The best cafes and restaurants in Carvoeiro
- Anna Rijnders
- Nov 15, 2024
- 7 min read
Updated: Jun 6
If you're staying in the beautiful beach town of Carvoeiro and looking for the best places to eat, you've come to the right place. From the perfect sunset cocktail to traditional Portuguese cuisine, I've got you covered with the top cafes, bars, and restaurants in and around Carvoeiro. Whether you're in the mood for a romantic dinner or a laid-back lunch with friends, there's something for everyone. So, check out my list of favorite local food and drink spots, and get ready to indulge in some of the best bites in the Algarve.
The Garden
Dinner
Enjoy the tasty food at this nicely designed restaurant in the center of Carvoeiro—it's just my style! With its friendly vibe, comfortable seating, and excellent food, this place offers the best dining experience in town. I strongly recommend it. In addition to their fresh fish and meat dishes, their menu has a few creative vegan and vegetarian options. As a fan of plant-based meals, I really appreciate their unique choices (especially in Portugal!).
Have a look at their instagram for an impression.
Food | Dinner |
Best time to visit | Dinner time |
Best thing | Ambiance and high quality food |
Decadente
Cocktails, drinks and bites 🍸
Located in de heart of Praia do Carvoeiro, you'll find this cute little cafe named Decadente. The patio terrace is perfect for enjoying a good glass of wine or a cocktail with some sardines and olives. There is also a cute and stylish concept store inside that is perfect for buying presents to bring home with you. I especially love this cafe in fall and winter time. They always have a cozy fire burning on the enclosed patio to keep you warm after sunset!
Food | Small snacks |
Best time to visit | Before or after dinner for drinks |
Best thing | Ambiance on the patio and cocktails |
GumTree
Dinner
Located in the center of Carvoeiro, right across from The Garden, you'll find this charming, traditional restaurant. While I really enjoy the perfectly grilled fresh fish here, this place also has a varied menu to please all tastes. Whether you love seafood or prefer other choices, this restaurant has something for everyone.
Have a memorable dinner on Friday nights with beautiful Fado music. On warm summer nights, the restaurant's terrace by the pool offers a calm and welcoming atmosphere. The friendly service from the staff makes the experience even better.
Have a look at their instagram for an impression.
Food | Dinner |
Best time to visit | Dinner time |
Best thing | Ambiance and high quality food |
Rei das Praias
Sunset drinks, lunch and dinner
If you love drinks by the ocean (and seriously, who doesn't?), this is the perfect place to go. Located just between the beach towns of Carvoeiro and Ferragudo, you'll find this cute beach bar/restaurant. The roof terrace is a wonderful place to enjoy a late lunch and a glass of Vinho Verde with a view of the clear blue ocean and beautiful golden cliffs. They also serve excellent fresh seafood for dinner, and you can sit either inside or outside; both are atmospheric and have a beautiful view of the ocean.
Food | Lunch and dinner |
Best time to visit | During day time so you can enjoy the view |
Best thing | The view and fresh fish |
O Pescador
Dinner, lunch and drinks
With an amazing view, stylish interior and cozy ambience, this is one of my favorite restaurants in the region. It's located just outside of Carvoeiro near Praia do Benagil. The restaurant has a beautiful view across the Atlantic and Praia do Benagil and serves great local fresh (sea) food and wines. I can only recommend!
Food | Fresh fish and Portuguese cuisine |
Best time to visit | Lunch and dinner |
Best thing | The view and ambiance |
Levels
Cocktails, bites, lunch & dinner
If you love watching the ocean whilst enjoying your sunset drink, Levels is the perfect cafe to unwind from a beach day. It situated right on the the main beach of Carvoeiro and has a beautiful view of the ocean. Despite its somewhat touristy location, the service, ambiance and food is refreshingly good.
Food | Bites, lunch, dinner |
Best time to visit | All day |
Best thing | The view and ambiance |
Edd's Beach
All day
Experience the sunshine, feel the ocean breeze, and enjoy good food at this small and stylish beach club and restaurant with a breathtaking ocean view in the Algarve. Located between the charming towns of Ferragudo and Carvoeiro, Edd's Beach the perfect place to unwind, enjoy the pool, beautiful views of the sea and friendly service and good food.
Food | Lunch, bites, dinner, drinks |
Best time to visit | Dinner time |
Best thing | Ambiance and food |
Quinta dos Santos
Lunch, wine & bites, diner
Just 3 kilometres outside of Carvoeiro, this vineyard restaurant is the perfect place to relax. The terrace has amazing views of the vineyard and is super comfy—shady and cool in the summer, but sunny and sheltered in winter. It’s a bit pricey, but worth it!
