Preceito brings a new approach to fine dining at Palmares under chef Alexandre Cabrita
Palmares Ocean Living & Golf has entered a new chapter in its culinary story with the opening of Preceito. Led by chef Alexandre Cabrita and pastry chef Andreia Carreira, both Algarvians, the restaurant opened in April, succeeding the Michelin-starred Al Sud.
Whilst embracing a more relaxed style of fine dining, the restaurant maintains the technical precision associated with haute cuisine, celebrating Algarve produce through a contemporary lens.
That philosophy is evident from the moment guests arrive. The welcoming, attentive service and the chefs’ visits to the dining room at the end of each meal are all intended to create a more personal connection and complete the overall dining experience.
Inspired by Portuguese culinary traditions, the menu places seasonal ingredients at its heart, favouring authenticity and a strong sense of place. For Alexandre Cabrita, this approach reflects a career shaped over many years.
Born in Portimão, the chef worked in several restaurants across the Algarve, joining the Michelin-starred Vista before moving to Al Sud in 2022 as sous chef.
In 2025 he was named Chef of the Year at Portugal’s biggest and oldest national cooking competition for professional chefs, and later that year, he was invited to oversee the entire culinary offering at Palmares.
“Preceito was the result of a joint decision by a group of people with a common purpose,” he says of the restaurant’s name.
The concept is built around “very clear principles: doing things properly, with rigour, respect and proper etiquette”. Those values shape both the way guests are welcomed and the team’s day-today work. “For us, preceito means respecting the ingredients, the producers, seasonality, technique and everyone involved in delivering each service,” he adds.
That connection to the region is reflected throughout the menu. Cold starters include oysters from the Alvor Estuary served with ponzu and pennyroyal, Azorean bluefin tuna with Algarve-style gazpacho and basil, and beef tartare with smoked eel and cured egg yolk, one of the chef’s signature dishes.
Hot starters feature grilled scarlet prawns from Sagres served in their own juices, Bairrada suckling pig croquettes with kimchi mayonnaise and orange, and ovos rotos with cod and cured ham.
Seafood naturally takes centre stage in the main courses. Highlights include grilled squid with goat butter and citrus xerém, sea bass and tiny coastal prawns with oven-baked rice, tomato purée and asparagus, and confit cod with crispy potatoes, spinach and caramelised onion velouté.
Meat dishes include oxtail terrine with wild mushroom cappelletti and salsify purée, grain-fed ribeye with crispy potatoes, creamed spinach and Portuguese garlic sauce, and beef tenderloin bitoque with grilled scarlet prawn, another of Alexandre Cabrita’s signature creations.
For sharing, diners can choose creamy scarlet prawn rice, turbot à Bulhão Pato, or Alentejo lamb loin. Vegetarian options include DOP burrata with gazpacho and basil, and roasted cauliflower with mango curry.
The wine list follows the same commitment to Portuguese producers. Wines available by the glass include Casa Américo Reserva, Druida Encruzado Vinha da Pedra Azul and Afluente among the whites; Arvad, Muxagat Tinta Barroca and Zagalos among the reds; and Primado and Cabrita Rosé. Sparkling wines and champagnes include Murganheira Malvasia Fina and Palmer & Co Brut Réserve.
Desserts are created by pastry chef Andreia Carreira, whose career has included time at the Michelin-starred Bon Bon and Ocean. In keeping with the restaurant’s philosophy, she has developed a menu that highlights Portuguese and seasonal ingredients.
“I wanted to create balanced desserts that respected the seasons, showcased Portuguese produce and offered guests different experiences,” she explains. Her aim is to create elegant desserts “where every element has a purpose and contributes to the overall experience”.
One of the standout creations is ‘Tira-miss-you’, a reinterpretation of the classic tiramisù that invites diners to assemble the dessert themselves at the table, combining aromatic coffee, silky mascarpone, cocoa and crunchy chocolate.
With a menu rooted in seasonality and regional produce, Preceito is carving out its own identity by bringing together technique, authenticity and respect for ingredients. As chef Alexandre Cabrita explains, the aim is to serve “food of the highest quality, crafted with skill and respect, but without the excessive formality that is so often associated with fi ne dining”.
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