Called the "Almoço Mineiro Subterrâneo", it pairs a meal inspired by the food of the Algarve’s mountain communities with a visit to one of the region’s most unusual places.

The first public session is scheduled for 12 November. The experience lasts around two hours and is designed for groups of up to 20 people. Guests descend by lift, a journey of about three minutes, before sitting down to eat in one of the mine’s underground galleries. The €50 price includes the meal, a guided visit and access to the collection dedicated to Santa Bárbara, the patron saint of miners.

Miner's routine

The idea is to bring back a small part of the miners’ everyday routine. Workers used to take food with them in metal lunch boxes, and the meal is served in a similar way. The project was developed by Tech Salt, which manages the mine’s visitor activities, in partnership with the Association of the Lands and Peoples of the Mediterranean Diet.

They hope the sessions will interest residents as well as visitors to the Algarve, with plans for them to take place twice a month.

For the launch menu, chef Paula Miguel prepared dishes connected to traditional Algarve cooking. Reports on the first tasting describe tiborna with cured tuna, a chickpea stew known as jantar de grão, and fig cake, accompanied by Algarve wine, coffee and medronho. There was also a hot rock of Loulé salt on the table, used to cook slices of chouriço to eat with bread. The menu may change for future sessions, while keeping its focus on local ingredients and the food associated with the region’s miners.

Characteristic setting

The setting gives the lunch its particular character. Loulé’s mine was developed from the 1960s, and its underground galleries and chambers stretch for around 45 kilometres. Salt extraction has stopped, and the site is now used for tourism and scientific activities.

Before the meal, visitors can learn more about the mine and see the Santa Bárbara collection, which includes 160 pieces dating from the 16th century to the present day.

This is not a place people can simply drop into for lunch. Numbers are limited, and the experience needs to be booked in advance through Tech Salt. But for anyone curious about Loulé’s mining history, it offers a different way to explore it: by taking the lift down, sitting around a shared table and trying food shaped by the traditions of the Algarve’s interior.

The project was also recognised in the NERA INOVA ALGARVE + DIVERSIFICAR competition, where it won the category for tourism and geological resources.

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