Restaurant recommendations in Cascais Portugal
 

can anyone recommend a place that is really a really great not to be missed authentic Portugese, non- touristy restaurant? Price is not important and we prefer more rustic& romantic than formal.
Anything without bright lights at night would be ideal. Thanks!

I'm jealous! we stayed 5 nights in Cascais several years ago and I want so much to return.

There are quite a few choices of restuarants there - our favorite was one we stumbled upon - Restaurant B&B. It is not fancy, it is small and a bit rustic, the menu is limited BUT we had delicious grilled fish and steak there. We ate there twice in the five nights. There are reviews (including mine) on Tripadvisor for more input.

I can't remember the other place we really liked - will try to track it down later. We ate one time at this pretty touristy place for the pri-pri? chicken and it was very tasty.

Enjoy Cascais!!

OK I looked for the other place that we really liked and I'm pretty sure it is 5 Sentidos / Casa do Largo. They have both indoor and outdoor dining - I think we ate there 3 times! one lunch and two dinners. It has a more upscale atmosphere than Restaurant B&B and more menu choices. Enjoy!

http://www.albatrozhotels.com/thealb...-hotel-cascais

This is a beautiful hotel right at waterside. We did not stay there, as we had day-tripped from Lisbon.

But we ate lunch on their covered patio overlooking the beach. Excellent food and service.

It's not a rustic place, but I'd say a dinner there would be very romantic.

Judging from the hotel clientele we saw, I'd say it's an upscale hotel catering to wealthy travelers. So not really "touristy" in the sense of throngs of people.

One of the best restaurants in the area is Fortaleza do Guincho (www.fortalezadoguincho.pt), on the coast, just beyond Cascais.

Another good option is Furnas do Guincho (www.furnasdoguincho.pt/).

You can also try Restaurante Monte Mar (www.montemarrestaurante.com).

We also liked O Pescador in Cascais.

Thank you for the great reco's. We ate at Albatraz, Furnas du Guincho (food good here but did not like the rude service -Paulo who seemed to run it was not nice and put a damper on the evening) and O Pascadore. All great food but the last was our favorite, the food was incredible, great service and seemed most authentic over being touristy. Any other recommendations like this for authentic Portugese with their wonderful sauces? (We prefer that to just whole grilled fish)
Thank you!

Sorry you had snooty service at the Albatraz (sp?). It did look like a hotel with very wealthy international repeat guests.

Our lunch service was fine, but we were the only table at the time and, now that I think about it, the waiter didn't spend very much time with us. But we were happy with our table over the beach, and the food was good.

We figured it was because they were transitioning to dinner service and he was busy with that. Maybe they are just no appreciative of simple tourists like us!

You have to understand that wait service in Portugal has very little in common with what you are used to at home. Waiters in Portugal, as in Spain, will not ask hou how your meal is, or drop by your table to see if there is anything you need. They do not want to bother you while you're enjoying your meal. They are alert to what you need, but tend to wait until you motion for them.

Good point, Robert.

I didn't get the impression that the OP was displeased with Albatraz, but rather with Furnas do Guincho, where the evening service was not described as snooty or inattentive but rude.

Also, I have received very doting service in some restaurants in Portugal. In particular I recall having this experience in Guimareas and Coimbro, but also in two places in Lisbon -- one slightly high end and old fashioned formal, with another is very rough-and-ready neighborhood place where half the clientele seemed to be taxi drivers. When the staff saw me stealing bites of my husbands delicious rice (I had potatoes with my dish, also good), they brought me a plate of rice all my own, with a smile. Just reminded myself too of a family run place where the wife ran the tables while the husband cooked and she was very attentive. Her five year old daughter brought us napkins.

Which isn't to say that one might find professional but more distant service in other restaurants. And if you don't speak Portuguese, I don't know why the waiters would chat you up. However, I don't know where Robert eats when he is in English-speaking countries, but the restaurants I seek out have wait staff that lets me enjoy my meal without bothering me.