34 Best Restaurants in Estremadura and the Ribatejo, Portugal

The "Old Donkey" may be a relative newcomer to downtown Batalha, but its recipe of traditional dishes and an informal, modern ambience has won over locals and visitors alike. All ingredients are fresh and organic when possible, and there is a range of house-made breads, as well as an excellent choice of wines. Try any of the fresh fish dishes or a hearty meat option.

This charmingly rustic restaurant just outside Tomar owes its fame to chef Maria do Céu's creativity—and the huge portions, which are enough for two. Its weekend lunch offer invariably includes delicious hearty dishes such as cabrito assado (roast kid) and cachola (pork rib and loin, served with cabbage). Most of the main dishes take time to prepare in the wood-burning oven, so everyone—even regulars—must phone in advance to put in their order. For dessert, there are fluffy fatias de Tomar and a delicious leite de creme.

Perched on rocks overlooking the open ocean, on the site of a former shellfish nursery, this fashionable restaurant offers some of the best seafood in the area. As you'd expect, the day's menu depends on the sea's bounty, but it might have salmonete (red mullet), pregado (turbot), robalo (sea bass), or linguado (sole). Alternatively, opt for a cataplana of fish stew for two, or even a juicy steak. The starters are worth sampling, too, such as octopus salad or a dish of fresh amêijoas (clams).

Restaurants serving fresh grilled fish are ten a penny in the center of Peniche. For something deliciously different, head to the northern edge of the peninsula, where the friendly staff at Marginal serve tartares and ceviches, marinated tuna pica pau chunks, sauteed squid, cuttlefish curry, and more in a second-floor dining room with views of the ocean and the Berlengas. Their bestsellers use the fish of the day, but there are also changing daily dishes, often featuring a riot of fresh herbs or even, where it makes sense, fruit. For dessert, the cream cheese and walnut tart is a fine old family recipe.

Don't be fooled by the simple green-and-white tiled interior: this former tavern inspires inventive cooking by Rodrigo Castelo, who uses often overlooked local ingredients to craft sumptuous and surprising dishes. The à la carte menu is a good value, with updated traditional fare such as oxtail gratin or chargrilled croaker served with creamy barley, but if you can, splash out on a tasting menu (€130), which may feature a dozen or so different species of fish from the Tagus, as well as locally sourced meats. All bread, olive oil, and charcuterie is made in-house, along with an amazing range of pungent pickles and fermented foods that are used to bring extra flavor to the chef's creations. 

About 5 km (3 miles) south of Leiria, O Casarão occupies a large country house surrounded by gardens where you may take an aperitif before your meal. Try the ensopado de peixe (fish stew) or, if there are two of you, maybe split an espedata de carne com gambas (skewers of beef and shrimp), or roast bacalhau.

One of Fátima's longest-established restaurants (open since 1968), this place just outside the inner ring road is above all known for the quality of its grilled meat and fish. The vine-shaded esplanade is another big draw, creating a real family ambience. Leisurely lunches—either outside or in one of the four wood-and-stone dining rooms, all with fireplaces—are made possible by the fact that the kitchen keeps going throughout the afternoon. Top sellers include the mixed espetada (brochette), tender vitela Mirandesa steak, and bacalhau à lagareiro (cod baked with onions, potatoes, and olives).

This is Almeirim's most popular traditional restaurant, thanks to its excellent grilled meats—lamb and pork as well as steak—and of course the sopa da pedra (stone soup), which O Toucinho claims to have reinvented on opening back in 1962. It is run by a former forcado (one of the bullfighters who literally grab the animal by the horns)—as the bull's heads and bullfight posters will remind you.

Behind a vintage tiled facade is a widely acclaimed restaurant that has long been among the country's most popular destinations for Italian food, where everything is homemade—from the bread and pasta to the ice cream. Among mouthwatering starters are vitello tonnato and goose liver with stewed figs and port wine sauce, while delicious main dishes include shrimp pansotti with a mascarpone and dill sauce, and breast of duck with port wine sauce and tangerines. For desserts there is the ever-popular baked raspberries with lemon sorbet and a sinfonia de pêra Rocha (featuring a local pear variety, three ways).

