Adega

  4.4 – 598 reviews   • Portuguese restaurant

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Relaxed eatery serving upscale Portuguese dishes & wine in simple, rustic environs.

✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out Adega 95116

Hours

Thursday5–9 PM
Friday5–9 PM
Saturday5–9 PM
Sunday5–9 PM
MondayClosed
TuesdayClosed
Wednesday5–9 PM

Address and Contact Information

Address: 1614 Alum Rock Ave, San Jose, CA 95116

Phone: (408) 926-9075

Website: https://www.adegarest.com/

Menu Photos

Order and Reservations

Reservations: adegarest.comexploretock.com

Photo Gallery

Related Web Results

MENU – ADEGA Restaurant | San José, California

We offer a Winter multi-course Tasting Menu that is the best expression of the cuisine at Adega. You will have the option to choose a wine pairing.

ADEGA Restaurant | San José, California – ADEGA, is the first and …

ADEGA, meaning “wine cellar”, opened in December of 2015 and received San Jose’s first and only Michelin star 10 months after opening.

Adega – San Jose – a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant

Adega, Portuguese for “wine cellar,” pairs a tasting menu rooted in Portuguese traditions with one of the region’s most extensive collections of Portuguese …

Reviews

Eric Fang
This is a review of my visit in October, 2023. I booked 2 tasing menus for my girlfriend’s birthday and was sorely disappointed by the experience given the price:

Food: Most dishes were tasty but failed to impress for a restaurant of this caliber. The Tuna Tartar tasted slightly fishy and my girlfriend found a piece of glass in embedded in her tartar. The desserts were the only items that lived up to our expectations. We had also paid $25 for a box of pastries since we’ve heard of great things from their sister bakery, Pastelaria Adega. But for $25 we received 6 very average, cold Portuguese egg tarts.

Service: The staff is not trained to to the standards of a fine dining restaurant. We were served a few different kinds of bread. When we asked for an extra serving of one of the breads, we were told no because they only made enough bread for each seating of the night. In addition, when my girlfriend retrieve the piece of glass from her tuna tartar, the staff nonchalantly said “Sorry” and walked away.

All in all, we paid $569 for 2 tasting menus, 2 glasses of wine, and a box of pastries. For this price or less, we have dined at much better fine dining establishments that delivered unforgettable experiences (Lord Stanley in SF is an excellent example). It blew our minds how Adega could get away with charging this price for this kind of experience. Adega a mediocre restaurant masquerading as a Michelin starred establishment. Be warned if you’re considering on visiting
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Alban Souday
For a $1,000 dinner for two, this was a deeply disappointing experience.

To begin with, it felt very strange to be completely alone in the restaurant, surrounded by a dozen empty tables. The atmosphere immediately felt off.

We sent both fish dishes back — the sauce was overwhelmingly salty, and the fish itself was dry, as if it had been frozen and overcooked or over-steamed. Unfortunately, the lamb was no better: again excessively salty and very dry. Two main courses went completely untouched, yet no one asked why or showed any genuine concern.

It was my wife’s birthday, which we made known to the staff upon arrival since there was no way to indicate it during the reservation process. Not even a small gesture, a candle or simple acknowledgment — was made.

Given that we were the only guests in the restaurant, one might expect the chef to stop by and ask for feedback, especially after dishes were sent back. Instead, as we were leaving, the chef appeared to be seated and scrolling on Instagram, offering only a brief and indifferent “thank you.”

There was a strong sense of ego, as though past accolades justified the current standard. Unfortunately, the food did not reflect the price point or reputation.

In short: mediocre experience. The service staff themselves were not the issue, but the food certainly was. Overpriced and underwhelming.

I would not recommend it and would advise others to avoid it. Happy to elaborate further if needed.
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vikas duvvuri
Easily one of the best prefixed menu experiences in the bay area. Great wagyu preparation alongside comforting mains. Super tasty bites and desserts were beautifully presented. Stunning Portuguese wine list. Somm helped us taste several to find the right wine. Amazing service & generous chef.
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Jake Byman
Truly one of the best meals we’ve had in the Bay Area. The tasting menu was fantastic, and worked really well with the sangria and wine.

The opening dish was honestly one of our favorites. A huge assortment of delicious bites. Definitely a focus on seafood, but everything was super well executed.

The only thing that didn’t quite hit for us was the mushroom risotto, which tasted a bit bland.

