At the helm, Chef Lino Mendes reinterprets family recipes with a refined, contemporary touch
Although Casa Dona São is a fairly recent addition to the Silves dining scene, it is well on its way to becoming a benchmark in the region.
Located in the town’s historic area, the restaurant honours Portuguese values and traditions through authentic flavours, served in a welcoming and family-style atmosphere.
Since last September, Apolino Mendes, known as chef Lino, highlights comida de tacho (literally ‘big-pot food’, usually one-pot, hearty meals) infused with a modern and creative touch.
Together with his partner, Raquel Marrachinho, he has created a space where everyone is welcome, whether to enjoy lunch, dinner, or a casual snack. The couple wanted to recreate the loving feel of a home-cooked meal bringing the family together and “pay homage to all the Portuguese grandparents and families who enjoy good times, love to eat well, and value life’s little pleasures”.
Inspired by an old recipe book belonging to Raquel’s grandmother, known as Dona Conceição, chef Lino revisited the flavours that marked their childhood – the same flavours he now shares with diners.
The restaurant name was also inspired by Raquel’s grandmother (‘São’ being short for ‘Conceição’ in Portuguese), whom she remembers as a “caregiver, a matriarch and a very lively woman”.
The venue was chosen with the intention of giving new life to a Portuguese restaurant first opened in 1973, a place much loved by locals. Feeling that the essence of traditional Portuguese cuisine has gradually been lost, the couple embraced a concept that preserves both culture and heritage, evokes memories, and leaves diners with a sense of nostalgia.
The experience at Casa Dona São extends beyond food. Here, diners can enjoy traditional Fado music, inscribed in 2011 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity and a quintessential reflection Portuguese history.
For the owners, the concept “makes perfect sense”, as they view the restaurant as a true Portuguese home. Their aim is for customers to feel at ease and, rather than experience a fleeting visit, to enjoy “a sense of completeness and the desire to linger, just as we feel in our own homes”, explains Raquel.
For the same reason, the kitchen is always working, reinforcing the feeling of being at home with no set schedule. Their close connection with the local community further promotes a sense of togetherness and empathy with the residents who visit.
“We get up early and follow the life of the community closely, from breakfast to dinner,” Raquel notes.
Casa Dona São serves delicious sweet and savoury treats, traditional Portuguese pastries and charcuterie, because “everything that’s Portuguese is good”, emphasises chef Lino Mendes, who started cooking at the age of 13 and realised at 23 that this would be his career.
He has curated a menu that celebrates local and seasonal produce, prioritising quality and freshness. “It’s a combination of several recipes that I have perfected over time, some born from our own ideas and others with input from Dona Conceição herself,” reveals the chef.
Always striving to innovate and surprise guests, chef Lino presents three different ‘dish of the day’ options and a weekly special. The sirloin steak with onion sauce is a stand out, as are the snacks, including the Dona São croquettes and the octopus fritters.
The wine list focuses on national productions, with labels from the Silves region holding a special place of pride for the chef, a native of the town.
Chef Lino’s professional journey has been extensive. After completing his studies in Table and Bar Service and professional courses in Cooking and Patisserie, he began as a first-class waiter at Atlântico Restaurant in Vila Vita Parc and later became head of the dining room for the Details Hotels & Resorts group, where he also took on kitchen duties.
He went on to work as a first-class chef at Salmora – Live Kitchen & Bar in Vilamoura and joined the teams at Lisbon’s Gambrinus and Monte Verde, Monsanto, and the two-Michelin-starred Belcanto by José Avillez.
In 2023, he opened Do Avesso in Albufeira before moving to Cannes, where he served as sous chef at La Flibuste, holding one Michelin star. He then spent time working on cruise ships and as a private chef, but last summer he decided to return to the Algarve to build a future alongside Raquel, a native of Faro trained in Makeup, Film Characterisation, and Event Design in Lisbon, with experience in customer service, management, and design.
Soon after, Casa Dona São opened its doors, led by two creative minds eager to embrace a new project. They were joined by Vicente, a long-time friend of Lino with professional experience in hospitality, to help bring the concept to life.
Nowadays, chef Lino is focused on “making a difference and doing something increasingly meaningful every day”, whilst recognising that Raquel “has been fundamental to the project” and his greatest source of motivation.
“Love, energy and ambition make for the perfect recipe,” he says.
Raquel agrees: “When you combine strong management skills with culinary expertise, it’s bound to succeed.” She adds. She also worked on the restaurant’s hand-painted azulejo tile mural, a work she spent days completing. The result speaks for itself – a personal touch that helps transform the space into a true Portuguese home.
The three Algarve natives have already won over many guests with their originality, warmth, dedication, and talent, but they promise not to stop here. They plan to introduce regular updates to the experience and develop new initiatives, believing that evolution is key to the continued growth of Casa Dona São.
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