19 Best Restaurants in Estremadura and the Ribatejo, Portugal

The "Old Donkey" may be a relative newcomer to downtown Batalha, but its recipe of traditional dishes and an informal, modern ambience has won over locals and visitors alike. All ingredients are fresh and organic when possible, and there is a range of house-made breads, as well as an excellent choice of wines. Try any of the fresh fish dishes or a hearty meat option. 

This is Almeirim's most popular traditional restaurant, thanks to its excellent grilled meats—lamb and pork as well as steak—and of course the sopa da pedra, which O Toucinho claims to have reinvented back in the 1960s. It is run by a former forcado (one of the bullfighters who literally grab the animal by the horns)—as the bull's heads and bullfight posters will remind you.

The date on the sidewalk out front reads 1922, which was when the Sousa family opened this attractive little restaurant next to the old arched bridge. Carrying on the family tradition, the kitchen turns out great quantities of hearty regional fare. Try the fritada de gambas (fried prawns), filetes de pescada (hake fillets in batter), cabrito assado (roast kid), or arroz de polvo (octopus rice stew). For dessert, there's the local specialty, fatia de Tomar, made in-house with only egg yolks, sugar, and water.

Noted for bacalhau and octopus dishes as well as more traditional local meats, this restaurant's dishes are an excellent value. On Saturday there is a hearty buffet (€20), and on Sunday, people come from far and near for the cozido de carnes bravas à Ribatejana (stew made with meat from local bulls). 

With a name that is Portuguese for "fireplace," this elegant, spacious restaurant is nestled in pinewoods between Caldas da Rainha and the Foz do Arelho beach; it's a favorite with locals for special occasions. Try the tornedó de novilho tenderloin with one of various sauces. Seek assistance to get the best from the 300-strong wine list. Note that weekend meals are more expensive than the €12.50 set menu on weekdays.

Near the town's bullring, this typical Ribatejo restaurant is decked out with bullfighting memorabilia. The ensopado de borrego (lamb stew) is renowned, as is the mangusto com bacalhau assado (a garlicky bread-and-cabbage concoction accompanying roasted codfish). Consider accepting the couvert, featuring cornbread with chouriço and orelha de porco (pig's ear, cooked with herbs). For dessert, ask for the celestes Santa Clara (almond cakes) or arrepiados de Almoster (almond meringues)—among the many local sweets invented by medieval monks and nuns.

From the upstairs dining room and terrace of this rustic tavern, enjoy a lovely view of the village's rooftops and the countryside beyond. This isn't a quiet hideaway—Alcaide draws many hungry patrons, especially from May through October—but the food  is always prepared and served with flair. Filete de sardinha assada em broa (roasted sardines on corn bread) is a tasty starter, and great main dishes include the requinte de bacalhau (cod with a cheese, chestnut, and apple stuffing) or the tornedó com queijo da Serra (steak with creamy rustic cheese). Desserts include a traditional toucinho do céu ("heavenly" almond cake) and an English-style summer pudding with mixed berries.

Serving beer, seafood, and other traditional fare since 1946, this lively local is a Torres Vedras institution. In addition to shellfish and octopus rice, favorites include squid kebabs, chargrilled meats, and roast bacalhau. For dessert, their classic caramel-covered pudim flan is hard to beat. The restaurant's trendier (and pricier) neighbor Taberna 22 has a wide selection of starters, grilled fresh fish and filet mignon, plus a range of fine wines.

The dishes of the day at this bustling second-floor restaurant are excellent value, and the house wine—from a local producers' cooperative—goes down well, too. Some tables in the main dining room have views of the monastery, but at peak times you may be seated on the covered terrace in back. Try the house bacalhau (fried with onions and tomato), roast octopus, barbecued squid, or lamb chops.

This family-run restaurant opposite the Vila Galé draws a crowd for its fresh seafood and fish—the latter grilled over charcoal by the owner. The two dozen seats in the original dining room weren't nearly enough space, so the place added a second dining room that's decorated in smart beach-house style.

One of Fátima's longest-established restaurants (open since 1968), this place just outside the inner ring road is above all known for the quality of its grilled meat and fish. The vine-shaded esplanade is another big draw, creating a real family ambience. Leisurely lunches—either outside or in the wood-and-stone dining room—are made possible by the fact that the kitchen keeps going throughout the afternoon. Top sellers include tender vitela Mirandesa steak and bacalhau à lagareiro (cod baked with onions, potatoes, and olives).

Just across from the Palácio Nacional de Mafra, the Pastelaria Fradinho is a welcome respite from the rigors of sightseeing. Light, cheerful, and adorned with tiles, the café is famed for its delicious homemade pastries including the little egg-and-almond tarts called, predictably, fradinhos (little friars).

A big brick fireplace, wood paneling, and stone walls set the mood in this cozy hunter's lodge, where the food is simple, but portions are hearty and the flavors are tantalizing. This is the best place in town for fresh game, especially codorniz and coelho (rabbit), which comes casserole-style with rice or potatoes.

In this warren of stone-flagged rooms, authentic regional dishes are served with flair to well-heeled patrons. Specialties at the old town spot include churrasquinho de porco preto com migas de alheira de caça (grilled meats from the acorn-fed Iberian black pig, served with a bread-crumb-and-garlic-sausage mixture flavored with game sausage) and partridge rice. Braver diners might try cabidela de galo (chicken cooked in blood) or lamprey, when it is in season.

This renowned Thai restaurant near Bombarral is just down the road from the gardens at Buddha Eden. In a spacious former winery, the smiling staff serve the real deal: prawn or beef salad brimming with fruit, and specialties such as tom yan kung (spicy soup with shrimp, lemongrass and mushrooms) and gaeng kiaw wan kai (green curry with chicken and coconut).

Photos of satisfied patrons testify to the popularity of this rustic restaurant run by the great-grandson of the original owner, offering hearty traditional fare at low prices. Specialties—in servings large enough for two—include toiro bravo (wild bull) and entrecosto com arroz de feijoca (spareribs with red beans and rice), but the menu is overhauled daily. The restaurant now has several offshoots in the region, one of them in the Santarém Hotel.

Gourmets come from far and wide to the village of Negrais, 15 km (9 miles) south of Mafra, to sample the suckling pig served there and wash it down with frisante (lightly sparkling wine). There are several local specialists, but "Aunt Alice" has led the herd for more than 25 years. Climb the stairs to the airy second-floor dining room, with its artsy decor, for a perfectly crisped roast, usually accompanied by round potato fries, orange slices, and salad. Fans of nose-to-tail eating can instead opt for arroz de miúdos (rice made with offal). There are also non-pork alternatives, such as bacalhau and steak.