The best restaurants Madeira
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Practical information : Eating out Madeira
Timetable
Apart from cafés or snack bars open from morning until evening, restaurants generally open from 10 am or noon and close around 11 pm or midnight. It is not uncommon for them to close a little later on weekends. While some are open every day, summer and winter, the majority of them close on Sundays. The options will then be greatly reduced. It is better to reserve your table at the weekend.
Budget & Tips
For a prego em bolo do caco, count on average 3,50 €. The price of a meal consisting of a soup, a hearty main course, plus bread, drink and dessert (pão, bebida e sobremesa) often varies between €6 and €10 for the cheaper ones (restaurants in modest neighbourhoods offering cheap formulas for employees and workers, self-service and small casas de pasto/cantines and tascas/bistrots-tavernes. For a meal in a restaurant, churrasqueira (grill) or cervejaria (a brasserie serving seafood and fresh fish), the minimum charge is €10-15. All methods of payment are accepted, but small restaurants will sometimes ask you to pay in cash.
What costs extra
We put bread, cheese, olives or a bottle of wine on your table without you even asking for it. Be careful, it's not free! If you touch them, you will be charged for them; otherwise they will be kindly removed from your table. It's hard to resist when you're very hungry, especially with the tempting smell of a hot bolo do caco ... On the menu, the prices are displayed including all taxes. The tip is always welcome.
The local way
Swallow in one milking um bica (espresso) while sitting at the bar. Eat a prego em bolo do caco in an unpretentious snack bar. Treat yourself to a sweet break in one of the capital's many pastries. Buy your fruits and vegetables in the small stalls on the street (cheaper than at the market!).
To be avoided
Be careful, the portions are sometimes generous. Avoid having your eyes bigger than your stomach. Some dishes can fill two stomachs! You can also order half portions (meia dose) to avoid waste.
Kids
Children are welcome in most restaurants, except in sections where a bar license applies. Booster chairs are often available. Many restaurants offer a menu specially prepared for children.
Smokers
As on the mainland, smoking is prohibited in restaurants and other public places. However, it is not a problem to grill one on the terrace.
Tourist traps
In Funchal, they are concentrated in the rua Santa Maria, a touristic artery where good restaurants and very mediocre restaurants are found. The tourist is seduced by a cheap smile and a charming decor. Don't be fooled, follow the guide. Elsewhere on the island, establishments that are street-front (for example, only one restaurant for miles around) and enjoy a breathtaking view sometimes offer just as poor quality, as they have no effort to make to retain customers. You pay for the view, nothing more. Fortunately, this is not true of all establishments. You should also be wary of restaurants that offer a very wide choice on the menu. It's not always a guarantee of quality.