Stopped in Coimbra and all the top rated spots TripAdvisor recommended were closed. Found this spot…read morea few blocks away on Yelp and it was perfect. We sat outside in the beautiful plaza. They had a few gluten free options but I ordered the Brie and sun dried tomato burger with no bun and it came beautifully presented with lettuce and tomatoes. My husband got the grilled chicken with potatoes and broccoli that was also very good. The server was very friendly, spoke English and everything came quickly. Saw the inside when I used the restroom which had a lovely atmosphere as well. Highly recommend!

The cods cake and the hamburgers were delicious. The waitress Teresa was great. Great place to have…read morelunch.

Excited to try this local 7 table gem while in Coimbra. Lisa E. (always right) suggested lunch…read moresince dinner cues start an hour before opening and waits can be another hour or more. We arrived at 12:05 pm, second in line behind a group of 8. Seated 20 minutes later in cozy quarters. Fresh rustic bread on the table. Menu difficult to decipher but we had a translated copy on our phones. We ordered a jug of house tinto, and half orders of aporcolhados mushrooms, roasted wild boar and grilled ribs with special sauce. The kind waiter said we ordered too much, we didn't agree until a huge crock of rice and beans hit the table with the 2 meat dishes. The mushrooms were cooked with bits of meat and bone as well as slices of traditional and blood sausage. Fabulous! I loved the tender boar slices accompanied by roasted cabbage and potatoes. Lisa favored the slightly charred ribs in a spicy vinegary sauce. Oh, and that rice, I promised her I wouldn't post the photo of her devouring the last bits from the serving ladle. So, too much food? Nothing a outdoor rooftop nap at our hotel wouldn't cure. Breakfast today was the leftover boar with the hotel's scrambled eggs.

This is a Top hole in the wall Gem in Coimbra and probably one of the best in Portugal overall…read more Quality- the pork ribs were my personal favorite. This is the type you spend a lot of time nibbling on and trying to get every last piece of meat out. It was incredibly flavorful with hints of bone broth, truffle oil, and various spices. I think I spent like 5 minutes on each piece trying to get every piece of meat out. It came out piping hot, the fresh aroma smelled like a mix of beans, thyme, garlic, and truffle and I smelled like it afterwards. The lamb stew was also delicious. I am allergic to lamb but had to try it this time and was not disappointed. This is the only time I've actually liked a lamb dish because the gamey flavor was not there. It was cooked very well. The vomit dessert was not too sweet and unique. It cut through the savory food I just had here. Quantity- all of this for 25 euros. Totally worth it. This would have easily gone for 70-80 dollars back in the states. We get a lot in each dish. Atmosphere- loved the college town vibe here. The place was cozy but had enough space so we weren't cramped. Service- awesome waiter. He was funny and gave great suggestions on what to get. Tipped him a lot for the fantastic service.

We came with a large group. The doors are past the nice patio. This restaurant is a large open room…read morewith a wall of windows. We walked on black capes entering the venue as a sign of welcome. The tables were fully set. Red and white wines were there. We had choices of lunch items. The pureed vegetable cream soup had a wonderful flavor. Before our entrees a classical guitarist, a lute guitarist and a vocalist performed, wearing the black student capes of the university. Such a treat!! My entree was shredded codfish with creamy potatoes and chopped salad. Delicious. Dessert was ice cream with fruit. Recommend for large groups. I have not had a regular dinner here.

This restaurant was part of a group tour itinerary for lunch. About 75 people filled up the inner…read morepart of the restaurant where we were served chicken or fish for lunch. We were then serenaded by coimbra fado musicians. It was a lovely lunch and although I had no choice in where to go, this restaurant really served great food and the service was excellent. There were a handful of people not associated with the tour also dining here for lunch. Dining with a whole lot of tourists does not seem ideal in my book, but the good news is that this restaurant has a few back rooms that offer a little separation from the main dining room. We started with a puréed vegetable soup. I couldn't tell you what was in it other than it was a bright yellow/orange color. It tasted delicious though. We also had some bread and garlic(?) butter. Also good. I chose the fish. It was like a tuna casserole but sooooo much better. It didn't taste too fishy. The sauce was like a light cream sauce and the top layer was nice and crisp. It came with a small side salad. As we were working on our entrees, the waitstaff came by to ask us if we wanted another helping. It was a lot of food already, but several people asked for seconds because it tasted so good!! For desert, we had fruit salad with a scoop of ice cream and coffee. Everything tasted great. The service was excellent. The waitstaff was quick and attentive. This multiple course lunch was served so efficiently. I was surprised that even though it seemed stressful, the waitstaff all served us with smiles on their faces. Finally, I liked the decor and use of natural light. I didn't really understand the library/book connection, only that it was a cool restraint atmosphere!

This restaurant normally is full of locals and that's a good sign!…read moreThe ambiance is great the owner is very friendly and knows the best for you! The food is great from the appetizer to the dessert! The local meat from Arouca is great and is a must if you like meat! There are sitting places inside and outside! There are parking places nearby, they are payed but the money goes to local charities, so it's a win win situation!

