The Story
The story of Via Graça is so closely intertwined with its owner, João Bandeira, that sometimes it’s hard to tell where one begins and the other ends. Originally opened to the public on December 15, 1988, this is his life’s project, in which he claims to have recently invested all his savings. It took 800,000 euros to bring it back to life after months of renovation, accompanied by a second space upstairs—the 9b—dedicated to fine dining. Both restaurants opened to the public last October.
Almost 32 years ago, João Machado Dias, the original owner, passed by the building that would later house Via Graça on Rua Damasceno Monteiro. He was the visionary figure behind the opening of what became known as a “closed-door elite restaurant,” primarily frequented by journalists and politicians, but also by artists.
For years, Via Graça operated on a single floor, but in 1995 the project expanded to the lower floor, targeting tourists who would one day come knocking.
Excerpt from “Observador” / by Ana Cristina Marques