by Although the Algarve is the region of Portugal with the highest number of Michelin stars, to find the heart and soul of its cuisine it is necessary to go to one of the beach restaurants below and stop with a fish at the grill that still tastes. from the sea in which it was just a few hours before. Drizzle it with some local olive oil and a few drops of lemon, which you might have picked up on your way to the restaurant. Pair it with a crisp, cold Portuguese white wine and raise your glass to the beauty of the holidays.
For more Algarve inspiration, check out our guides to the best hotels, tours, nightlife, things to do and beaches in the city.
Central Algarve
Gigi’s, Quinta do Lago
This is where the jet-set hang out in the summer, and where Gigi, the owner, sings opera arias and excellently guides you through the fresh fish and seafood she bought from the market at dawn. the carabinieri – the giant red prawn – are essential, open and grilled over charcoal, but so are the sea bass, the sole and the clams from the land, cooked with white wine and garlic, bulhao duck style. To get there you have to cross the longest wooden bridge in Europe, with views of the Ria Formosa lagoon; It’s a sure way to whet your appetite.
Contact: quintadolago.com
Bookings: Essential
Prices: £££
Ocean, Porches
One of only three restaurants in Portugal to have two Michelin stars (and definitely worthy of three Michelin stars), Ocean just keeps getting better and better. It offers attentive service, knowledgeable wine pairings, and dazzling dishes by chef Hans Neuner, rooted in Portugal’s culinary heritage. With a different concept each season, the menu is inspired by Neuner’s travels around the Portuguese islands and on the mainland, incorporating local ingredients for his culinary journey. Located in a sophisticated setting overlooking the sea, this restaurant, which is part of the Vila Vita Parc hotel, is one not to be missed.
Contact: vilavitaparc.com
Bookings: Essential
Prices: £££
The Wolf Bar & Grill, Carvoeiro
It is rare to find an exclusive menu of burgers and steaks in the Algarve, but this restaurant offers just that with a wide variety of burgers with a special touch. They range from ‘The Indian’ with mint yoghurt and an onion bhaji to ‘The British’ with bacon, mayonnaise with Worcestershire sauce, malt and caramelised onions with beer. The ribeyes are cooked on the Josper grill and are served with hand-cut fries, creamed spinach or salads. Macaroni and cheese, garlic shrimp or fresh oysters will satisfy non-carnivores before the ever-popular house key lime pie. A great wine list and lively atmosphere draw the crowds.
Contact: thewolfbarandgrill.com
Bookings: Recommended
Prices: £
Pure Boutique Cafe, Quinta do Lago
A perfect spot for breakfast after an early run on the beach, Pure offers a wide variety of healthy drinks, from lemon and ginger vitamin boosters to fruit smoothies and herbal teas. The food does not disappoint with a wide variety of protein bowls, homemade granola, porridge, blueberry pancakes and scrambled eggs with sourdough toast. Starting at noon, lunch plates take the lead with salads (try the super cereal tabbouleh with crumbly local goat cheese), wraps, ciabatta sandwiches, soups, and a delicious chicken schnitzel with avocado and garlic mayonnaise sauce at a brioche bun. There is a small but excellent wine list.
Contact: quintadolago.com
Bookings: There’s no need
Prices: £
Bar Bacchus, Porches
This pretty restaurant with original tiles by artist Patrick Swift is located inside Porches Pottery, a must see. In summer it spills out onto a bougainvillea covered terrace, where sandwiches, delicious quiches, smoked salmon salad and carrot cake make it the perfect spot for a light lunch as you explore the Algarve, accompanied by a selection of wines by the glass. . Head to the pottery shop afterwards, where Patrick Swift’s daughters have created a colorful world of fish and owls, dragonflies and flowers beautifully captured on lamp bases, vases, plates, cups and bowls.
Contact: barbacchus.net
Bookings: There’s no need
Prices: £
Western Algarve
Rei das Praias, Ferragudo
This is the Algarve at its finest: a spectacular location on a small, perfectly formed beach, a terrace with sea views, and a restaurant that goes above and beyond. Expect excellent wines, a good selection of fresh fish, and very friendly staff. Start with plates of tasty smoked ham and delicious local cheese before opting for an Algarve special from carabinieri (scarlet prawns) or oysters, before a freshly caught sea bass or a sea bream that still tastes of the sea, accompanied by a drizzle of olive oil, tomato and cucumber salad and new potatoes. There is also an excellent wine list.
Contact: restaurantreidaspraias.com
Bookings: Recommended
Prices: ££
Best table: on the outside terrace
Sea of Vila Joya, Galé
On the beach, tucked away under the very chic Vila Joya, is a beautifully cool beach shack that raises its coconut fiber shutters in the summer months. There, wicker lamps sway in the breeze above the cocktail counter and the tap, tap, tap of the chef’s knives can be heard over melancholy Portuguese guitar music. The menu offers sushi, sashimi, nigiri, ceviche, mini Wagyu burgers and the freshest burrata. Overlooking the blue sea, this is a piece of paradise below the radar.
