By Brothers. We know the first restaurant in Portugal with the concept of po-boys (and know what it is) – Restaurantes
Anyone passing by number 108 on Rua D. Estefânia, in Saldanha, Lisbon, might think it’s just another American-inspired hamburger restaurant. But no, PoBrothers is the first po-boy restaurant in Portugal. Po-boy is a sandwich typical of the United States, specifically New Orleans, and consists of a baguette stuffed with chicken, pork, veal or shrimp. The name derives from “poor boys” (poor young people, in Portuguese) because it was once their food.
The idea of opening a restaurant with the American concept came directly from the United States. More than 15 years ago, brothers Miguel and Pedro Silva took a trip through the south of the country, where they passed through states such as Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and, in particular, the city of New Orleans. It was in the latter that they fell in love with the flavors and simplicity of American cuisine.
🇧🇷We were especially amazed by the simplicity of the cuisine in the area, because they make things that are completely edible but with a great deal of elaboration. And we were very amazed by this, extremely tasty things at very low prices”, I tell Miguel Silva to MAGG.
Marinating for more than 15 years, an idea finally came to fruition with the opening of PoBrothers, in Lisbon, at the end of August 2022. Familiar with the world of catering since forever, and with experience in traditional Portuguese food restaurants, the two brothers realized that they had the opportunity to make known a concept – po-boys – that was not exploitative in Portugal. “There is nothing like it in Lisbon or Portugal. There is no concept of po-boys or French Dip. Admirably, there is not”, says Miguel.
It is in a relaxed atmosphere that we are invited to join PoBrothers. The decoration is based on American culture, with several paintings on the walls of the restaurant with images of baseball and American football figures, and personalities such as Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley. As soon as we enter, we see in the background the US flag that matches the benches — red and blue — that contrast with the dark wood of the tables.
But, after all, do we taste a po-boy or not? Clear. The shrimp po-boy (€9.20) is a sandwich stuffed with breaded and very succulent shrimp, with ranch sauce, tomato lettuce and pickles.
However, we were happy with another suggestion: the veal French dip (€9.25). French dips are “sandwiches stuffed with meat that has been stewed for eight hours and shredded, with cheese au gratin on top, followed by the sauce on the side. Hence the dip, which is for dipping, to get really wet. It’s taking the sandwich and dipping it in the sauce”, explained Miguel.
And yes, it’s as decadent good as it sounds: the meat is juicy and flavorful, the bun is muffled toast on the outside which doesn’t make it totally soggy when wet, and the sauce makes the experience complete. But be careful, be prepared to eat big and run the risk of getting dirty.
For starters, you can count on peanuts with honey and macaroni fries (1.95€), side dishes with ranch sauce, which are an exclusive creation of the PoBrothers, and which we guarantee are the most addictive macaroni we’ve ever tried. Among these there is also a baguette with chevre cheese and ranch sauce (3.50€) and crispy shrimp (7.50€).
As a North American-inspired menu cannot be missing, you can always count on the option of the classic hamburger (7.50€) with fries with cheddar sauce and bacon (2.50€).
To adore the end of the meal, we were accommodated with the crunchy walnut tart with vanilla ice cream (2.50€), which balances the crunchy texture of the dough with the creaminess and flavor of the fillingo, and with the brownie with red fruits and almonds with vanilla ice cream (2.50€), ideal for chocolate connoisseurs.
Regarding customer receptivity, Miguel says that reception has been very strong, although slow because it is “a very small niche”. However, PoBrothers has already received several American foreigners who, according to Miguel, “liked it a lot, said it is as good or better than some places there”.
“I had people from New Orleans, Mississippi, Alabama, and they liked it a lot. And they were amazed how in Portugal, a place so far away, in a culture that has nothing to do with it, there is a restaurant like that.”