35 Best Restaurants in Sintra, the Estoril Coast, and the Setúbal Peninsula, Portugal

Set back from a lively town square overlooking the ocean, Café Filipe entices seafood lovers with its glass displays of enormous fish and colorful crustaceans. Take a seat in the bright dining room or out on the terrace to make the best of those sea views.

A standout on the pedestrianized "Rua Amarela" eating and drinking strip, Cantina Clandestina serves delicious tapas, light meals, and cocktails (try the Clandestina, which combines gin with lemon, basil, and ginger beer) to a relaxed crowd. You can take a seat in the cozy confines of Cantina Clandestina itself, at sister bar-restaurant Taberna Clandestina across the road, or arrive early to grab one of the much-coveted tables on the famous yellow-painted street itself. 

When in town, sweet-toothed visitors should be sure to sample the local specialty called tortas de Azeitão: little sweet sponge cakes filled with an egg-and-cinnamon custard. Stop by this locally famous café to savor some pastries along with a Portuguese coffee or Moscatel wine, with the option to buy a box to enjoy later.

Enjoy colorful salads, seafood, and other light meals with a view over Cascais bay at this laidback bar-restaurant in the center of town. Communal seating, sharing plates, and a lively musical backdrop make for a sociable atmosphere, and the sea breezes blowing through the open windows keep things fresh on hot days. You can book a table on the terrace if you don't fancy group dining.

Not far from the town's main train station, this restaurant's location on one of Sintra's major thoroughfares means that it is always busy. The dining room is elegantly lighted with crisp linens on the tables, but the favorite seats are on the street. While the á la carte options are reasonably priced, it's the three-course set lunches that are the best value.

In the middle of gorgeous gardens, this unusual restaurant occupies a lovingly restored traditional windmill perched on a cliff overlooking the ocean. The outdoor seating area has different seating areas tumbling down the cliff and shaded by pines and flowering cacti. The food has Mexican and Middle Eastern accents, with excellent vegetarian options along with the fresh fish synonymous with the Portuguese coast.

Superior seafood and steaks come with equally impressive sea views at this highly regarded restaurant in Guincho that attracts everyone from rock stars to heads of state. Situated right at the edge of the ocean, the terrace is the perfect spot for taking in those amazing ocean views. There are now branches in Lisbon and Troia, but this is the original and best-loved. 

Fresh fish and seafood fill the menu at this relaxed restaurant filled with lobster traps, fishing nets, and other maritime-related artifacts. The bacalhau assado (baked salt cod) is one of the specialties of the house, but there are usually also one or two vegetarian options, such as a salad with tofu and asparagus.

Though not right on the ocean, this is an excellent option for for seafood lovers. The extensive menu offers a wide variety of mixed shellfish or grilled fish platters to share, including regional favorites like sapateira recheada (whole stuffed stone crab) and lagosta (spiny lobster).

Popular though it may be, this longtime favorite remains an unpretentious and inexpensive option for its spectacular food and friendly service. Including much more than the seafood found in most local eateries, the menu features dishes from every region in Portugal. Get here early, as competition for the outdoor tables is fierce in summer.

In the heart of old-town Cascais, Santini Cascais has what many people consider to be the country's best Italian-style gelato. Branches have now opened across Lisbon and in Porto, but Santini Cascais is where it all began when Attilio Santini opened his ice cream parlor on the beach back in 1949.

This highly regarded seafood spot has sea views, speedy service, and a bright, modern interior with lots of colorful mosaics. Grab a table on the esplanade to dine with the sea breeze in your hair and magical sunsets over the crashing waves just steps away. Sushi and grilled fish are the specialities, but there are plenty of vegetarian and vegan options too.

The huge queues that form outside this tiny, family-run tavern are a testament to the fact that the fish served here is far and away the best in town. There's no menu, but the daily catch is written on a blackboard and cooked to perfection on a charcoal grill out on the flagstones.

