17 Best Restaurants in Sintra, the Estoril Coast, and the Setúbal Peninsula, Portugal

Raise a glass to life's simple pleasures as you nibble on freshly caught shellfish at this feet-in-the-sand bar and restaurant. There are grilled slabs of meat and fish on the menu, alongside a lengthy cocktail list.

In the middle of gorgeous gardens, this unusual restaurant occupies a lovingly restored traditional windmill perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The outdoor seating area has different seating areas tumbling down the cliff and shaded by pines and flowering cacti. The food has Mexican and Middle Eastern accents, with excellent vegetarian options along with the fresh fish synonymous with the Portuguese coast.

Fresh fish and seafood fill the menu at this relaxed restaurant filled with lobster traps, fishing nets, and other maritime-related artifacts. The bacalhau assado (baked salt cod) is one of the specialties of the house, but there are usually also one or two vegetarian options, such as a pasta with tofu and mushrooms.

Though not right on the ocean, this is an excellent option for for seafood lovers. The extensive menu offers a wide variety of mixed shellfish or grilled fish platters to share, including regional favorites like sapateira recheada (whole stuffed stone crab) and lagosta (spiny lobster).

Popular though it may be, this longtime favorite remains an unpretentious and inexpensive option for its spectacular food and friendly service. Including much more than the seafood found in most local eateries, the menu features dishes from every region in Portugal.

In the heart of old-town Cascais, Santini Cascais has what many people consider to be the country's best Italian-style gelato.

There are plenty of other pizza joints in Cascais, but locals will tell you Caffe Itália is the best of the bunch. In its indoor dining rooms or on its sunny terrace you can choose from a range of authentic thin-crust pizzas and fresh house-made pasta dishes.

Inside white stucco walls beneath a barrel-tile roof, this tavern is said to be one of the oldest in Portugal. The interior has exposed brick walls, expansive windows, and a huge fireplace that keeps the place cozy in cooler weather. The menu is Portuguese with a French accent, and the fair prices ensure a steady flow of locals alongside the daytrippers.

In an eye-catching blue-and-white building that also houses the tourist information center and a small museum, the Casa da Baía serves cakes and pastries from around the region. You place your order at a small deli (well stocked with Moscatel and Península de Setúbal wines) and then take a seat in the dining room or head out to a vast terrace complete with comfy deck chairs.

"House of the Endless Sea" serves deliciously fresh seafood, burgers, and light meals accompanied by excellent craft beers and an amiable clientele. The informal restaurant is popular with local trail runners and cyclists, who stop here to refuel after a hard day's endorphin-boosting exercise.

Casa Santiago founder Virgilio Santiago declared himself Rei do Choco Frito ("King of Fried Cuttlefish") when he opened his restaurant doors in 1974. It’s a bold claim in a city which prides itself on the dish, but Setúbal locals back it up. Queues snake out the door at lunchtime: reservations aren't accepted, so get here early if you don’t want to stand in line in the hot sun.

This pastelaria has been serving delicious cakes, pastries, and other goodies since 1934, and is more popular now than ever. It serves full meals at lunch, but the real pleasure comes in taking your pick from the glass display cases of custard tarts and other confections before sitting down to devour them alongside an espresso, fresh juice, or a glass of Portuguese wine.

One of the best oceanside restaurants in nearby Praia das Maçãs, here sandy-footed diners can feast on freshly grilled fish caught just hours before. Try the octopus ceviche and the seafood rice with shrimp.

Tucked away in the valley of Serra de Louro, down the road from Palmela, o Gaiteiro is a picturesque place to relax with a drink. There are two distinctly different cafés on the property: a winter one on the lower end among the pines with cozy seating, and a summer one perched on a small cliff with glassed-in walls and a balcony that faces the forested hills. There's a large and enticing pool with a glorious backdrop, surrounded by sun loungers which can be rented for the afternoon during the summer months.

At the east end of Avenida Luisa Todi, Rebarca is the best of the line of casual restaurants serving inexpensive but delicious fresh seafood—including an excellent version of the ubiquitous choco frito (fried cuttlefish). Wash everything down with a carafe of the house white wine, which always has a refreshingly light effervescence.

At this restaurant in the center of town, the handful of tables in the convivial dining room spill out onto the sidewalk in warmer weather. Seafood petiscos (the Portuguese version of tapas) and a good wine selection are the main attractions. Don't expect the speediest service in town, but relax with a bottle of the house wine as waiters hurry past.