Among the options, ranging from Porto to Faro, including the Azores and Madeira, there are several restaurants offering unique opportunities, up to half price
Next May 1st, Labour Day, falls on a Monday, so many Portuguese will take the opportunity to enjoy a long weekend away from home. With that in mind, TheFork has prepared a list of ten restaurant suggestions from north to south of Portugal, not forgetting the islands, with options for all tastes and wallets.
From Mediterranean to American, Asian and Italian cuisine; with the city or the sea as a backdrop; in relaxed environments or worthy of a Michelin rating - there are many and varied proposals from Europe's leading reservation platform to turn lunches and dinners during these three days of rest into authentic gastronomic experiences.
Getaways with flavour
If your destination is the North of the country, let's start with Porto, where it is worth visiting the restaurant Almeja, which, in the opinion of the Michelin Guide, "presents a different offer in the city, with an up-to-date menu and a complete tasting menu". This "casual fine dining", whose art is based on the market and small local producers, is also part of TheFork's Insider selection (with the best restaurants of the moment).
Those who can't go to Italy but will stop off in Aveiro can console themselves at Il Libertino, run by Chef Rosmel Mendez, a trendy and city space that brings together colours and flavours with Tuscan inspiration, focusing on fresh pasta. Tortelloni in shrimp stew with coconut milk and Risotto nero with calamari are some of the dishes on the menu not to be missed.
In the neighbouring district, Viseu, attention focuses on one of Chef Rui Paula's restaurants. Overlooking the river and the terraces of vineyards and schist, the DOC Douro offers traditional cuisine with creative touches based on several generations of culinary recipes.
A little further down the Portuguese map, Castelo Branco is not only rich in heritage but also in good restaurants. One of them is the Alkimya, led by Chef Sandra Duarte, which was the big winner of the second edition of the Beira Interior Gourmet competition, in 2022, promoted by Comissão Vitivinícola da Beira Interior. Located more precisely in Covilhã, this restaurant guarantees that 80% of the raw material used in the kitchen is seasonal and endogenous.
Offering a bit of everything for the whole family, Leiria is the region where getaways are enjoyed between the sea and the Pine Forest. But the restaurant suggested by TheFork in this part of the country leaves no room for doubt as to its element: it is located in Peniche, on the Avenida do Mar and has a suggestive name. The fish and seafood are kings at The Marina, of chef Henrique Gomes, which is 30% off the menu, except menus and drinks, on 29th and 30th April.
And because Lisbon can also be a city for rest and leisure, among the various must-stops is the Contrabando, where they serve various regional food specialities between Texas and Mexico. This restaurant, the second most booked by the Portuguese according to the Top50 recently launched by TheFork, is also offering a discount on the menu during the bank holiday weekend, in this case 50%.
A destination for many families on weekend getaways, the Alentejo has unmissable restaurants, such as the Howard’s Folly, in Estremoz, where Chef Hugo Bernardo is based on the philosophy "from the land to the plate", reinventing traditional Portuguese dishes.
The Algarve is also among the first choices when it comes to taking a longer break from everyday life, but the hard part is deciding between so many restaurants in the region. TheFork gives you a hand and proposes a visit to the Asian Monky, in Faro, which favours local products cooked in the same way as in their countries of origin. Another point in its favour is the fact that it has a 30% discount on the menu.
For those who will have the opportunity to travel to the islands, TheFork recommends two restaurants, whose versatility conquers different tastes and palates. In Madeira, more precisely in Funchal, the Casal da Penha is based on traditional, international and Mediterranean cuisine, with the Michelin Bib Gourmand distinction. In the Azores, the restaurant Magma, in Ponta Delgada, is aligned with the concepts of modern cuisine, sustainability and tradition, making 100% use of the island's resources to integrate them in the dishes.
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