Food was amazing, service was amazing, and the design of the restaurant was really calming and welcoming. Strongly recommended! Would totally come back!
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Catherine Warren
I love Michelin starred restaurants. Not because they are bougie, although they certainly can be, but because of the work. It takes an extraordinary amount of work. It also takes talent, which we all wish we could cultivate through sheer determination, yet we know that at the very foundation there must be a God given gift, whether physical, mental, or spiritual. Then one must layer on business acumen, which is an art form in itself. Add to that the discipline and the work ethic. Artists are rarely born with either, so that too must be learned and earned.
Often these chefs begin from humble origins, where little is expected of them and where resources are scarce. That means limited capital, and certainly no angel investors swooping in with blank checks. Those who believe otherwise have watched far too much television; angel investors belong in Dickens novels, not in many real life kitchens.
So when you encounter Adega, a Michelin starred restaurant in San Jose’s Little Portugal neighborhood, it feels like entering the triumphant final scene of an underdog film. This is a family business gone right. Adega was founded in 2015 by Carlos and Fernanda Carreira, with their daughter Jessica Carreira and her husband David Costa leading the kitchen. Against the odds, in less than a year Adega became the first and only Portuguese restaurant in the United States to receive a Michelin star. Jessica, just twenty three at the time, became one of the youngest chefs in the world and one of the few women to achieve such an honor.
Adega’s ascent was not without setbacks. The restaurant lost its star in 2018, only to regain it in 2021, a testament to resilience and mastery. It closed briefly in 2023, but by November 2024 it reopened in its original Little Portugal space, bringing its star lit artistry back to San Jose.
And then, of course, there is the art. The dishes are poetry, rooted in Portuguese tradition and reimagined with precision and grace. Adega is proof that when heritage, discipline, business sense, and artistry collide, greatness is not only possible, it is inevitable.
#Adega #SanJose #MichelinStar #PortugueseCuisine #CulinaryExcellence #UnderdogStory #FoodArt #LittlePortugal
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Travis Wise
This restaurant is definitely an unexpected surprise. For years, I had heard legends that this restaurant existed. But I never had a reason to go there until this year. I was amazed. More people should experienced this. I know at one point they had a Michelin star and then when they closed down that went away. I hope they get it back. It is definitely worthy. The neighborhood has a lot of character, but this restaurant is the Crown Jewel. Parking in the back of the restaurant was not difficult because we had an early reservation. The courses came out evenly and consistently, and we’re all presented extremely well. The staff were all very well trained and knew how to operate a fine dining establishment. The food was all delicious and fresh. Each course had unique flavors that were amazing. If you’re looking for a fine dining establishment for a special occasion, this is it.
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Shahaf Akavia
The Good:
The food and service were excellent. Each dish was unique, with diverse flavors and beautiful plating. The portions were generousmy wife and I were completely full by the end of the course meal. We also received complimentary appetizers and dessert from the chef, which added a special touch and included items not listed on the menu. The staff was very friendly and attentive throughout the evening.

The Bad:
The atmosphere didn’t match the $450+ price tag. From the moment we arrived, the experience felt underwhelming. The parking area in the back of the resturant which was dark and unwelcome , the restaurant exterior resembled a medical office more than a fine dining establishment. The waiting area was dull, with an unattended bar that gave off a strange vibe. The main dining room felt very basic simple tables and chairs, minimal decor, and poor acoustics. Even with relatively quiet neighbors, it was hard to hear the background music. Overall, it lacked the ambiance and immersive experience I would expect at this price point.

Overall the food worth it , but the atmosphere of fine dinning should improve.
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Rong Mao
A great Portuguese restaurant in the Little Portugal area of San Jose, serving tapas style small dishes meant to be shared with friends and family. The location used to be the Adega restaurant and has very tasteful decor. The staff were all vert friendly and helpful. We sampled many small dishes and all were very unique and delicious. The seafood rice, shrimp in garlic sauce, sautéed vegetables, and the banana bread pudding dessert were some of the standout dishes. Even the house wheat bread was unexpectedly good and we used it to soak up the garlic sauce from the shrimp dish. However, serving sizes of most of the dishes were smaller than expected, especially the seafood rice that came with a $39 price tag. Other than that, everything else was perfect. Overall a good place to try Portuguese food, which is quite unique, and distinct from Spanish tapas.
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Charlie Te
This was supposed to be our best and nicest meal of the trip, so there was a bit of hype before going to it. The interior has a nice and inviting feel to it. The meal started out well with the cheesy bread and Jamon (ordered on the side). The service was friendly but not as attentive as I would like it as we had to fill our own waters a few times. Halfway through our meal, the food got more salty to a point where none of us could finish the entree. It was a nice gesture that our server tried to fix the dish and bring it another one for us, but it was more like watering down the broth. We were told that traditionally, the dishes are on the salty side (I normally eat salty foods, but this was very salty). We ended the meal with a few dessert items, with the egg tart being really good. Overall, I expected this experience to be better, but it was good that our group got to hang out together.
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Melissa Shay
Adega is an exceptional restaurant offering an unforgettable dining experience. The ambiance is elegant and welcoming, perfect for a special night out. The food is beautifully crafted with incredible flavors, showcasing high-quality ingredients and expert preparation. The service is professional, attentive, and thoughtful, making the entire experience seamless and enjoyable. Adega truly stands out for its excellence in both cuisine and hospitality. Highly recommended!
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