The Bottom Line
It's not difficult to find Adega do Isaías in Estremoz--you can follow your nose; the scent of the meat grilling on the charcoal grill in front of the restaurant is about as seductive as cooking food gets, at least if you're a carnivore. Here is where I first had the Alentejo's famous Pata Negra or black pork. I will never forget the experience. It was sublime.
Pros
- A highly regarded restaurant serving local cuisine
- Innexpensive
- The Pata Negra, or grilled black pork, is excellent
Cons
- There's not one in your town!
Description
- Adega do Isaías is located at the Rua do Almeida, 21 in Estremoz, Portugal.
- Adega do Isaías is closed on Sundays and the second and third weeks of August.
- Adega do Isaías serves regional specialties from the Evora district of the Alentejo region.
Guide Review - Adega do Isaías - Estremoz, Portugal Restaurant Review
At the Adega do Isaías you sit surrounded by huge wine pots which give the restaurant it's "Adega" name (think Bodega). Outside the Adega do Isaías is the grill upon which the best meats sizzle away. You are a fool if you like pork and don't order one of the cuts of Pata Negra on the menu (just pick one, it hardly matters). These are pigs fattened on acorns, mostly from the Holm oaks that dot the hillsides. A dish of three chops with all the trimmings came to a grand total of 8 Euros.
At the Adega do Isaías you'll sit among locals watching the television, business people cutting deals, and the occasional tourist who has stumbled upon the place. Lining the walls are the large 1400 liter amphorae called "talha" that were used to make and store vinho de talha, a wine made the same way as the Romans did (and which is still made in the Alentejo region the same way today--see Vinho de Talha - How Wines Are Made the Ancient Way).
Adega do Isaías in the interesting city of Estremoz is highly recommended.
