3 Best Restaurants in Coimbra and Central Portugal, Portugal

Inspired by the works of famed Portuguese writer Eça de Queiroz (it's set inside the elegant MS Collection Hotel, in a building that was once the writer's family home), Prosa serves tasting menus and a-la-carte dishes designed to tell a story with every dish. The menu is signed by Michelin-lauded chef Rui Paula and makes excellent use of locally sourced ingredients to create contemporary versions of classic Portuguese dishes like caldeirada (fish stew) and cured black pork. The buckwheat, chocolate, and black garlic tart is a stand-out on the short-but-sweet dessert menu.

Two former salt warehouses have been lovingly restored to create a sophisticated dining room with a lofty ceiling and exposed beams. The specialty at this award-winning spot is bacalhau—served in creative forms such as confit with cornbread crust or paired with seasonal purées. The menu also features local seafood and meat dishes, but there are vegan and gluten-free options, too.  

Inside the cloisters of a restored former monastery (now a luxury hotel), the 2025-opened Heritage 1220 Restaurant is a sophisticated take on traditional Arouca cuisine. Inspired by the legacy of Infanta Santa Mafalda, daughter of King Sancho I, who in 1220 brought prestige to the Monastery of Arouca by joining as a nun and converting it to the wealthy Cistercian Order. The kitchen team is made up of local chefs, skilled at elevating the region's traditional comfort food.