Location: Cruzes, near Caldas da Rainha

Types of cuisine: Meat, traditional

Average price: 10-15 Euros per person

Description: For meat lovers (although they offer some chicken and fish options). You arrive and take your seats in this cozy, typical restaurant. The walls are lined with wine boxes and an open grill is at the end of the room where various cuts of meat are already being prepared. Once seated, hot bread and a tomato-onion salad are served immediately, but no menu unless you ask for one. The restaurant is famous in the area, they bring various cuts of meat until you ask them to stop. The sangria is delicious, and they have a wonderful selection of wines. Great quality meat, cooked to perfection, and good service. Beware the two complimentary bottles of spirits at the end of your meal. We recommend you reserve on weekends.

 

 

Location: Guisado, near Caldas da Rainha

Types of cuisine: Traditional, meat and fish

Average price: 15-20 Euros per person

Description: One of the area’s most popular restaurants. The portions are enormous which makes this a great option for groups or families. The decor is lovely and traditional, and the room with the open grill is warm and cozy in the winter. Hot, home-made bread is brought to your table when you arrive and the house wine is good. They have a diverse menu with various meat and fish options. The service is fantastic and the dessert options are mouth-watering. There is no card machine, take cash… and it is essential to book at weekends.

 

 

Location: Foz do Arelho

Types of cuisine: Typical dishes with a modern take, meat and fish

Average price: 20-25 Euros per person

Description: Fantastic decor and an intimate setting. The menu is not very big but everything is prepared well and beautifully presented while the wine list is good too. Options vary from lamb to skewered meat to fish… traditional Portuguese dishes with a modern take. The desert is to die for and is prepared on the night, with different options every time. A calm, chic, and relaxed ambiance where you don’t feel rushed into eating and leaving. Booking is essential.

 

 

Location: Sao Martinho do Porto

Types of cuisine: Fish

Average price: 20-25 Euros per person

Description: You cannot get closer to the bay than this and it shows, the fish is wonderfully fresh and caught on the day. There are some delightful starter options but after that, it's about the catch of the day which is displayed when you walk in and cooked to perfection with a side of vegetables and boiled potatoes. The decor is simple, yet modern and chic, creating a comfortable setting where you can enjoy slow food, superb wine, and good company. Booking is essential on weekends.

 

 

Location: Caldas da Rainha

Types of cuisine: Modern, meat, fish and vegetarian

Average price: 25-30 Euros per person

Description: A delightfully modern culinary experience, some very creative dishes, exploring tastes and textures in a way that few restaurants in this area are. A great menu with regular additions, in a modern, relaxing environment. Everything is prepared on order, including the deserts, so eat here when you are in no rush to be anywhere else. This is a superb dining experience, from starters to desert. Make sure you reserve and it is not the same entrance as the Maratona Café next door.

 

 

Location: Nazare

Types of cuisine: Traditional, meat and fish

Average price: 10-15 Euros per person

Description: The Portuguese experience in a nutshell; loud, vibrant, friendly, and welcoming. From the moment you wait in the narrow side street for your table, you are made to feel at home with a glass of port wine while you stand in the street. The staff are warm and always happy to see you, the portions are big so make sure you come hungry, but the ingredients are fresh and the food has a truly home-cooked feel about it. The restaurant is cozy and intimate, while the owner and staff are attentive and helpful, especially when recommending the perfect wine to go with your meal. Booking is essential, this is the most popular restaurant in Nazare, for locals and visitors alike.

 

 

Location: Nazare

Types of cuisine: Tapas and wine

Average price: 20-25 Euros per person

Description: For wine lovers, this is the place to pair your favourite Portuguese wine with delightful, cheese, meat, or fish snack. A beautifully decorated restaurant, in a breath-taking, beach-front setting, where you are served by friendly, wine-loving staff who can tell you all you need to know about the location of the wine, the grapes used and, more importantly, what to eat with the particular glass or bottle you are drinking.

 

 

Location: Salir do Porto

Types of cuisine: Traditional, baby pig

Average price: 15 Euros per person

Description: The speciality here is baby pig, served with a wonderful pepper sauce. However, there are various other options for those who feel like something else. One of the oldest and well-known establishments in the area with friendly staff and comfortable dining experience. Seating options vary from the main part of the restaurant to the wooden room which is good for larger groups, to the out-door tents during the summer. The food is slow-cooked and served in hearty portions. Book on weekends.

 

 

Location: Vale do Furado

Types of cuisine: Traditional with a modern twist

Average price: 15-20 Euros per person

Description: Tucked away in a beautiful beach-front location, the food matches the setting. The owner-chef is friendly and welcoming and will at times go off-menu, not that he needs to. The black pork is incredible and look no further for one of the best octopus dishes you will taste in the region. The décor is best described as, rustic-chic, but it is comfortable, stylish and a place where you would be happy to sit for hours… enjoying beautifully cooked food, great service, artisanal beer, wonderful wine, and an exceptional view of the ocean. There is no ATM, so take cash.

 

 

Location: Nadadouro

Types of cuisine: Traditional, meat and fish

Average price: 10-12 Euros per person

Description: A traditional dining experience in a typical village setting. We recommend dining on the outdoor terrace with lovely views over the countryside. The menu changes daily with three or four options, but it is always fresh, delicious, and served with a smile. On weekends, it is all about the grill, where you can sit drinking a glass of local wine while your choice of meat, chicken, or fish is being grilled on the outdoor BBQ. A village favourite and perfect for families, incredibly good value for money. Booking is essential if you want to sit outside.

 

 

Location: São Martinho do Porto

Types of cuisine: Traditional and modern

Average price: 25-30 Euros per person

Description: A sensational, beach-front location, with huge glass windows for breath-taking sunsets. The owner and staff are incredibly friendly and go out of their way to make you feel welcome. The menu is diverse and satisfies an array of tastes, while the wine list is extensive as well as the various beers on tap. The décor is modern, bright, light, and inviting, all within steps of the bay. Booking is essential on weekends.

 

 

Location: Senhora da Luz, Obidos

Types of cuisine: Traditional, meat and fish

Average price: 10 Euros per person

Description: A lovely, warm, welcoming, family-run restaurant. Located within the heart of the village where parking can be a challenge. The space is charming and inviting, with a great selection of wines and beer on tap. The menu is basic but good, with fish and meat options, but we recommend asking for the dish of the day as they have some really tasty options depending on what has been brought in from the market that week. There is no rush here and it is a space where the staff is friendly and things are done at a leisurely pace, warm bread and cheese platters to start, cold beer and good wine, and finally, delicious food. Perfect for families and groups. Book on weekends.

 

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