We have been coming to Batista for several years during our multiple trips to Portugal every year…read more We live in the United States. A reservation was made for 6 people, my cousin was visiting Portugal from Boston. I mentioned to the service manager our desire for my cousins to have a great experience at Batista, similar to what we've experienced over the years! The quality of the Cod is the best, grilled to perfection always!!! You will enjoy your Cod I guarantee you! However, the service was the worst we experienced and expected!!! Literally waited 10 minutes to get waiters attention and he kept ignoring us. We know this is August, service goes down just about everywhere in Portugal as August accounts for busiest month. Besides unexpectedly bad service, the portions were not equitable as what other tables were served! This was true of several tables we saw around us. The service manager brought us another portion of Cod which I refused several times. My comments were aimed at improving this great restaurant, unfortunately my experience was awful with service, rushed, brushed off -- this takes away the 5 stars I would give Batista. In closing, Batista in August may need to be avoided or reconsider a different place, I certainly will do that going forward!

Googled: " Favorite places where locals eat in Aviero," and BdoB came up. We figured what the heck,…read moreand swung by. Hidden in the middle of a residential neighborhood, what a surprise. This secret spot is definitely where the locals eat. Greeting us was a nice aroma of grill, wine, and garlic. The large dining room was packed with a boisterous lunch crowd who were really enjoying themselves. The ambiance was plain, and clean, the fare is authentic, and the staff fantastic and accommodating. We were a bit overwhelmed by the fullness and merriment of the dining room and being Covid adverse asked if we could have an outside table. They wouldn't have us sit outside on a cold windy day and led us to a sparsely populated back dining room, which felt more intimate and safe. The place is family run, sister, uncle, brother, grandparents; they work here. They love food. They love people. You can feel it in the air. You had the sense that even the crowd in the dining room were extended family. Traditional hospitality since 1972 we were told. The food is good basic Portuguese and lots of it. Wonderful fish grilled over an enormous BBQ was what we chose. They don't skimp on portions. Be very hungry if you visit. You'll need the room. Come as strangers, leave as family. Highly recommended.

Only experienced the Gin Bar and it is indeed really good. Owner is an excellent cocktail bartender…read moreand after a brief chat learned he used to work in Hilton's Skylounge in London (tower hill) which explains the superb quality of drinks here. Prices for the gins are a bit above the portuguese average (cocktails between 5 to 13€) but well below what you'd pay for this around the world, especially this level of quality. Highly recommendable!

The "flour sausage" appetizer was ridiculously delicious. Basically scotch eggs are served on a bed…read moreof scrambled eggs with a balsamic glaze on top. I can't recommend it more enthusiastically! I can't wait to come back here as soon as possible. They have English menus and the lovely waterfront view is a delight. One of my favorite restaurants in Tomar.

We were looking for a place to eat around 3pm which is always the witching hour in Portugal…read more Thankfully, we stumbled upon this place that agreed to seat us and feed us. We were seated on the outdoor patio, which was perfect on a warm sunny summer day. After perusing the menu, I decided to get the special which was a spicy garlic skirt steak with fries and salad. The steak was very good and came with a nice bit of garlic which gave it a nice kick--it wasn't really spicy, but the flavor was there. The fries and salad were also good, and were definitely a good value for the price. Overall, the meal we had here was outstanding for the town and we had the pleasure of meeting the manager and he was as knowledgeable and friendly as they come. Also, several of the waitstaff were very attentive and chatty, which was a nice touch as well. This is definitely a place to check out when you are in town to grab a bite or something to drink.

Amazing VEGAN food in Portugal! Had a great time visiting the House of Wonders. wonderful indeed…read more Staff were amazingly helpful and the food was great.. I couldn't find a lot of vegan around so it was a nice surprise.

In a sleepy town like Fatima (I say that as someone who visited the week after Easter so it was…read morequiet), there isn't much to see beyond the obvious. So book yourself dinner in a fabulous place like O Convite with excellent service but a super noisy (full of kids) dining room. We started with the tuna and sardine pate and I recommend you do the same and if you are gluten free they will give you a GF baguette. I devoured that little dish and could have eaten just that all night. For my main, I had the octopus which was beautifully presented and melt in your mouth tender. The green beans on the side were bland. My mom had the seafood rice which was good. A fun surprise is the cheese pudding with olive oil ice cream. Gluten free but delicious. Try it! Especially the pate.

From the owner: O Restaurante "O Convite" é conhecido em toda a região, pela sua excelente cozinha portuguesa e…read morepela qualidade do seu serviço. Gerido pela mesma família há mais de 45 anos, o seu toque pessoal é visível em cada detalhe, na sua esmerada gestão ou na fragância de flores frescas em cada mesa. Privilegiam-se os ingredientes locais: desde os queijinhos frescos da Giesteira, ao peixe fresco que chega diariamente da praia da Nazaré ou às carnes da Serra D'Aire. As ervas frescas do Jardim de aromáticos do Hotel os bons vinhos portugueses e a excelência da tradicional pastelaria portuguesa complementam a oferta. Disponível menu para crianças. The restaurant is known throughout the region for its excellent Portuguese cuisine and the quality of its service. Run by the same family for over 45 years, their personal touch is visible in every detail, in its careful management or the fragrance of fresh flowers on each table. Preference is given to local ingredients: from the Giesteira fresh cheeses, fresh fish arriving daily from Nazaré beach or the meat of Serra d'Aire Natural Park. Fresh herbs from the Hotel's aromatic garden, good Portuguese wines and the excellence of traditional Portuguese pastries complement the offer. Kids menu available.

Amazing location Great decoration…read more Excellent food Really good service Perfect to try the typical regional food A very good wine list A must if you are in the area