L'APE Italian Lounge 🇮🇹 — Restaurant in Lisbon

This is a sad review for me - because I used to have in my list of best places in Lisbon but now I have to lower my rating significantly after a disappointing experience.

In short, L'APE is a very nice lounge/restaurant crossover that results in a great place to bring dates, or just have a casual meeting friends friends in the late afternoon. The foods are more or less finger foods, easily eatable with your hands, and (used to be) good quality. It had my clear recommendation until last time.

When I ate here last week, I tried a focaccia and a sandwhich. Unfortunately, the focaccia was stale and clearly not fresh. The pesto was barely visible and the ratio of bread to ingredients was quite honestly disappointing.

On top, I was the only guest, yet, I waited for more than 20 minutes to receive the food, which is not the worst but also not great.

I don't know if my experience was so much worse than the other times because I went at noon rather than at night but definitely this was not nearly good enough but average at best.

I can still recommend it for a quick bite if you pass by but I would not go out of my way...

For context, we were a group. We pre booked. They suggested a menu which was lots of different small dishes. Most of the food was uneatable. Most of it looked modern and fancy but was frozen cheap food served in a puddle of nasty oil with unbelievable amounts of salt. Just as example, one of the nicer tasting plates that arrived was frozen meatballs (still a little cold on the inside) covered in store bought cocktail sauce sitting on smudge of instant powder mashed potatoes... nasty. Other things.. they were rude about having to leave our drinks inside if outside for a smoke. At 10:30 pm while some were still paying one of the workers was getting all nervous and angry that we were talking at the door outside (i guess they have complaining neighbors). And if all that wasn't enough, they tried charging an extra 100 euros in the mess of paying and were aggressively demanding it. Took a while to convince them to double check... All payments were on there on the computer making it...

A Cozy Slice of Italy in Lisbon L’APE Italian Lounge is a hidden gem in Lisbon, offering an authentic taste of Italy in a cozy and inviting atmosphere. Located in a fantastic spot, it’s the perfect place to unwind, whether you’re stopping by for a quick bite or enjoying a leisurely evening. The staff is incredibly friendly, making you feel right at home the moment you walk in. Their passion for Italian food and hospitality shines through in both the service and the quality of the dishes. I had a focaccia, and it was absolutely delicious.. fresh, flavorful, and perfectly baked. But the real highlight here is their Italian aperitif experience, where you can enjoy classic drinks like Aperol Spritz or Negroni, paired with authentic Italian bites. It’s a fantastic way to relax and soak in the warm, welcoming vibe of the place. We'll...