A New Dinner Spot for Vegans in Portimão

We first visited Balance Plant-Based Food earlier this year, shortly after it reopened under new ownership. Since then, chef and owner David Simões, who many will recognise from last year’s MasterChef Portugal, has introduced a new dinner service on Fridays and Saturdays.

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As David explained, the idea behind the dinner service came from noticing there was a real lack of vegan and vegetarian restaurants offering dinner, especially at weekends.

“I thought about the vegan community, who also enjoy going out for dinner with family, friends or their partner. I wanted Balance to become that option.”

The dinner experience is quite different from visiting Balance during the day. The atmosphere becomes calmer and more sophisticated, and guests can choose between the cosy indoor dining room and one of the two outdoor terraces. Balance is located in a quiet residential part of Portimão, so sitting outside on a warm evening, with candlelight on the table and a healthy meal in front of you, creates a peaceful setting away from the busier parts of the city.

The menu also changes in the evening. At lunchtime, Balance serves its regular menu together with a different daily special. Dinner, however, has its own dedicated menu featuring exclusive dishes.

“I wanted to share the kind of food I personally enjoy,” David told us. “The menu is intentionally short but full of variety, offering a good balance of flavours and dishes.”

I asked David if there were any dishes or drinks that first-time visitors should definitely try.

“My signature dish, and one of my favourites to prepare, is the Tomato & Polenta. It has become one of our most popular dishes because it combines different textures with warm, comforting flavours. Personally, I also love the Pesto Pasta because I’ve always enjoyed pesto, although I have to admit I enjoy all of them.”

When it comes to drinks, David recommends the homemade kombucha as well as Regenerativo, an organic wine produced from regenerative vineyards.

“We also make our own kombucha, which pairs beautifully with the food. I’d suggest starting with our homemade cashew cheese and a glass of wine, followed by the Mushrooms à Bulhão Pato. And if you have a sweet tooth, finish with our Drunken Pears served with granola and a spiced wine syrup.”

Balance is a fully vegan restaurant, and that alone already makes it stand out. On top of that, many of the products are prepared entirely in-house.

“As far as I know, Balance is currently the only vegan restaurant in Portimão serving dinner,” David said.

The menu is inspired by different cuisines while also incorporating local Algarve ingredients whenever possible.

“Balance is still a young project, so our priority is to establish ourselves before making major seasonal changes. However, it’s definitely something we’re seriously considering for the future.”

Our dinner experience

We decided to try the dinner menu on a Saturday evening. It was a particularly hot day, so my husband and I initially wanted to sit outside. Our son, however, immediately fell in love with the indoor space. Part of the restaurant has been designed as a cosy lounge, with sofas, bean bags and bookshelves. I really like the relaxed and welcoming atmosphere at Balance.

Before ordering, we were served a homemade strawberry kombucha prepared by Baltazar, who joined Balance in April after moving from Argentina. Refreshing and lightly sparkling, it was the perfect drink on such a warm evening.

To start, we ordered the homemade cashew cheese. David explained that making it is a lengthy process, requiring both preparation and time for it to mature properly, but after tasting it, we completely understood why. It was incredibly creamy, rich and full of flavour, and easily one of our favourite dishes of the evening.

We also tried the Mushrooms à Bulhão Pato. Traditionally, Bulhão Pato is a Portuguese dish prepared with clams, but David created a vegan version using mushrooms while keeping the same garlicky, aromatic sauce. It’s a clever interpretation of a classic recipe and one that even non-vegans would appreciate.

For our main courses, my husband and son both chose the Pesto Pasta, while I couldn’t decide between the tofu dishes. Baltazar recommended the Chimichurri Tofu served with quinoa, seeds and vegetables, and I’m glad I followed his advice. The dish was colourful, fresh and filling, an ideal choice for a summer evening.

The dessert options made our son especially happy, as he loves fruit, and a fresh fruit salad is the perfect dessert on a warm summer evening. I couldn’t resist ordering the vegan crème brûlée again after trying it on our previous visit and loving it. My husband chose the Algarve orange pie, a traditional regional dessert that was the perfect way to end the meal.

The relaxed atmosphere at Balance encourages you to slow down, enjoy good food and spend quality time with the people you’re with. It feels less like simply going out for dinner and more like spending a relaxed summer evening in good company.

Opening hours

Dinner is available on Fridays and Saturdays, with the kitchen open from 6:30 pm until 9:30 pm.

“We’re open to reservations as well,” David added. “We have two separate menus. At lunchtime, alongside our regular menu, we always offer a different daily special. In the evening, we serve our dedicated dinner menu. The best way to discover it is simply to come and visit us.”