Bacalhau na Vila -- A temple to Portugal's most iconic ingredient 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. read more

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

Bacalhau na Vila Sintra - Roasted cod dish - Gluten-Free Near Me - Sintra, 11

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The food, services were great. Definitely recommend if you are in Sintra after visiting the castles.

So we found this place on Google reviews. Which by the way has thousands of positive reviews. But we love Yelp and w wished more Europeans would use it. It's so easy to search. For great and honest suggestions. Needless to say, We tried Bacalhau for lunch. And boy we were not disappointed. Such a beautiful and quaint little restaurant. Blue and white decor, feels like you are at a fishermen's family home. My husband ordered the White House wine, which he said was, "fresh, crisp and delicious." I ordered still water and freshly made lemonade. So refreshing. We started with the Octopus appetizer and ordered the grilled seafood mix. And we were wowed!! We loved the octopus plate so much that we ordered a second one. We loved this place in Sintra and would most definitely come again, the next time we are in Portugal. read more

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Lovely service in this cozy restaurant devoted to codfish. We took our server's suggestions and tried the codfish pastel, codfish a brai, and codfish lascas a lagareiro (favorite dish). The last dish is a simple but elegant preparation of codfish with potatoes and spinach with garlic. We forgot my purse at this place and the staff were so lovely and kept it safe for us. Highly recommend checking them out if you like fish. read more

Bacalhau na Vila Sintra - Gluten-Free Near Me - Sintra, 11

First negative review I have ever given, horrible front door service. I was first in line, forgot to put my name on the list, original worker confirmed I was missed, kept asking me to wait and sitting other guest even though it was their mistake. Food looked good? Make sure they put you on the list, check in system is chaotic! read more

Recommend by tour guy. Nice tiny restaurant with crowded people wait on line. Nice treatment shows hospitality. read more

My friends and I stopped in here for lunch because it came recommended. When we got there, we asked the waiter what he recommended and what was gluten free (for my celiac diet) and he recommended that we try several different tapas so that we could have different flavors. We had bacalhau, octopus, potatoes, and another cod dish. We finished it off with dessert and we all left super happy! The food was incredibly delicious & fresh. You have to hunt a little for the location as it's hidden on a small street but highly recommend it! read more

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It was pouring rain during our Sintra trip. The initial restaurant we wanted to go to was closed due to technical difficulties. We saw this on a travelers blog. The restaurant was cute and decorated to make you feel like you're in the ocean. It smelled like its name - like salted cod. Th salted cod is a Portuguese specialty. Reportedly sailers centuries ago would eat them on their travels as they were well preserved. We got the lemonade which was perfectly sour. My friend got the vegetable soup which she highly recommended. Then we split the fish pastries. We were both very nervous, but the pastries were soooooooooooooo amazing. We almost ordered another two. I ended up getting the octopus, shrimp and cod dish on a bed of perfectly seasoned and cooked spinach for only 9 euros! I would highly recommend coming here! read more

Bacalhau na Vila Sintra - Gluten-Free Near Me - Sintra, 11

In this restaurant, every dish has cod, but you get varied great flavors due to chef's art in cooking the fish: grilled, fried, raw, soups, and sandwiches. The four of us all enjoyed the food very much! read more

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Great view, delicious food and fabulous wine. Recommend this place as a lunch stop while in Sintra.

Super cute place tucked in the side streets. Awesome food and service. We tried many tapas including the codfish pastel de natas, octopus salad, codfish croquettes. All were delicious, but the real hit was honestly the spinach soup. Many people in my group said the soup was the best food they had our whole trip. Don't miss! read more

Bacalhau na Vila Sintra - Gluten-Free Near Me - Sintra, 11

I came to this restaurant with a group of friends because we were interested in getting some authentic seafood. This restaurant specializes in cod, hence the name bacalhau. They had some unique things on their menu and different ways in which they transformed codfish to the dishes. Since I came with a group of friends, it made the tapas experience much better because we were able to order a variety of dishes. After trying a variety of different dishes, both seafood and even the steak, a few dishes really stood out. The codfish pataniscas and codfish cakes are must gets. The codfish cakes had more of a mashed codfish inside but the outside coating was crunchy and gave it a great textural contrast. The codfish pataniscas was another fried item that I also liked, especially with the green sauce that was paired with it. The spinach cream soup is also a dish that I would recommend! It was rich and creamy with pieces of codfish inside. Some dishes (like the steak, codfish burger, and codfish a bras style) came with sweet potatoes on the side that were really good too. I was pleasantly surprised with the food here. The service was mediocre as the servers barely paid any attention to us so we had to get their attention if we ever needed anything. It was also pretty spacious inside, with lots of seats but not many customers. The food came out hot and it was tasty so it was a good experience. read more

