17 Best Restaurants in The Azores, Portugal

The sophisticated Nikkei-style tasting menus, which mix South American and Japanese style with Azorean ingredients, combined with knowledgeable servers and a welcoming atmosphere (think minimalist wood tables and an open kitchen) add up to one of the finest dining experiences in Ponta Delgada at this always-packed restaurant. Chef José Pereira, who worked for many years in Geneva before heading home to the Azores, uses as many local ingredients as possible in his artfully presented dishes such as crispy nigiri with tuna tartare and Azorean whitefish sashimi with miso and yuzu; his wife Anne Teixeira prepares the decadent tropical desserts.

Set alongside pretty black sand beach of Praia do Almoxarife, this industrial-chic restaurant with floor-to-ceiling windows has an interesting wood ceiling designed to look like waves. It’s not only the architecture that’s different from the Azorean norm, but also the food: though still heavy on the cod, prawn, and octopus dishes, many items have an Asian twist, plus there’s a good selection of meat and veggie items to round things off.

Though the menu is small and the modern space is tiny, the carefully prepared, market-fresh Azorean plates punch way above their weight. Tasquinha Vieira’s focus is on a “cuisine of proximity,” using top-notch ingredients and innovative techniques while respecting the islands' culinary culture, and you can’t go wrong with any of the shareable tapas-style plates of fish, meat, and vegan options.

It seems like everyone at this old-school restaurant tucked into the Terra Nostra Garden Hotel is here to partake of the signature dish: cozido nas Caldeiras das Furnas, stew cooked underground in the hot springs, available in both meat and vegetarian versions. Those with less hearty appetites can opt for a fine selection of fresh fish or Azorean beef; after lunch, your receipt earns you free admission to the lovely adjoining Terra Nostra Gardens.

When visiting a volcanic island, what’s better than cooking food on your very own hot lava stone? That’s the concept behind this bustling family-owned eatery, in a former fisherman’s storage building near the harbor, where you can choose from a wide selection of fish, seafood, and meat (limited vegetarian options are also available) that you grill to your liking at your table; save room for the cookie pudding, layers of cookie with buttercream frosting borrowed from the family’s grandmother’s recipe.

The open kitchen at this minimalist eatery turns out not only traditional Azorean dishes like grilled octopus and fish soup, but also Azorean fusion cuisine using mainly local products with international inspirations—think fish with lemon risotto and pomegranate. It’s a good place to stop for lunch when driving around the island; when the weather’s warm, you can sit outside on the water’s edge with views of Cais do Pico bay.

This trendy bar and restaurant on the water’s edge is worth visiting just to see its unique wood structure, roughly resembling a whale, as well as the prime views of Faial Island; ask for a seat upstairs on the terrace, especially if you’re here before sunset. Start with a selection of local cheeses to pair with a bottle from the large collection of Azorean and Portuguese wines before sampling a main course “from the sea” or “from the land.”

This charming all-day café-restaurant-cocktail bar dates from 1904, when it sold products imported from Paris; today its glass cases are piled high with Azorean creations from tea sets to hats to jewelry, most available for purchase. Stop by for a healthy breakfast, small plates of local cuisine with a contemporary twist for lunch or dinner, or just to take a break with some local tea or an inventive cocktail or two—and don’t bother trying to resist the house-made desserts calling your name from the countertop.

An authentic yet welcoming locals' favorite—and Ponta Delgada’s oldest restaurant—serves up a handful of simple and well-prepared dishes along with rotating daily specials in a bare-bones space. The communal tables at this old-school eatery encourage friendly chats with your neighbors as you dine on fried dishes like sardines, horse mackerel, and moray eel, all washed down with homemade Concord grape wine or moonshine.