Madeiran cuisine is nothing like mainland Portugal. Sure, you get your share of seafood (you’re surrounded by the Atlantic after all), but there’s also a big craze for meat – just look at all those barbecue joints specialising in espetadas (skewers) – and an increasing offer of veggie-friendly alternatives. Young chefs are cooking up a storm in the capital Funchal, but even in the unlikely settings of the mountains and coastal villages, the menus are being revamped to embrace new culinary trends.
For more Madeira inspiration, see our guides to the island’s best hotels, nightlife and things to do.
Find a restaurant by area
Funchal & Câmara de Lobos
MadMarket
Amid the restaurants lining Estrada Monumental, it’s easy to miss MadMarket – the shopping centre front doesn’t do it much justice. But step inside and head to the first floor and you’ll encounter a cosy market meets restaurant with wooden shelves stacked with fresh produce in between stacks of wine, and tables serving hearty seafood dishes. The tuna here is among the best in Funchal (cooked just right to be rare yet crispy on the outside) but so are the roasted octopus and the grilled squid. Ordering a selection of dishes is usually the way to go.
Contact: madmarket.pt
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
Design Centre Nini Andrade Silva
Funchal-born Nini Andrade Silva is one of Portugal’s most famous interior designers, and this cultural centre set in a 17th-century fort certainly has her touch with the rounded sofas dotting the rooms like giant pebbles taken out of the island’s beaches. Most people head here for the restaurant and the terrace views – you’re just above Funchal’s port. The menu offers a play on regional cuisine with a touch of Asian flavours like the fish of the day drizzled with makrut lime or the black Angus with glazed pack choi and Madeira wine sauce. Alternatively, try the tasting menu and get a taste of it all.
Contact: niniandradesilva.com
Prices: £££
Reservations: Recommended
Best table: Ask for a terrace or window seat for the best ocean views.
Restaurante Santo António
Restaurante Santo António has been dishing out espetadas (meat skewers) since 1966. What started as a small family tavern is now a large restaurant. They must be doing something right because the place is always packed. The beef skewer on a bay leaf stick is no doubt the speciality, but they also do a mean barbecue chicken and beef chops, all with a good punch of garlic. Pick one or two sides max, say fries and bolo do caco, sweet potato breaddrenched in, you guessed it, garlic butter, and come hungry as this is filling stuff.
Contact: restaurantesantoantonio.com
Prices: £
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Bela 5
Be ready to brush shoulders with guests at this traditional tasca just outside Funchal’s old town. The place is tiny with only a handful of tables, but if you manage to snatch one you’re in for a treat. Start off with a plate of limpets (be sure to get some bread to mop up all that heavenly buttery sauce), then order the fish of the day which is cooked to perfection on a giant griddle right in front of you, before wrapping it up with a juicy picado, meat chunks cooked in a stew-like sauce served on a bed of fries.
Contact: facebook.com/snackbarbela5
Prices: £
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Sabores do Curral
It’s hard to beat the view of this restaurant overlooking the lush valley of Curral das Freiras. But if you can pull your eyes away for a second you’ll find a chestnut-shaped menu (chestnut trees are everywhere here), filled with delicacies like grilled chestnuts with sugar cane honey, peppery steak and stuffed chicken. There’s even a chestnut beer to wash it all down.
Contact: facebook.com/oseurestaurante
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
Best table: The terrace has the best valley views.
Minerva
Facing the bay of Câmara de Lobos, Minerva is a welcoming addition to this small fishing town. Even some of the classics like the scabbard fish sandwich come with their own twist here topped with tartar sauce and marinated veg. But you’ll also find other fine combos like roasted eggplant with miso or the white fish ceviche with leche de tigre.
Contact: facebook.com/Minerva.since1932
Prices: £
Reservations: Recommended
North
Quinta do Furão
Clinging onto a cliff on the island’s northeast edge, Quinta do Furão is all about the front-row ocean views. You don’t have to stay in the hotel to dine here, you can pop by for lunch or dinner and enjoy a walk along the surrounding vineyards afterwards. The inside has a rustic feel with exposed stone walls and high wooden ceilings, while the outside is all about the view. Vegetarians are well catered for here with options ranging from beetroot carpaccio to portobello burger, but you’ll also find innovative combos like shrimp with banana guacamole. Be sure to save some room for the homemade ice cream.
Contact: quintadofurao.com
Prices: £££
Reservations: Recommended
Best table: When booking, ask for a seat in the veranda or a window seat.
West
Muralha Terrace
Families flock to this terrace restaurant in Ribeira Brava on weekends, likely drawn by its convenient location on route to the west side beaches and its generous portions. Ask the waiter for the fish of the day, and they’ll come carrying a tray of anything from parrot fish to sea bass and tuna. Beware, the prices are by the kilo, but they do a great job fixing it and grilling it for you. Or you can stick to the classics and order the espada (black scabbard fish), the island’s fish of choice.
Contact: facebook.com/muralha.terrace
Prices: ££
Reservations: Recommended
East
A Pipa
Wine barrels double as tables at this casual spot in the surfer’s town of Porto da Cruz. It’s a prime spot for seafood, and you’ll smell it as soon as you walk past it. Maybe it’s the fresh octopus salad, the squid cooked in garlic butter or perhaps it’s the melt-in-your-mouth tuna – whatever it is, the wait is absolutely worth it.
Contact: facebook.com/SnackBarAPipa
Prices: £
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Talho do Caniço
Part butchers, part restaurant, Talho do Caniço offers a mini taste of Madeira’s festival atmosphere. After picking a cut of meat from the counter (when in doubt, say you want a espetada), a man will expertly grate bay leaf and garlic all over your order before piercing it onto a large metal skewer. In the following room, another man will be waiting in front of a roaring fire to cook your dinner. Don’t expect any cutlery, just a whole lot of napkins and bread to help slide down the meat straight into your belly. You’ll usually pair it with a bottle of wine, although the night usually ends with a shot of aguardente de cana (sugarcane firewater).
Contact: facebook.com/TalhodoCanico
Prices: £
Reservations: Walk-ins only
How we choose
Every restaurant in this curated list has been tried and tested by our destination expert, who has visited to provide you with their insider perspective. We cover a range of budgets, from neighbourhood favourites to Michelin-starred restaurants – to best suit every type of traveller’s taste – and consider the food, service, best tables, atmosphere and price in our recommendations. We update this list regularly to keep up with the latest opening and provide up to date recommendations.
