2Monkeys Restaurant
Lisbon
At a glance
2Monkeys Restaurant is nestled within the Torel Palace Lisbon, offering an innovative approach to fine dining. The venue embraces an open kitchen concept where diners can indulge in a surprise menu, expertly crafted by celebrated chefs. This unique setup allows guests to engage closely with the creative process, as the chefs share the inspirations behind each dish. The restaurant's atmosphere is intimate, drawing inspiration from nature with elements that create an organic and authentic dining space. The design aims to transport guests to a tranquil setting, enhancing the dining experience with its warm and welcoming ambiance.
The culinary approach at 2Monkeys is both sophisticated and playful, with a menu that changes to reflect creativity and seasonality. By focusing on the purity of ingredients, the chefs create a sensorial experience that celebrates the art of fine dining in a relaxed, yet elegant manner. This makes it an ideal spot for those looking to enjoy a unique culinary journey.
Reviews
Found this place in our way to somewhere else for brunch and decided to try it. We had the batch coffee with free refill which was deliciously rich and smooth, granola with yoghurt and the breakfast plate. Food was fresh and wholesome after several days of eating too much. Lovely staff. Great music and atmosphere.
2 Monkeys offers a twelve-course tasting menu backed by a full kitchen team. We were welcomed by Chef Guilherme, one of the restaurant’s two founding chefs, who walked us through what to expect before the meal began. Seating is a large bench that wraps around the kitchen, but the spacing between guests meant it still felt like a private moment rather than a shared table. Every course was plated right in front of us, either by Chef Guilherme or one of his kitchen team, with a full explanation of the ingredients as each dish came together. It was a memorable, personal way to experience a tasting menu of this scale, with the chefs’ attention feeling entirely focused on our table. Simply put, it was the best dining experience we’ve ever had. If you’re looking for a tasting menu experience in Lisbon, we’d highly recommend 2 Monkeys — it’s the kind of meal that stays with you. Thank you to Chef Guilherme for such a thoughtful and generous evening.
Really solid experience! Our favorites were the cucumber gazpacho concept, the foie gras (I believe it’s the longest slated menu item), and the Wagyu pad Thai was so uniquely executed. Plan for about 3.5 hours. We opted for Ala cart wine, though most of the room went with the wine pairing. We were a little thrown off by the sommelier / host staff asking us to repeat our names over and over again upon entry, it wasn’t a great start to the evening. This aided in our decision to avoid consistent encounters with that staffer. The rest of the team were a delight. It’s a lot of delicate and hand-eye-intensive plating. They did a really good job and kept a relatively chill environment given how high pressure the kitchen is running. Worth a visit if you’re into fine dining.
This was my favorite meal in Portugal, and one of my all-time favorite dining experiences. They call it "fun fine-dining" and there couldn't be a better description. The setting itself is beautiful: the entrance is in a garden that overlooks the whole city. Then you go into the dining area, and it is (in my opinion) the best set up - 14 seats around the kitchen where you watch them cook all the food. But that's not the best part - apart from the actual taste of the food, the best part is they prep every course at your seat. So they walk you through the ingredients and why they use them, the flavor of the individual components and why they work so well together, the source of the food, and the chef's vision behind the dish. If you get the wine pairing, they do the same with the wines. (Highly recommend the pairing). Every person who prepared and served our dishes was friendly, knowledgeable, and fun. And the food is fantastic. Every course was innovative and absolutely delicious. There were some combinations that seemed so suspect, but worked brilliantly together. And the last 4 bites (the post-dessert desserts) were all great! (There always seems to be one that is a miss at other restaurants - just a little too weird - but not here; they were all wonderful). It's an unforgettable experience that shouldn't be missed.
My wife and I decided to visit 2Monkeys our first night in Portugal, and we were immediately welcomed to the country with incredible food and warm hospitality from everyone at the restaurant. All of the food was delicious, and some of the dishes were so unique and unlike anything I've had in the past. The wine pairing complimented all of the dishes well, and I appreciated Joaquim going into detail about the grape varieties and vintage years for the different regions. The restaurant setting is very small (14 seats), but this allows you watch up close as the chefs work and interact directly with them. I saw some reviews that mentioned an excessive smoky smell, but we found that to not be an issue at all.
