different flavor than everything else you can try in Lisbon, thanks to the smoker. This is a real American barbecue restaurant and whatever type of meat you choose, it's almost certain that everyone will love it a lot. The side dishes also work very well for this kind of meal and reinforce the feeling of being completely satisfied. The wooden counter - one of the few things left from the Fonte dos Passarinhos - gives the space an original look, which blends well with the car decoration. The table seats are antique vehicle seats and mirror the feeling of being in any typical Texas restaurant.
The good selection of traditional beers fits perfectly with the good menu of cocktails, bourbons, and other spiritual drinks. With a small terrace outside, The Garage is a restaurant you can't say no to. The food is great and original, has a cool vibe, is spacious and above all is very affordable to the wallet. Prices can range from 8 € to 20 €. For what you eat, it's pretty good.
Even if you can eat everything from the menu, it takes a few visits so I know I'll be back there quickly. The pulled pork sandwich is still stuck in my head.