One of the best-known spaces in traditional Portuguese restaurants has closed its doors and is now available for transfer, leaving its future open. This is Zé da Mouraria, a restaurant with decades of history that operated on Rua João do Outeiro, in Lisbon, and which marked the dynamics of the neighborhood.
The closure was recently confirmed through an announcement and local testimonies. According to the portal, the space is currently closed and indicated for transfer, which is the only possible way for a possible reopening in that location.
The origin of the establishment dates back to a very different reality. The same source mentions that, more than 100 years ago, the place began to operate as a charcoal factory, under the name Zé dos Grelhados.
Over time, the space evolved until it established itself as a restaurant. Adds the publication that, in the 90s, adopted the name Zé da Mouraria, becoming part of the circuit of the city’s best-known taverns.
Closure and neighborhood reaction
The news of the closure gained visibility through a resident of the region. According to the same source, images of the already closed space were shared, accompanied by an outburst about the impact on local daily life. “Zé da Mouraria closed here for good and the neighborhood became poorer,” he wrote, highlighting the loss of a usual meeting point for residents and visitors.
The impact goes beyond commercial activity. The same source mentions that the restaurant was a social space, frequented by groups of friends and families throughout the day. “Rua João do Outeiro became emptier, without the joy of those groups of friends and families who came to have lunch here”, added the same author, describing the change in the neighborhood’s atmosphere.
The space is now on the market. The property is available for sale for 289,000 euros, according to an online advertisement. This will be the only possibility for the place to return to operating as a restaurant, depending on a possible new owner interested in maintaining the activity.
Other houses remain open
Despite the closure of the original space, the project remains active in other locations. NiT says that there are currently two restaurants and a franchise on Rua Gomes Freire, also in Lisbon.
These spaces were opened in 2015 and introduced some differences. They also started to operate at dinner, unlike the original establishment, which operated mainly at lunch, maintaining part of the identity of the initial concept.
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