This bustling tavern in the delightfully named village of Imaginário is no place for fussy eaters: it is renowned for regional dishes such as polvo na telha (octopus grilled on a roof tile) and morcela de arroz (a type of blood sausage). Leave some space for the eggy desserts, which are all homemade and delicious. Note that reservations are only accepted by phone, not by email.

Near the town's bullring, this old-style Ribatejo restaurant is decked out with bullfighting memorabilia. The ensopado de borrego (lamb stew) is renowned, as is the mangusto com bacalhau assado (a garlicky bread-and-cabbage concoction accompanying roasted codfish). Consider accepting the couvert, featuring cornbread with chouriço and orelha de porco (pig's ear, cooked with herbs). For dessert, ask for the celestes Santa Clara (almond cakes) or arrepiados de Almoster (almond meringues)—among the many local sweets invented by medieval monks and nuns.

From the upstairs dining room and terrace of this rustic tavern, enjoy a lovely view of the village's rooftops and the countryside beyond. This isn't a quiet hideaway—Alcaide draws many hungry patrons, especially from May through October—but the food is always prepared and served with flair. Filete de sardinha assada com broa (roasted sardines on corn bread) is a tasty starter, and great main dishes include the requinte de bacalhau (cod with a cheese, chestnut, and apple stuffing) or the tornedó com queijo da Serra (steak with creamy rustic cheese). Desserts include a traditional toucinho do céu ("heavenly" almond cake) and an English-style summer pudding with mixed berries.

This restaurant is known for showcasing regional cuisine, with dishes such as chicken or partridge na púcara (cooked in an clay pot)—many of which evolved in local monasteries—but they also take pride in house specialties such as liver with onion escabeche or bacalhau baked with a crust of cornbread and farinheira sausage. The walls are hung with local memorabilia and photos of the family that has run the place since 1938.

The date on the sidewalk out front reads 1922, which was when the Sousa family opened this attractive little restaurant next to the old arched bridge. Carrying on the family tradition, the kitchen turns out great quantities of hearty regional fare. Try the fritada de gambas (fried prawns), filetes de pescada (hake fillets in batter), cabrito assado (roast kid), or arroz de polvo (octopus rice stew). For dessert, there's the local specialty, fatia de Tomar, made in-house with only egg yolks, sugar, and water.

In an old house with rustic furniture, this eatery with its second-floor dining room sits in a village that has long been a haven for gourmands. They bake their own bread on the premises—including a delicious pão chouriço (with sausage)—and there's a series of tasty starters, brought out on a board that is weighed before and after you partake. Trademark dishes include a noteworthy bacalhau com natas (codfish with cream) and duck rice; for specialties such as roast capon that must be ordered in advance, check the menu (ementa) on the website. Leave some room for a mixed dessert platter or for a brisa do Lis, a local yolk-and-almond pudding.

Owner Dona Celeste likes to personally greet guests—who have included record-breaking U.S. surfer Garrett McNamara—at the entrance to her seafood restaurant on the Atlantic seafront. Among popular dishes here are espadarte à Celeste (swordfish with cream-and-mushroom sauce) and squid or monkfish on the spit. This coast is famous for its caldeirada (a Portuguese version of bouillabaisse with nine kinds of fish). Perhaps the most spectacular dishes here are the cataplana de peixe com camarão e amêijoas for two (fish stew with shrimp and clams, served with a flourish). In summer, it's a good idea to book ahead.

Serving beer, seafood, and other traditional fare since 1946, this lively local is a Torres Vedras institution. In addition to shellfish and octopus rice, favorites include squid kebabs, chargrilled meats, and roast bacalhau. For dessert, their classic caramel-covered pudim flan is hard to beat. The restaurant's trendier (and pricier) neighbor Taberna 22 has a wide selection of starters, grilled fresh fish, and filet mignon, plus a range of fine wines.

Noted for bacalhau and octopus dishes as well as more traditional local meats, this farmstead restaurant's dishes are an excellent value. On weekdays there is usually an à la carte menu, including a vegetarian main dish, but sometimes there is an all-in buffet (€25) instead, as there is every Saturday. On Sunday, people come from far and near for the cozido de carnes bravas à Ribatejana (stew made with meat from local bulls).

