Pianissimo - Marco De Canaveses

Um espaço único e especial na marca! simplesmente maravilhoso...o bom ambiente é combinado com grande cuidado e comida. Volto sempre que possível.

This small restaurant in a commercial centre in the centre of Marco de Canaveses is always packed at lunchtime, despite no lack of competition. When it's sunny, the outside tables with views of the neighbouring hills are also packed, but that doesn't slow down the service. The reasons are plenty... although there are usually only a couple of dishes of the day and the fare is simple; soups, salads, pastas, quiches, these are delicious and presented with panache. My simple chicken salad, for example, included a variety of salad leaves, shredded beetroot, finely sliced red and white cabbage, cucumber, tomatoes, couscous, chickpeas, fruit and dressing. Then there are the ever changing range of irresistible cakes, better than I've seen in big city restaurants: profiterole brownie cake, Black Forest gateaux, lime cheese cake, apple crumble cake (yes, cake). Always fresh, plentiful but sold out at the end of the day. They serve breakfasts (yoghurts, toast, fresh orange juice, French style croissants), teas and coffees (my favourite coffee in town), lunch, but are always closed at the end of the day and unfortunately all day on Monday. All this in a former shop decorated in the eclectic style of its dynamic, charming multilingual proprietor, Pedro, who everyone knows and who appears to know everyone. Pedro is the heart and soul of Pianissimo, which is so named because of the upright piano in the centre, played on Saturday afternoons at tea time and any other time passing pianists wish to play. Set up as a local restaurant/ café, it has already gained a reputation which has spread beyond the town. I heartily recommend it, and intend to return often.