Casa do Frango London Bridge

This sizzling Portuguese joint is on the first floor of a large warehouse space just a few minutes from Borough Market (the ground floor houses foraged ingredients specialist Native). Casa do Frango’s focus on flame-licked chicken glazed with spicy piri piri sauce means that comparisons to Nandos are inevitable, but we’d suggest that Casa is in an entirely different league to every teenager’s favourite restaurant chain.

Firstly, the space is gorgeous, with a rustic vibe that brings the outside in via a giant skylight and greenery hanging from the ceiling. The menu is also far superior, kicking off with a run of small plates, which are large enough to enjoy as a single starter: highlights include deeply smoky charred chorizo dipped in a black olive mayo, and plump grilled prawns glazed with fiery piri piri.

The main act here is free-range half chicken grilled over wood charcoal then brushed with chilli sauce, and the result is a truly tasty and juicy barbecued chicken. You can bulk out your meal with the likes of batatas fritas (golden, oily chips) and a vibrant tomato salad. A cinnamon-dusted custard tart, washed down with Portuguese wines, is a perfectly indulgent end to the meal.    

The restaurant was buzzing on our visit, and our only bugbear was that service felt rushed and it was distracting to be served by several different waiters throughout the evening. Nevertheless, Casa do Frango is a delicious casual option, and won’t cost you much more than a Nandos.

Casa do Frango brings the spirit of Portuguese culture and cuisine to London across a breadth of atmospheric restaurants, but the original site still sits in the heart of London Bridge, on the bustling doorstep of Borough Market. Within a converted 19th-century industrial warehouse, the restaurant is set across two floors, playing witness to stunning original architectural features such as a vaulted ceiling, exposed brick walls and dramatic, arched windows. 

Dangling greenery and lengths of velvet drapery create a plush, yet understated, feel that's perfect for getting together with friends, family or colleagues. The space manages to be casual while still retaining a special ambience that works for dates or birthdays. 

In terms of the food, dishes are rooted in Algarvian cuisine which takes its cues from Mozambique and Angola, destinations known for their thriving, red-hot chillies and Piri Piri spices, a combination of flavours which underpins the entire menu. A cheatsheet for tapping into the lifeblood of Algarvian cuisine is to order the signature Piri-Piri chicken, grilled over wood charcoal and seasoned with lemon and garlic. 

If smaller plates are more your thing, feast on a selection of sharing plates with your group, which come served on cheerful blue and white tableware. Why not try the traditional Portuguese salt cod fritters with roasted potatoes and caramelised onions, alongside whole prawns in Piri-Piri sauce, and charred cauliflower in honey, lemon and Piri-Piri marinade. 

For dessert, you can't go wrong with the Portuguese classic pastel de nata, classic chocolate mousse or almond cake made with ground almonds and acknowledged as a national treasure of Portugal. After all that talk of Piri-Piri across the food, you can hardly be surprised when the staff encourage you to try a Piri-Piri Margarita with El Jimador tequila, chilli, Triple Sec and lime, for a citrusy kick.