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The streets of downtown Funchal are lined with restaurants, where tables and chairs are laid out for al fresco dining during warm weather. Some spots have front and back entrances—avoid taking a table on the traffic-facing front street and instead head for the pedestrianized alleys, where the smell of grilled fish fills the air. Don't hesitate to join the locals in the small restaurants and snack bars spread all over the narrow backstreets (such as Rua da Carreira, Rua das Murças, Rua do Bispo, Rua Queimada de Cima, Rua Queimada de Baixo), where you will often find freshly prepared daily specials at extremely reasonable prices.
Traditional Portuguese cooking seems right at home amid the farmhouse decor at this casual spot on a narrow lane near The Vine Hotel. The dining room fills up with business executives enjoying a relaxing lunch and a mix of celebrating visitors and locals at dinner.
The inexpensive lunch specials at this streamlined dining room, just behind the municipal gardens, are popular with Funchal's businesspeople. Big portions of simple Madeiran cooking, such as espada, tuna, and grilled pork chops, are served with milho frito (corn fritters filled with garlicky collard greens). For something lighter, try the sopa de tomate e cebola com ovo (tomato and onion soup, garnished with a poached egg).
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