It will not have gone unnoticed by visitors and locals of Praia da Luz that the Paraíso Beach Bar has risen like a phoenix from the flames and reopened on the site of the shocking February fire.
Paraíso, owned and run by the Reis family, has been a part of the Praia da Luz landscape for decades. It started in 1964 as a small kiosk which sold food and drinks and then later rented sunshades. The structure was then extended but needed to be taken down at the end of every season.
In 1976, a properly constructed restaurant was established which became the Paraíso. In 2001, there was a new government directive that beach bars needed to be raised off the beach and it reopened in 2002 with the building built on wooden stilts that we all knew.
The stunning restaurant with glorious views over Luz beach was completely razed to the ground by a fierce fire which began just after midnight. It was a night that owner Miguel Reis describes as “devastating”. He and his wife were out of the country at the time on holiday and had to rush back as the authorities investigated the cause of the explosion which was heard throughout Luz. Miguel confirmed to me that the fire was started by an electrical fault in a fridge.
At the beginning of this summer, the sad wreckage of the restaurant was cleared away. Determined not to be kept down for long, the Reis family applied for a temporary licence for this summer to keep their staff in work and serve those who wish to enjoy some food and drink with an unbeatable view of the beach. It now has a Caribbean beach vibe, enclosed with a rattan fence and mini palms.
I visited on a Friday night with friends to enjoy some very reasonably priced cocktails. We sat on bean bags and deck chairs on the sand, with a clear view of the kids playing on the beach. We ordered some great nibbles, including a tapas plate, calamari and bifanas, while the sun went down. Paradise.
I put it to Miguel that we all actually thought that it was preferable to have your toes in the sand while enjoying a sundowner and Miguel agreed. He has applied to the câmara for a new licence and submitted an application for part of the restaurant to actually be on the beach, although regulations stipulate that the restaurant would still need to be raised above the beach. Fingers crossed he achieves this as our group felt the new set up was what a beach bar should look like.
We hope that Paraíso will enjoy a successful resurrection and we can keep enjoying its views and warm hospitality long into the future.
Paraíso is currently open between 12.30 pm and 10 pm every day.