BOTTOM LINE: Really, really good fish stew!…read more A family-owned resto just down the street from the Goreanna Tea Factory, I'd highly recommend stopping by for a bite. There's parking spaces out front, and they accept Visa. As with many local restos, the pricing is reasonable and the portions are generous. What they're probably most known for is their fish stew, which they make with fresh fish. Because of that, expect to wait 20-30 minutes for it to arrive even when they're not busy. I'm assuming the stock has been stewing for a while because it's quite flavourful, but since the fish is freshly cooked, it retains the texture without the mushiness. Judging by what other customers ordered, their other offerings looked and smelled great, but I only had the fish stew to try! If you get a chance, definitely worth stopping by for a meal.

We recently dined at Cantinho do Cais and had an exceptional experience. Absolutely phenomenal…read morefish stew. We came back for second time just for stew. I highly recommend trying their signature fish stew.

When staying in this area there are limited choices of restaurants.  This one came recommended from…read moreour food tour and the hotel. The menu was an offering of solid local fare and the views, especially sunset, were great.  Sometimes a bad waiter can be a buzz kill and cause me to rate the food or total experience worse than i should. We ordered the cheese appetizer, thinking we were getting the soft cheese and not understanding there was a choice between soft and firm cheese.  The waiter didn't not ask us which one we wanted and brought the one we did not want but ate anyway - its cheese! We asked for the tuna to be medium rare and it came out well.  We had no chance to tell him because we could not flag him down.  The sides were standard but but overcooked.  The steak au pouvre was well cooked and tasty.   The manager seemed intent on running a tight ship and I let him know about the bad service and he took it seriously.  For that reason alone, I would suggest giving it another shot if you are in town

This restaurant is located near the Ocean Front. We sat at the top level, so we had a beautiful…read moreview of the Ocean. We started with a Fish Soup and as the daughter of a Fisherman, I can say that it was absolutely delicious (almost as good as my Father's). I also had the Filetes Dourados (Golden Fish Fillet) that was very tasty. Apparently, all locally sourced. The service was excellent, friendly and consistant, which we really appreciated. As a tourist or as a local, I think this place has a unique charm to enjoy a wonderful meal.

Located in Ribeirinha, just a couple of miles away from Ribeira Grande, this little restaurant is…read moreprobably one of the best restaurants (if not THE best) on the island of Sao Miguel. Offering traditional food, yet with innovative and sophisticated elements, you can get truly excellent food made of high-quality produce for not much money in a pleasant atmosphere. The presentation of the meals is very nice, the service impeccable - but a bit slow, as everywhere on the island where food is prepared freshly and not simply defrosted. The wine menu is overwhelming, and there is a great flexibility when it comes to ordering wine: often the waiters are willing to open a bottle and charge you only for what you drank from it. (make sure you ask before). We can definitely recommend this restaurant. Coming from Ponta Delgada, make sure you visit the Caldeira Velha thermal pool on your way.

Made a reservation which I recommend…read more Got the cheese which was delicious as well as the sausage which was a bit tough for me We got the grouper which was delicious! Huge tender pieces of fish. Flavorful broth, not too heavy. I think it's one of the best places in ribiera grande

This is an excellent Portuguese restaurant for local beef and seafood. The menu is typically…read morePortuguese, which means straight forward and lacking any complexity from the Colombian exchange. Potatoes are from the Andes, and all chili peppers are from Meso-America. It was the Portuguese who took chili peppers to India and Thailandia, and those chilis help define those gastronomies, but the Portuguese had little interest in adopting some of those flavors to their own food. Almost everything is grilled or fried fish with olive oil and salt. We enjoyed our food, but I missed a little greater complexity of flavors. Potatoes are boiled. The service was excellent and genuinely warm. Deserts were uninspired. There is so much you can do with local ingredients. There is no local foodie culture in São Miguel. We humbly respect other's lives and choices, but I would certainly have enjoyed some culinary creativity.

I really enjoyed my experience at this restaurant. We were a bit jetlagged, so this was our first…read moredestination and meal, and we were very pleasantly surprised. We ordered skirt steak, a glass of wine, and fries per person. It was absolutely delicious. They mentioned the steak with the local cheese would be strong, but it was just delicious, haha. Lastly, I had a wonderful conversation with the bartender, and he gave us complimentary glasses of the local liqueur. It was wonderful!

