If you’ve heard the saying… I died and went to heaven… well, dying is no longer obligatory! The good news is that you just need to go to Portugal!

If proof of heaven were needed, then Mensagem Rooftop Restaurant in Lisbon puts forward an application based on a starter of Veal Carpaccio with a Syrah red wine from the nearby Beira region…

Not yet convinced? Faro quickly steps up with a main of Arroz Negro (black rice with cuttlefish ink, and crispy squid) accompanied by a robust Tomato & Roast Pepper Salad. The local Algarve wines provide an extremely dry white, aptly named ‘So Blanc‘…

What do you mean, where’s the dessert? This is Portugal, where the best dessert is widely available throughout the day. Pasteis da Nata are what Portugal was invented for, didn’t you know? Best taken with a proper cappuccino side…

Until we speak again, whatever your version of heaven is… I’m sticking with this one!