Restaurants in Madeira
So much choice, so little time! Of course, that depends on how long you are in Madeira, of course, but still. If you are celebrating your holiday in Madeira, we definitely recommend the restaurants below. Some for the carnivores, some for the vegetarians, and most have something for everyone. Restaurants in Madeira, astu!
Traveling to Madeira for the first time? Then we have here some useful tips on Madeira(which we would have liked to know in advance).
Upon entering it appears Kampo perhaps a bit subdued, but appearances can be deceiving here. Especially when you walk to the end of the place and you see the enormous white marble bar. The nicest place to sit, by the way, because then you can constantly see the chefs at work. Incredibly good food, fresh fish, such tender meat, and everything just a little bit different. Without it feeling too 'tried', if that makes sense. Kampo is rightly one of the better restaurants on the island. Kampo is not large, and the open kitchen steals the show: at almost all tables you can look straight into the kitchen, nice and busy. Chef Júlio Peraira is at the helm, and together with his team he serves truly fantastic dishes: oxtail ravioli, amazing tuna tartare, and the pork pancetta with apple was perfect. Top place to dine all evening, but you can also drop in for a glass of good wine and a small dish.
Nini Design Center is a panoramic restaurant at the beginning of the pier in Funchal. Formerly a fort to spot pirates, now converted into a fort with restaurant at a height. So you can't go wrong with the view: ships coming and going, activity in the harbour, the skyline of Funchal... The kitchen team at Nini combines regional cuisine with Atlantic influences, a little tradition, a little creativity. On your plate this manifests itself in pate with pineapple pickles, fresh fish with regional vegetables and a delicious paprika sauce. There is a separate menu for vegetarians, and... stuffed roast tomato is delicious. The menu is clear and changes regularly.
The modern, black/white interior with clean lines and no fuss is also delicious! Add to that the view and you want to put Nini on your list.
If a restaurant can only be reached in a strange way, you have our attention. If the way of transportation if there is also a cable car, then we are there! Fajã dos Padres is an eco-hotel and restaurant at the foot of a high cliff, less than a ten-minute drive from Funchal. First down with the cable car, and then you arrive in a kind of paradise: green everywhere, banana trees, vineyards, flowers, butterflies... Fajã dos Padres is difficult to describe in words, but with unique and breathtakingly beautiful we have come a long way. . The food comes from very close by, namely their own garden where they grow various vegetables and fruit. Mega-fresh and local. Simple, pure dishes, and the location makes it complete. Here you can also eat very good lapas, a local sea snail. It may not sound very pleasant, but it is a delicious shellfish and the lapas at Fajã dos Padres were the tastiest we ate.
After dinner you can stroll on the private beach and swim in the sea before taking the cable car back up. You can also take the boat to Fajã dos Padres!
The name already gives it away a bit: bee Villa da Carne Come along for a piece of good meat. It is a little outside Funchal: if you don't have a car, you can indicate when you make your reservation that you would like to use the shuttle bus (about 30 euros) or you can take a taxi for about 15 euros. If you sit by the window or on the terrace, you look out over the terracotta roofs to the sea. The meat is good, and it is not surprising that they are known for that. Especially for the espetada: a grilled beef skewer that they hang on a hook above your table. Simple and very tasty, and you get large portions of side dishes. Câmara de Lobos is also the village where strike today comes, the local punch of Madeira. The one at Vila da Carne is made at the table, with fresh orange and lemon juice, honey and a lethal amount of cachaça, the local rum. More than two is entirely at your own risk!
Quinta do Furão stands on a cliff at Achada do Gramacho in Santana, on the northeast coast of Madeira. It is a hotel with a good restaurant (also a lot of choice for vegetarians), great views, and they have their own vineyard: fantastic place! You can (fortunately!) also have lunch or dinner at the restaurant if you are not staying there. The people behind Quinta do Furão organize all kinds of fun activities, such as a poncha (local drink) workshop, bread baking, botanical tours, yoga and wine tastings. If you let us know in time, you can also participate as a non-hotel guest and then you can enjoy an afternoon of lunch and wine tasting at Quinta do Furão in one go. Not bad at all.