The dishes of the day at this bustling second-floor restaurant are excellent value, and the house wine—from a local producers' cooperative—goes down well, too. Some tables in the main dining room have views of the monastery, but at peak times you may be seated on the covered terrace in back. Try the house bacalhau (fried with onions and tomato), roast octopus, barbecued squid, or lamb chops.

This bustling restaurant is one of several overlooking the Praia da Areia Branca, the area's prettiest beach, but stands out in terms of its ocean view (due to its elevated position) and the quality of its food, above all the expertly grilled fish. If you want something more elaborate, try the polvo panado (battered octopus, served with bean rice), the house bacalhau (fried with onions and served with pickles and cubed fries), or monkfish rice.

This family-run restaurant opposite the Vila Galé draws a crowd for its fresh seafood and fish—the latter grilled over charcoal—but also offers squid and prawn brochettes, cuttlefish in ink, and even grilled meats. The two dozen seats in the original dining room weren't nearly enough space, so the place added a second dining room that's decorated in smart beach-house style.

This elegant, spacious restaurant with a name that is Portuguese for "fireplace" is nestled in pinewoods between Caldas da Rainha and the Foz do Arelho beach; it's a favorite with locals for special occasions. From the à la carte menu, try the tornedó de novilho tenderloin with one of various sauces. Seek assistance to get the best from the 300-strong wine list. Note that on weekends the set menu is a little more expensive, at €17.50.

With fishing nets and baskets hang from walls, this Portuguese fisherman's tavern has a genuine feel, and the loud service adds to its character. Seafood is the only option, but it is renowned here—such as spider crab or rock lobster—and many diners come for the feijoada de marisco (bean and shellfish stew).

If you're a fan of hearty meat dishes, it's worth making the trip two kilometers (1.5 miles) south-west of Batalha to this famed purveyor of suckling pig---a regional favorite; its also offers a range of other traditional meat and fish dishes, and some vegetarian ones, too. There's a kids' menu, too. If you want to do as the locals do, order some Portuguese sparkling wine to go with your tender leitão assada.

The main draws at this smart restaurant in Pederneira, on a hill south of town, are the stunning ocean views and the octopus---grilled, roasted, stewed, or prepared in several other ways. There is also a wide range of other fine seafood, meat, and vegetarian dishes, with another favorite of regulars being the veal loin tataki served with ponzu sauce. For dessert, choose from a large tray of homemade sweets.

A big brick fireplace, wood paneling, and stone walls set the mood in this cozy hunter's lodge, where the food is simple, but portions are hearty and the flavors are tantalizing. This is the best place in town for fresh game, especially codorniz (quail) and coelho (rabbit), which comes casserole-style with rice or potatoes, but they also offer grilled fresh fish.

In this warren of stone-flagged rooms, authentic regional dishes are served with flair to well-heeled patrons. Specialties at the old town spot include churrasquinho de porco preto com migas de alheira de caça (grilled meats from the acorn-fed Iberian black pig, served with a breadcrumb-and-garlic-sausage mixture flavored with game sausage), stewed partridge with creamed spinach, and shad from the Tagus River. Braver diners might try cabidela de galo (chicken cooked in blood) or lamprey, when it is in season.

Photos of satisfied patrons vie with bullfight posters on the wall of this rustic restaurant run by the great-grandson of the original owner, testifying to the popularity of its hearty traditional fare at affordable prices. Specialties—in servings large enough for two—include toiro bravo (wild bull) and entrecosto com arroz de feijoca (spareribs with red beans and rice), but the menu is overhauled daily. The restaurant now has several offshoots in the region, one of them in the Santarém Hotel.

Tucked away on a side street far from the touristy seafront, this tavern attracts diners from far and wide with delicious fresh fish and meat dishes cooked in its wood-burning oven. There are changing daily specials, but regular dishes include bacalhau à tasca (fried codfish with onions and potatoes) and rice-stuffed cuttlefish.