10 Best Restaurants in Coimbra, Coimbra and Central Portugal

Until its conversion in 1923, the space housing Café Santa Cruz was an auxiliary chapel for the monastery. Now its high-vaulted Manueline ceiling and stained-glass windows make it an enticing spot for a cup of coffee or a leisurely lunch with a glass of wine. Despite all the grandeur, prices are extremely reasonable. 

From fixed-price lunches to delicious cakes and vegan pastries, everything is prepared with love and served with a smile at this welcoming little cafe in the heart of Coimbra's historic center. There are plenty of tables in the cozy interior, but the tables and chairs set out on the flagstones outside are the best bet in the summer months. Prices are extremely reasonable given the prime location. 

Set in a modern riverside with floor-to-ceiling windows, O Açude pairs contemporary Portuguese cuisine with serene views of the Mondego River. The kitchen takes a refined approach to local ingredients, serving creative dishes that balance tradition and innovation—think suckling pig with caramelized apple, octopus with smoked paprika, or a comforting açorda de gambas (rich shrimp and bread stew). The menu often features fresh fish, depending on the daily catch. Tables on the covered terrace are perfect for lingering over petiscos and wine—you'll find one of the most extensive selections in the city here.

This family-run tasca has simple wooden tables and chairs squeezed in wherever they will fit, an open kitchen with a jumble of pots and pans, and walls plastered with an intriguing assortment of scribbled poems and cartoons. The food is flavorful and cheap, so don't pass up the chance for a meal here if you can get in (queues often stretch down the street). For such a small place, it has an amazing choice of dishes, including a wonderful sopa da pedra (the name means "stone soup," but it's actually a rich vegetable and meat broth).

A warm welcome and hearty portions await diners at this quintessentially Portuguese restaurant specializing in cod and other dishes from the region. The decor is handsome, looking for all the world like a kitchen from a century ago. Bring cash, as international bank cards aren't accepted. 

Popular with laptop-clutching digital nomads by day and groups of friends sharing small plates after dark, this is a top spot in Coimbra for food that's lighter than the traditional regional dishes, but packed with flavor. The day's dishes vary according to what's in season, but expect interesting combinations like chestnut puree topped with grilled shiitake mushrooms. Small plates like tuna ceviche or sweet-potato crisps with garlic mayonnaise are the perfect accompaniment to a glass of local Bairrada sparkling wine.

With tables set on a vast veranda in the upper reaches of the city, Loggia has some of the best panoramic views in town. It's the on-site restaurant at the Machado do Castro art museum, and the setting is a work of art in itself. Leisurely brunches here are extremely popular, as are the excellent value lunch menus. Expect traditional Portuguese fare, elegantly presented. 

Seasoned travelers often avoid restaurants near major sights, but O Trovador—just a step away from the old cathedral—proves doubters wrong. Grab a table with a view of the centuries-old architecture and enjoy generous portions of reliably good regional dishes like pork cheeks with sweet potatoes or cod with cornbread.

A roof terrace with sweeping views over Coimbra and the Cañas Valley draws crowds to this friendly restaurant on the outskirts of town. A downstairs dining room is packed with locals at lunchtime, but out-of-towners head straight up to the roof to enjoy drinks and snacks with those glorious vistas. The name means "Terrace of the King," and there's even a throne where children tend to enjoy posing for photographs.

The secluded, under-the-radar restaurant at upscale Sapientia Boutique Hotel has a cozy stone-walled interior and a sunny, flower filled terrace garden. Both spaces are beautifully decorated, and the same attention to detail extends to the extensive menu of traditional dishes and tapas-style sharing plates like ceviche and regional cheese boards, perfectly paired with local wines.