Vale Abraão Restaurant — Restaurant in Lamego

We booked the Portuguese Kitchen Tales experience at Six Senses Douro Valley and were extremely disappointed, especially at a whopping €175 per person.

Let me preface that we are “foodies,” when we travel we splurge on food and drink and trust high end restaurants for typically wonderful experiences.

We booked this months in advanced to be a special treat for us on our trip.

The setting and grounds are beautiful, and the garden walk at the start was lovely — but unfortunately, that was the only redeeming aspect.

The kitchen was unprepared for our arrival, so we were asked to wait outside. Once inside we felt more like we were in the way than welcome participants. Our chef was very kind, but he did not speak English, so our questions went unanswered and there was no storytelling, learning (which was the whole point of the experience), or explanation — just polite smiles and nods.

We were given a booklet and were told it was “our menu” with exciting dishes (8hr short rib, octopus rice, cuscos transmontanos), but this turned out to be just a keepsake and had nothing to do with what we were actually served. Instead, we received a very basic meal (seared beef with garlic and Portuguese fish stew) that was under-seasoned, unremarkable, and nowhere near worth the premium price. Honestly, the €60 restaurant lunch on-site would have been more enjoyable and far better value.

The whole process was uncomfortable. It was dead quiet, no one shared anything, we didn’t know what was happening or coming next and it was supposed to be a teaching session on cooking!

For our main, our chef completed the dish then another chef came over to quality check it. He was clearly unimpressed and gave feedback in Portuguese- then our chef chucked some salt onto our plates and served! We had no napkins after a shelling our own shrimp and couldn’t get attention of staff so went to the washroom to wash our hands, and wines were just poured with no explanation.

It also seemed our chef was still in training as he was being shadowed the entire time — again, not his fault, but this underscored how unpolished and rushed the experience felt.

We love to splurge on food and travel experiences, and we usually walk away elated — but this was the opposite. It felt like we paid hundreds of euros just to sit at the kitchen bar. Deeply disappointing and misleading for such a highly regarded hotel brand.

We expressed this to the hotel and they offered to welcome us back to “try again” which while we appreciated it, the experience was so uncomfortable, we had no interest in returning.

I cannot recommend this experience at all and highly encourage you to spend your money elsewhere - there are lots of beautiful restaurants to choose from in the area; this isn’t...

My husband and I had an unforgettable experience at Six Senses Douro Valley through the Portuguese Tales culinary journey. From start to finish, it was beyond exceptional.

We began in the Earth Lab, making our own salts—an especially meaningful activity for my husband, who loves to cook. The experience was led by Chef João Nunes, who brought so much heart and storytelling to each dish he prepared. We later learned he was leaving to open his own restaurant, and we feel so lucky to have experienced his cooking and presence while he was still at Six Senses.

The meal itself took place in the open kitchen, where we also got a private tour—described as the heart of the operation—which we could absolutely feel through the passion of the entire team. Executive Chef José Maria Gomes took time to speak with us, which was such a generous and appreciated gesture.

Our host Sarah made the whole day seamless and warm, and Pastry Chef Jessica prepared an absolutely delicious dessert that perfectly ended the meal. We were so impressed by the staff across the board—even those whose names we didn’t catch. Everyone we encountered was kind, passionate, and incredibly talented.

This experience felt like a love letter to Portuguese cuisine and culture, and we truly can’t recommend it enough. We left feeling inspired and...

I booked this restaurant 3 months in advance for my husband’s birthday. When booking via sevenrooms they ask about any special occasions and I indicated it was his birthday. Upon arrival we were seated inside and they reiterated back our requests including food restrictions. When my husband ordered a drink, the waiter spilled a bit on the table. He didn’t apologize and did not clean it up. I ordered a glass of white non alcoholic wine. The waitress told me she would send over the sommelier. I explained I did not need that as there was ONE non alch white wine. We ordered the bread which is €6 per person. Each person gets one slice. Our waitress asked if we wanted more and we said yes. About 10 minutes later a different waiter offered bread. We said yes again. More bread never arrived. I am not cheap but €6 for one slice of bread is excessive. I ordered the lobster rice. The pictures are not accurate. It does not come paella style in a cast iron and it not have two pieces of lobster. We both ordered dessert. The waitress could not describe the desserts. No candle. No birthday acknowledgement. €220 for above average food but awful experience for a Six Senses. The restaurant is beautiful with...