Cooking with wood since 1987, this restaurant in Moreira de Cónegos invites you to a gastronomic journey between tradition and innovation

Self-taught, he always considered himself more of a cook than chef. It is under his leadership that, daily, at the S. Gião restaurant, in Moreira de Cónegos, the classics on the menu, inspired by Portuguese cuisine – “we have been cooking with wood for 37 years” –, but also French, Italian and Spanish, coexist with creations spontaneous, to invite new adventures of taste, without ever deviating from a refined approach. “I only cook what I like”, assures Pedro Nunes. The message is reinforced in the first contact: “Focused from the beginning on creating a national gastronomic reference, offering cuisine that honors Portuguese traditions with an innovative touch”, it is announced on the official website of the São Gião restaurant.

The menu, always extensive and varied every day, allows for almost thirty options, just for the main dishes. “I can’t reduce the number of dishes”, he says. “Beef carpaccio”, “Hake and prawn salad”, “Tripas à moda de S. Gião” (€20.50), and “Boletus ravioli with oxtail and black truffle” (€23) are some of the that “I would never take off the menu”. Without abandoning the classic style, based on the elegant and warm decoration, the comprehensive architecture of the room, the emblematic fireplace that welcomes cold days and nights, or the exemplary balance of the service, ensured for decades by the same four people. waiters, masters in the art of anticipating and serving with diligence.

More recently, his son, João, returned from an international experience to join the team and, discreetly, add renewed reasons for interest to a concept that has always remained current, renewing the wine selection, suggesting new dishes and targeting different audiences. . “With each visit to S. Gião, a new story begins. In our kitchen, the narrative is woven with the flavors of the season, where each ingredient is the protagonist of a dish that tells a chapter of our rich gastronomic tradition”, he guarantees.

With service take-away and Sunday lunches dedicated to traditional and shared dishes (served to order and with seasonal options), the menu is full of options, from “Veal marrow, soy and ginger” to “Oven-roasted capão” and “ Partridge stew with green asparagus.” Recent approaches are also “Fried cuttlefish with lemon and mint biavotto”, “Capon and partridge pastries with black truffle risotto” and “Smoked duck breast with blackberry sauce”.

“The big difficulty is not cooking well or badly. It’s about having a good team”, maintains Pedro Nunes, highlighting the group that remains “very consistent and that’s what makes the difference”. “I really like what I do. Being able to make money from it, even better”, he says.

The S. Gião restaurant was part of the selection of “20 restaurants that never go out of style”, a guide offered by Expresso as part of the 20 years of the Boa Cama Boa Mesa brand. On that occasion, Pedro Nunes’ project was also awarded, in 2023, the “Mesa com Mérito” award, which honored the restaurants and accommodations that have been present in all editions of the Boa Cama Boa Mesa Guide since 2003. Since that date, S. Gião won the Golden Fork 13 times.

About S. Gião restaurant (Avenida Comendador Joaquim de Almeida Freitas, 56, Moreira de Cónegos. Tel. 253561853), which is closed on Sunday (dinner) and Monday, you can read in the Boa Cama Boa Mesa 2024 Guide: “With a singular consistency and for almost four decades with its doors open, it remains a national reference. The responsibility lies with Pedro Nunes, who excellently prepares traditional dishes and more modern creations. The “Tripas à moda de S. Gião” and the “Colarinho de hake à S. Gião” are classics, but it is worth taking a chance on the “Boletos ravioli with oxtail and black truffle”. Average price: R$40.