Offering a vegan alternative to Sesimbra's many fish and seafood restaurants, Aloha Café serves delicious plant-based breakfasts, brunches, and light meals. Expect an abundance of fresh seasonal fruits and vegetables alongside vegan versions of classic desserts like cheesecake and pudim (a sweet flan usually made with egg). More substantial dishes include a different set meal every day, and a delicious vegan burger made with portobello mushrooms and smoked tofu. The cozy interior is pure rustic-chic, but on sunny days you'll want to take a seat on the terrace to enjoy the unobstructed ocean views.

One of several well-established restaurants behind the fish market, Beira Mar has won a string of awards for the quality of its fish and seafood. An impressive glass display shows off the best of the day's catch sold by weight. The just-caught local fish cooked on a charcoal grill is always a crowd pleaser.

This restaurant—a glassed-in wooden cabana built in the sand dunes—has a laid-back beach vibe with colorful pillows, swinging hammocks, and weathered wooden tables. The menu is strong on daily fish specials.

There are plenty of other pizza joints in Cascais, but locals will tell you Caffe Itália is the best of the bunch. In its indoor dining rooms or on its sunny terrace you can choose from a range of authentic thin-crust pizzas and fresh homemade pasta dishes.

Inside white stucco walls beneath a barrel-tile roof, this tavern is said to be one of the oldest in Portugal. The interior has exposed brick walls, expansive windows, and a huge fireplace that keeps the place cozy in cooler weather. The menu is Portuguese with a French accent, and the fair prices ensure a steady flow of locals alongside the daytrippers.

"House of the Endless Sea" serves deliciously fresh seafood, burgers and light meals accompanied by excellent craft beers and an amiable clientele. The informal restaurant is popular with local trail runners and cyclists, who stop here to refuel after a hard day's endorphin-boosting exercise. 

Casa Santiago founder Virgilio Santiago declared himself Rei do Choco Frito ("King of Fried Cuttlefish") when he opened his restaurant doors in 1974. It’s a bold claim in a city which prides itself on the dish, but Setúbal locals back it up. Queues snake out the door at lunchtime: reservations aren't accepted, so get here early if you don’t want to stand in line in the hot sun.

In a half-timbered building, this family-run restaurant features baronial surroundings of burnished wood, heavy drapes, and oak beams that have played host to royalty, high-ranking politicians, and celebrated authors. The menu spans continents, with everything from French to Indian and Indonesian selections.

This pastelaria has been serving delicious cakes, pastries, and other goodies since 1934, and is  more popular now than ever. It serves full meals at lunch, but the real pleasure comes in taking your pick from the glass display cases of custard tarts and other confections before sitting down to devour them alongside an espresso, fresh juice, or glass of Portuguese wine.

One of the city's first wine shops, Loja do Vinho has a cozy cellar lined with hundreds of bottle from all over the world. Plates of cured meats, boards of local cheeses, and bowls overflowing with olives make good companions to the many varieties of wine on offer here or on the tiny outdoor terrace. If you enjoy the bottle you had with your meal, you can buy another to take home.

One of the best oceanside restaurants in nearby Praia das Maçãs, glass-fronted Neptuno is where sandy-footed diners can feast on freshly grilled fish that was swimming in the surf just hours before. Try the octopus ceviche, and the seafood-rich arroz de marisco.

Long gone are the days when vegetarians and vegans would struggle to find enticing dining options in seafood-focused Setúbal. Gentrification has brought with it a raft of vegetarian restaurants, and the centrally-located O Canteiro has been a firm favorite with health-conscious diners since it opened in 2016. Take your pick from a huge range of meat-free breakfast and brunch options, or go all-out at the excellent value lunch buffet, which includes tempting desserts and fresh fruit juice. The menu is updated daily, but expect colorful salads, quiches, and crunchy falafel, as well as plant-based versions of lunch staples like hotdogs and burgers.

Tucked away in the valley of Serra de Louro, down the road from Palmela, o Gaiteiro is a picturesque place to relax with a drink. There are two distinctly different cafés on the property: a winter one on the lower end among the pines with cozy seating, and a summer one perched on a small cliff with glassed-in walls and a balcony that faces the forested hills. There's a large and enticing pool with a glorious backdrop, surrounded by sun loungers which can be rented for the afternoon during the summer months.