You can also sleep at Quinta do Furȁo. Even the simple rooms are beautiful, all with views over the sea and cliffs plus the pool is in the middle of the vineyard. Now you again.
Not a restaurant, but a food truck with good sandwiches and bowls: Vantastic. On the boulevard in the harbor, and even though the sun is not shining, it does shine a little at Vantastic. Well-made sandwiches, Buddha bowls and healthy juices and smoothies. For some vitamins in between, or go wild and hit the beach with a bag full of goodies (sunset, anyone?). Oh, if you are going on a (small) road trip across Madeira, this is also a very good place to start and have some food with you for the road. At Vantastic you will find more food trucks, some with food, but you also get cocktails, strike and a cup of coffee. Nice square at the harbor to sit on a bench and people watch.
There is a public toilet about 3 minutes away (50 cents).
For your pastries and pastel de nata, visit Born 7, in three places in Funchal, all in the center. The interior and exterior are simple, but the pastel de nata is the best (coffee and madeira too, by the way!). You will find slightly more luxurious pastries at A Confeitaria in the center of Funchal. Also a very good place, but Nata 7 gives just that little bit more local vibe. Where you will always find locals is at Opan: bright light, and windows full of cakes, pastries and other baked goods, and always locals with a cup of coffee.
At the start of the holiday we always try to do a food tour: this way you immediately know what the local delicacies are, where you should and shouldn't go and you get a wealth of cultural information. This is also the case with Madeira Food on Foot. The food tour through Funchal takes you to the hidden gems and to the famous places, such as the Mercado dos Lavradores. Here you will get tips on where you should and should not buy your fruit and vegetables (spoiler: not at the stands downstairs on the market, they are often ten times as expensive as the fruit and vegetable stalls you find in the city !). You go to the local cookie shop, drink poncha and eat much (much!) more delicious food.
Il Gallo d'Oro is located in The Cliff Bay Hotel, and you guessed it: on the cliffs, with an accompanying view. French chef Benoît Sinthon holds sway here, and how! In 2009 they received their first Micheling star. Il Gallo d'Oro now has two Michelin stars and a Green Star for their focus on sustainability. Fresh products, many (not all) ingredients are locally produced and therefore a team that cooks stars from heaven. This year (2024) sommelier Leonel Nunes received the Sommelier Award. Everything is correct? Yep, everything is correct here.
This winery Quinta do Barbusano in the São Vincente Valley is open all year round from Tuesday to Sunday. An 'I-have-you-there' view, anyway. Nice to do a wine tasting here, with a walk through the vineyard and six different wines to taste. There are four tours per day, and you can combine it with a rustic, typical Madeiran lunch: bay skewers with boiled potatoes, salad and 'bolo do caco' with herb butter. During the picking season you can also pick and stomp your feet in a traditional 'lagar'.
Extra tip: do one private jeep tour! This way you see all kinds of places on Madeira that you would otherwise miss, and then join us at Quinta do Barbusano. The whole who's-going-to-bobb issue was also immediately tackled.
Vegan World is the only completely plant-based restaurant in Madeira. That doesn't mean they don't have vegan dishes anywhere else, but at Mundo Vegan there is plenty of choice. Owner Katia found it a bit difficult to find good vegan food on Madeira (which can certainly be difficult, yes), so you have to do it yourself. just do it. The prices are reasonable, and you will find a nice terrace. Keep a close eye: they are closed on Wednesdays.
Another good option for vegetarians and vegans (and anyone who wants a plate full of vegetables instead of meat or fish) is Great Caju in the center of Funchal. Nice café with lots of plants and greenery. Everything that is vegetarian is also fine to order in a vegan variation.
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