For foodies looking for locally-sourced seasonal food, Madeira’s capital city Funchal has the pick of the island’s best restaurants.
Here’s our handy guide on where to eat in Funchal.
#01 – Beginning at the eastern-end of the city, the Barreirinha Bar and Café has a great seaview and a laid-back atmosphere – a good spot for everything from a quick coffee, a light lunch, or home-made burgers and a DJ set in the evening. Barreirinha certainly feels more lively in the evenings – a friendly locals’ place, ideal for your first taste of Poncha: Madeira’s most famous cocktail of Aguardente de Cana (sugar cane rum) honey, lemon and orange juice.
#02 – Heading down towards the centre of town, you’ll come to one of Funchal’s most historic landmarks – the 17th century Forte de Sao Tigao which once protected Funchal’s harbour. Nowadays it’s home to the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Restaurante Do Forte. The restaurant’s a la carte menu of modern Madeiran cuisine is very reasonably priced, and the staff are super-friendly and knowledgeable. They often host themed evenings with a special menu to match.
#03 – Moving into the old town district – known locally as the Zona Velha, these narrow-cobbled streets with their colourfully painted doors have the highest concentration of restaurants anywhere on the island, and the district has become something of a hub for foodies in recent years. The Restaurante o Portao serves traditional Madeiran cuisine – fresh, seasonal fish based around the catch of the day, and their banna and black scabbard fish is a particular favourite of ours, with a side order of milho frito (fried maize).
#04 – One of our favourite old town restaurants is the Taberna Ruel on Rua de Santa Maria, and it’s distinctive yellow frontage makes it easy to find. The menu is a nice mix of Madeiran and more traditional European – but their excellent wine cellar is all Portuguese. There are tables out on the bustling (pedestrian only) street, indoors under the sturdy stone arches of the old building for a more intimate dinner, or out in the rear courtyard for steaks over hot coals.
#05 – Moving out of the old town, one of our favourite restaurants for décor is Armazém do Sal on Rua da Alfandega. It’s name translates as ‘salt warehouse’, and the restaurant’s preserved oak beams and imposing heavy stone help conjure a strong feel for the building’s past life. More importantly, the food is excellent – trout from Ribeiro Frio and octopus risotto to keep fish lovers happy, and fabulous Iberian pork and lamb from mainland Portugal.
#06 – The Cervaria Madeira is on the city’s seafront Avenida do Mar. Formerly the ‘Grand Café’, it’s revamped itself into an excellent lunch and dinner option which is close to the marina and the Se Cathedral. Happily, they’ve held on to their always-popular gelataria.
#07 -The Mercearia Dona Mecia can be tricky to find but it’s well-worthy searching out. It’s on the pedestrianised Rua dos Aranhas which runs from the La Vie centre down to the Marina shopping centre on the Avenida Arriga. The Mercearia’s a lovely courtyard café which is perfect for a shady lunchstop, and they have a delicatessen where you can pick-up Madeiran produce as gifts for family and friends.
#08 – The Ritz on the Avenida Arriaga is one of the island’s oldest open-air cafes (dating back to 1910). Location is everything and you’ll inevitably pass by the Ritz during your time in the city – Arriaga is a lively street and the Ritz as a landmark is a good meet-up point. It’s not the cheapest restaurant in the city but they have a nice mixed menu of local dishes. Where they do stand out is with their confectionary – their cakes are sensational.
#09 – Moving into the west of the city, the Restaurante Casa Velha is dwarfed by the large, multi-story hotels which have sprang up around it over the last thirty years. Both the menu and the décor offer a homely, Madeiran feel that’s missing from those oversized modern hotel complexes, and if you’re staying at Quinta da Penha Franca, it’s just a minute’s walk away.
#10 – Last but not least: the Sabores da Nossa Ilha is a food court in miniature, with Mexican, Italian and Madeiran cuisine all under one roof. It’s busy and noisy but in fun way (maybe not the venue for a quiet, intimate dinner for two), and it’s hidden behind the behemoth that is the Savoy Palace Hotel.
Our where to eat guides are based on first-hand experience and our love of great Portuguese cuisine:
Our Funchal Food Tour
Where to eat on Madeira
Where to eat in Ponta Delgada
Our Ponta Delgada Food Tour
Where to eat on Sao Miguel – Sete Cidades and the west
Where to eat on Sao Miguel – the north coast
Where to eat on Sao Miguel – Furnas and the east
Where to eat on Sao Miguel – the south coast
Where to eat in Angra
Where to eat on Terceira
Where to eat on Faial
Where to eat on Sao Jorge
Where to eat on Flores, Corvo and Santa Maria
Where to eat in Lisbon
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