This is a cute little restaurant with outdoor seating on the street across from the marina and…read moreriver in Villa Real de Santo Antonio. We arrived at the same time as apparently every other person seated outside. So our experience will be unique in that we were the last one seated, actually we seated ourselves. When we came to the restaurant, the poor waiter was so busy that he didn't even notice we were standing at the door. We went inside and the manager/owner said hello. And he confirmed that the last table outside was indeed hours. So we seated ourselves. After waiting about 10 minutes we decided to go inside and get our own menus. We had noticed this place, that it had stones to cook your own steak so we decided to make a reservation and try it out. The service has been almost nonexistent but the waiter is trying, there is only one waiter, one owner and one cook as far as I can see The service has been almost nonexistent. We have been here since 8:00pm and it is now 10:30 and I am still waiting for him to clear my initial plates and ask if we would like something for dessert. The waiter has never come back for over an hour to take our plates or ask if we would like anything more. I guess we will not have dessert as I haven't seen the waiter for a long time.

Casual eats in the Eastern Algarve (1 of 2)…read more I was looking for casual food and, while I tend to look for home style Portuguese food when in Portugal, I opened myself up to other options in the Algarve since it offers a lot of options catering to different type of patrons. I asked myself a few times if I really wanted to go to a pizzeria in the Algarve. The majority of the reviews for Pizzadela found across platforms were very good and, being north of important N-125 in a smaller town, I knew I could find street parking. I was immediately greeted and welcomed by the proprietress. I was seated and given a menu of the pizzas. They had some other Italian choices, but I've been told that, when in a pizzeria, order pizza and get the pasta in a broad-based Italian restaurant. The pizza I had was very good in all its parameters. It was satisfying and filling, the thickness of the crust was to my liking, and the toppings were delicious. It made for a good meal. It goes without saying that the service was amicable and very attentive. The pricing was fair. The interior of the restaurant features a simpler modern scheme and it made for a good locale in which to enjoy a pizza that matches up to any pizza you would have in Italy. The proprietress brings a broad base of good experience to Pizzadela. In making conversation, she told me about places she has gained experience and the breadth is impressive. That means that, while in a sleepier smaller town in the Algarve, nothing about the experience and the mindset is provincial. Nor is it pedestrian! It didn't take long to figure out how the name Pizzadela came to be. Since it's a pizzeria in Vila Nova de Cacela, the play on words works out to Pizzadela! This is a solid place to get pizza and, based on my experience here, makes for a strong 4 stars.

This place has a staffing issue, that is, they were seriously under-staffed. We were waiting in…read moreline for 40 minutes because empty tables needed to be bussed. Once we got a table, we waited another 30 minutes to order. We ordered everything at the same time when the server finally showed up. Chorico, goat cheese and oysters. The food arrived fairly quick. The oysters we're not quite cut all the way through so they were a little difficult to eat, but they were fresh and delicious. Chorico was great, and cheese was local and fresh. We had to go inside to the cashier and force our way to pay because it was clear the server was too slammed to attend to us.

This little hidden restaurant isn't quite sure if it is a steakhouse, Indian or Asian but I love…read morethe Indian food. It's under the "Asian" section. The curry is the right amount of spice for me (a little kick not too much) but you can order it anyway you like. I have come here many times and I 10 to go back to the chicken curry. The egg fried rice that goes along with that it's yummy and it's enough rice for two. They do serve the curry on in one of the little pots with a little fire underneath so it stays warm. The papadums corn with 3 sauces. Mint, jalapeño and a mango sweet sauce. I love the mint, especially after a bite of the spicy jalapeño it gives a nice little cool down.

Nice mother/daughter tapas joint in the center of town, opposite the taxi stand and the new town…read moreperforming arts center. The owners are Spanish and their tapas reflect a Spanish tilt. Best bites for me are the pork cheeks (bochechas) in port wine sauce over mashed potato's. Melts in your mouth and tastes great winter or summer. Summertime calls for an order of their cold Andalusian style gazpacho - thickened with bread and topped with crazy good croutons, olive oil and chunks of jamon. GET THIS! Top Tip: Al fresco dining is best (a bit tight and loud indoors) and choose from the "Prato do dia" chalkboard for the best of the day. Prices are reasonable and service is prompt and courteous.

