Lovely ambiance and great food! The four of us all had a wonderful evening and everyone enjoyed…read moretheir meals. Definitely recommend as a lively, delicious place to eat.

I went back and forth between three and four stars, and came to the conclusion I had higher hopes…read morebeing on vacation and Europe has always had a higher standard for me with food compared to the United States. Inside was classically decorated with many square tables that could be rearranged for groups of 1-2 or larger. We did not need a reservation but it was a Tuesday night at 8pm. Service was friendly but could felt similar to the service you get in many tourist restaurants and the idea of American tipping seems to be taking root. Food portions were hearty and seemed to be a more formal take on Portuguese comfort food (I imagine). The Cod Duque was under seasoned with the Octopus done well and the sweet potato puree was just....there.

If you're in Sintra, do NOT miss Tascantiga. It was easily our favorite meal of the trip. It feels…read morelike dining in someone's Portuguese family home, with mismatched plates and charm in every detail. The sangria (by the glass or in a clay jug) is a must.  We went all in as a group of four diners, ordering the sardine sandwich (incredibly fresh and layered with flavor), fried fish, octopus, scrumptious pig cheeks, and the most delicious chicken wings. Honestly, I could've skipped the steak sandwich, but everything else was outstanding. Didn't make it to dessert, but the plates we saw heading to other tables looked good. Even the bathroom adds to the experience, decorated like a home, complete with fake hanging "laundry". We walked in during a busy lunch time on a weekend day. Indoor and outdoor seating is available depending on the weather.

This was the first spot we visited on our second leg of our Portugal trip. It was easy to find and…read morewas very casual. The tapas sized food was perfect for what we needed as a simple appetizer as we ate through Sintra. We coupled it with wine and beer. Service was fast and friendly. It was the only spot that had a lot of people - speaks to its superiority in the area perhaps. I'd definitely recommend - get the seafood salad!

Fantastic seafood offering! Well prepared calamares and great value sea food platters.read more

The best meal of our Portugal trip! We had the prawns in Peri peri sauce to start and the monk fish…read moreand prawn curry. Wow! The fish was amazing! The curry was the best we have had fish wise too. We highly recommend a visit there!

I love their grouper crusted with pistachios, their delicately fried dory around a delicious mound…read moreof eggplant polenta, and their apple pie (paper thin apple slices, a bit of saffron ice cream, and tiny crumbs of herbs). I also love their hospitality - I arrived shortly before the end of lunch time, but they were supremely patient. The room is gorgeous and the view is astonishing - a 180 degree panorama of Lisbon from a high bluff. Thank you, Amarro o Tejo!

This restaurent closed more about 2 years according to the shop that took over the location, i am…read moresubmitting it to YELP but want to make sure no one goes looking for it in the mean time

Best service and food. Had the veal medallions and also tried the wild boar. The girls had salmon…read moreand whitefish. Definitely a great place to go. Highly recommended.

I now understand what they mean by "true Portuguese" restaurants. This was recommended by our local…read moreUber driver and it is tucked away off of the Sesimbra city center. There is a small patio seating area and then about 10 tables or so inside the inviting space. It is full of fish decor and carved wooden chairs and tables. A really charming mom and pop spot. At 7-ish PM were immediately greeted and seated. Given how popular the place supposedly was with locals, we were surprised by so few tables occupied. However, by the time we left a little after 8, the place was full. To our table, they immediately brought bread and a plate of cheeses, sardine pate, and butter. Know that you must pay for all of these and can hand back any items you do not plan to consume and not get charged. We handed back the plate with all but the butter and kept the bread. This was a solid choice and tasty bread. We ordered a curried shrimp stew and a pepper steak with a side of vegetables. The vegetables were a flat Italian green bean and they were expertly sautéed in garlic and butter. The curry was delicious with a seemingly endless amount of shrimp (served over white rice). It cost around 12 euros. The pepper steak was covered in a scrumptious brown sauce and served with both white rice and steak fries and a random few slices of tomatoes. The steak itself was a much thinner cut than they give in the US but was cooked well and was very tender. I was able to eat my portion with a butter knife! My husband and I enjoyed dipping the fries into the steak sauce. If you eat here, plan to pay with euros or a Visa or Mastercard. We had not yet exchanged currency to Euros and my typical travel Amex was giving them issues. It was awkward (but they were very kind and patient as we sought out an ATM). Would recommend. Most locals seemed to be ordering the fried or grilled fish, FYI.

This place was amazing, very authentic Portuguese food. Six minute walk from our hotel. 12-15…read moreeuros each. Mom & Pop restaurant where locals eat. Opens at 7pm, we walked right in, but it got busy shortly there after. We had the grilled fish, potatoes and salad and shrimp curry. I had to try the almond pie for dessert, it was delish! You will love it!!!

