2 Best Restaurants in São Tomé and Príncipe

This is the kind of restaurant traveling foodies dream about discovering—quirky, unpredictable, and delicious. Cooking happens in someone’s backyard, which is set with plastic tables and maybe a little television. Busy grill cooks turn out octopus, squid, and fresh fish with some sort of spicy sauce or seasoning. Don’t ask what. Food just sort of shows up in front of you. Seafood is the mainstay, chicken may be served, too, as well as plantains and steamed vegetables. Service is minimal, but the beer is cold and the place is full of locals. Call ahead to check hours and location.

Local cooking, and sometimes chatty parrots, color a clean dining area under shade trees, where Santomense and Portuguese cooking traditions season typical Sao Tome fare. Seafood highlights include crab, smoked fish, and grilled and baked fish. Seafood and chicken stews also feature on the menu. Call ahead if you would like a vegetarian meal.