Tapas are the prime topic here, like polvo tempura, biquerones and sweet potato fries. Oh, and…read morespecialty cocktails are front and center too. The mixologists are first rate and the products they coax out of a blizzard of bottles and juices are well worth the up charge. Go with the recommended mix of the day. You won't regret it. And if alcohol free is your thing, they can mix you a virgin anything. Our usual has always been the mushroom risotto, alongside the polvo tempura and a big bowl of fresh cut sweet potato fries. This trifecta has remaining unaltered despite so many changes in Tavira over recent years. The tempura is outstanding! The concept was invented in Portugal and exported to Japan a couple hundred years ago. Since the Algarve is Octopus central, literally crawling with the buggers in season, no surprise that you will always get the freshest possible bite here, and even if previously frozen, remember that freezing these before cooking is mandatory if you want that crispy bite outside and a tender finish inside. Ask for extra mayo and thank me later. Reservations are a must, as CNG is always jammed during the summer season. Al fresco dining is recommended if you are a 6 (or fewer) person group - being as the tight quarters inside augmented by loud tourists makes chatting almost impossible. CNG has now added several new eateries around town, like Sushi Na Gaveta for fair to middling sushi in town, and another clone of the original on Tavira island. A take/away and breakfast/brunch affiliate across the street from the original is OK for takeaway and your morning Joe with typical Portuguese snacks like pastel de nata (shrimp and meat versions available) and of course, the quintessential sweet snack called pastéis de nata - a cream filled pastry in a pastry cup - synonymous with Portugal. A must have anywhere you dine in this country; but don't miss the original version found only in Belem - charred and delicious like no other. So we have dined at the original CNG scores of times and my rating reflects what I find to be a steady decline in quality and interest. The name sounds like a cool bistro bar, and perhaps it once was. These days it is crowded with tourists and has lost (for me at least) the authenticity we discovered many years ago. I attribute this decline, in part, to the fact that the owner redistributed his best staff to run his new locations. What staff is left at the original, which survives mostly on its reputation is run mostly by newbies - leaving large gaps in service, avoidable kitchen gaffes and confusion in reservations. Top Tip: If you want traditional Portuguese food done right, look elsewhere. CNG is the tourist trap it never was in the past, but has now become so because the owner is trading on the original good will and reputation of this location to market all the new offshoots. He could have differentiated better, and instead has diluted his brand. Coming next is a CNG bakery and patisserie - in a town glutted by such establishments. Baking was never a CNG strong suit, but in fairness -- I will give it a look once opened. Lastly, prices here have risen sharply over the past 5 or so years, while quality dropped. Wars in Europe and the Middle East strain the economics of a trendy gastro pub wannabe like CNG. Stiff competition has out pubbed CNG all around town, and will continue to do so as Tavira continues to outgrow its charming smaller self. Time will test whether CNG has the stones to withstand the triple threat of over-tourism, wars in Europe and changing culinary habits of the true Tavira locals. Still worth a look if you are new in town, or just visiting. GPS CNG

We've been twice now and have loved everything we've had. The cutest thing we had was fish on a…read more'rope'. It's tiny filets, lightly pickled, that hang on wires from little clothespins over bruschetta. Highly recommend the secret pork as well! If you like pork belly, you will love this. Prices are a little on the higher side for the area but the quality and inventiveness make it worth it. They are very unique in the area. Three tapas plus a drink is enough for my husband and I to eat.

Great tourist menu for only 11 euros (I took photos of the menu as they have over 50 options)…read more Starter, main, desert and drinks. Sweet little casual tables out side and plenty inside with a TV (can't miss that game). Large fully stocked bar. Pleasant waiters with big smiles. I ordered the chicken curry which was delicious and came with both white rice and French fries (so many British here and they need their chips). Perfectly seasoned curry. Simple meal, but yummy especially for only 11 euros. We added on an extra beer and coffee and coke and the total was just under 27 for two people. Great value, kinda makes shopping and prepping and clean up at home unnecessary. I ordered the salad which was better than most in the region (many places will just plop some lettuce and a tomato on your plate) this one had onions, peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes (photo attached). Desert was a vanilla cake and vanilla ice cream. Yum. Photo attached also. The vanilla ice cream had strong vanilla flavor which was so yummy. I was just going to have a bite or two of desert and couldn't keep away from the yummy flavor (especially with the coffee on the side). My coffee is a galao which is a Portuguese way of ordering coffee and milk which is always the right amount for me. It's a casual place and we sat outside with my sandy feet and flip flops after a long walk on the beach. So casual here outside is perfect. It doesn't look like much when you walk past but well worth a great lunch or dinner to stop in and enjoy. I'll be back!