The south-west edge of Portugal has a different feeling altogether. On the wild and gorgeous western Algarve coast, a handful of villages have quietly attracted an international crowd seeking surf, sunshine and a slower, sustainable lifestyle.
Over decades, this mix of local Portuguese with other Europeans and people from further abroad has etched out a food scene that’s unexpected for somewhere so rural. Besides restaurants that grill beautiful fresh local seafood, there’s great pizza, cool cafés and even decent Thai food.
I spent just over a week exploring this corner of Portugal, eating my way through the towns of Aljezur, Arrifana and Sagres in search of favourites worth driving back from Lisbon for. Here’s where I think you should eat in the western Algarve.
Read next… Where to eat in the Algarve
Travelling in winter? Keep in mind that this is when many Algarve restaurants and businesses will take an annual break. Call ahead to check they’re open.
Where to eat in Aljezur
It’s impossible to miss Aljezur while in the area. The main road along the western coast carves through the town, slicing the new and old towns in two. It’s worth dropping by the daily market hall for fresh fruit, nuts and snacks.
Cera
This little wine bistro was one of our best meals in the western Algarve. Located on a backstreet of Aljezur’s new town, inside the light-filled space, staff are cracking open bottles of mostly natural or biodynamic Portuguese wines paired with little snacks and a changing seasonal menu. To start, we ordered muxama, a traditional tuna prosciutto from the Algarve – it’s the best I’ve had – served with a zesty olive oil and a sprinkle of toasted almonds. I still dream of the biquerões fumados (smoked anchovies), plated on housemade labneh with a good glug of olive oil.
The daily specials at Cera change depending on the availability of local produce, with the philosophy of simple, seasonal and flavoursome eating tying the fish-heavy menu together.
💰 Price: €€/€€€
📍 Address: Rua 29 de Agosto D, Store C, Aljezur
🍴 What to order: whatever snackies take your fancy
🗓️ Reservations: Recommended – book online.
Read next… What to eat in the Algarve
Arte Bianca
Serious pizza lovers shouldn’t skip Arte Bianca. I’ll admit, I was skeptical about finding great pizza in the western Algarve – but multiple people recommended this spot, and it was so good we went back a second time. The dough is super gorgeous, light and tasty – fermented for at least 72 hours using flour from a small Italian mill. We also tried the lasagna one meal, but really the sourdough pizza is where this spot shines and toppings-wise you’ll find a mix of classic and creative options.
Conveniently, Arte Bianca has three locations – one each in Aljezur, Arrifana and Sagres. We went to the spot in Aljezur, which has a gorgeous shady terrace and maybe half a dozen tables inside – but our friends love the Arrifana/Vale da Telha location as it has a huge outdoor space where kids can run about.
💰 Price: €€
📍 Address: Rua do Vento 3 (Aljezur); Urbanização Vale da Telha (Arrifana); Rua da Mareta (Sagres)
🍴 What to order: pizza, your choice.
🗓️ Reservations: Recommended in summer, by phone.
MÁDÁ Restaurant & Bar
Every time we passed by MÁDÁ to reach our accommodation (the very, very excellent Herdade Quinta Natura), we’d see the car park overflowing. I’d say curiosity and a 4.7-star rating on Google led us to this popular steakhouse, but it wasn’t until Jorge’s masseuse asked: “Have you been to MÁDÁ yet?” and followed up with “Oh, are you vegetarian?” that we finally locked it in.
Worth the hype? Yes. It’s a very reasonably priced, high-quality steak restaurant with chic interiors, a huge number of tables, and slick service that runs more smoothly than many popular restaurants in Lisbon. We shared the dry-aged chuleton steak, which came with chips and salad for just €29. Adding a half-bottle of wine and a craft soda, the bill came to just over €40. No wonder it was filled with large groups of Portuguese friends and families.
💰 Price: €€/€€€
📍 Address: Sítio de Santa Susana Estrada Nacional, Aljezur
🍴 What to order: dry-aged chuleton steak
🗓️ Reservations: Recommended – book online.
