Sardines
José Gourmet
José Gourmet is a Lisbon-based boutique tinned-fish brand, founded 2008, known for artist-illustrated labels and sardines packed with small-scale Portuguese fishermen and canneries.
Independent boutique producer working with small-scale Portuguese fishermen and canneries; founders Adriano Ribeiro and Luís Mendonça; labels by ~90 Portuguese artists.
At a glance
| Country | Portugal |
|---|---|
| Region | Lisbon |
| Founded | 2008 Founding year and founders (Adriano Ribeiro and Luís Mendonça) are sourced to a single strong source (Monocle); no independent second source found corroborating the exact date, so this remains unverified per our sourcing standard. |
| Company | Independent boutique producer (100 Mistérios, Lda.) |
| Price | $$$ — premium |
| Species | Sardina pilchardus (European pilchard) — the EU-reserved name for a true sardine |
| Made at | 100 Mistérios, Perafita, Matosinhos |
Notable facts
- Labels are illustrated by roughly 90 different Portuguese artists across its product range.
- Sometimes described as 'Portugal's smallest cannery,' but that specific superlative appears only in one retailer's marketing copy and is not independently confirmed.
- Works with small-scale Portuguese fishermen and canneries rather than operating a single dedicated factory.
- Producer 100Mistérios received a US FDA warning letter in August 2024 over seafood-safety process controls, specifically naming canned sardines in olive oil; no consumer recall followed.
Behind the tin
José Gourmet is packed at 100 Mistérios in Perafita, Matosinhos, Portugal.
Made in the same cannery: Iconic Sardine, Ati Manel, Maria Organic.
Origin
José Gourmet was founded in Lisbon in 2008 by Adriano Ribeiro and Luís Mendonça, reimagining Portugal's tinned-fish tradition as a design-forward gourmet product. Rather than running one dedicated cannery, the brand works with small-scale Portuguese fishermen and canneries to pack its range.
Its most visible signature is packaging: labels illustrated by roughly 90 different Portuguese artists, turning each tin into a small, collectible piece of art. The sardine range spans full-size and "petingas" (young sardine) formats across oil, tomato, butter, and smoked preparations.
Products
Sardines in Olive Oil with Lemon
Lemon-finished.
Where to buySardines in Azores Butter
Packed in butter from the Azores rather than oil.
Where to buyPetingas in Brava Sauce
'Petingas' are young/small sardines, a distinct product line from the full-size sardine tins.
Where to buyPetingas Smoked in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cold-smoked young sardines.
Where to buySmoked Sardine in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Cold-smoked, full-size single-fish format.
Where to buySardines in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Organic variant noted on the brand's site.
Where to buyPetingas in Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Compiled from public reporting and the brand's own materials.
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