The Minho
Part wine and tapas bar, part swish restaurant and part entertainment venue – with frequent live fado concerts on Saturday evenings – Fatum is a class act…
Must-see restaurants in Portugal
Ribeira
This rustic-chic delicatessen/food store serves all-day petiscos (tapas) made with organic regional products on the three tables and two counters of its…
Madeira
This crimson box and terrace set high above the bay is a relaxed place to end the day. The menu is a mixed bag of grilled meat and fish – the Madeiran…
Guimarães
This charming restaurant whips up a good selection of cuisine you won’t find elsewhere in Guimarães. Changing art exhibitions decorate the walls, while…
The Beiras
In business for more than 40 years, Caçarola draws a mixed bag of loyal locals and hungry visitors. What they come for are the good-value combinados do…
Madeira
The 'Flavours of Curral' is the pinnacle of the dining scene in this tourist hotspot. After admiring one of the most gob-smacking, cliff-edge views you'll…
The Alentejo
In tiny Torre, 3.5km south of Comporta village, this regional favourite will surprise you with everything from its shabby-chic decor and charming…
Faro
This simple place has been here for decades, so it must be doing something right. It grills quality meat and fish, and prepares excellent seafood dishes…
Estremadura & Ribatejo
In the small village of Alcaria, this welcoming and very genuine old-school petisqueiria (place selling huge portions of petiscos, or tapas) with its red…
Alfama, Castelo & Graça
Although its well-rounded menu sometimes misses, Maria Catita is a fun choice on Sunday evenings, when there's not much open. Appetisers such as the…
Madeira
Located a five-minute drive from Santana heading towards Achada do Teixeira, this rustic inn creates a cosy atmosphere with its real log fires, hearty…
Viana do Castelo
This popular bakery is the place to try delicious bolas de Berlim (cream-filled doughnuts) – so good that you'll often have to wait in line. Get them warm…
Tavira
Behind a rose-covered facade, mosaics and local artworks line the walls of this popular spot, while mismatched tables are topped in tiles, marble and…
Bairro Alto, Chiado & Cais do Sodré
Your taste buds will tango at this boho multinational gem perched high on the cobbled steps of Calçada do Duque and owned by a Portuguese-Argentine couple…
Portimão
Elegant little tearoom Casa da Isabel is housed in a cute, tile-fronted mansion and bakes traditional desserts including pastéis de feijão (sweet white…
Baixo Alentejo
This charming little spot whips up soups and rissois (meat or veg-filled croquettes), but it's the desserts that warrant the trip – think chocolate tort…
The Beiras
Wedged within gigantic boulders, Petiscos e Granitos’ back terrace provides a fantastic backdrop for a copo de vinho (glass of wine) at sunset, with…
The Algarve
On the left as you come to the village proper from the south, this whitewashed place with a timber extension cooks hearty, no-frills country fare. Dishes…
Madeira
All bare walls, exposed lightbulbs and stylised azulejos (hand-painted tiles), the most recent addition to the Câmara de Lobos dining scene is this…
Baixa & Rossio
Hidden behind a plain facade, the Casa do Alentejo has a museum-quality, Moorish-style interior that some say is even more impressive than the food – pork…
Tavira
Beloved by its namesake tavirense (Tavira locals), this corner pastelaria has the full spectrum of Portuguese pastéis (custard-filled pastries), bolos …
Funchal
No-nonsense, family-run option at one corner of the Jardim Municipal serving scabbardfish, espetada (barbecued beef on a skewer), lots of seafood and a…
Restaurante Associação Naval do Guadiana
The Algarve
Housed in a stark glass-and-tile box, this restaurant is more inviting inside than its exterior might suggest, with a timber-panelled dining room and…
Belém
The welcome is warm at this unassuming modern bistro, which pairs spot-on Portuguese food with a well-edited wine list. The petiscos (tapas) and mains,…
Cascais
Humbly tucked away in the narrow alleyways above town, this cosy joint does good gourmet Portuguese-style burgers amid a bit of history – it's owned by…
Lisbon
You have to be determined to find hilltop Clube das Jornalistas, but persevere. This 18th-century house, opening onto a tree-shaded courtyard, has oodles…
Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela
This warming restaurant, decked out in wood and stone in classic chalet style, is an inviting spot to feast on authentic mountain food. That means Serra…
The Beiras
Hearty portions of homestyle Portuguese cooking and a relaxed TV-on-in-the-corner vibe await at this long-standing restaurant. Sit down to football on the…
The Beiras
One of several popular spots lined up on the central plaza, this is something of a hybrid cafe-slash-fast food place specialising in regional ham …
Ribeira
Slip down a side street away from the crowds and you'll find this cute cubbyhole of a cafe, with quirky leaf etchings on the wall and just a handful of…
Miragaia
Nothing flash to look at, Sabores do Sebouh rustles up nicely spiced dishes for pocket-money prices. The owner and chef hails from Syria and cooks fresh…
Funchal
Old-skool bakery-cafe next to the Mercado dos Lavradores, usually inhabited by working-class Funchalese families, market workers and the odd pigeon, all…
Alfama, Castelo & Graça
Boasting a laid-back vibe under dominant stone arches, atmospheric Pois Café has creative salads, sandwiches and fresh juices, plus a handful of heartier…
Guimarães
The setting – in a medieval fort with breezy courtyard seating and glassed-in stone dining room – is tremendous. Service is top-notch and the fare is…
Cascais
This popular bakery, a small Lisbon-area chain from Cascais, is a good bet for early morning espresso, light sandwiches and salads, and throwing yourself…
Estremadura & Ribatejo
Some 3km southeast of Porto de Mós, this delightful (if touristy) place with high ceilings, stone walls and a roaring fire in the brick oven serves…
Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês
Locals rave about Videira’s authentic regional smoked meats and sausage and the homemade mainstays made with cachena veal. The shady, arched patio of this…
Pastelaria Restaurante Montiel
Parque Natural da Serra da Estrela
Montiel's cafe is something of a social hub (if a smoky one), drawing locals for a relaxed drink and tasty snack – it has fabulous empadas (pies), sausage…
Trás-os-Montes
Smack on the riverfront in Rio de Onor, this little restaurant makes a nice spot to chill after walking around the village. As elsewhere in Trás-os-Montes…
The Algarve
For an alfresco beer or local fare like barbecued spicy sausage and prawns, Casa da Igreja is a wonderfully traditional tasca (tavern) in the heart of the…