Tamrab Thai
When I lived in Australia, I’d eat Thai takeaway at least once a month on a lazy Friday night. I’ve tried the handful of Thai restaurants in Lisbon (and have mostly been disappointed), so I did not expect to find legit Thai food in this small regional Portuguese town.
Tamrab Thai is a great spot on the edge of Aljezur, that’s run by Thai staff and offers all the classics. It’s really reasonably priced too – with dishes falling between €10-12 each, so we went twice, ordering the green papaya salad each time. We also went for the pad Thai and pad see ew noodle dishes, and a pad kra prao made with Thai basil that I think they’re growing in pots next to the restaurant. It’s a good place for vegetarians in Aljezur.
💰 Price: €
📍 Address: R. 25 de Abril 150C, Aljezur
🍴 What to order: green papaya salad, pad Thai, pad kra prao
🗓️ Reservations: Not needed
The Hummus Kitchen
Another good spot for lunch for vegetarians is The Hummus Kitchen, a family-run Middle Eastern restaurant focused on everyone’s favourite chickpea dip. The salad here, with made-to-order homemade falafel, is unreal. We shared that with a hummus plate that arrived loaded with mushrooms, housemade pickles, flatbread and a little tomato salad.
💰 Price: €/€€
📍 Address: Rua 29 de Agosto 5 Bloco D, Loja A, Aljezur
🍴 What to order: Hummus plate with whatever trimmings you like
🗓️ Reservations: Not needed
KŌYŌ Cafe
When former coffee judge, competitor and trainer Gyula Illés moved to Aljezur in 2016, he soon missed having access to complex coffees. The answer was KŌYŌ, a coffee roastery and cafe that the Hungarian native opened in 2021. Since then, it’s gained recognition for serving high-quality specialty coffee in a relaxed space, just behind the volunteer firefighters.
Originally just a roastery, now the space has half a dozen tables and some couches, plus a back courtyard. You’ll find light snacks and cake on offer, but the focus is really coffee.
💰 Price: €
📍 Address: Urbanização Quinta da Barrada 5, 8670-001 Aljezur
🍴 What to order: Coffee
🗓️ Reservations: Not needed
Where to stay in Aljezur: For our relaxing summer week, we wanted to wake up in nature, enjoy a fancy daily breakfast, and laze by a lush pool. We chose Herdade Quinta Natura, a 19-acre property just outside Aljezur town, and I can’t recommend it highly enough. Gorgeous hosts with cute dogs as a bonus! (#notsponsored)
Other spots to try in Aljezur
We didn’t get to eat everywhere (but I always overdo my research), so here’s my list of spots to try next time – if you go, leave a comment with what you thought:
- Pont’a Pé – traditional Portuguese
- A Tasquinha dos Borralhos – snack bar at the market
- Cervejaria Mar – for seafood
- Gelateria Vicentina – ice cream
- A Padaria – if our accom didn’t offer breakfast, I would have come here each day
Where to eat in Arrifana & Monte Clérigo
Arrifana and Monte Clérigo are two coastal villages, about a 10-15-minute drive from inland Aljezur town.
O Paulo
Steaming piles of crab, stuffed seafood cataplanas, and huge mariscada platters overloaded with oysters, clams and prawns – O Paulo is a serious seafood restaurant that comfortably sits high on my list of favourite oceanfront restaurants I’ve found in Portugal.
Set at the top of a cliff next to the Arrifana Fortress, this seafood temple has a mammoth menu with everything from fresh grilled fish and shellfish sold by weight, to cataplana Algarvian stews and lobsters fished from the tanks. If it’s fresh and in season, you’ll find it here.
We called ahead for a table, timing our reservation to catch the sunset, and were given the best spot right at the corner of their expansive terrace, overlooking Arrifana Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. The menu leans into seafood, with mostly traditional Portuguese classics. With so much choice, we decided to build our own tasting menu of smaller dishes – starting with a scallop gratin, 200g of percebes (goose barnacles), and a modern tuna tartare with avocado, before rounding out our meal with amêijoas à bulhão pato (clams with garlic and coriander).
