The Algarve
Dine beneath beautiful vaulted-brick ceilings on delightful petiscos (tapas-style sharing plates), such as mushrooms stuffed with smoked wild-boar sausage…
Must-see restaurants in Portugal
Madeira
The 'Northern Star' seats 145 at formally laid, tightly packed tables, onto which waitresses plonk the mainstays of Madeiran cuisine such as espada …
Braga
This gourmet hotspot offers tasty entradas (appetizers) at the backlit bar, along with more elaborate dishes – Brazilian-style moqueca (seafood stew),…
Baixa & Rossio
Topo's sexy Asian lounge – adjacent to their original rooftop location inside a Praça Martim Moniz commercial centre – is a Thai/Vietnamese/Indonesian…
Príncipe Real, Santos & Estrela
Locals do their best to keep this quaint corner petiscaria (small-plates restaurant), a former grocery store from 1870, all to themselves – no such luck…
Alfama, Castelo & Graça
This bistro wins the award for Lisbon’s loveliest summer courtyard: all vines, twittering budgerigars and fluttering laundry (though you'll struggle to…
Madeira
Around since the late 1960s, the 'Whale' wins the prize for Madeira's craziest restaurant location, sitting atop the crumbly volcanic rock on Port Moniz…
Viseu
An authentic slice of old Portugal, this homely restaurant is named after the 19th-century fado singer who once lived down the street. It's a cheerful,…
Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré
Known on the street as Cantina das Freiras, this small, sunny cafeteria inside a Catholic association is run by sweet nuns dressed as lunch ladies. They…
Sesimbra
This unassuming seafooder in Porto de Abrigo has outgrown its humble beginnings as a bathing service in 1926 (there's a distinguishable line between its…
Trás-os-Montes
In Bobal, halfway between Lamas de Ôlo and Mondim de Basto, Tasquinha d'Alice is recommended for its all-day snacks, such as great alheira (a light,…
Príncipe Real, Santos & Estrela
Lisbon's first paleo-focused cafe is tucked away on the grounds of Polo Cultural Gaivotas Boavista, as elementary school turned cultural hub, under a…
Ribeira
Happening Traça is tucked in a 17th-century building that once housed a pharmacy. Its retro-cool interior nods to its rustic Portuguese roots in the form…
The Minho
Below the fortifications, near the bridge to Spain, this low-key place serves a wallet-friendly 'pilgrim's lunch' (€7) every weekday to recharge the…
Madeira
Located on São Vicente seafront, the town's best restaurant serves up 360-degree views of the coast and seascape (the dining room actually revolves slowly…
Sintra
At this charming haunt you can take a pew on the cobbled patio or retreat to the 17th-century vaulted interior, bedecked with century-old azulejos. Dapper…
The Alentejo
The old fashioned saloon-style doors at this village grocer leads one to believe this is little more than a pit stop for locals needing to flesh out their…
Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré
This ravishing former home of Portuguese barons is one of Lisbon's most stunning addresses for foodies, a gourmet food court wrapped in exquisitely…
Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré
The sweet azulejo-filled Faca & Garfo (which means ‘knife and fork’) has earned a loyal local following for its tasty, carefully prepared Portuguese…
Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré
If you drop your céntimos at one touristy restaurant in Lisbon, choose contemporary Sacramento, a fun and festive place gorgeously set inside a former…
Monchique
Perched on the cliff edge with expansive views from the glassed-in dining room and wraparound terrace, this rustic restaurant serves traditional…
Viseu
A cosy spot nestled behind an arch in the historic centre, this oh-so-typical restaurant does brisk business serving a mixed crowd of locals and out-of…
Viana do Castelo
At this authentic fishers' hole-in-the-wall decorated with framed pictures of boats, locals gather in the late afternoon for small plates of shrimp and…
Portugal
A block west of the park, this handsomely set pastelaria and restaurant is one of Lisbon's most storied, a destination bakery when it comes to Bolo Rei (…
Madeira
The sister restaurant of Vila do Peixe is the 'House of Meat', a clean-cut eatery specialising in traditional espetada (chunks of beef covered in salt,…
Madeira
Occupying the original 19th-century mansion house at the Quinta Splendida, this gourmet restaurant serves the most exquisite meals on this stretch of the…
Évora
Tucked away on a small plaza beside the aqueduct, this friendly, boxcar-sized eatery serves up tasty home-cooked Alentejan classics that change by day, as…
Príncipe Real, Santos & Estrela
Anthropologist and Portuguese-cookbook writer Fernanda runs this sweet little deli and grocery store with love and an eye for careful sourcing. Daily…
Setúbal Peninsula
One of the best beach bars in São João, stylishly built by a trendy Lisbon chef but taken over by Brazilians, who have shaken up the beach food scene with…
Setúbal
A nice break from seafood, Taifa is a jazzy little cafe with outdoor tables and an eclectic menu that includes a limited but good menu of pad thai and red…
Évora
In a thoughtfully designed space across from the municipal market, Vinarium is a must for wine lovers. Here you can sample fine quaffs from the Alentejo,…
Ericeira
Ericeira's happening happy hour goes down on the sidewalk at this sophisticated bistro, which does well-curated wines and tapas with sunset sea views from…
The Algarve
An unusually traditional restaurant for Praia da Rocha, this low-key place serves classic Portuguese fare: sardinhas grelhadas (salt-seasoned grilled…
Madeira
At the turn off on the ER103 for Pico do Arieiro, this rustic mountain refuge plates up Portuguese and Madeiran favourites in a welcoming, slightly old…
Trás-os-Montes
This spruce tearoom specialises in traditional local sweets, including cristas de galo (almond and egg paste in a flaky pastry dough), pitos de Santa…
Ericeira
As close to the sea as you can get without a boat, Furnas is all about freshly caught fish and spectacular ocean views. It’ll show you the catch of the…
Lagos
Pass through the big arched doors of Lagos' longest-serving bakery (around since 1926) to discover an Aladdin's cave of Portuguese cakes, including…
Porto
Fado drifts up the azulejo-clad walls, toddlers tear through the dining room, plump and oily sardines (and other fresh fish) are roasted on sidewalk…
Pinhão
Whether you come for drinks, tapas and sunset over the river, or for one of the splendid three-course 'dinner parties' hosted by chef Pedro Cardoso,…
Nazaré
A modern tasca not content with following the crowd, this pleasant Sítio hotspot does elevated classic tapas along with a fun menu of Portuguese-bent…