I was admittedly hesitant to try this place given the mixed reviews about service and steak…read morequality, but happy we gave it a shot! Located in Ribeira Grande, the restaurant is run by a local agricultural society supporting farmers and showcasing regionally sourced Azorean beef, widely recognized as some of the most tender on the island. While it wasn't the very best steak I've ever had, it was still a pretty enjoyable meal, and I left satisfied and full. Veal Medallions: my favorite dish of the night -- flamed in an addictive pineapple-cognac sauce and served with mixed veggies and fries. this sauce was so good i was dipping literally everything in it -- the medallions, the veggies, fries and even the tenderloin below! Bife à Associação - Steak Lombo (Tenderloin): served in a white wine, garlic, and salted pepper sauce, topped with a fried egg. we initially debated the sizes, but 200g was plenty for us to share along with a 2nd dish. the sauce was a bit bold and peppery for my taste (I prefer sweeter sauces like the pineapple cognac), but my bf enjoyed it. for those who arent into the peppery flavor, the steaks also come with multiple other sauces -- passion fruit, island cheese, three pepper, and more. For dessert, there were numerous tempting Portuguese classics but we were stuffed and decided to keep it light with sliced Azorean pineapple -- a refreshing way to wrap up a hearty meal and a perfect choice if, like me, trying the acclaimed local pineapple was high on your to-do list. A surprise standout was the white sangria -- my first time trying the white version, and I loved the bright, fruity flavors. It's nice that they offer it by the glass, so you can mix and match if your party has different preferences. The venue is open and spacious, with lots of natural light thanks to large glass-pane doors that offer a view of the quaint outdoor patio. Despite some of the service complaints I'd read, we had a smooth experience. Food came out promptly, and while the restaurant was clearly busy and staff were spread thin, we were proactive about getting waitstaff's attention so fortunately didnt encounter any issues or delays. Overall a solid, well-priced spot with a convivial dining atmosphere and quality meat dishes. If you're someone who loves classic, no-frills salt-and-pepper steaks, the saucy Azorean spin might not be for you -- but if you're up for something bold and flavorful, it's definitely worth a visit!

I wanted to share my experience at O Pescador in Rabo de Peixe, São Miguel, Azores, so other…read morevisitors can make informed decisions. From the moment we arrived, we received a great deal of attention and exceptional service. The owner recommended the fish dishes, and based on that recommendation, we each ordered one. When the bill arrived, we were shocked to see that we had been charged €40 per fish dish. The owner, who had been very attentive throughout the meal, disappeared when it was time to pay, leaving us with no opportunity to ask questions about the charges. My family has deep roots in São Miguel, and because we spent an entire month on the island, we had the opportunity to dine at many restaurants, including several that were much more upscale than O Pescador. After sharing our experience with local residents and staff at other restaurants, every person we spoke with told us that comparable fish dishes would typically cost no more than about €18 each. They all expressed surprise at what we had been charged. What made the experience even more disappointing is that the owners are from the United States. As fellow Americans, I couldn't help but wonder whether they assumed we wouldn't question the €40 price because those prices are more common in some U.S. restaurants. I have no way of knowing if that was the case, but it certainly crossed my mind after learning what the typical local prices are. I understand that restaurant prices can vary, but the difference between what we paid and what we were consistently told was the normal price was significant. It left us feeling taken advantage of and put a damper on an otherwise wonderful month in São Miguel. My advice to anyone dining there is to ask the price of any fish or daily specials before ordering if the price isn't clearly listed on the menu, even if the dish is recommended by the owner. I hope sharing my experience helps other visitors avoid the same disappointment.

Such a gem for its small town feel and true seafood ambience!…read more You have to be careful that the fish soup is massive and really easily shared between 4 people! Pretty large portions s for everything. Good service on top of it all.

Nice! A few vegan options 10.2024…read more The quinoa Vegetable bowl was very good. My husband and I both had the same. Plus a soup. It was very busy but the staff was kind and got us in. The views are incredible. You are right on the beach.

Nice bar with an ocean view. The family had ordered some seafood and deserts. Nice restaurant to…read moreeat at when looking at the sunset. The service here was great.

Great view, so-so food. We read online reviews and decided to play it safe with burgers and chips…read more(aka fries) and they weren't bad. Kind of noisy with the pools below.

Avoid it unless you like your food to taste like it was cooked in a microwave. Worst burger I've…read moreever had, you can have better elsewhere for less than seven euros. Wait staff is rude as hell and acts like they don't want you there.

Hamburgers, fries, salads, pizzas (whole or by the slice). Food is only ok. Reasonable prices…read more Beer on draft, wine and other beverages. Kitchen is open outside the usual hours of many surrounding restaurants. Inside and outside seating available.

We exploring the Ribeira area on a beautiful sunny day and came upon Spot located right on the…read moreoceanfront. Had a lovely lunch here. Tried Tuna Pate for the first time which was yummy. Vegetable soup and salad. My husband ordered the kabab at the waitress's suggestion and it was served hanging from a rack with swordfish and shrimp. Service was good. Give it a go.

The worst place in the Azores. We sat for twenty minutes before anyone spoke to us. We ordered two…read moreburgers and a beer, then sat for another 30 minutes with no service. I asked "where is my beer I ordered?" and received a shrug while we watched them serve other people. It was offensive and rude, we walked out.