The young German couple next to us ordered the cataplana, which looked incredible. “We were here last night and ordered the same thing,” they told us. And I wished we had another night to do the same.
💰 Price: €€/€€€
📍 Address: Ponta da, Praia da Arrifana, Aljezur
🍴 What to order: seafood
🗓️ Reservations: Recommended, especially in summer
Toxic Magic
One of the best flat whites I’ve had in recent memory was at Toxic Magic, a specialty cafe on the backstreets of Arrifana. I went back the next day to confirm I wasn’t dreaming – with another juicy, raisin-laden slice of homemade carrot cake.
The large hybrid space also operates as a custom surfboard dealer, which explains the odd name. While the cafe is a recent opener, creative partners Matthew and Rosie have been collaborating for years under the title.
The menu looks ace, and we regretted not making time for lunch after a happy British customer popped back inside to tell staff the daily special was the best sandwich of his entire life. The Brits love a sandwich. If you’re looking for somewhere to cowork or catch up, the huge terrace has lots of tables and space.
💰 Price: €/€€
📍 Address: Urbanização Vale de Telha, sector B, Urbanização Vale da Telha Edifício J, Aljezur
🍴 What to order: Coffee, cake, food
🗓️ Reservations: Not needed
Ti Raul
Another hybrid hospitality-and-surf-shack project is Ti Raul, a small clifftop bar with a perfect sunset view of Arrifana Beach. Pop in by day for smoothies, toasts and bowls, or return in the late afternoon for a post-surf beer and sunset cocktail. A couple of long wooden decks have been designed so that every seat makes the most of the view.
💰 Price: €€
📍 Address: Arrifana Beach
🍴 What to order: Smoothie, cocktail or beer
🗓️ Reservations: No
Read next… 14 best things to do and see in the Algarve
O Sargo
O Sargo is a beautiful, modern Portuguese beachfront restaurant at Monte Clergio Beach. I had high hopes – having seen it in a Portuguese restaurant guide – and, while the prices are pretty reasonable for a beachfront restaurant, we were a little disappointed. I’d seen pictures of the Russo salad with prawns and the poke bowl on Google Maps just a few weeks earlier, but ours arrived a little different.
The poke bowl was good, but about 80% rice (nicely seasoned). A few more fresh ingredients would have made it really good. Given it was peak summer, I’d say give this spot another chance.
💰 Price: €€
📍 Address: Praia de Monte Clérigo
🍴 What to order: seafood
🗓️ Reservations: Recommended in summer – book online.
Other spots to try in the area
- CAL – a cafe, restaurant and surf shop at the top of the cliffs with an interesting modern menu
- Bar da Praia da Arrifana – closest cafe to the water at Arrifana
Where to eat in Sagres
Sagres sits at the far southwest tip of Portugal and was once believed to be the end of the Earth. And to be fair, it often feels a little that way. Pack a sweater or windproof jacket to explore this southern clifftop pocket where even summer might bring a gale.
A Sereia
A scrappy fish grill at the port? No need to tell me twice. A Sereia is a well-run, no-frills fish restaurant set in the same building as the fish auction. The inside even has huge windows that look into the warehouse, where you can watch workers shift bright orange tubs loaded with fish on ice across the floor.
We arrived just as the workers were wrapping up (around 12.50pm, still early enough to beat the lunch rush) and were offered the last table on the huge covered terrace. Soon enough, a round silver dish loaded with some of the best sizzling prawns I’ve ever eaten landed in front of us, requiring a second order of fresh bread to mop up the sauce. We rounded out the meal with grilled corvina (croaker) and squid, then rolled out of there past a long queue of hungry punters eager to order and divers stripping off black wetsuits.
💰 Price: €€
📍 Address: Porto de Pesca da Baleeira, Sagres
🍴 What to order: fish by the kilo, prawns
🗓️ Reservations: Not possible
Fermento
Contrast is the spice of life, so after grilled fish at the port for lunch, we stepped into Fermento for natural wines and modern share plates at sunset. And, despite the expectations a description like that might create, Fermento is refreshingly unpretentious. The seasonal menu – which is half vegetarian – makes the most of local produce while leaning into the owners’ Italian roots. There’s a good selection of interesting wines by the glass, or you can go by the bottle.
