The best restaurants Boa Vista

Tiny restaurant, but very popular and therefore quickly full. The walls are covered with messages left by passing customers, a fresco on which you can leave your mark. At the helm is an Italian owner who is passionate about his job. Fish caught the same day - there is no freezer, so it's guaranteed ultra-fresh. Excellent tuna carpaccio, generous lobster, tartars, grilled goat cheese... everything is tempting and delicious. Make a reservation or come and see the menu, especially as some dishes are made to order.

A shady terrace with tables surrounded by banana trees and tropical species such as papaya trees is a delightful prospect for lunch. The local cuisine is of the highest quality, complemented by a warm welcome and friendly service. On the menu: grilled lobster (depending on availability), but more modestly, dishes based on tuna, capri or chicken, all cooked over a wood fire and washed down with grogue. The space is large enough to accommodate large families. In short, the perfect representation of "no stress"...

This atypical place not only offers good food, but also the chance to observe the Viana night sky as part of the "Desert Delight" evenings. With your feet in the sand and your eyes on the telescope, you can let yourself be carried away by the explanations given on the constellations, followed by a desert walk by night. The team of amateur astronomers are sure to pass on their enthusiasm for the experience. But first, there's dinner, drinks and music. An evening that's both instructive and romantic.

Superb location, right on the harbor jetty, for this unpretentious, as-local-as-can-be boui-boui. From here, you can watch the return of the fishermen and the children diving. The terrace is a very pleasant place to enjoy a drink, be it a beer or a caipirinha at sunset. Meals are basic and home-style, usually consisting of fish (swordfish or tuna) served with rice. The perfect place to immerse yourself in the friendly atmosphere and chat with the locals, Portuguese permitting.

Exceptional location facing the beach for this Afro-Portuguese cuisine restaurant which offers dishes based on seafood and fish. On the menu, buzios, octopus, bacalhau (cod) and shrimps with garlic or the opportunity to taste the strange shellfish percebes (foot-pushers), which the Portuguese are crazy about. We are served on a vast terrace facing the ocean, where in the late afternoon, we swoon over the romantic spectacle of the sunset.

This restaurant on the jetty is the only one on the island to propose historical (500 CVE) and sortes. Pizza (from 450 CVE to 1 000 CVE), flat dish and lobster are also on the menu. On-site, to take or to get delivered. Free Wi-Fi. Terrace next to the beach. Concerts on weekends.

Holiday atmosphere for this spacious bar-restaurant which looks directly onto the beach. Nelson and his team (some of whom speak French) offer Cape Verdean cuisine or snacks, as well as very good fruit juices. After the meal, why not continue the lazy experience by opting for a nap in the shade of a parasol: they are free for the customers. There are also yoga classes, so you can adopt the local No Stress philosophy.

The beach establishment, with its wooden architecture, is run by a friendly Italian. One comes here for the paninis and the pasta dishes which are a must, without forgetting of course the grilled fish and the lobster which appear regularly on the menu. The place, a bit beach club style, is very sought after for a day of lazing around on one of the deckchairs that can be rented on site. Bring your summer novel, sun cream and hat, order a colourful cocktail... time to relax!

L'Italienne Barbara welcomes you to its establishment located next to the vegetable market. Its famous pizzas are tasty and hearty, among the best on the island. We advise you to try the Boa Vista, with the local cheese, without forgetting the memorable chocolate salami for dessert. You can also try pasta, focaccia, fish croquettes and sometimes a Friulian frico. The large terrace is very pleasant to eat or simply to drink an aperitif and the place lends itself perfectly to large tables.

These are the two city service stations. But it is also the meeting place for all Cape Verdeans and drivers in the morning to take their breakfast and coffee, which is more than correct.

If you're looking for a romantic place to spend time together, this restaurant is just the place. Located right on the sand of Chaves beach, you can enjoy the sea, the stars and a crackling fire while you dine. If you choose to come here for lunch, you'll have plenty of time to follow up with a dip or a session of sunbathing, or even a nap on a deckchair. The menu features seafood in all its forms, and the house often organizes barbecue evenings with live music... what a vacation!