Food | Lunch, bites & wine, dinner |
Best time to visit | Lunch time |
Best thing | View of the vineyard |
Earth cafe
Lunch, coffee and cakes
This cute little cafe has a nice view overlooking the valley and the beautiful ocean. It's the perfect place for an almond cappuccino, homemade scones, Portuguese almond pie or avocado on toast. They have a variety of smoothies and serve many vegetarian or vegan options.
Check out their Instagram.
Food | Lunch and cakes |
Best time to visit | During daytime |
Best thing | The fresh cakes and veggie/vegan options |
O Stop
Lunch and an afternoon beer
O Stop is a cafe/restaurant 5 minutes outside the town centre of Carvoeiro. The cafe is situated at the beautiful beach of Praia do Vale de Centeanes. They serve local seafood and I very much recommend their octopus salad. Order a Vino Verde with it and your life is complete. 😉 One of the best things about this cafe is the outdoor terrace on the beach sheltered from the wind. Who doesn't love their feet in the sand and looking at the ocean whilst enjoying a freshly caught lunch?
Food | Lunch and dinner |
Best time to visit | Day time to enjoy the beautiful beach |
Best thing | The beach and octopus salad |
Bar Bacchus - Porches Pottery
Coffee, cake and lunch
Porches pottery is a traditional Portuguese pottery about a 5-10 minute drive from Carvoeiro. Here you enter an oasis of Portuguese ceramics. Tiles, plates, wall decoration, tea pots and more is all to be found right here in this beautiful place. There is also a really cute little cafe, called Bar Bacchus next to the pottery. They serve the best carrot cake I've ever had in my life here! The cafe is perfect to sit outside on a hot sunny day in the shade of the bougainvillea enjoying your coffee or late lunch.
Have a look at their website.
Food | Lunch and cakes |
Best time to visit | Lunch and afternoon |
Best thing | The pottery and carrot cake |
Villa di Medici
Dinner and drinks
Ok. Going for Italian food on your holiday in Portugal might seem a little weird but the food here is super good! It's a great restaurant to go in low season when it's a little colder outside as they have a nice ambiance inside with many fire places. The service is excellent.
Food | Italian |
Best time to visit | Dinner |
Best thing | The fooooood |
Donna Maria
Dinner and drinks
Right on the beach square in Carvoeiro you'll find the cute tiny restaurant, Donna Maria. A small Italian restaurant with a terrace overlooking the town center and beach. When evenings get colder off season, this place is perfect for enjoying dinner outdoors. The comfy and cozy terrace outside is heated on the colder evenings. I recommend to order the ameijoas (clams), they're amazing!
* This place is from the same owner as Vila di Medici and the food is quite similar. For this reason I would not recommend eating trying both places two days in a row.
Food | Italian |
Best time to visit | Lunch and dinner |
Best thing | The location and wine |
Avô Casimiro (Portimão)
Tapas (dinner)
My absolute number 1 in the region when it comes to traditional food!! It's about a 15 minute drive from Carvoeiro, but so worth it! You have to be okay with eating lots of shellfish and seafood but if you do, this is the best local Portuguese food you'll ever have (promise). The super tiny restaurant is tucked away in one of Portimão's cobbled city centre streets. No tourists, no English, just Portuguese locals and local freshly caught food. I can only recommend!
Food | Portuguese amazingnesss! |
Best time to visit | Dinner |
Best thing | Just try everything!! |
Club Nau
Lunch, drinks, dinner
On the beautiful beach of Praia Grande in Ferragudo, 10 minutes from Carvoeiro, there is one of my favorite places to go for sunset drinks and dinner. Enjoy a cocktail and (also vegetarian) sushi on the beach! The perfect place to kick back and out after a bug salty day. They have many veggie and vegan options, good service and live music on the weekends!
Food | Fusion |
Best time to visit | Cocktails and dinner |
Best thing | The view! |
Gaspacho & Migas
Dinner
In the centre of Lagoa, just a few minutes from Carvoeiro, you'll find this cute little restaurant with a big menu. It is nothing short of a gastronomic dream!
They opened in February 2021 and are already the TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice 2021 winner. This tiny Portuguese restaurant is all about breathing new life into traditional Algarve recipes. The restaurant has a cozy atmosphere with a modern interior. It's a fine dining experience. I found the menu to be varied with a range of meat, fish, seafood and vegan and vegetarian dishes.
Food | Fine dining |
Best time to visit | Dinner |
Best thing | The octopus |
If you’re looking for the perfect place to eat with amazing ocean views in a beautiful beach location, make sure to check out my favorite restaurants in the Algarve with the best ocean views.
Besides the great restaurants in Carvoeiro there is so much more to do. So check it out! 👇