Bacalhau na Vila -- A temple to Portugal's most iconic ingredient…read more Portugal has a deep culinary relationship with Bacalhau, and Bacalhau na Vila leans into that heritage completely. This isn't simply a restaurant that happens to serve cod; the entire concept is built around it. The menu explores bacalhau through multiple traditional preparations, each highlighting a different texture and flavour profile. We started with cream of spinach soup with cod, a surprisingly elegant opener. The soup was smooth and comforting, with the cod adding a savoury depth that balanced the creaminess without overpowering it. The appetizers showcased two beloved Portuguese classics. The codfish cakes (pastéis/bolinhos de bacalhau) were perfectly executed--light, crisp, and fluffy with well-balanced seasoning. The pataniscas, a looser cod fritter, had a rustic charm with a golden exterior and tender interior. For the main course we ordered roasted cod, which was excellent. The fish was flaky and deeply flavourful, demonstrating why bacalhau has been such an enduring staple in Portuguese cuisine. What makes the restaurant memorable is how intentionally it celebrates this ingredient. Cod has historically played a major role in Portugal's food culture, and Bacalhau na Vila turns that history into a cohesive dining experience. Service was friendly, attentive, and professional, with staff who clearly know the menu and take pride in the concept. If you're visiting Sintra and want to experience one of Portugal's most iconic ingredients prepared in several traditional styles, Bacalhau na Vila is a great place to do it.

The food and service were incredible! We ordered the steak, octopus salad, and roasted cod dish,…read moreand every bite was fresh and delicious. The white sangria was also so good!

I never got to finish this review from our Portugal trip this past Spring…read more We visited the town of Cascais while in Lisbon. Cascais was highly recommended by the hotel concierge and an expat we met while in line at Pasteis de Belem. We decided to search for restaurants that are off the beaten path and luckily came across Melody. It was cozy and had a small outdoor dining area. The menu was pretty expansive and the portions were generous for the price. Since we've had lots of seafood during our trip so far, I asked our friendly and wonderful server for his recommendations on their beef menu. I opted for Bitoque à Melody. This was a generous portion of steak in mushroom cream sauce which was outstanding. My husband ordered Salmão Grelhado, a grilled salmon filet and baby potatoes served with garlic and garlic pepper in a light olive oil sauce. For dessert, server recommended 2 that are popular, but it didn't stand out as much as the savory items.

Home cooked everything. Best in Cascais... We have tried almost everything on their menu and all…read morewere great??

This was our first introduction to Portuguese food, and it was wonderful. There was a good…read moreselection of tapas, and we mostly went for the seafood. I really enjoyed their fried items. The choco frito had a light batter on top and you could tell it was really fresh because it was so light and bouncy. The bolinhos de bacalhau were also a highlight; creamy potato filling with codfish mixed in. The asparagus and jamon with scrambled eggs provided a nice balance to our meal. I'm always a sucker for well made scrambled eggs. My favorite dish by far was the arroz de pato. It was packed with smoked duck flavor, and accented with charred sausage and bacon on top. The dishes were on the smaller end, so we ended up getting 5-6 dishes for three people.

Excelente ambiente y la comida es riquísima 10/10. 100% recomendado. Las aceitunas y patatas bravas…read moremuy buenas!

I'm so incredibly impressed. I loved that this place was in the ground floor of our hotel…read more Frederico is the expert on hospitality. He is so kind. He will talk to you for hours and teach you about food and wine and culture and talk about the history of food and how it came to be in Portugal. I loved it. I learned so much. I aspire, as an American, to learn from and look up to other cultures. I feel very honored to have dined in a restaurant managed by him on our trip to Portugal. I'm going to recommend to our travel coordinator to add this restaurant to the Google map recommendations list because more people need to go to this place - they need more tables, more space, because I'm convinced this is such a hidden gem that should be exposed to the masses to enjoy! We visited several wineries and this restaurant had the best wine - bar none! The fish, a fish I hadn't tried before, was deliciously seasoned, falls apart with the fork, the creamy rice was just divine. I normally will never eat little cherry/grape tomatoes - ever - but the perfect bite of fish, creamy rice, and a tomato was... perfection. The menu is deeply curated; flavors - textures - wines that make sense. You can tell Frederico what you normally like and he 100% knows what wines he has that you will love. The tomato, orange, ham, salad, was absolutely balanced and delicious. I'm so grateful that our first trip to Portugal we got to meet Frederico and dine with these wonderful people who love food and wine as much as us. I'll never forget it as long as I live. You will not be disappointed. Promise.

Found this restaurant while walking the streets of Lisbon, and what an amazing surprise. The…read moreambience was lovely, and the food and service were just as great. It was not crowded at all on a Friday night, and I was able to strike up a conversation with fellow diners and actually hear myself talk. That is rare these days. I was surprised they were offering Happy Hour pricing around 7 PM, so I quickly took advantage of a pitcher of sangria, which was delicious and incredibly fresh. I started with the chorizo, which you cook yourself right at the table. For my main course I ordered the steak with eggs, and it was excellent. To finish, I had the crème brûlée for dessert, and it was also outstanding. Overall, a truly wonderful hidden gem in Lisbon. I cannot wait to return.