If you're in Sintra, do NOT miss Tascantiga. It was easily our favorite meal of the trip. It feels…read morelike dining in someone's Portuguese family home, with mismatched plates and charm in every detail. The sangria (by the glass or in a clay jug) is a must.  We went all in as a group of four diners, ordering the sardine sandwich (incredibly fresh and layered with flavor), fried fish, octopus, scrumptious pig cheeks, and the most delicious chicken wings. Honestly, I could've skipped the steak sandwich, but everything else was outstanding. Didn't make it to dessert, but the plates we saw heading to other tables looked good. Even the bathroom adds to the experience, decorated like a home, complete with fake hanging "laundry". We walked in during a busy lunch time on a weekend day. Indoor and outdoor seating is available depending on the weather.

This was the first spot we visited on our second leg of our Portugal trip. It was easy to find and…read morewas very casual. The tapas sized food was perfect for what we needed as a simple appetizer as we ate through Sintra. We coupled it with wine and beer. Service was fast and friendly. It was the only spot that had a lot of people - speaks to its superiority in the area perhaps. I'd definitely recommend - get the seafood salad!

the food was good, well priced. Service was average... required a decent amountof waiting or…read morechasing down the wait staff. Gluten-free options are plentiful and the staff is knowledgeable.

A hidden gem just down from Regaleira Tower that serves delicious food, carries a wonderfully…read morepleasant vibe and makes for one of the better lunch spots you'll find in Sintra The space is cozy and splendid, with two small wine racks on display showcasing a solid variety of bottles to choose from. WiFi is available if you need it. We ordered and while waiting, enjoyed a bottle of wine for €18, a great value for a sit down lunch. Food hit the table about 20 minutes in, which was perfectly reasonable. My wife went with the steak, potatoes, eggs and sautéed vegetables. The steak was seasoned perfectly. I had the codfish with cornbread, sweet potatoes and spinach, a dish that is distinctly Portuguese and done really well here. Generous portioning for one, and again the seasoning was spot on across the board.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ A small but appreciated detail: the espressos arrived on warm plates, a thoughtful touch that suggests the kitchen actually cares about what they're sending out. After a morning of climbing through Sintra's palaces and towers, this is exactly the kind of place you want to stumble upon. Highly recommend making it part of your afternoon.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

We had a lunch break while on a bus tour of Sintra and passed on the guide's recs for lunch and…read moretook a shot at this place. So glad we did! We were welcomed by a couple really friendly and funny young lady servers and ours was especially so cute, helpful, and funny to talk and mess with!! Wife had a great green wine and I got a huge sangria for one that was great and fruity. She ordered a "seafood rice" served invite own metal crock packed with octopus and stuff that she couldn't finish. I got the steak and chips (fries) and a perfectly sunny side egg on top (13.70 Euros). She loved hers and my server made sure mine was truly medium rare leaving it cooked and not bloody yet swimming in juice. Beware in Portugal sometimes the "steak" is a fillet if you don't confirm first like this one. So glad I went med rare!! Perfectly cooked fries too. These ladies were actually from Nepal and we enjoyed talking with them about that and we joked a lot. It was a fun welcoming lunch. Two police officers dined next to us talking with the Portuguese owner so it's a mix of locals and tourists. It's right in the center of it all and convenient. Large menu and great service. Very affordable as well! Not the best steak I've ever had but the best for this price point generally and we would def go back again next trip. Our server was named Asmee(what a cutie!) and her associate Greeta.

Spacious indoor and outdoor seating area. Excellent Portuguese dishes. I recommend the Caldo…read moreverse com chourico- cabbage soup with Portuguese sausage. For the main entree, the bochecha de pro Estrada em bingo tinto - pork cheek stewed with red wine and mashed potatoes. Lastly, the chicken pot pies were tasty. They serve you two crispy pies with soft baked chicken meat.

his place couldn't accommodate all 7 of us. They could only do 4-5, so some of us ended up going to…read moreanother restaurant. They were short handed and I think they didn't really want to take us in but did. We were extremely grateful. They said it may take some time for our food to come out. We chanced it as reviews raved about this place. Also, we don't have reservations. The ambiance was great, staff was great, owner was amazing, and the food was really good. I highly recommend this place BUT I would make reservations. We learned this the hard way but got extremely lucky. We made sure to tip really well. I highly recommend this place and big thank you to the owner for taking us in.

A week in Portugal, this was my favorite place. If there were a Michelin system for casual little…read moreplaces this would be a Three Star. The food (wife) was absolutely phenomenal and the service (husband) was casual but attentive like a fine dining restaurant. The dishes were from all over Portugal like such as Cape Verdian beef; sheep cheese on toast; smoked duck with orange slices; grilled shrimp. It's about a 20 minute walk from the center of Sintra, which for the record completely empties out after the day trippers are gone.

Bacalhau na Vila -- A temple to Portugal's most iconic ingredient…read more Portugal has a deep culinary relationship with Bacalhau, and Bacalhau na Vila leans into that heritage completely. This isn't simply a restaurant that happens to serve cod; the entire concept is built around it. The menu explores bacalhau through multiple traditional preparations, each highlighting a different texture and flavour profile. We started with cream of spinach soup with cod, a surprisingly elegant opener. The soup was smooth and comforting, with the cod adding a savoury depth that balanced the creaminess without overpowering it. The appetizers showcased two beloved Portuguese classics. The codfish cakes (pastéis/bolinhos de bacalhau) were perfectly executed--light, crisp, and fluffy with well-balanced seasoning. The pataniscas, a looser cod fritter, had a rustic charm with a golden exterior and tender interior. For the main course we ordered roasted cod, which was excellent. The fish was flaky and deeply flavourful, demonstrating why bacalhau has been such an enduring staple in Portuguese cuisine. What makes the restaurant memorable is how intentionally it celebrates this ingredient. Cod has historically played a major role in Portugal's food culture, and Bacalhau na Vila turns that history into a cohesive dining experience. Service was friendly, attentive, and professional, with staff who clearly know the menu and take pride in the concept. If you're visiting Sintra and want to experience one of Portugal's most iconic ingredients prepared in several traditional styles, Bacalhau na Vila is a great place to do it.

