History
The excellence of northern cuisine, with its abundant and tasty delicacies, has a long history and its fame is such that every outsider takes home a fond memory of it, if, like a good gourmet, he or she enjoys dishes with a refined taste.
However, while there are numerous restaurants in the city that pride themselves on providing excellent service and proudly maintaining the traditions of Porto, there are few that, without distorting the regional cuisine, have managed to break the provincial or popular atmosphere, in order to surround their clientele with the comfort of a modern and refined establishment.
– The Hidden, August 31, 1931 – Manuel Marques / Amoroso Lopes
It was precisely with the aim of filling this gap that the renowned and experienced industrialist, António Joaquim da Silva, opened “O Escondidinho” on 12 December 1931, the most elegant and characteristic nightclub that Porto has to offer, catering to a select parish, which included the most prominent elements of the foreign colony and all the high-class tourists who pass through the city.
With a deep knowledge of his trade, Amarilio José Peixoto Barbosa seeks and succeeds in creating an establishment that is outside the ordinary routine, shaping it according to absolutely original standards.
Like some others, “O Escondidinho” is a luxury restaurant, but it differs from them in the family atmosphere that characterises its design.
Modelled on the style of the old manor houses of northern Portugal, the dining room reproduces, in its design, the cosy comfort of 18th century residences, which are not lacking, under the panelled ceilings, the ornamental power of old Portuguese earthenware and the striking ceramic wainscoting, imitating the Delft school, whose tiles stand out for their extraordinary beauty.
The project by Amoroso Lopes, skilfully executed by Grandes Armazéns Nascimento, is of remarkable artistic conception, with a special emphasis on the façade, which, as in the interiors, reveals valuable works by the Fábrica Constância, then run by Leopoldo Battistini.
Amarilio Barbosa also knew how to continue the most refined good taste in his service’s menu, sparing no sacrifices to make the cuisine of “Escondidinho” exquisite, without a doubt the best that could be found in Porto from every point of view.
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