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Norma.

Year
2025 — now
Role
Co-owner, chef
Made
Menu, space, food
Where
Av. Infante Santo 68F, Lisboa

A little restaurant in Lisbon, built around Moroccan small plates and wine. My friend and I redesigned the space ourselves and learned what it took to run it by doing it.

Ingredients

What we started with
The plan
A friend with a plan for a wine bar.
The food
Moroccan food I knew how to cook, but had never cooked professionally.
The space
A small room on Avenida Infante Santo, Lisboa.
The team
Two of us. He does the wine; I cook.
Experience
None. We learned by showing up.
The decision
To give it a try.
Dried split peas scattered across a red surface

Method

How we made it

We bought the restaurant and redesigned it ourselves. Neither of us knew everything opening a place would involve. We made mistakes, adjusted, and came back the next day. I balanced design projects at IADE with shifts in the kitchen — different tools, the same discipline.

Moroccan small plates on a wooden table against turquoise tiles
The table
A Moroccan dish served in a terracotta bowl
Moroccan small plates
Haitam preparing food in the Norma kitchen
The kitchen
Haitam carrying a tray of fried pastries out of the kitchen
Service
The two owners of Norma sitting together with a glass of wine

The menu

One sheet, folded once · kraft paper · Herold and Bontang

norma

Petiscos marroquinos

  • barbaSalada de beterraba com chalotaBeet salad with shallot6
  • bissaraPasta de ervilhas com azeite e cominhosSplit pea dip with olive oil & cumin6
  • batataBatatas salteados com ervas e alhoPotatoes sautéed with garlic & herbs7
  • zaaloukBeringela fumada e temperadaSmokey spiced eggplant8
  • loubiaFeijões verdes com ervas e limãoGreen beans with herbs & lemon7
  • krovet pilpilCamarões com alho e pápricaPrawns with garlic & paprika11
  • halwaBiscoitos de amêndoa marroquinosMoroccan almond cookies3

Azeitonas olives 1Pistácios pistachios 1Pão extra extra bread 1

Pão caseiro incluído c/ cada prato housemade bread included w/ every dish

bebidas

Cocktails

  • gin & tonicGin, Fever-Tree tonic6
  • palomaTequila, sparkling grapefruit, lime7
  • aperol spritzSparkling wine, Aperol, soda7
  • gold rushBourbon, lemon, honey12
  • naked & famousMezcal, Chartreuse, Aperol, lime13
  • fergroniGin, Campari, Punt e Mes10
  • carajilloEspresso, rum, Licor 438

Aperitivos8 cl

  • per seAperitivo português4
  • luxardo anticoVermute italiano à base de cereja5
  • cocchiStorico vermouth di Torino6

Cervejas33 cl

  • super bockCerveja portuguesa2
  • corujaIndian pale ale3
  • leffeCerveja belga5

Cidras

  • silver coastPêra e gengibre / pear & ginger, 33 cl4
  • rebel aged ciderBarrel-aged dry cider, 750 ml19

Fortificados7 cl

  • valladoVinho do Porto, 10 anos6
  • ilha do picoVinho do Pico, 10 anos, meio doce5

Notes

What it taught me

Norma is an ongoing project. It has taught me to trust myself, prepare properly, and keep learning while the work is happening. Cooking, shaping a space, and working with another person all belong to the same process.

Next plate — 02 / 06 Bora →