Dining out in the Algarve – top Olhao restaurants

Olhao the Algarve

 

A pair of our happy customers recently returned from the Algarve with some fantastic tips on the best Olhao restaurants. See their guide to the local gastronomy below:

  • Going along the main street a lot of the restaurants are the same, serving the local dishes so it’s a matter of liking the look of them. Sabores do Churrasco is on the main street and is certainly different. One for the carnivores, meat portions are served dangling from huge skewers. While we were there they had  beef, lamb,  steaks, etc. This is definitely one for red meat eaters.
  • There’s a little place called Culatra, reachable by the ferry at the far end of the Marina. A fabulous fish restaurant right on the beach, it’s the first restaurant you see when you disembark. It’s rustic and relaxed here and a great way to spend an afternoon in the sun.
  • Best in show for us was Pizza Na Pedra on the main street down near the market. They have wonderful salads, smoked salmon and great seafood, with tasty pizza, pasta, and a certain amount of meat. It needs to be booked usually, but the hotel will sort that out. The ambience is really great and the place and food veers towards middle of the road dining. While it doesn’t look much from the outside it’s actually very pretty with a lovely upstairs terrace. Open at lunchtime and every night.
  • Tacho a Mesa is more modern than a lot of the restaurants in Olhao but a bit off the front drag.
  • Sabores de Ria is in the square just off the main street, good for fish and local dishes.
  • Gunther’s comes highly recommended. It’s a taxi ride away and closes on Sundays. We didn’t get there as we left it too late, but heard it’s great.
  • For lunchtime imbibing there’s a little place called Jazz café facing the sea at the market end.
  • One to avoid at all costs is Carlos and Helena, up a side street off the main street. Truly horrendous!

A short day trip to Faro, Olhao is a peaceful spot surrounded by the protected Ria Formosa nature reserve. Don’t forget to take a wander through the famous fish and vegetable market in the mornings. Whether you’re a red meat lover, adore steaming fish stews or fresh seafood platters with the catch of the day – then this pretty fishing port has an amazing choice of restaurants with rustic decor and authentic Portuguese dishes to satisfy the fussiest foodies. Bom Apetite!

*special thanks to Margaret W.