The Best Restaurants in ALGARVE

The Algarve, Portugal’s southernmost region, has a lot to offer with its sunny Mediterranean climate and beach and golf resorts. But it can be difficult to choose where to eat as tourist traps abound. It is home to some of the world’s best seafood and fish, as well as great piri piri chicken. It’s the land of beautiful countryside, stunning beaches, natural parks where shellfish thrive (Ria Formosa) and a culture enriched by its Moorish past. Silves, the former capital of the Algarve, concentrates most of the heritage, but traces can be found everywhere, even in such iconic dishes as cataplanas, the xarém and in some desserts. The Seafood Festival each August in Olhão is a highlight for seafood lovers, as this traditional fishing town has some of the finest seafood in the country. The region gets really busy in summer and often it’s difficult to get a table. It’s a good idea to go before Portuguese eating hours, 1 p.m. at lunch or 8 p.m. in the evening, as some places don’t accept bookings.