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Loved the octopus salad! Hidden gem in Sinatra. Everything was fresh and delicious. Has AC ! If you need to cool down read more

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My best culinary experience in Lisbon so far. Simple, tasty, moderately priced. Friendly stuff. Exactly what we needed between visiting multiple tourist attractions at this town. Ambiance was good. Looked like all customers were happy with what they were eating. read more

This spot was delicious. Took a second to find the location as it kind of tucked away. I had a perfectly cooked steak (yes, I know this is a sea food spot) - would love to come back one day read more

A gem indeed. We tried the villa , spinach soup and they are amazing. Servers are attentive and nice. Also try the house red wine - love it. The Bacalhau burger and grilled Bacalhau with spinach is also yummy. Definitely a must. They have a 3% surcharge if you pay in credit card. read more

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Great Lunch Spot! As we meandered up the hill, looking at various menus, we stumbled upon this little gem. It was a very busy afternoon but they graciously found a spot for us. Friendly service, great prices and delicious food! We enjoyed the bacalhau fish, cerviche & cream of spinach soup -- all delicious! read more

Bacalhau na Vila Sintra - menu - Gluten-Free Near Me - Sintra, 11

This was the perfect spot for lunch in Sintra. The staff was very friendly, especially our waiter Nuno. We got several items to share - the codfish pastries, spinach and codfish soup, and the codfish a brás. They were all so delicious. I especially recommend the spinach and codfish soup and the pastries. Really great restaurant! read more

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This restaurant was recommended to us by our tuk-tuk driver. I had no idea it pretty much only served cod (though apparently that's what Bacalhou is in Portuguese) and I generally don't like seafood at all. But I decided to brave it out (Portugal is known for its seafood after all) and I ordered the cod ceviche and the grilled cod. Both were absolutely delicious! And you can't beat the price! read more

Bacalhau na Vila Sintra - Gluten-Free Near Me - Sintra, 11

Best salt cod dishes I have ever had, including those made by my grandmother, my father, multiple relatives, myself, and the best Portuguese restaurants in New Bedford and Gloucester. Today shared cod pate, pasteis de bacalao (salt cod cakes), shredded baked creamed cod in the little pastry shells used for traditional Portuguese egg custard pastries, a great take on bacalao Bras style, roasted cod flakes on creamy, whole, roasted small potatoes, and a mixed salad topped with crispy, olive-oil fried pieces of cod skin. Didn't have room to get to any of the cod cheeks or tongues on the menu. It just doesn't get any better than what we had today. Sintra is beautiful, but a total tourist trap, but I would go back just to east at this restaurant again. read more

Worth every star. I would say price falls in the two dollar-sign range but totally worth every penny. The jug of sangria was a steal for two people and it was very good. We had the cod crunchy salad, cod ceviche and fried cod sticks. Best meal we've had in Portugal thus far. Light, fresh and perfect for Bacalhau lovers. To find the place, keep heading up windy alley ways and look for its sign. Perfect for a breezy day as they open the windows. read more

If you have any doubts about this place, forget them. My friends and I went for lunch on a day trip to Sintra and we had a wonderful experience. The food is great and creative at reasonable prices. Definitely try the codfish a bras, creamy spinach soup, and codfish vilas pastries. Everything we tried surprised us with how good it was, and our lunch bill for three (albeit not a large lunch) was only €29. Shoutout to our waiter Nuno :) thanks guys! read more

Everything bacalhau you can think of! Double your orders especially if you want as main entre. Very tasty and excellent service!

very delicious. from the tapas, the main courses to the dessert, meals are very good. tipical food and also bacalhau burger You should try it ! read more

As a celiac, I am always grateful when I find a place like this. Most of the items on the menu are gluten free. Everything we had was delicious, and the presentation was lovely. I had the Gluten-free bread with codfish spread, herb butter and olives, cream of spinach soup and rice with bean. My friend had the vegetable soup and cod cakes. We both had the mango mousse. I enjoyed seeing the dramatic presentation of the many dishes that were served around me. By the way, this place was packed. read more

We were taken to this restaurant by a local. While this review could end right there and you would know Bacalhau na Vila is worth trying, I must rave! The delicious variations of cod were each inspired and delicious. Try to go with a group and share. You will be glad you did! read more

With a two hour "your time" break in the city of Sintra, the family and I had an amazing lunch combination of octopus, shrimp, and codfish with sides of spinach and sweet potatoes prepared with olive oil and various herbs... DEEEEEEEELICIOUS!!! read more

Great food and even better staff!!! A must go to if you like fish and if not take the Vegan option it is delicious. If you still have room for something sweet, take the mango mousse. Local suggestion from R. SentUs ;) Ps.: And yes codfish is a fish! read more