The best restaurants Santiago

Along the beach, this is the only place to dine in the week.

Good service and dinner are often accompanied by music. Not expensive, and rich.

If you're looking for bling-bling, don't go there: Campanas is the opposite. It is a highly popular address, not (yet) touristy, with a terrace and a small room quickly invaded by a local population in need of meetings and agape. But above all by those who want to dance, have fun, sing, or even take up an instrument to participate... all in an overexcited atmosphere. With a little luck, you will have the opportunity to see the famous Nho Nany who performs there on weekends. On the kitchen side, African flavors on the menu.

A bakery-pastry shop (and delicatessen) run by Portuguese people where you can have breakfast or a coffee with a pastel de nata. The bread is very good, fresh and available in several varieties. The perfect place for a meal on the run or a quick snack, with all kinds of toast on the menu (chicken, cheese, vegetarian), the famous bifana dish, the king of Portuguese snacks, hamburgers and sandwiches freshly made to order. On the strength of its success, the chain has several addresses in town, which are very popular with young people.

A bakery, but not only, because at any time of the day, we serve you a home-made cachupa worthy of the name, perfect for the small hollows, or the dish of the day. The bread rolls are available in all their forms, with seeds or flavored with onion, carrot, chorizo or cinnamon, leaving room for creativity. Thick banana cakes, creamy custards, candied fruit cakes and Portuguese pastéis de nata share the window, on the greedy side.

You can feel the passion for good food as soon as you enter this restaurant. And you come out satisfied: by the quality of the dishes, on the one hand, and the cordial and warm service, on the other hand. So much so that one would almost adopt it as a canteen, the time of a stay. Meat lovers will be delighted by the succulence of the grilled meats, served on the spit, churrasco style. But we don't forget the richness of the sea that surrounds us and what it has to offer: octopus in Lagareiro and bacalhau with a Portuguese touch, all washed down with good wines.

Perched atop the eponymous guesthouse, this restaurant offers magnificent sea views, especially as the sun sets. The large terrace is perfect for two, groups or families, with cocktails and generous dishes. Fish lovers will love the tuna steak on hot stone, one of the highlights of the menu. The menu also features meats, salads, burgers and pastas, not to mention vegetarian options. A warm welcome and a good time ahead.

"Impossible to think well or sleep well if you've eaten badly" is the credo of this restaurant, which doesn't want to belie the adage. The menu is punctuated by Italian cuisine, as the name suggests: some thirty different wood-fired pizzas (including the spicy Demoniaca), focaccia, carpaccio, gnocchi, risotto, bruschetta... the names alone speak of the land of the boot. A quick visit just to enjoy the view? Don't worry, cocktails are also a big part of the menu.

To try it is to adopt it. That seems to be the opinion of many loyal customers of this restaurant run by the affable Luis. Specialities? Colorful dishes based on grilled lobster and shrimp, served in contemporary tableware. And for vegetarians, crispy rice with vegetables presented in the form of skewers... you'd be wrong. Wooden tables set on the cobblestones, invasive plants, but not too many, the perfect setting for a delicious moment in a place heavily steeped in history.

All you have to do is descend a short flight of steps and you're standing on the sand. That's how well-placed this beach hut is, anchored as it is on the pretty Kebra Canela. Both the marine decor and the menu are inspired by the location, the latter featuring dishes such as grilled octopus, shrimp and cod, 100% cliché but a joy to indulge in. In short, simple yet tasteful formulas in this cool spot, best enjoyed on a Sunday lunchtime, for example, and followed by a swim.

Open every day of the week for lunch and dinner, Por do Sol's restaurant will delight your taste buds. On the panoramic terrace overlooking the waves, you can taste the chef's refined preparations: how about a Portuguese-style bacalhau, grilled octopus with mango or a good feijoada de mariscos before going for a walk? And if you feel like taking a nap, the cocooning hanging armchairs invite you to do so.

Taking a well-deserved lunch break and relaxing in a lush green setting is just what you've been longing for. Conveniently located at the end of your hike in the Serra Malagueta park, or at the end of the road if you're traveling by car, you'll meet Marcolina, who's busy cooking up pizzas, fried doughnuts, fish or chicken dishes accompanied by vegetables and rice. Choose from the menu of the day, which includes a drink, dessert and coffee. Good to know: even the bread is homemade.

Gracinha and Zeco will be happy to welcome you in their reasonably priced restaurant and will be happy to take the time to talk with you. The house also offers rooms, simple and comfortable, but nothing prevents you from stopping by just to eat. The menu is of course punctuated by the local fishing, with tuna and grilled octopus regularly appearing on the menu, without forgetting the speciality of which the locals never tire, namely the fried moray eel. Ribeira is a very small village, so don't be surprised if you don't see anyone around...

A vast terrace, a predominantly female team who will grace you with a broad smile and little attentions throughout your meal, it doesn't take much to have a good time. Not forgetting, of course, what's on the plates. These include grilled octopus cooked to perfection, fish fillets with colorful vegetables, the famous Cape Verdean fried moreia , poached pears or flans dripping with caramel for dessert - in short, "dilizia di casa" (the delights of the house)... quite a program!

Climb the few stairs leading to the covered terrace to discover the Esplanada Carlita, the perfect place to cool off right next to the ocean. It's the perfect place to share the signature dishes of the house: seafood rice, percebes or the famous Soada de lagosta, Carlita style. We particularly appreciate the family and good-natured atmosphere, a bit like a vacation home, in short a place where it is easy to make friendly acquaintances while enjoying a meal.

As soon as you enter this sea-facing restaurant, you'll notice a wall of wine bottles. Indeed, it announces the slightly more sophisticated than average category at Cidade Velha. The menu features an eco-friendly wooden menu designed by Luna Arte Design, with fish and seafood in the spotlight: cod, grilled and filleted parrotfish, octopus and lobster. For a more international meal, or for the kids, there are also a dozen pizzas to choose from, ranging from the classic to the more local with local cheese. All in all, a delicious time.

Where there's a beach, there's a fisherman and fresh fish, and this restaurant proudly advertises its speciality. No less than thirteen species are on the menu, including tuna served in cube form, as well as cavala, goraz, sargonete, fatxo, esmoregal and txitxaro, to name but a few. You'll also appreciate the owner's good humor, the friendly atmosphere and the music, which varies from moment to moment. Not to mention that it's also the perfect place to enjoy a refreshing drink and relax after a visit to Cidade Velha.