24 Best Restaurants in The Algarve, Portugal

The extraordinary fusion Portuguese dishes served here are the concoctions of two-Michelin-star chef Dieter Koschina. A stone's throw from the ocean and surrounded by greenery, the dishes are inspired by these very surrounds. Choose the Signature Menu, for a four-course tasting experience. Though reservations are required, call in the morning for last-minute openings.

Sample the very best ingredients from local producers and farmers all from the humble digs of this locally celebrated food truck—there are goods like honey, mushrooms, pork, chestnuts, and chorizo on the menu. Every so often, the food truck hosts fun events, like touring "mountain picnics" and small parties.

This charming restaurant has an absolutely lovely location on the eastern edge of the dramatic Praia dos Três Irmãos. Specialties here include fresh fish and delicious seafood stews, supported by a selection of fine wines. The crepe desserts are both a specialty here, and an absolute must.

Locals flock here for its fabulous homemade pizzas, hearty pastas, refreshing sangria, and charmingly old-fashioned decor. Meals are served on bench tables with blue-and-white tiled surfaces, which give a delightfully traditional feel. It also serves up some of the best Italian gelato.

If you're looking for fresh fish and a view of the ocean, you can’t do much better than this popular restaurant above beautiful Praia do Camilo. Along with fish that's just come from the market, there are clams and oysters from Ria de Alvor that are prepared with skill. It gets very busy, so make a reservation, or be prepared to wait for a table.

With a name that means "fisherman's retreat," this casual eatery is anything but mediocre—it serves some of the most flavorful fish and seafood in Sagres. Their cataplana dishes are legendary, as are their typical regional desserts prepared by the owner's family.

Built in the ruins of an 8th-century castle tower (hence its name), this eatery serves fine renditions of typical Algarvian fare in four dining rooms (including a cistern room) with balconies overlooking the beach. It's a unique option for a special occasion—but great food in a historic setting comes at a price.

You'll need a little Portuguese here, but you will not regret the effort. This is a shining example of traditional tasca (tavern) hospitality—a home-style restaurant without any solid menu to speak of, but where the dishes of the day are enormous, gloriously tasty, and cheap all at once. Simple traditional dishes like meat stewed in beans and broth are the typical meals, but there are fresh, zesty sides, too.

In a lovely square near the city's most popular attractions, this charming restaurant in a historic building offers well-prepared traditional seafood dishes served with contemporary twists, plus a great range of Portuguese sparkling wines. Dine inside surrounded by exposed stone walls, traditional azulejo tiles, and exposed wood beams, or outside on the spacious patio. After you've finished, ask to see the catacombs beneath the restaurant.

The homemade pizzas and pastas at this sleek Mediterranean eatery win rave reviews. Villa Medici has an undeniably beautiful dining room accented by graceful columns, but for the best atmosphere, enjoy your meal outside in the lovely courtyard around an olive tree.

Most casas de pastos (loosely translated as "grazing houses") offer big portions of well-cooked regional dishes in no-frills surroundings, and Zé Leiteiro is no exception. The delicious all-you-can-eat fish and seafood keeps coming until you tell them to stop.

Popular among locals for celebrations, this down-to-earth adega (wine cellar) serves typical Portuguese dishes like monkfish rice, salted cod, and the restaurant's famous picanha na pedra—veal cooked on a hot stone, which you'll sizzle yourself. The seating arrangement on benches around long wooden tables helps keep things lively, and you'll find more good cheer in the tile-covered bar.

Squeezed in among many other beachfront restaurants touting usual international fare, this spot serves up fresh-made Portuguese as well as other Mediterranean dishes—tapas style. There's a climber-covered canopy to keep you sheltered from the sun on its cool terrace, with quirky decorations all over the place.

Set away from the hustle and bustle of the coast and outside the touristic area, Calhou is a traditional Portuguese restaurant with a side of Italy—serving incredible Neapolitan pizzas from a wood-fired oven. The low ceiling and wood-paneled interior makes the restaurant feel rustic and cozy.

Regional cuisine's on the menu at this intimate timber-clad restaurant, stacked floor-to-ceiling with antique wares and hand-painted ceramics. Choose the regional sausage—usually grilled, stewed, or baked as a daily special—for an authentic taste of Monchique.

Since 1925, this family-run restaurant has attracted a robust clientele, thanks to its excellent regional dishes and vast national wine selection. The large dining room and plant-filled terrace give off a relaxed, homey vibe, as do the plates brimming with tasty sides. The exposed-brick arches decorated with bucolic azulejo scenes are particularly lovely.

Traditional Portuguese cooking (especially charcoal-grilled fish and seafood) is the draw at this Lagos institution, which has welcomed hungry diners to its rustic environs for nearly 50 years. You can dine at elegant candlelit tables inside or on a sidewalk out front. You may wish to start your meal with a typical fish or shrimp dish, followed by the seafood stew or cataplana—all extremely good.

The family-run winery and brewery Quinta Dos Santos started as a tap room, but has since established the restaurant A Esquina on site, with a gorgeous courtyard ringed by arches and a surprisingly sophisticated dining room serving petiscos—tapas-style Portuguese dishes—as well as larger plates.

This fresh, breezy waterside restaurant and bar, which includes lounge chairs by the infinity pool as well as dining tables inside, is perched on a promontory at the mouth of the Guadiana River. The menu features Portuguese classics, plus a range of crowd-pleasing dishes like pizzas and burgers.

Overlooking the dramatic Praia da Batata, this restaurant has a simple but lovely dining room and a popular outdoor terrace. The fish is exceptionally fresh, and served up with little elements of fine dining finesse without the tiny portions.

Though the restaurant's set up is pared back and simple, the fresh fish and shellfish never fail to reel in a crowd from near and far, who dine alongside in-the-know locals. The service is just as good as the food—friendly, knowledgeable, and efficient.

Crossing the Roman bridge, you'll pass by a lot of tempting spots before you reach this typical Portuguese eatery—trust us, it's worth the trip. Here the focus is on fresh fish, including the traditional bacalhau a bras, but there's a range of beef steak on the menu too. There is a smattering of outside tables with views to the adjacent square.

This modern and minimalist restaurant has a focus on health-boosting ingredients, so diners can expect nutrient-packed bowls, salads, wraps, and ciabattas. It's all served in a pretty indoor-outdoor dining room.

This restaurant is more than just a glamorous beach club—although it is that, too. Both outside on the terrace and inside the glass-walled dining room, the staff turns out a varied menu laden with international favorites. Plus, there's a seafood or fish catch of the day, impressive salads, sandwiches, and smoothies.