Bica do Sapato

Shirt from Bica do Sapato in Lisbon, PortugalIt’s not exactly a pretty sight, but when I entertain, I often go shirtless in the kitchen — with just an apron over — to avoid the inevitable drip and splatter that ends up on my clothes. This has, understandably, resulted in a few terribly unfortunate instances, as when I screamed like a six-year-old girl when a guest wandered in curious about the next course. Normally I hang my dress shirt on the intercom, cook, slip back into it just after plating, and then zip out of our Donna-Reed-style swinging kitchen door. Imagine my surprise when I saw these elegant, heavyweight T-shirts worn by the waiters at Bica do Sapato, in Lisbon. They’d be perfect under an apron in the kitchen, and I could carry the leitmotif of cooking into the dining room without the need to change. So why aren’t I stocking up? Unless I were a prepubescent American boy, none of them would fit me.

Bica do Sapato | Avenida Infante Dom Henrique, Armazém B | Lisbon, Portugal
Tel: +351 218 810 320
Hours: Open daily, 12:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Closed Mondays for lunch




About David Leite

David Leite has received three James Beard Awards for his writing as well as for Leite’s Culinaria. His work has appeared in The New York Times, Martha Stewart Living, Saveur, Bon Appétit, Gourmet, Food & Wine, Yankee, Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post, and more.


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