Set in a lovely home near an ancient ruin among cork trees far off the beaten path. The menu is…read moretypical Portuguese, at least to an American. Charcuterie, lamb and pork stews, fresh vegetables, hearty bread, delicious cheeses. We loved it.

El sitio es pequeño.Solo diez mesas para dos. Recomiendo hacer reserva. No admiten tarjetas. Solo…read moreefectivo. La comida es abundante y exquisita. El restaurante es de ambiente familiar.

My husband found this local gem online and it did not disappoint. Yelp says they open at 6, this is…read moreincorrect. They open at 5:30pm. We got there right at 6 and they gave us one of only 2 remaining tables, telling us we had to be done by 7:30pm. We started with prosciutto & melon which was AMAZING!!!!! And reminded us of Italy. My children got the house style spaghetti which was a cream sauce with tomatoes and ham. Neither kid could get enough! The pasta was soooo tasty. My husband and I shared the Mixed Catalana for 2 - prawns and clams. It was the best meal we had during our almost 2 week trip to Portugal. The broth was so delicious I could've drank it with my spoon. It was loaded with veggies too. Came with white rice on the side and some fried potatoes. Also my husband got a glass of house red wine which was a very generous pour! They only take cash, which we did not know ahead of time. But luckily there's an ATM across the street. They turned tons of people away while we were eating. I guess their system is reservation only from 5:30-7:30pm and then after 7:30pm they allow walks in on a first come, first serve basis.

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 came here after trying out a local vegetarian restaurant that, after our full day of hiking,…read morejust didn't have dishes with the heft that we needed We left super satisfied. The server was multilingual and worked with us in English as we don't speak very good Portuguese. He was super helpful in showing and explaining all the fresh fish they had available, and for me making sure my gluten issue was addressed. We also had a delicious dessert of homemade chocolate mousse, and once again the waiter was very kind to point out which desserts had gluten and which didn't. Finally, he gave us a great wine suggestion that we really enjoyed. This was a laid back, traditional Portuguese food experience that totally hit the spot after our long day of hiking and we couldn't be more pleased that we picked the place!

Very nice family run restaurant with very good service and food. The staff serves the guests in…read morevarious languages and offers very helpful explanations on the menu. We had the fish soup as a starter and the stuffed squid as our main cause, both was delicious. We clearly recommend this place.

Fantastic authentic food and admosphere Lovely staff with…read morepersonal touch We stoped here on out way to lisbon and found this great restaurant kust behind the boulevard of this lovely little town. Azulos on the wall and a terras outsider to enjoy the view on the boulevard

Went here for dinner with two and really enjoyed it - got the Couvert, oxtail "cellar", octopus…read morepico, and fish soup. Everything was delicious but fairly rich - glad we had some tasty olives to cut the fat! The service was lovely and attentive, and this restaurant was very cozy and homey. I love the chalk writing of the menu on the chalkboards - the oxtail was truly delicious, just a bit rich for us. Portion sizes were great too!

Awesome stews. Place is small. We were lucky to get a seat as we were just walking around. The…read moreladies here are friendly and efficient. This place seems to specialize in stews so many options for stews. All are flavorful and the meats are tender and bursting with flavor.

A relaxing dining experience overlooking the blue Atlantic…read more Professional, attentive service. We ordered salads which are not cheap in the arid Algarve region. If you fine yourself in Salema, walk a few more steps for a better dining experience.

Reasonable to good food, but very variable service ranging for excellent and polite to incompetent…read moreand worse, just plain rude. It's in a wonderful location, if you own a property locally I'm sure you will be treated politely and respectfully.

We stopped for lunch in Castro Verde, and we were pleased to find Villa Italia! The pizzas were…read moreamazing! A must stop if you are passing through on your way to Lisbon or Lagos.

On my way to Evora and found this small old town. Most locals ordered the Italian pizzas which…read morelooked great. I was in the mood for some pasta. The squid ink pasta with shrimps was freshly prepared as it took about 30 min. The house wine was also smooth. Highly recommend if you are near by.