You'll recognize this little restaurant by its yellow façade, and it's Constantina, the owner, who's at the helm. There's nothing superficial here, just the essentials: just four large wooden tables to share if you're alone, local cuisine prepared with tenderness and skill by the female staff, and the sudden feeling of being in a local's home. Take the opportunity to try a typical dish, such as cabrito, sometimes prepared as guisado com massa de milho, or modje de cabrito com xerém... quite a program.

Located right in front of the ocean and the fishermen's boats, this new restaurant focuses on organic vegetables from Rabil's own Uuhaa farm. You can compose your own bowl with a dozen or so ingredients, including falafel or hummus among the salads, and choose a chutney or sesame sauce, for example. A few fish suggestions are lost on the menu amidst the vegan strogonoff or the many lentil or beet burgers. In short, a bowl of freshness, few calories and plenty of vitamins.

Slightly set back from the center, this table is the meeting point for Cape Verdeans with a passion for meat, which is always a good sign. The tasty but unpretentious dishes reflect Joana's imagination and savoir-faire. The octopus marinated in orange juice is a must, while the tuna with mushrooms and grilled vegetables is another good option. As the name suggests (churrasqueira means barbecue), the chicken is cooked on the grill, crackling before your very eyes and releasing its tantalizing aroma.

At the bottom of a steep street is this simple, family-run restaurant. One will enjoy sitting on the outdoor terrace for a local lunch, usually based on the catch of the day. Grilled tuna or freshly cooked cachupa, to suit the taste of the islanders who frequent the place, which is a good sign. The place can also be used as a stopover during a trip to drink a beer and quench your thirst.

A pirate's den in a shed on the beach, all that's missing is Jack Sparrow to complete the atmosphere. Here, people come to enjoy themselves in a friendly atmosphere and spend the day in the deckchairs that are there for you after your meal. The owners have the reputation of being involved in good causes, hospitals, schools, for which they are regularly involved. Sensitive to the planet, they have adopted gluten-free rice straws made from compostable plants. The tuna is caught every morning with their own boats. The pirates? They amaze us.

Opened in 2013 by Spaniards, it's on the second floor facing the sea, in a décor of white and orange tones that you'll enjoy dishes of Cape Verdean and Iberian inspiration. The star dish on the menu (also available in French) is the classic paella with seafood or lobster, concocted by the chef from the neighboring Canary Islands and served after a half-hour wait for an aperitif. Another delicious option: the hamburger with crispy Serrano pata negra, olé!

If you want to know where the inhabitants of Sal Rei go to watch a soccer match, meet up with friends at any hour or even share a table with strangers, you have to push open the door of Le Coral, a kind of central canteen that is very popular with the locals. If you turn a blind eye to the decor, the hubbub and the flies, you'll enjoy a hearty dish of the day at unbeatable prices. Excluded from all tourists (at least for the moment), this is a local experience at its best. A boui-boui as we like them. For the Coral, we say OK.

Everything seems to have been frozen in time: the dining table with its porcelain tableware, the paintings and photos, the everyday objects, the rocking chair... this restored house is one of the best-preserved examples of colonial architecture. Transformed into a small museum, the ground-floor section, with its various small patios, also houses a charming restaurant. Esmoregal à l'orange, guisado de buzio, but also vegan dishes, there's plenty to enjoy in this unique space. A dive into history not to be missed.

A lovely atmosphere and great attention to detail for this dapper pink house designed by Sascha and Marcus. Conveniently located in the heart of Sal Rei's alleyways, its cheerfulness and cheerful staff make it a real eye-catcher. In addition to the restaurant's attractive menu, which offers a wide choice of dishes and wines, a clever blend of local and German cuisine, you can also enjoy a snack, ice cream or waffles, or go shopping in the boutique area. Make a reservation for dinner to secure a table on the roof terrace.