The food and service were incredible! We ordered the steak, octopus salad, and roasted cod dish,…read moreand every bite was fresh and delicious. The white sangria was also so good!

After a long day of castle exploration in Sintra, my girlfriends and I hit up the Sintra Terrace…read morefor a late lunch. If nobody has warned you, Sintra is at least ten degrees cooler than the rest of Lisbon due to the elevation. The propane heaters at Terrace weren't working during our visit, and we were properly freezing despite our jackets and scarves. The food was excellent, and the view towards the Sintra National Palace was even better. The service could have been just a smidge better; our waitress appeared annoyed that we needed some time to look over the menu and annoyed again when the neighboring table inquired about the propane heaters. Despite the somewhat cold shoulder and the windy shivers, I would eat or drink here again. The view made up for any faults!

No wait for 8 at 1:45pm on a Monday. However we had to split up 6 and 2…read more When a table of 2 opened up next to the 6, the staff were so back and forth if we could pull it up to join them so all 8 of us can sit together. They finally let us with chairs in a slightly different arrangement, one we'd suggested but they had ignored. Views really great. Octopus really tender and tasty. Goat cheese walnut salad fine. White sangria lovely. No specific kids menu items.

Casual reasonably priced dinner with friendly service and lovely food! We had a 730pm reservation,…read morewere seated right away. The food came swiftly, and they gave us a shot of sherry complimentary post meal! The place is good for large groups, those on budgets, vegans/vegetarians. My husband got the peri peri chicken a d it was super hot but he liked the flavor (just wish they had ice cream on the menu to have after to cool down). I went with the p ppl Goat cheese-- it was colorful, packed with veggies & flavor!! My vegetarian friends, they are a handful of options for us!!

Metamorphosis has one of the best reviews in. Sintra but I was underwhelmed. It took about 45…read moreminutes to get our entrees of cod and grilled giltfish. The giltfish was seasoned well and cooked properly but the cod was a disaster - it was overcooked and under seasoned. We were surprised by the way as well since there were only 4 tables and we ordered fish. We also got the clams which was average as well. Not sure if the restaurant went through an unfortunate metaphorphosis.

The best restaurant…read more We were heading to Sintra for the day and found this restaurant online and are so glad we did. It's the best hidden gem. It's about 10-15 minutes from Sintra, in the small village of Colares. Unlike Sintra, there aren't any tourists and it's truly locals only. We both got the steak and fries and it was the best steak ever. After we got done, the owner came over and chatted with us about the area and the restaurant. She's lovely and very proud of the restaurant. We asked her to pick out a dessert for us and she brought us cookie cake and it was SO good. When we were having lunch, a delivery came with fresh produce, so you know the food is fresh. The restaurant was authentic Portuguese food and worth the trip. If you're going to Sintra, I highly recommend coming here on your way! If I was a local, I'd eat here every meal. The best food and the best people. Truly felt like they welcomed me into their home. Note, it is cash only, so make sure to have cash!

I had a great dinner with the soup and the grilled octopus (served with baked potatoes and wilted…read moregreens) on a Thursday night. The chocolate mousse was also delicious.. a welcome change to all the pastries I have been eating. No fado, yet had great service. Ended up chatting with locals in neighboring tables and learning about the region. Even outside, they have a cute decor, a cute cat that comes by to say hello, and tables that are well separated for COVID-19 precautions. I would come back.

Fantastic and reasonably priced bruschetta from the wood-fired oven, accompanied by a nice…read moreselection of locally-brewed beer. Most of the beers were from Rafeira, with a cider from Alfa. I got six generous 25cl pours and a gorgeous, perfectly-baked bruschetta with fresh tomatoes and chewy crust for around EUR17. For maximum enjoyment, set aside your conception of big-brewery "what beer should taste like" and open your mind to some local flavors. Ideal for singles and couples, as you can enjoy a pair of seats by the window or one of the small tables on the patio. Bigger parties are seated in the back room, which isn't quite as scenic. Their motto is "slow food" and they aren't kidding. If you start to think they forgot your order (as I did), they didn't. Your patience will be rewarded with some delicious fresh-baked bread or bruschetta. Worth the short walk off the main road, especially if you're just looking for a snack.

All the beers were great!! Good view of the castle of the Moors. And the sardinha picante bread…read moreroll was soooo tasty!

No parking but not a surprise since the tourist town is packed…read more Really fun service. A little snarky but well natured. Food was really good and affordable as most of the country. Great location in town. Ambiance is nice but a bit to tight but not a surprise given it's a tourist place.

First Impressions: we came in at 12pm on a Sunday and it wasn't busy at all. Waiter was very kind…read moreand explained the menu and gave his recommendations. Also offered us the WiFi so we could Yelp, lol The Noms: Octopus salad - tender and barely chewy Iberico Black Forest pork - tender with good flavoring. Lamb chops - tender and juicy Cod cream soup - very flavorful and creamy Almond cake - a treat since we couldn't be home with family to celebrate the Lunar New Year (Rabbit). It was very good and not too sweet (perfect for us because you know the highest praise from an Asian palate is "not too sweet") would def recommend getting this In Conclusion: one of our best and favorite meals in Portugal. Very consistent as in we enjoyed everything we ordered... other restaurants, our meals were hit or miss around the table. Would highly recommend!