Fado house · Bairro Alto · since 1937
ADEGA MACHADO — FADO HOUSE — IN BAIRRO ALTO
Where secrets are tasted and sung
For ninety years fado has been sung in this house — right by the tables, without a microphone, with Portuguese cooking alongside.
In the same Bairro Alto room since 1937
Founded in 1937 by Armando Machado, who played the viola de fado — the Portuguese acoustic guitar — and Maria de Lurdes Machado, a fado singer. Amália was family: godmother to two of the Machado children, she came for late suppers and often sang for the pleasure of it. Alfredo Marceneiro sang here for the last time. Mariza sang here for the first time, at seven years old. The photographs remain on the walls. Fado is sung every night, between the courses.
Three things happen at the same time
The house, the fado and the table are not separate programmes — they are the same night, seen from three sides.
Walls that keep names
Three floors in Bairro Alto, exposed stone and a whole wall of portraits of those who have sung here since 1937.
Portuguese guitar, viola de fado and voice
Every night, live, a few metres from your table. When the fado begins, the room falls silent.
Portuguese cooking, as always
From bacalhau to tournedos, served between fados — unhurried, because the night is long.
Ninety years on,The house · Bairro Alto, since 1937
the same thing happens:
the fado begins and the room falls silent.
Book an evening at Adega Machado
Fado begins at 20:30. The kitchen opens at 19:00. There are few tables, and evenings fill up well in advance.
Groups and special occasions
For group bookings, corporate dinners, birthdays or other special occasions, please contact us directly. We treat every evening as what it is — unrepeatable.