We opted for the melon and cucumber summer gazpacho, the raw fish plate (something we’d tried in Puglia years ago), and the seafood pasta calamarata.
💰 Price: €€€
📍 Address: Rua de São Vicente, Sagres
🍴 What to order: Pasta calamarata, natural wines
🗓️ Reservations: Recommended
Retiro do Pescador
Years ago, during my first summer in Portugal, I stayed at a surf hostel on a suburban street in Sagres that happened to be next to the town’s only nightclub. We never went clubbing, but we did follow the crowds who lingered around this restaurant every lunchtime. The takeaway frango no churrasco (grilled chicken) purchased for a cliff-top picnic was so good I returned the next day for an equally delicious lunch and have been back half a dozen times since. Retiro do Pescador is a hit for Portuguese classics.
💰 Price: €€
📍 Address: Rua dos Murtórios 4, Sagres
🍴 What to order: grilled fish or chicken, seafood cataplana
🗓️ Reservations: Recommended
Picnic
My friend and Algarve local Emma Campos from Design Escapes Portugal tipped me off about this cute cafe, bakery and gourmet grocer in Sagres. Picnic is quite literally open from sunrise to sunset (e.g. opening at 6.17am) and offers fresh sourdough bread, sandwiches, bagels and pastries to pair with your specialty coffee. There’s also a cool market area stuffed with honey, jams, wine, beer, magazines and pantry goods for you to take home.
💰 Price: €
📍 Address: Estrada Nacional 268, Sagres
🍴 What to order: coffee and a sweet
🗓️ Reservations: Not possible
Other spots to try in Sagres
- Arte Bianca – this top pizza spot has a location in Sagres too
- A Tasca – seafood spot
- Three Little Birds – relaxed local spot
- Holi Diwali – regional Portugal has great Indian restaurants, and this one has top reviews.
Close to Sagres in Vila do Bispo, try:
- Pisco – a creative restaurant that leans on pizza and seasonal ingredients. Vegan options.
- Eira do Mel – for traditional Portuguese
Bonus: Tasca do Petrol, Monchique
A short drive further inland from Aljezur, you’ll hit one of Portugal’s classic roadside spots: Tasca do Petrol. This casual tasca earned itself mythical status in my mind as I’d been dreaming of going for a long time. Open since 2004, it’s well known among the Portuguese. The Algarve mountain town of Monchique has its own food traditions, and at Tasca do Petrol you’ll taste the past with ancestral recipes that make heavy use of pork and local smoked sausages.
Ask for the mistos de entrada (mixed starter) to sample various meats and cured products, like Monchique’s blood sausage, pig’s ear salad and local prosciutto. Each dish here is made from scratch, like the old days, with no shortcuts. Since we had a late table booking at dinner, some dishes had run out – but I’m not sure you can go wrong ordering from the house specialties, which include a goat stew, roasted pork knuckle and more. The servings are huge, so we asked for two half serves – adding a tomato salad – and still rolled out of there without space to taste the pudim de mel (honey cake), made from a recipe sourced from an 83-year-old neighbour. Take cash.
💰 Price: €€
📍 Address: EN267 Corgo do Vale, 8550-145
🍴 What to order: meat
🗓️ Reservations: Essential. Call ahead to reserve a table.
West Coast Algarve restaurants map
That’s my guide covering where to eat in Aljezur, Arrifana and Sagres. Anywhere else I should try next time I’m in the western Algarve? Leave me a comment…
Read next…
- Where to eat in the Algarve
- Itinerary: My ideal 7-day Algarve road trip
- Where to stay in the Algarve: Ultimate guide to choosing your base
- 14 best things to do and see in the Algarve
- My favourite towns in the Eastern Algarve
- What to eat in the Algarve
- Best tile painting workshops in Lisbon, Porto and the Algarve
- 16 most beautiful villages and small towns in Portugal
