Restaurateur Jessica Kassim on bringing the spirit of Portugal to Lana Lusa

From vintage pieces and kitchen aromas to plates made for sharing, Lana Lusa captures the warmth and convivial spirit of Portugal

With two Dubai locations, in Uptown and Jumeirah’s Water Canal, Lana Lusa has created its own distinctive world. Step inside and the first thing you notice is that the space feels personal. Its colours, textures, artworks, and decorative details are not simply there to create a look; together, they tell a story about Portugal, family, memory, and the experience of growing up between two cultures.

For restaurateur Jessica Kassim, the inspiration began with the doors of Lisbon. Fascinated by the colours, textures and intricate details found while wandering through the city, she used these as the signature Pantone references for Lana Lusa. Together with architects Pirajean Lees, they became the foundation of the restaurant’s design identity.

Kassim wanted to capture the feeling of discovering Portugal and Southern Europe on foot, where every corner has its own character. Traditional tiles, warm wood finishes, chairs and carefully selected decorative details were chosen to bring that atmosphere to life.

“I wanted to create a place that transports people,” she says. “Somewhere that feels both familiar and inspiring, where guests can slow down, savour the moment and experience a little piece of Portugal.”

That feeling of familiarity continues through the artwork and objects that fill the restaurant. Almost all have been collected over time, discovered in flea markets, antique shops and vintage stores. Some pieces come from Kassim’s grandmother’s home in Portugal, while the photographs displayed throughout Lana Lusa are taken from her own family albums.

The intention was to create the warmth of a family home, where objects accumulate naturally and carry memories with them. Kassim’s approach to selecting artwork is instinctive. She is drawn to colour, but particularly to pieces that evoke an emotion or have a story behind them.

“I wanted Lana Lusa to have the warmth and familiarity of a family home,” she explains.

Women are also deliberately at the heart of the restaurant’s visual identity. Lana is Kassim’s daughter, while much of the inspiration behind the cuisine comes from her grandmother and childhood memories of her cooking. In this way, Lana Lusa becomes a tribute to the women in Kassim’s life, connecting generations through food, art and shared memories.

Among the most personal objects is an old cookbook that belonged to her grandmother. Its significance lies not simply in its age, but in what it represents. Her grandmother’s cooking was one of the greatest inspirations behind Lana Lusa, making the cookbook a tangible connection to the memories that helped shape the restaurant.

The family photographs tell another important part of the story. They include photographs of Kassim’s parents’ families taken shortly after they arrived in France, having left Portugal to escape the dictatorship. Born and raised in France, Kassim grew up surrounded by a family determined not to lose its connection to where they came from.

Food, traditions, family gatherings and a love of life kept that culture present, while Kassim was also taught to be proud of growing up in France and to embrace the richness of belonging to two cultures.

Then there is the painting of a woman Kassim discovered at a flea market in Lisbon. She immediately fell in love with her face, imagining that she could be from Angola or perhaps Cuba. What draws her back to the painting is its feeling: a warmth and almost maternal expression that makes her feel happy, safe and welcome.

“I suppose that is what connects all these pieces,” Kassim reflects. “They may come from different places and periods, but each one evokes an emotion, a memory or a sense of belonging.”

That sense of belonging is ultimately what Kassim hopes to create at Lana Lusa, a space where art, family history, Portuguese heritage and the simple pleasure of being together come together naturally.

It is, in her words, Where Time Sits Still.

Visit: lanalusa.com