The best restaurants ÎLES AU VENT BARLAVENTO

O Curral is a small barn-like café on the side of the road from Ribeira de Paúl to Passagem, about 1 km after Passagem, on the right, in the village of Chã de João Vaz. You can of course taste the grogues while eating a cachupa, traditional dishes and other bean stews, enough to satiate yourself after a trek. For the ecologists, the organic vegetables come from the farm and the cheeses are 100% local. The place is authentic and well worth a stop in the middle of the mountains.

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 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.

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.

Looking for a vacation in Sal, away from the big resorts? To enjoy the island and its beaches in peace and quiet, and to see things from a different angle. There's a little corner of paradise hidden away in the bay of Murdeira: a bar-restaurant for a quick bite to eat, walks along the seafront, water sports, or simply relaxing in a little haven of peace. Enjoy the calm of the waves, admire one of the most beautiful sunsets on the island. And that's not all: 2 villas with sea and pool views are also available.

The setting? Magnificent! In front of the pool, with a panoramic view of Mindelo Bay. The concept? Environmental! Here, we pride ourselves on sourcing products as closely as possible, using as few fossil fuels as possible and focusing on organic produce. As for the dishes, chef Lala offers a wide range of options (meat, fish, vegetarian) and brilliantly invents her own compositions. For a convivial dinner with friends, for example, original tapas are the perfect accompaniment to aperitifs. Whatever you choose, the magic happens.

Close to Laginha beach, the U Sabor restaurant offers cuisine with American, Cape Verdean and, above all, Italian influences. Pasta and bruschetta à la carte, of course, but also the best pizzas in town, topped with fresh produce straight from the oven. And for those with a sweet tooth, their "little cake" dessert is a poem! The setting is idyllic, overlooking the bay, and the atmosphere festive. It's also a great place to come and watch a match on their giant screen while sipping a drink. We love U Sabor!

A view of the sea while eating, a beautiful sunset while sipping um caipé (caipirinha), is tempting? If so, head to Nanda's Place, where the atmosphere is so good-natured that it almost feels like family. On the menu, you'll find a wide choice of dishes, from sharing platters to pizzas for all tastes, as well as meat and fish dishes such as maracuja pork and seafood rice, to name but a few.

Who doesn't appreciate being welcomed like at home? At Casa Maracuja, that's what happens with Hetty, who welcomes you to her typical restaurant with a huge smile as if you'd been friends forever. The cuisine here is 100% local and family-style: cachupa, octopus, grilled tuna, homemade ice cream and flambéed bananas for dessert are just some of the delights on offer. Choose the terrace for the space, the fresh air and the view. The house also prepares excellent cocktails... with maracuja, of course.

L'Esplanada Blackfish is the restaurant on the terrace of the Musée de la Marine. It's quiet, it's clean, it's simple and it's tasty, with healthy dishes geared towards marine flavors - don't miss the tuna carpaccio. The service is impeccable, and the setting quite pleasant, all for a more than reasonable price. Open late in the evenings, with musical evenings sometimes programmed for Saturday nights. What more could you ask for?

Right next to the port, in the heart of the town center, this restaurant-bar is a lively place, especially on weekends. You can eat tapas and pizzas (5 choices, including spicy salami or pineapple shrimp), but most people come here for a drink with friends, with a particular predilection for colorful cocktails. Evenings are planned in the ground-floor discotheque, with zouk, kizamba, disco... galore on the program. Good to know: for those who opt for a TV evening at the hotel, the house provides delivery.

Next door to Sandro's is a restaurant where visitors are greeted by the broadest of smiles, that of Adi and Juju. From the covered terrace, there's a superb panorama over the valley, which you can enjoy while eating a good meal, whether it's barbecued fish or other regional dishes. Apart from the rice and fish, it's worth noting that all the produce comes from the local area, with chickens frolicking in the neighboring field and vegetables grown on site. Everything is fresh, organic, full of flavor and homemade.

It is a good restaurant that prepares a tasty arroz arroz (800 CVE), rice with seafood. The restaurant is often complete. The rooms are mixed there with tourists. It's kind of nice local canteen, but very small and fast packed. The kitchen is very simple but quite correct. The walls are covered with feedback from former clients past Par Pau!

The way there is a bit tricky to find, but you can get help... In favor of solidarity tourism, this is a place where you can experience local culture and Cape Verdean cuisine, perfect for relaxing and taking a gourmet break. Surrounded by plantations, fruit and vegetables, the establishment boasts a beautiful bucolic terrace. Sit back, enjoy the view and savor the delicious home-cooked dishes. Don't miss the yam purée, their specialty, accompanied by mango juice, and you'll be won over. Recognized by the Slow Food organization.

