CIRO
New opening reported
Opened 2026; Guia
Europe · Portugal
Where to eat in Algarve
The Algarve is Portugal's southern coast, where the food centres on fresh fish and shellfish: cataplana, grilled sardines, prawns and seafood rice. Daily markets in Loulé and Olhão show off the catch and local produce, and pastelarias keep almond-and-fig sweets alive. Piri-piri chicken is a local hub dish around Guia.
Algarve at a glance
- What to eat
- Seafood cataplana; Arroz de marisco / seafood rice; Grilled sardines; Frango piri-piri (Guia); Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato.
- Top tables
- Vila Joya, Michelin 2★ (2026); Ocean, Michelin 2★ (2026). This guide lists 7 award-winning restaurants in all.
- Where locals eat
- Local favorites off the prestige lists include Tasca do Tó, Dom Sebastião, O Retiro do Pescador and Zé Leiteiro.
The dish to eat here
Cataplana de marisco
Clams, prawns and fish steamed with chorizo, tomato, peppers and white wine in a sealed copper pan.
The best three: Taberna Zé-Zé, Chefe Branco, Tasca do Ricky.
51places in Algarve, ready to save to your trip
8Dishes to tryWhere to eat each one, and how to cook it at home10Romantic dinnersTen tables for date night
What is in the 51
7 award-winning19 local favorites10 romantic dinners5 breakfast spots10 new openings19 more in our database
What to eat in Algarve, and where
Each dish comes with the places that do it best. Tap Add to my trip on the ones you want, or find them on the map above.
Seafood cataplana
Prawns, mussels and clams cooked in the copper pot it is named after, with tomato, garlic, potato, onion, coriander and white wine.
Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.
Arroz de marisco / seafood rice
Like cataplana but served with classic tomato rice.
Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.
Grilled sardines
Cooked over embers or charcoal with rock salt; associated with summer.
Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.
Frango piri-piri (Guia)
Charcoal-grilled chicken; Guia, just outside Albufeira, is named as a hub.
Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.
Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato
Clams in olive oil, garlic, coriander and lemon.
Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.
Grilled prawns
Casa Corvo in Fuseta is praised for sweet, perfectly grilled prawns.
Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.
Octopus with sweet potato
Appears on Faro and Ferragudo menus; octopus from Tavira and Olhão is highlighted.
Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.
Dom Rodrigo
Egg-thread, almond, sugar and cinnamon sweet kept in pastelarias in Lagos, Portimão and Silves.
Where to eat it: we are still verifying the best places for this dish.
The most celebrated tables
The top 7 restaurants in Algarve, per Michelin Portugal 2026.
Two Michelin stars
Vila Joya
Michelin 2★ (2026)
Dieter Koschina blends Central European technique with Portuguese produce. There is an à la carte menu, two monthly-changing tasting menus and a daily lunch option.
Ocean
Michelin 2★ (2026)
Hans Neuner's Essência menu reinterprets Portuguese dishes. Signatures are a Francesinha with scarlet prawn, black truffle and chouriço, and piri-piri quail with warm tomato salad.
More award winners
Bon Bon
Michelin 1★ (2026)
José Lopes cooks modern food with regional Algarve flavours. The page highlights 'Herança da Avó' (Grandmother's Heritage); vegetarian options exist.
Alameda
Michelin 1★ (2026)
Rui Sequeira showcases Algarve fish and seafood, with à la carte, a tasting menu and a vegetarian menu. Start with the warm sourdough with butter, olive oil and tuna muxama.
A Ver Tavira
Michelin 1★ (2026)
A tasting-style journey balancing vegetables and seafood. Lunch offers 5 or 6 courses, dinner 6 or 9, with a small à la carte too.
Gusto by Heinz Beck
Michelin 1★ (2026)
Heinz Beck blends Mediterranean and Italian influences with healthy cooking. The signature is the Fagottelli Carbonara, pasta pouches filled with carbonara and Pecorino.
Vista
Michelin 1★ (2026)
An early 20th-century palace on a Praia da Rocha promontory with Atlantic views. Choose the Vista menu (local fish and seafood) or the vegetarian Terra menu.
When to go and what is in season
Algarve food calendar: month by month → What is in season, what to eat and the food festivals each month.
Secret discoveries
Locally loved places that are not on the big prestige lists.
restaurant
Tasca do Tó
Home-style cooking with daily dishes only. Portuguese helps; closed Saturday and Sunday.
Seen in Fodor's · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
Dom Sebastião
A local institution for nearly 50 years, known for charcoal-grilled seafood, seafood stew and cataplana.
Seen in Fodor's · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
O Retiro do Pescador
Fish, seafood and cataplana with grill dishes and homemade desserts. Closed Monday.
Seen in Fodor's · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
Zé Leiteiro
All-you-can-eat fish and seafood; expect a wait. Lunch only, closed Monday.
