Il Matriciano opened in July 2015 on Rua de São Bento, directly opposite the Portuguese Parliament. Since then, the Portuguese and Italian press have returned to the restaurant across seven years of coverage, Italian television named it the winner of a Lisbon-set episode of Little Big Italy in 2021, and over 1,500 reviews on TripAdvisor and Google continue to accumulate. Below is what they have written.
A note on quotes: press quotes and reviews originally published in Portuguese or Italian have been translated for this English page; original-language dish names, phrases and proper nouns are preserved. Each translated quote is tagged accordingly.
Television
Little Big Italy — NOVE, 11 October 2021
Il Matriciano won Season 4, Episode 4 ("Lisbona") of Little Big Italy, broadcast on 11 October 2021 on the Italian channel NOVE. Host Francesco Panella adjudicated on the voto di italianità (vote of Italian-ness). Il Matriciano won by one point, beating the two other competing restaurants in Lisbon, Bella Ciao and La Bottega di Giò.
Sources: Discovery+ episode page, Ascolti TV, Di Tutto un Pop.
Press
In the Press, 2015–2022
Observador5 July 2015 — Tiago Pais. "Is this the most Italian restaurant in Lisbon?"
"There are more Italian restaurants in Lisbon than there are hats. But Italian restaurants where you are greeted with 'ciao' and where 'prego' is not a sandwich but an expression — perhaps only this one exists."Translated from Portuguese · In Portuguese, prego is a steak sandwich; in Italian, prego means please / you're welcome.
Visão18 July 2016 — Inês Rapazote. "Il Matriciano Al Mare — a true Italian with the taste of the sea"
On the opening of the Il Matriciano Al Mare seafood spinoff (the space at Rua de São Bento 99 that today houses Sora Lella).
"Almost everything transports us to Italy at this restaurant on Rua de São Bento, in Lisbon."Translated from Portuguese
Observador19 July 2016 — Tiago Pais. "Il Matriciano Al Mare — mamma mia, this Italian tastes like the sea"
"To prove that fish and shellfish can be the stars of Italian cuisine, Alessandro Laganà opened a second restaurant. After Il Matriciano, Il Matriciano Al Mare. The name says it all."Translated from Portuguese
Visão11 August 2021. "Flavours of Italy: 9 restaurants in Lisbon that bring us true Italian cuisine — and no pizza on the menu"
"Sua Maestà La Carbonara is one of the emblematic dishes on Il Matriciano's menu, made with pork cheek, eggs, pecorino romano cheese and black pepper brought from Italy… And, of course, 'without cream', as the original recipe demands, emphasises Stefania Carpoca, who, together with her husband, Alessandro Laganà, opened this veramente italiano (truly Italian) restaurant on Rua de São Bento seven years ago."Translated from Portuguese
More on this dish: Roman Carbonara in Lisbon.
Mesa Marcada20 August 2021 — Cristiana Beltrão. "Restaurants for not seeing and not being seen"
"Lisbon has a number of charming little trattorias focused on pizza, but few gastronomic Italian restaurants. For the days when homesickness bites, there is the small Il Matriciano, run by the lovely couple Alessandro and Stefania."Translated from Portuguese
MAGGSapo · 6 February 2022 — Rafaela Simões. "Seven years, a welcome prosecco, and seven dishes. We had been overlooking Il Matriciano"
"The truth is we were not in Italy and the Pope was not in sight, but rather a true Italian kitchen with excellent products (except the fresh ones) coming from the boot-shaped country."Translated from Portuguese
Casalmisterio27 September 2016. "Il Matriciano — an Italian restaurant where no Portuguese is spoken"
"A charming Italian restaurant that makes us feel as if we went to lunch in Rome and have just come back."Translated from Italian
Editorial verdicts
Time Out
Time OutTime Out Lisbon (EN)
"It is part of the wave of good Italian restaurants to have opened in Lisbon in recent years, where the raw material, much of it coming from Italy, is taken very seriously by Alessandro Laganà, the owner."
Time OutTime Out Lisboa (PT)
"The portions at Il Matriciano, which takes its name from the famous way of making pasta alla matriciana, are designed for a true Italian meal."Translated from Portuguese
Must-try, per Time Out: "The carbonara, with guanciale from Abruzzo and a mix of pecorino and parmesan."Translated from Portuguese
More: Roman Carbonara in Lisbon.
Diners
TripAdvisor
"This restaurant participated in a well-known TV show (little big italy) with Francesco Panella and won the first place as best Italian restaurant in Lisbon."
"Looking for 'Little big Italy Portugal' I find the winner and book easily for 19.30. I am surprised by a very good carbonara, light and crisp."
"We think this is the best Italian food that we have had in Lisbon."
"A super little restaurant — with a little bit of style — very near the parliament. The pasta and risotto rice absolutely masterfully cooked. Flavours deep and luxurious."
"For lovers of the classics, carbonara is performed in a workmanlike manner, creamy and tasty."
Suppliers
Recognised by the Italian Food Press
The kitchen's daily inputs carry their own external recognition. More on the supply chain in Fresh Pasta in Lisbon.
- Pecorino Romano DOP Fulvi (Lazio) — recognised by Gambero Rosso.
- Pastificio Verrigni (Roseto degli Abruzzi, Teramo) — recognised by Gambero Rosso International; supplies kitchens including those of Massimiliano Alajmo, Massimo Bottura, Niko Romito and Mauro Uliassi.
- La Pasta di Aldo (Monte San Giusto, Marche) — recognised by Gambero Rosso International; endorsed by Heston Blumenthal.
- Guanciale from Sano di Amatrice (Lazio).
- Olive oil Olio Sassicaia, Tenuta San Guido.
Further coverage
More Listings & Features
Additional Portuguese and Italian listings on Il Matriciano and the Sora Lella spinoff (the pizzeria next door, opened in the former Il Matriciano Al Mare space at Rua de São Bento 99). Headlines translated from Portuguese where applicable.
- NiT — "18 new spots to eat, drink and relax in Lisbon" (8 January 2016, Il Matriciano Al Mare)
- NiT — "5 new esplanades in Lisbon where you will want to spend summer days" (Il Matriciano São Bento)
- NiT — "Sora Lella — boards and half-metre pizzas in Lisbon"
- Evasões — Il Matriciano (listing)
- Evasões — "Sora Lella — half-metre pizzas"
- Time Out Lisboa — Il Matriciano Al Mare
- Time Out Lisboa — "After Il Matriciano Al Mare, Sora Lella was born — the Roman pizzeria"
- Lifecooler — Ristorante Il Matriciano
- Joli — Il Matriciano (Lisbon)
- Onde Vamos Jantar — "From Italy. With love."
The press catalogue above runs from July 2015 through February 2022. TripAdvisor and Google reviews continue to the present.
