Sponsored: From the restaurant group that brought us Mimi Kakushi, Twiggy and La Cantine du Faubourg…

Food, decor and laidback feels combine at the glorious Lana Lusa restaurant in Dubai. Set within the new Wasl 51 development in Jumeirah, Lana Lusa is one of the most attractive restaurants in the city. Creating this atmosphere was a challenge embraced by Lana Lusa founder Jessica Viveiro who set out to create the warm atmosphere of Bairro Alto from Lisbon.

From the colourful ceramic plates sourced directly from potters in Barcelos to the burnished copper light fixtures and cork-fashioned menus from Porto, guests feel whisked away to a stylish neighbourhood café on the Bairro Alto. We particularly love the familial photos decorating the walls – a nod to founder Jessica Viveiro’s Portuguese past. Even the menu has been drawn up incorporating her grandmother’s recipes.

Lana Lusa

Lana Lusa serves authentic Portuguese cuisine. Breakfast options include warm pastries, granola, crepes, pains au chocolat, and chouquettes. At lunch and dinner, it’s sharing plates prepared by Portuguese chef Helio Lino, under the direction of Gilles Bosquet (of Cantine du Faubourg, Ninive, Twiggy and Mimi Kakushi fame). This means you can eat as much, or as little as you want, saving room for the next dish inspired by the secret notebooks of Jessica’s grandmother.

Lana Lusa

Be sure to sample the patis de bacalhau (salted cod croquettes), scoop up a spoonful of cod au gratin (bacalhau com natas) or the tempting cataplana de peixe, an Algarve fish stew cooked in a special copper kettle.

It would be a disservice to head chef Helio, owner Jessica, and probably the entire Lana Lusa team if you don’t finish with a pasteis de nata, the perfectly creamy Portuguese custard tarts, so take our advice and order a box, and perhaps the Prego beef sandwich to go, too. You’ll thank yourself later. 

Lana Lusa, Wasl 51, Jumeirah 1, weekdays 8am to noon, Sat and Sun 9am to 2pm. Tel: (0)4 380 1515. @lanalusadxb

Images: Supplied