Seen in Fodor's · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
Adega Nova
Famous for picanha served on a hot stone in a lively room. Closed Tuesday.
Seen in Fodor's · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
Dois Irmãos
Family-run since 1925 with azulejo walls and a large wine selection; try grilled octopus or Iberian pork cheeks. Closed Sunday.
Seen in Fodor's · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
7imeio
Lively tapas bar with a strong Portuguese wine list. No lunch on weekends.
Seen in Fodor's · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
A Charrette
Mountain cooking: black pork, wild boar, venison and Monchique-style cozido.
Seen in Fodor's · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
Chá Chá Chá
Market-fresh sardines, mussels, anchovies and grilled fish; entirely gluten-free. Book ahead.
Seen in Ola Daniela · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
Vai e Volta
All-you-can-eat fish barbecue (€16 in 2024) with sweet potato, tomato salad and açorda.
Seen in Ola Daniela · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
Casa Corvo
Sweet, perfectly grilled prawns. Walk-in only, so arrive early.
Seen in Ola Daniela · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
Casa da Igreja
Seafood shack on the church square: oysters, clams, presunto and flaming chouriço with white wine. Walk-in only.
Seen in Ola Daniela · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
Taberna da Maré
Seafood cooked in a copper cataplana.
Seen in Ola Daniela · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
O Teodósio
Frango à Guia with fries, tomato salad and extra piri-piri oil. Expect queues.
Seen in Ola Daniela · worth confirming hours before you go
bakery
Café da Rosa
Blue-and-white tiled café known for Dom Rodrigo, a traditional Algarvian almond-and-egg dessert; also praised for pastéis de nata.
Seen in Ola Daniela · worth confirming hours before you go
bakery
Padaria Central
Family-run bakery open since 1926. Specialities include natas, bolos de arroz, bolinhos de amêndoa and arrepiados.
Seen in Culture Trip · worth confirming hours before you go
restaurant
Travia
Portuguese petiscos with natural wines; try the coconut and lemongrass prawns and the pica pau.
Seen in Ola Daniela · worth confirming hours before you go
market
Mercado Municipal de Loulé
Fresh fish, organic food and local products in a covered building over 100 years old in the historic centre. Listed Monday to Saturday, 06:30-15:00.
Seen in The Real Algarve · worth confirming hours before you go
market
Mercado Municipal de Olhão
Seafood caught that day by local fishermen in a red-brick waterfront hall (current building 1916). Monday to Saturday, 07:00-13:00; open-air stalls on Saturday mornings.
Seen in The Real Algarve · worth confirming hours before you go
More in Europe
Awards come from the guides named on each listing (Michelin Portugal 2026). Researched October 25, 2026. Restaurants change; confirm hours, reservations and current stars before you go. Some addresses, phone numbers and websites come from OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), so call ahead to confirm. Local favorites are editorial picks, not rankings.
Chef Amazing’s lists for Algarve: where locals eat, new openings, romantic dinners, ice cream, cooking classes and more, each place with what to order. Cooking classes in Algarve: who teaches, what you cook, how long and how to book.
Every place in this guide, A to Z (41)
- 7imeio Algarve · Olhão
- A Charrette Algarve · Monchique
- A Ver Tavira Tavira
- Adega Nova Algarve · Faro
- Al-Gharb Coffee Roasters Albufeira
- Alameda Faro
- Amarea Pizzeria
- Apart Sandwich Club
- BELA
- Black and White Coffee Shop Lagos
- Bon Bon Lagoa
- Brunch in Rio Ferragudo
- Café da Rosa Algarve · Silves
- Casa Corvo Algarve · Fuseta
- Casa da Igreja Algarve · Cacela Velha
- Chá Chá Chá Algarve · Olhão
- CIRO
- Dois Irmãos Algarve · Faro
- Dom Sebastião Algarve · Lagos
- Gusto by Heinz Beck Almancil · Quinta do Lago
- Le Petit Chef – Cascade Wellness Resort
- Master Grill – Silves
- MAZÙ Beach Restaurant
- Mercado Municipal de Loulé Algarve · Loulé
- Mercado Municipal de Olhão Algarve · Olhão
- O Retiro do Pescador Algarve · Sagres
- O Teodósio Algarve · Guia
- Ocean Porches
- Organic Carvoeiro
- Padaria Central Algarve · Lagos
- Preceito
- Sueste
- Taberna da Maré Algarve · Portimão
- Tasca do Tó Algarve · Tavira
- The Wolf
- Travia Algarve · Lagos
- Vai e Volta Algarve · Olhão
- Vila Joya Albufeira
- Vista Portimão · Praia da Rocha
- Wild's Sandwich Boutique Alvor
- Zé Leiteiro Algarve · Armação de Pêra
Chef Amazing · Will Travel for Food · Food cities · 250 food markets · The Best 100