9 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).