For hearty Italian flavours infused with the spirit of Portugal, head to Giuseppe and Joaquim Restaurant. This good-sized, friendly restaurant is located next to the Portagem in the downtown area of Coimbra, close to the banks of the River Mondego by Ponte de Santa Clara, just across the water from the Santa Clara-A-Velha Monastery complex.
Giuseppe and Joaquim Restaurant offers a perfect location for a meal with friends, a celebration with family or a romantic meal for two. It is a favourite for Coimbra families with children, who are well catered for and delight in the ice cream menu, which is one of the establishment’s specialities.
A lunchtime set menu offers excellent value for money. It changes daily, in line with the seasons and whatever’s fresh in the market at the time, but usually takes the form of a mixed salad, a delicious piece of fresh meat or fish, fruit salad or ice cream, and a glass of wine.
The a la carte menu is large, offering a mix of Italian pizza and pasta dishes, as well as a number of favourites from around Portugal. Both meat and fish dishes are excellent and the pasta is well cooked with typical Italian flair.
Favourites include mozzarella al griglia, pork cutlets with shrimp and pineapple, lobster spaghetti, octopus fillets with rice, and roasted cod, which are particularly well-priced and very tasty.
Desserts include a wide selection of house ice creams and ice cream-based dishes such as the semifrio, which is a type of ice cream cake with a rich hot chocolate sauce poured over the top. The wine list is small but well chosen, with bottles from Portugal, Italy and France, with sufficient choice to find a good match whatever your selected dish.
Despite its size, Giuseppe & Joaquim Restaurant’s dining room manages to feel cosy and warm and is a great place to hang out over a leisurely lunch or dinner. Prices are around 20 to 30 euros for a three-course meal depending on the choice of food and wine, and payment can be made in cash or by credit card.
This is a popular eatery amongst Coimbra’s locals and visitors, so booking is extremely advisable in order to avoid disappointment.
Giuseppe & Joaquim Restaurant
Rua da Sota 12
3000-392 Coimbra
Portugal
Tel: +351 239 098 990
