The Food Temple — Restaurant in Lisbon

Update review 06/01/2025:

After the disappointment of arriving on Christmas Day to find the restaurant closed, which left a mark that’s hard to overlook, I decided to give it another try and visited unannounced on the second day of the new year.

The second visit was much better. The food was good, rated 4 out of 5. It met expectations, though I’ve had better meals elsewhere but I am not a foodie. The service was excellent, easily a 5 out of 5. The staff were attentive and friendly, making the meal more enjoyable. The atmosphere was fine, though it was pretty cold inside during my visit. I imagine it would be much more comfortable on warmer days.

While the second visit was much improved, the original experience of being left outside with no communication still lingers, influencing my overall review.

Update review 27/12/2024:

Ahhh, Feliz Natal, pá! As I mentioned before, I showed up for a confirmed reservation for a Christmas dinner, only to find the restaurant closed—no notice, no message, nada. After making the reservation over a month in advance and traveling to Mouraria, a historic but slightly rough-around-the-edges part of Lisbon, on Christmas Day, the experience was deeply disappointing.

Here’s the update: the owner reached out personally to sincerely apologize, explaining that it was due to a system glitch. They even offered a kind gesture—a bottle of wine and a chance to come back for a better experience. While I appreciate the effort and their outreach shows they care, the original experience left a mark that’s hard to overlook.

Pros of the Follow-Up: Sincere apology and acknowledgment of their mistake. A genuine offer to make things right. A reminder that small businesses are run by humans, and mistakes happen.

Original Cons: Lack of communication about the closure still stings, especially on Christmas. Trust needs to be rebuilt, especially after such a significant mishap.

I won’t be taking them up on their offer this time, but I hope they improve their system so no one else has to go through this. Mistakes happen, but how you handle them matters, and they did make an effort here. 🌟

Original post 25/12/2024:

Ahhh, Feliz Natal, pá! Então confirmam-me a reserva no dia 15 de novembro para o jantar de Natal hoje, e eu apareço cheio de vontade… porta fechada! Nem uma mensagem, nem um “olha, desculpa lá, mudámos de ideias”. Zero, niente, nada! Só eu ali a olhar para a porta como um tanso. Que classe, hein? Serviço à lisboeta no seu melhor. 🎄

Cons: Zero communication about the closure. Wasted time and effort traveling there. Loss of trust in the restaurant.

Pros: Avoided a potentially bad experience. Opportunity to find a better option. Lesson learned about their reliability.

Zero stars: lucky for them cause google does...

I recently dined at this restaurant and unfortunately, it turned out to be one of the worst dining experiences I've had. I feel compelled to provide an honest review of the dishes I tasted and express my concerns regarding the overall experience.

Starters: The shakshuka, a delightful traditional dish, was disappointingly transformed into a tomato and bell pepper salad with raw spices, processed vegan cheese, and an unpleasant slimy egg substitute. While I appreciate culinary innovation, it was disheartening to see the inspiration of a traditionally delicious dish lost in an inedible salad.

Next, I was served cubes of fermented soybeans accompanied by what seemed like a store-bought sweet and sour sauce, topped with some greens. Unfortunately, this presentation lacked any creativity and merely felt like a dish of fermented soybeans for the steep price of 8 euros.

Main dishes: The artichokes with potato puree and vegan chouriço were underwhelming. The potato puree tasted like the kind I remember from my school canteen, but with an off-putting vinegary aftertaste. Moreover, the boiled artichokes seemed to have absorbed the acidity from the puree, resulting in an unappetizing combination. Additionally, the vegan chorizo, fried in olive oil, had a rancid flavor, rendering the entire dish inedible.

Although I did not taste the fried okra with couscous, I must mention that referring to half-centimeter pasta as couscous is misleading. The presentation appeared unappealing, resembling a dish one might find in a hospital setting rather than a restaurant. Furthermore, I was informed that the dish had an excessively acidic taste.

Even if each element of the dishes had been prepared correctly, I doubt they would have amounted to a satisfying meal.

To my dismay, when I entered the restaurant to pay, I was met with suffocating heat. I observed the kitchen, where I witnessed all the elements of the dishes I had consumed prepared in large plastic containers with no refrigeration. Additionally, the tub of puree and the lack of hygiene standards among the five staff members working in the cramped kitchen were shocking and disturbing. This situation raised concerns about the potential spoilage and acidity present in the main dishes.

In conclusion, my experience at this restaurant left much to be desired. The lackluster dishes, poor hygiene standards, and potential food safety issues make this...

ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIC CUSTOMER SERVICE:

“There’s nooo waaay you’re being served tonight.”

We learned about The Food Temple from the Happy Cow app, which said, along with Google Maps, that the restaurant closes at 11:30pm.

We arrived at 10:25pm and reviewed the menu outside. We went in to order take away at 10:30pm. One staff member with the wrong kind of attitude made a scene and said they were closed. I said that I thought they closed at 11:30pm. He said, yes, the restaurant closes at 11:30pm but the kitchen closes at 10:30pm, the time I tried to place my order.

After a quarrel with another staff member, this server took me outside in front of a large crowd and said with a smile that there was “no way” we would be served that night.

Even the other staff looked at this particular server with disdain, who seemed to derive pleasure from rejecting us.

I have never experienced that kind of disrespect from a restaurant — let alone a vegan restaurant — before.

• It was the glee and pride with which he made his announcement for all to hear that upset me and my family the most. *

We had walked 20 minutes to get to The Food Temple, and my hungry kids were excited to find a vegan restaurant open so late.

“There’s nooo waaay you’re being served tonight,” he said with that sarcastic smile. “But you’re welcome to come back another time.”

We will most certainly not be back, ever, but I will most certainly post this accurate and well-deserved negative review of a vegan restaurant that would hire someone so unqualified to work in hospitality.

A restaurant that closes the kitchen an hour before closing (in reality, more than an hour before closing) is one thing. But a “server” who puts himself before the customer in a demeaning way is another.

That “server” should have been apologetic, could have at least offered to sell my wife and kids and me a muffin or something to go.

Shame on you,...