On the coastal avenue, Casa Café Mindelo is an old Portuguese building nicely restored with a large lounge with red wooden floor. It is known for its excellent cachupa, but especially for its cultural events and live music played almost every night. The place has become a must-see tourist spot in Mindelo, but locals still frequent it and the food and atmosphere live up to its reputation. A selection of tapas, including chouriço and caldo, can satisfy a small hunger at any time.

The only restaurant on the beach of Ponta Preta. Eat fresh fish, désaltérez yourself and admire the best known wave in Cape Verde. The place belongs to a French, former world champion of windsurfing. Simple but assured benefits.

Frequented by the locals, the atmosphere is typically portuguese. Small terrace overlooking the rue Lisboa.

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.

In a landscape made of rocks and dirt, a little in the middle of nowhere, stands the Hamburg, a small traditional restaurant, with kitsch decoration, which offers good fish. After a walking tour of the volcano, it is nice to have a drink to relax in this blue house. However, take your time because the wait is often long, but the copious dishes (a tasty moray eel for example) come to compensate for what is seen as an inconvenience for some, normality for others. Good value for money.

In Ribeira Grande, it is a small canteen of regulars located a few steps away from the main street and the gas station, where you will appreciate the family and good atmosphere. The dishes offered are all from the Cape Verdean tradition dear to the locals: garoupa, atum estofado, croquettes, feijoada, lulas guisadas, to name but a few, all at very democratic prices. To sit down and enjoy your plate, you have a choice: service in the room, in the café or even the mini patio, in the open air.

Didier welcomes you for breakfast and lunch, or simply for a drink, in a shady patio next to the French Alliance. A pleasant place to take a break. You can also consult the cultural activities and festivities program.

Specialized in fish and seafood, this restaurant is very popular with the islanders. To find it, it is easy, it is located next to the night-club A Cave, at the top of the street. The service and the welcome are excellent and the traditional Cape Verdean dishes are tasty and copious. Cherry on the cake, concerts are given there every evening, except on Sunday. All in all, a very good table, in a hushed atmosphere, brightened up by the music. The restaurant is regularly full, which is a good sign.

A kind of local canteen where regulars and curious visitors mix, this restaurant is above all famous for its beautiful atmosphere and its very coveted live concerts. As for the cuisine, it offers a rather good Cape Verdean and Italian menu with pizzas galore. The plates are large, the portions generous and a buffet is sometimes set up at lunchtime, satisfying all appetites. Try it, if only to drink a honeyed grogue or a homemade caipirinha while listening to music. After all, it's called the Cocktail...

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!

The blue building is very easy to find, overlooking the sea and offering a magnificent view. From there, you can see, from the front row, the fishermen getting ready to go to sea or to come back, loaded with their catch of the day. There is no theatrical decor here, but the kindness makes up for this. Fresh fish dishes are on the menu, in short a simple and efficient cuisine. A good address also to have a drink at sunset.

Close to the municipal market, the Gaudi restaurant serves Cape Verdean and Portuguese dishes, as well as African and European specialities in a family atmosphere. Fish and seafood, meat dishes and local cheese are all on the menu. The Gaudi is also a brasserie and prepares sandwiches, salads and pastries throughout the day. There are no bad surprises here, and you get away with a rather honest bill. And as everywhere in Mindelo, live concerts are scheduled at the end of the week.

For a change from Cape Verdean cuisine, why not opt for the Italian cuisine that is in the spotlight here: in addition to pasta and pizza, one of the specialities is bruschetta, which you can compose yourself and choose the length. Or you can confidently choose the other dish that is a huge success, namely the tuna and citrus fruit puff pastry. For dessert, we finish with the curious chocolate salami. The terrace is pleasant, with comfortable armchairs, and a guitarist is brought in at night to make sure you have a good time.

Restaurant located along the Rue de l'Independence, in the city centre. There is a lot of time to drink a glass of wine from Fogo. Good food and not expensive at all. Wifi for customers. A nice address.

Restaurant at Residence Victoria. Very good portuguese cuisine, the reception is also Cape and warm. The staff were very helpful. A cheap address, just a few steps from the port.

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.

This restaurant belongs to the hotel of the same name. From its large, pleasant terrace on the upper floor, you have a direct view of the island of São Vicente and its expanse of mountains. Given the scarcity of places to eat in town, you'll appreciate the opportunity to eat good, healthy food in this space run by a seasoned, efficient team who know what they're talking about. The menu features simple but tasty options, such as grilled chicken, fish or salads, always accompanied by colorful root vegetables, in keeping with local tastes.

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.