My girlfriend and I stayed in Almograve one night while hiking the "Rota Vicentina." Our hotelier…read moresuggested Torralta above a more tourist-frequented restaurant nearby and we thought we'd split the difference by getting a drink and a salad here, and going elsewhere for dinner. But when we saw the delicious meal someone else got, we decided to stick around and we were super happy with that decision!!! She got steak, I got lamb chops. They were nicely cooked, delicately seasoned, and they really hit the spot for a pair of hikers. The wine suggested to us was just right for the food, and the desserts were solid as well. What REALLY stood out about the spot was the owner. He seemed to speak every language in Europe owing to an interesting career in a number of different places. Through the evening we spoke in Spanish, English, and Italian - my Portuguese is no good! He was super patient and helped me make sure my gluten issues were addressed with every item from side to dessert, and I'm always thankful for that. Do yourself a favor and visit this man and his restaurant!

Happened upon this family-run restaurant after a cold windy hike on the Fisherman's Trail. It was…read morequiet but welcoming. We were tired, thirsty and hungry. The food was delicious and the service was wonderful. The staff was friendly and attentive. We just wish we could have eaten more! Hope to return.

We happen to be staying in the small town and stopped in for dinner. The staff is so nice but the…read morefood is incredible. The MoMos make my mouth water as Im writing this review. The Saag Paneer and Chicken Tikka Massala is to die for. Please take the time to go here if you are passing through and I positive you will have the best Indian food you have ever tasted.

Oh. My. Sweet. Goodness. I'm in HEAVEN…read more I am hiking the "Rota Vicentina," which passes through Cercal do Alentejo. It's a really cute town that deserves a lot more noteworthiness. I stayed at a great and amazingly inexpensive hotel here and the owner's no-hesitation suggestion for dinner was this place. So off I went. The front is a bar so you're not immediately sure you're in the right place. Just follow your nose to the back restaurant area. There is a limited menu but if you take a seat and just put your dinner in the owner, Sheila's, hands, you will NOT regret it! I explained my gluten problem and she brought out a cavalcade of awesome dishes including a truly local soup and main dish of pork, pickled cauliflower, and oranges. This is the second time I've been served oranges with pork in Portugal and it's a brilliant flavor combination! My gosh, I'm exhausted from that meal. But it was so good I just had to write about it. I'm sure you can get a fancier meal in a fancier setting, but this was REAL, DOWN-HOME Portuguese country food and it was outstanding! I hope that other folks walking the Rota Vicentina and passing through Cercal see this and stop in. They will remember it for a long time!

The Passarinho is what I imagine life would be like with a Portuguese grandmother. You walk into…read morethe seemingly small restaurant expecting nothing spectacular to happen but then out pops the first friendly face of a small Portuguese woman who welcomes you to one of the tables in the back. We came at just the right time because within 15 minutes all of the tables were filled and everyone looked excited to eat. We recommend you accept their suggestion of a sampler plate of local cheese and don't forget a pitcher of "house wine". We ordered two entrées and were VERY full after finishing them. We watched sadly as our table neighbors (who had shared an entrèe) each ordered a GIANT slice of wiggly cake. Next time we will have to try that too! We paid 26€ for a cheese appetizer + pitcher of wine + bottle of bubbly water + 2 entrées. This place is great for anyone looking to really taste the local cooking and the best part is the really the elderly Portuguese women who not only cook but also serve you the food. Those are some really peppy ladies!

We found this cute place when we arrived in Milfontes. We didn't have a reservation, but they…read moreworked out a table for us. Service all around was excellent. The food however was lackluster. It was greasy and garlicky and lacked flavor unfortunately. I had the fish of the day plate. Others has the burgers (veal and vegan).

What a wonderful find on our stroll through old town Vila Nova de Milfontes. Friendly and…read morewelcoming cafe with a shelf of books you can read whilst enjoying a cup of coffee. My daughter had bacalhau (cod fish) bruschetta which was loaded with fish, tomatoes and cheese - very flavourful and filling. I opted for pasta with clams - very simple flavours of olive oil, garlic, Parmesan and coriander and it was delicious. Not to be missed is their Almond Tart with Blueberry Chocolate gelato - the tart was a little over baked but it went very well with the gelato which was refreshing. We also ordered freshly squeezed orange and carrot juice which was good but would have been better if the oranges and carrots were chilled. Service was excellent and attentive.

We came here unexpectedly after a long and tiring day on the Rota Vicentina. There was actually a…read morerestaurant down the block here in Zambujeira do Mar that overlooked the sea and beach, but which served more traditional "home style" food and at which we already stopped for a snack earlier in the evening before running some errands. We had walked by here earlier also and loved the decor, style, ambience, and variety on the menu - so we decided to come back. My goodness we weren't disappointed - the service AND food were outstanding! We wanted seafood but I'm a little squeamish about eating whole fish. So our waiter ensured that our super fresh sea bass was nicely filleted for us. We also got various vegetable sides including a delicious pimientos de padron, and garlic-marinated olives. We also got a really delicious wine recommendation from the region that went perfectly with the sea bass. To top it all off, just before bringing the check we were given a taste of local hazelnut liqueur and it was DELICIOUS - I'm going to have to buy some before heading back to the US!

Delightful meal here. Stopped by without a reservation and got a table. The staff is friendly and…read moreaccommodating, explaining options on the four (!) menus. The food - huge servings and delicious. Also recommend a pitcher of sangria.

At the recommendation of our accommodations we made a reservation at Ritual for dinner. The…read moreatmosphere and location are marvelous. The staff are top notch, quite helpful--making suggestions and answers all our questions. But the food was the star of the evening, honestly the best meal we had on our week long walk of the Rota Vicentina. Both salads were phenomenal, incredibly fresh cheese accompanied by wonderful vibrant produce. And the scallops were perfectly cooked, delicate, melt in your mouth. The curry was light and flavorful but didn't overpower the natural flavor of the scallops. Overall we had an outstanding experience and highly recommend you try Ritual.

Nice place in the center of Vila Nova de Milfontes with a wide variety of fusion food. Great…read moreatmosphere and very high quality food. Apart from some fancy fusion food (Italian, Japanese, Malay, Indonesian, etc.) they also have some great burgers and steaks! My favorite is Mango Prawn Curry. Amazing!! For starter try their croquetes. Bom apetite!!!

Great service! Delicious food! Arroz de tamboril is for 2…read morepeople but can easily feed 4. Beautiful view! Try to dine over the sunset. Expensive but worth it.

Great view and good fresh sea food. The coffee is strong and the beer taps flow. I would recommend…read morethis place for people that are visiting and want a nice view while enjoying a few drinks/coffee or a snack. But if you wanted something more filling come during the evening for their full menu. We had what Café Rita was serving for lunch.