It seemed that the most difficult thing had been to open the doors, after years of work and dedication, punctuated by difficulties. But those responsible for Tertúlia Algarvia quickly realized that it would be equally difficult to avoid the inauguration only for guests, employees and family members, which marked the first day of activity of the new gastronomic and cultural space in Faro, was “invaded” by tourists.
The good news, for locals and visitors, is that Tertúlia Algarvia, located in Largo Afonso III, in Vila-Adentro de Faro, is open to the general public from today, Tuesday.
The way to the final opening day it was long and difficult, punctuated by adventures and all kinds of technical and bureaucratic issues.
A “very long story, which is more or less known”, which João Amaro, one of the project's promoters, prefers not to focus on. The important thing, he says, is that the long-awaited moment to open doors has arrived.
“Now it's about making the house work for many, many years. We have all the conditions for that to happen. We have a fantastic space, well located and an excellent team. The future is in our hands. We have to be able to satisfy people, particularly with regard to quality/price ratio», illustrated João Amaro, in a conversation with Sul Informação.
The inauguration of the house was awaited not only by the project's promoters, whose idea was born “in meetings held at 6 am”, in 2005, in a hotel in Faro, but also by the employees, who were already linked to Tertúlia Algarvia.
In all, 16 new permanent jobs will be created, 12 in the area of restaurants and events and four in the administrative sector.
Many of these workers had already been collaborating with Tertúlia Algarvia, since, even without having a space to call their own, the association has not been stopped and has developed parallel projects, such as the Algarteca or catering of events.
«The main objective of the association Tertúlia Algarvia is to create thematic spaces to promote the gastronomy and culture of the Algarve. We got it today. We will continue to carry out other parallel activities and the future will be whatever we are able to make of it», added João Amaro.
Tertúlia Algarvia pays tribute to the region's culture
Typical gastronomy, with a refreshing gourmet touch, a strong focus on regional products, handicrafts made in the region, using endemic materials and multiple references to the culture of the Algarve are what stand out in the Tertúlia Algarvia space now inaugurated.
From the tables and benches in wood covered with cork, whose glass top is a door to get to know the Algarve a little more, to the dried fruits that we come across cyclically, through literature related to the region, everything points to the richness of the region. in southern Portugal.
And if the interior of the building and the chosen decoration are already a tribute to the Algarve, the exterior parts, with patios, terraces and a gazebo complete the set.
Located in the heart of Vila-Adentro, the gastronomic and cultural space offers unique perspectives of this historic area, with emphasis on the viewpoint, leaning against the garden of Sé de Faro and with privileged contact with one of the main heritage references in the region.
Elements that, together with the white walls, almost shiny from the recently placed paint and the appealing sign in bright tones drawn on them, promise to be a real tourist magnet.
Yesterday morning, there were many groups of foreign visitors in the Old Town of Faro and whenever a new vacancy passed, there was a group that tried to join the opening party, out of curiosity. «We're sorry, today is for guests only», repeated different members of Tertúlia Algarvia, invariably causing an expression of disappointment on the faces of potential customers.
«The space is very appealing and Vila-Adentro is one of the most beautiful historic centers in the Algarve. The house looks good on the outside and, in fact, invites people», illustrated João Amaro.
Customers will decide what Tertúlia Algarvia is.
The space that opened yesterday still doesn't have a clear definition. The idea, as illustrated by João Amaro, is to promote the Algarve's gastronomy and culture, but those responsible for the project prefer that those who benefit from the new house of Tertúlia Algarvia put a label on it.
«We have this basis for catering and gastronomy, but we want the space to be known for more than that. We don't want to be characterized as a simple restaurant that opens its doors and people come», illustrated another of the mentors of the Jorge Brandão project.
“We go beyond that. We want to go to people, show them that we would like to have them here and make them feel at home, since this, in the end, is their home», he added.
To achieve this goal, Tertúlia Algarvia will «develop activities in the area of gastronomy, culture, music and history», with a view to making known and promoting the Algarve to those who visit the space.
“We have different, isolated spaces. We managed to have show cooking, workshops and other activities, all taking place at the same time, without interfering with each other», illustrated Jorge Brandão.
A centenary building to add more soul to the project
The Tertúlia Algarvia is housed in a building about two centuries old, next to the Cathedral of Faro, which was retrieved and adapted to the association's objectives.
«Basically, it is the union of two buildings, this one overlooking Largo Afonso III, the main one and the other overlooking Rua do Trem. This is a 80th or XNUMXth century building, but in the meantime it had to be rebuilt in the XNUMXs, due to a problem arising from poor demolition”, explained Thierry Farias, the architect responsible for the building's refurbishment.
«The challenge was to overcome a series of constraints on the structure that was built inside, at that time, as the original design was maintained. It took some work to “cook” with the new project», he explained.
The space now inaugurated is, to say the least, multifaceted. “On the ground floor, we have a reception room that works as a tapas bar, day and night. It also serves as a store [for regional products]. On the first floor we have a more formal restaurant space, which opens onto a roof and a series of outdoor patios and terraces, which help to get a better view of the building», he described.
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