Contact: 00 351 289 591 795; Facebook page
Opening hours: Every day, 12:00-15:00, 19:00-21:00
Bookings: Recommended
Prices: £££
View Restaurant, Portimão
The nautical interiors of Vista Restaurante, located in Bela Vista Hotel, are courtesy of acclaimed designer Graҁa Viterbo. The hotel was built in 1918 and was one of the first in the Algarve, overlooking the golden sands of Praia de Rocha. The restaurant became a Michelin star winner in 2018, with young chef João Oliveira bringing a touch of his native northern Portugal to the Algarve. Expect dishes that sing of the sea, from local oysters served with mandarin orange and fennel, to sole with mussels and seaweed, or mackerel with green olives and green pepper. An authentic taste of Portugal.
Contact: vistarestaurante.com
Bookings: Recommended
Prices: £££
Dunas Beach Restaurant, Alvor
Beautiful as a picture, the white-on-white Dunas, perched on the sand dunes at the edge of Alvor’s long, golden beach, with its natural wood terrace and large white sofas, offers the perfectly filleted catch of the day. Elegant service and mouth-watering dishes include local oysters, octopus salad, piri-piri grilled chicken on a baguette, and a variety of light and spicy salads such as basilicata (smoked chicken with honey-mustard dressing) and the memorable ceviche de the house, made with tiger prawns. coriander and lime. There is a small variety of good Portuguese wines. A children’s menu is also available.
Contact: penina.com
Bookings: Recommended
Prices: ££
Al Sud, Palmares Ocean Living & Golf, Odiaxere
Newly opened and impressively awarded a Michelin star shortly thereafter, Al Sud restaurant sits on the seafront overlooking the Bay of Lagos. Chef Louis Anjos offers the best of the Algarve on the plate; the oysters from the Alvor estuary, the corn from Monchique, the peanuts from Aljezur and the unmissable red prawns from the area, which alone are worth it. First take some time to have a drink from the most innovative cocktail list in the Algarve.
Contact: palmaresliving.com/al-sud-restaurant/
Bookings: Recommended
Prices: £££
Umami, Quinta do Lago
Elegant service, stunning design and truly memorable food mark this new Asian restaurant, tucked away in the exclusive Quinta do Lago resort, as one to return to. The cocktails (try Reason, a mix of gin, lemongrass and truffle oil) are a treat, but so are the crispy prawn tempura with whipped wasabi, the smooth wagyu beef, the sushi, and the coconut-ginger panna cotta. A perfect place to watch the sunset on another clear Algarve day.
Contact: quintadolago.com
Bookings: Recommended
Prices: £££
Orta Restaurant, Casa Mãe, Lagos
In this lively and bustling open-plan restaurant, dishes that draw heavily on the (hotel’s own) farm-to-table concept are served to a young, cosmopolitan crowd. Woven into beets or crispy kale are a bounty from the nearby sea, from octopus to squid. Try the sesame-crusted seared tuna on a bed of quinoa and the steak tartare with a poached egg on top for starters. There is a good wine list. A fun alternative to the traditional Portuguese restaurant.
Contact: house-mae.com
Bookings: Recommended
Prices: ££
Eastern Algarve
Terra i Mar, Olhao
Olhão is famous for having the best fish market in the Algarve, which is located on the seafront in an old red-brick domed building. Inevitably, there are a host of great restaurants gathered around you in this very Moorish town. The best of the bunch is Terra i Mar, where the wine list and menu reflect the passion with which it is carried. Along with the regular sea bass and bream, megrim and sole, deliciously crisp weaver fish are served here, as are cuttlefish roe and eel. Interiors are standard, food definitely isn’t.
Contact: 00 351 289 714 315; Facebook page
Opening hours: Tue-Sun, 12:00-22:30
Bookings: Recommended
Prices: ££
Great Beach Club, Villa Real de Santo Antonio
This elegant beach club opened its doors last year in one of the most charming villages in the Algarve, right on the border with Spain. Not only is the Atlantic Ocean much warmer here due to its proximity to the Mediterranean, but the beaches in the eastern Algarve are much less crowded than in the more populated center. Have lunch or dinner overlooking passing fishing boats, a small patch of sand and a swimming pool, with fresh and enjoyable food, from regional clams à ‘Bulhao Pato’ with garlic and coriander to Algarve goat cheese and fig pizza .
Contact: 00 351 281 530 290
Opening hours: Daily, from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. in low season; 10am-12am in high season
Bookings: Recommended
Prices: ££
