13 Best Restaurants in Madeira, Portugal

This excellent coffee shop has a few branches across Funchal, but the best has to be the one on Rua da Conceição, where chairs spill out onto an unnamed square that's cobbled in black and white stripes. Small tables under shady parasols provide the perfect rest stop to grab a bica (espresso) and a pastel de nata (custard tart); step inside and you'll see row upon row of neatly presented cakes and tarts laid out in the chilled counters like gems in a jewelry box.

A café by day and bar by night, Barreirinha is popular with the locals no matter what time of day you visit. This is partly thanks to its menu of easy-to-eat items like burgers, sandwiches, burritos, and salads, and partly due to its location on a hillside with small outside tables on the terrace overlooking the ocean; huge white parasols shade you from the Madeiran sun while local musicians keep the atmosphere lively.

From the road, this restaurant doesn't look like much: a fading yellow building with a few signs outside to attract the tourists; step inside and you'll be blown away by the views of the valley from the balcony in the rear. There's a huge wood oven where they grill whole chickens, serving the tender meat with generous bowls of bolo do caco.

A classic spot to sit back and relax, this quaint tea shop specializes in various herbal and fruit teas, as well as coffees, cakes, and light lunches, that you can enjoy at outdoor tables facing a pretty square. You can pick up teas to take home, too.

This laid-back beach bar on the sandy shores of Praia da Fontinha is one of the best places on Porto Santo to soak up the island spirit. Parasols made of dried grass shade the tables, which sit directly on the sand; kick off your shoes, grab a cold beer, and watch the waves lap gently on the shore.

This is one of Funchal's coolest café-bars; it's a great spot to hole up for a coffee, cocktail, or even a full meal. Nestled behind the Museu de Arte Sacra, there's outdoor seating facing the delightful main square.

This storefront eatery is far from fancy—from the outside you might mistake it for a takeout joint—but the wooden benches just inside the door are always crowded because of its excellent oven-roasted chicken, served with salad and fries. It also serves home-baked bread.

The inexpensive lunch specials at this streamlined dining room, just behind the municipal gardens, are popular with Funchal's businesspeople. Big portions of simple Madeiran cooking, such as espada, tuna, and grilled pork chops, are served with milho frito (corn fritters filled with garlicky collard greens); for something lighter, try the sopa de tomate e cebola com ovo (tomato and onion soup, garnished with a poached egg).

This is among a handful of atmospheric restaurants in Machico, set in the former market not far from sandy Praia de Machico. You can sit at the leafy outside terrace that has its own fountain while you enjoy simple dishes or just sip coffee.

If you've just visited the Piscifactoría de Ribeiro Frio, this family-owned eatery serves several dishes made with the trout from the local fish farm; the rustic wooden dining room is warmed by a couple of fireplaces. Finish your meal with coffee or tea served with Madeiran honey cake.

If you need refreshment before sledding back to Funchal, stop at the snack bar called Alto Monte, just above the main square of Largo da Fonte. The cozy interior is lined with soccer scarves and hats, while the terrace has soul-stirring views of Funchal unfolding below.