The best restaurants Santa Maria

Quality, freshness of products and conviviality are the watchwords of this restaurant run by Lourdes, a French-speaking Portuguese woman. At the stove while her husband Carlos goes fishing for the fish that will be served in your plate, she has created a family spirit mixed with a summer atmosphere. Her famous sweet crepe or the Macarena with caramelized apple is a real treat. However, fish is the speciality of the place and Carlos can organise big game fishing trips for you. The grilled tuna is memorable, but the tataki has recently dethroned it.

Located on the pedestrian street opposite the church, the famous Americo's boasts the distinction of having been the very first restaurant to open its doors in Santa Maria. It has undergone several renovations to become this beautiful, modern, designer restaurant. It's a 100% Cape Verdean, family-run establishment with 3 dining rooms, specializing in lobster (November to May), grilled meats and fish, not forgetting meats (beef matured in a Josper oven). It also boasts the country's largest wine cellar.

Just above the waves that break on the beach, it is the best spot in Sal at cocktail time. Especially since the beer and other drinks are about the same price as elsewhere. As far as meals are concerned, we take the opportunity to discover the specialities of buzios grelhados, calamari or lobsters, depending on the arrival. It is thus also a very good restaurant of European level with impeccable and attentive service. A varied menu guarantees an original and quality meal, rocked by the surf. You're sure to fall in love with the food and the atmosphere.

For the freshest fish, head to George's. George is the head chef, who prides himself on being an authentic self-taught chef who specializes in seafood products, creating grandmotherly recipes that are nonetheless delicious. The place is unsophisticated, but the warm welcome makes up for the simplicity of the setting. On the stove side: the succulent Portuguese caldeirada (fish casserole), shrimps, carpaccio and octopus... lobster lovers, you've also come to the right place!

Probably one of the best cafés in Santa Maria. Subtropical ambience, with recycled pallets for seating, brightly colored cushions, plants galore and a roof made of dried palms. The team also provides books in several languages, ideal for spending a cool moment. The establishment is completely sheltered inside, but tables are also set out on the street. Tuna dishes, vegan dishes, mixed salads, smoothies, ice creams with exotic flavors, all made with organic products, and only organic products.

Cocooning atmosphere for this small restaurant, victim of its success, which changed owners in 2022. Of course, it does not compete with the trendy establishments, but its cheerful team, always attentive, cheerfully orchestrates the service. This restaurant, sheltered from the crowd and 5 minutes from the center of town, offers fresh and seasonal products, starting with the delicious "poke bowls", very much in the air of the time. Singer and guitarist are there for the romantic touch. In short, a place without fuss, as we like them.

This well-regarded restaurant, with its cleverly designed décor, is a cross between a tavern and a family home, serving Creole, Portuguese and European cuisine. The menu is varied and there's something for everyone, including vegetarians. A special mention goes to the excellent filet mignon with mustard sauce, which takes on the air of French cuisine. To top it all off, we'll guide you through the wine list, a selection that includes some of Fogo's finest wines. There's no atmosphere without music, so the house ensures that a live artist is on hand every evening.

The Atlantis restaurant, orchestrated by Vera, offers a breathtaking view of the sea. At lunchtime, salads, pasta, carpaccio and light dishes are served on a magnificent terrace on the beach, where you can enjoy the fresh air. In the evening, the restaurant takes on a more refined decor, and it's in this setting that you'll enjoy tasting specialties of meat, fish, shellfish and lobster in season. Prices are very reasonable, given the quality of the dishes, ambience and service. A great experience guaranteed!

This is one of the lowest-priced restaurants in town. A very typical (and disappearing) restaurant, frequented by many Cape Verdeans, as well as an increasing number of foreign visitors, where Carlos offers a warm welcome and very local cuisine. On Fridays, it serves Santa Maria's most famous cachupa (by order only). The terrace, the best place to sit, is often packed. Here, as elsewhere, you can't escape the slowness of the service, but you can relax and enjoy the moment...

Not far from the main streets, small but very welcoming, the Bom Petisck restaurant boasts family-style cuisine par excellence. Fish, chicken and even vegetarian dishes to suit everyone's tastes are on the menu, all prepared in the Cape Verdean style. A simple tuna dish becomes tasty when transformed by expert hands. Gambas, octopus, peribs and other seafood are absolutely fresh and mingle with rice or spaghetti, satisfying large appetites. Simple, good and effective.

This is one of the oldest restaurants in Santa Maria, perfectly located on the beach. The blue and white decoration is predominant and invites you to taste the specialties of the sea: octopus, shrimp risotto, tuna tartar and other iodized delights. The grilled tuna steak with sesame is a must! The location is really ideal, the view spectacular from the panoramic terrace on the first floor. If you come for lunch, you can watch the ballet of fishermen and fish vendors on the dock.

Located on the left by arriving in Santa Maria, opposite Banco Atlantico, behind Pirata. Very good fish restaurant. Here you can eat fish that are not found elsewhere in Santa Maria. Moreover, German boss Uwe also offers fishing trips at sea during the day. Apprentices will be able to eat the fish themselves for free at the restaurant. Warm welcome.

Italian ice from 150 CVE to 350 CVE.

Bar Restaurante Bia is located in Santa Maria on a very central street. It serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. You'll appreciate its open terrace, where you can enjoy a cuisine that specializes in grilled meats (fish, octopus and meat) served while still steaming, as well as other dishes to suit all tastes. Asian-inspired dishes such as tuna carpaccio, tataki and tuna pica pau are unanimously appreciated. Freshness, flavor, friendliness, speed and affordability... at Bia, all the boxes are ticked.

Foodistas will be delighted when they dine at this small gourmet restaurant, recently relocated to a pretty garden terrace. The elegant setting makes it the ideal place for a romantic dinner for two, or to celebrate a special event. On the plate, a fusion cuisine prepared by a top Italian chef, based on local produce, with a particular emphasis on fish. We're sure you'll fall for the red tuna confit or the revisited lobster. The wine list is nothing short of spectacular. A delicacy for the palate.

Located on an esplanade, in front of the most beautiful beach of the island, this "dancing restaurant" proposes a very varied traditional cuisine with Nha Antonia greenhouse, buzios stew, meat with Fogo wine, fried bananas, charcoal grilled fish, shrimps from Cidade Velha and others. All this accompanied by live music. The owners are musicians and Milú, a singer who has released albums, will invite you to feast after dinner in a joyful atmosphere.

A rather unusual, long restaurant in the center of town. You eat on a patio, where little lights twinkle everywhere, with pasta, smoked fish carpaccio and garlic shrimp on the menu, but the real specialty here is Brazilian beef cooked to perfection. Don't forget to make a reservation, as there are only 24 covers and two services at specific times. To round off the evening in good spirits, don't miss the famous sambuca tchaka tchaka ... quesako?surprise!

A prime location a few steps from the beach, background music that doesn't drown out conversations, indoor tables for those bothered by the wind and plenty of light for this restaurant that inspires calm and tranquility. The varied menu caters to the tastes of foreign visitors: pizza, hamburgers, pasta of all kinds, but also Portuguese cuisine with caldeirada and bacalhau on the menu. A bit of a wait, but everything is freshly prepared to order. What's more, the attentive waiters don't spoil the fun.