35 Best Restaurants in Sintra, the Estoril Coast, and the Setúbal Peninsula, Portugal

Prepare to update your Instagram feed: this is one of the most picturesque spots for a meal anywhere in the region. A vast outdoor space is filled with sun loungers and comfy chairs, so you can relax with a sangria and enjoy views across Fonte de Telha Beach as you browse the menu of simple-yet-tasty salads, seafood, and grilled fish.

At the east end of Avenida Luisa Todi, Rebarca is the best of the line of casual restaurants serving inexpensive but delicious fresh seafood—including an excellent version of the ubiquitous choco frito (fried cuttlefish). Wash everything down with a carafe of the house white wine, which always has a refreshingly light effervescence.

Locals make their way up a steep hill to this restaurant for traditional dishes like bacalhau à brás (salt cod with eggs, onions, and sliced potato) that are cooked with panache and served by a friendly staff. Steaks are a specialty, as are the mouthwatering desserts that include house-made cakes and tarts. On warm days the small terrace is delightful, and there is often live guitar music welcoming you at the door.

At this restaurant in the center of town, the handful of tables in the convivial dining room spill out onto the sidewalk in warmer weather. Seafood petiscos (the Portuguese version of tapas) and a good wine selection are the main attractions. Don't expect the speediest service in town, but relax with a bottle of the house wine as waiters hurry past.

Owned by Portuguese actor Lourenço Ortigão and his brother Tomás, Villa Saboia is a stylish space for sushi and light Mediterranean meals. Fish and seafood takes the starring role, cropping up on the "Mediterranean Menu" in dishes like octopus carpaccio and lobster burgers, as well as in the beautifully presented sashimi and sushi. The upstairs dining room has plenty of designer flair, while the leafy terrace is a great spot for people watching on a sunny afternoon or balmy evening.