Rua Pedro de Santarém 73, Santarém, Portugal

€€ ・ Modern Cuisine

MICHELIN Guide's Point Of View

One Star: High quality cooking

Ó Balcão is the perfect place for those keen to try new varieties of fish. Rodrigo Castelo is at the helm here – a chef from the Ribatejo province involved in numerous research projects who has found a way to truly showcase ingredients from his home region, with a predominant use of river fish to maintain a balance with the local ecosystem.The restaurant has the feel of an old tavern, with striking tiles that add a contemporary air and provide the backdrop for refined dishes prepared with a delicate touch. The cuisine here has it own distinct identity and is based around fish such as pike, barbel and catfish, some of which are cured in salt. Meat options here include wild boar and wild duck. Dishes on the menu that you won’t to miss include the “coscorão do rio até ao mar” (a crispy pancake filled with salt- and freshwater fish) and the “cremoso” of river crab and crayfish.

Gastronomy & Sustainability

MICHELIN Green Star

"Our cuisine is based around our own zero-mile ingredients. To help protect the environment, we aim to eradicate waste, we cook using invasive species and produce our own preserves and fermented products. We also work in tandem with the agricultural college in Santarém."

Rodrigo Castelo

Facilities & Services

• Air conditioning

Reservation number

tel:+351 918 252 808

Website

https://tabernaobalcao.com/

Opening hours