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Where to eat in the Algarve, Portugal
Restaurante Godot in Praia da Luz
It's always a treat to find those interesting restaurants that are not on the main thoroughfares through towns. They are not on the usual tourist, sight - seeing routes, and when you find one that is comfortable, welcoming and serves good food, we like to share that experience with others who may be planning a holiday in the Western Algarve and don't want to spend valuable holiday time searching out a place to eat.
Before we tell you where we've been recently, it is worth pointing out that our write-ups for the Algarve Retreats newsletter are not intended to be formal restaurant reviews. They are unsolicited by the restaurant and completely voluntary as far as we are concerned. We do not rate or give “stars”, we only describe the experience and our meal. If we ever had a bad experience, we would just not mention that restaurant and meal and so, no restaurant will ever have a “bad press”.
Most restaurants are very happy to supply copies of their menus for reference, and so it was unexpected that we should be harangued at length by an owner who firmly believed we were after his money to ensure a good write-up.
Anyway, this spoilt what had been a great evening up till then, so we will move on and tell you about a restaurant where we had a great welcome, a lovely meal, and a laugh with “the celebrity” at the bar.
Restaurants in Praia da Luz, Algarve - Godot's Restaurant
 Godot's restaurant is situated on the right as you travel down the hill (Rua. 25th Abril) into the centre of Luz. Unless you are staying in one of the apartments or villas on the Burgau side of Luz, you would probably never see this remarkable restaurant. Its frontage is not extravagant, and is easily missed if you are driving down the hill, but, slow down, take a look and book yourself in for a great meal in a comfortable and cosy atmosphere.
Owned and run by Andy and Joanna, Godot's restaurant is open in the evenings only and booking is advised as tables are limited and, once seated, the table is yours for the evening.
The restaurant itself is cool and in part, naturally shaded with vines, which separate it from the drinks only terrace. The name Godot's, comes from the play, “Waiting for Godot”, but that's the only explanation we got; there must be a story behind there somewhere. Perhaps when we go back we'll get a bit more information.
 Starters include a number of vegetarian options. We chose a Capanata of olives, peppers, aubergines, and tomatoes in an oil dressing, which Jackie described as a bit like a cold ratatouille but more delicious. Our other starter was “Godot's Pears”, which was two pear halves, filled with cream cheese, dusted with paprika and with walnuts on top, a really tasty and light starter.
For main courses, we chose Jamaican Jerk Chicken Kebabs, and Grilled duck breast with apricot and red onion marmalade.
 Thankfully not quite as spicy as some of the jerk sauce of the Caribbean, the kebabs still had a spicy kick, and the succulent breast of chicken pieces were served on a bed of salad with potato wedges. It was good to be asked how well we wanted the duck cooked, and we replied by giving the chef the decision of cooking it to its best. Good decision, the duck was cooked to perfection, crisp on the outside and still “pink” inside. Served on a salad bed with the apricot and onion marmalade, this was a really memorable dish and it would be tempting to go for this again on another visit, if it weren't for the other items on the menu.
 Steaks with interesting sauces, (port and blue cheese, honey and mustard, pink peppercorn and tomato and black olive butter). Lamb, Thai fish, prawn curries and an interesting selection of vegetarian meals make this an extensive menu for a small restaurant.
The puddings were just too tempting. We chose a chilled lime flan, with a good biscuit base and not too sweet, and a ginger and chocolate truffle cake which was not overpoweringly chocolate like a lot of chocolate sweets. With coffees and drinks which included a bottle of wine, our bill was 60 odd euros, perhaps a bit more than usual, but you get what you pay for and the food really was first class.
What makes a place really memorable though is the welcome, the attention and service at table, and the very real desire to make sure you have enjoyed your visit when the time to leave comes.
Give Godot's a try, we're sure you will enjoy it, oh, and “the celebrity”? Well you'll just have to pay a visit and find out for yourselves.. Jackie & Tony 2006
If you would like to know more about Portuguese Food and Drink, why don't you dip into our Restaurants in the Algarve section and our series of articles on Portuguese Wines and Ports. We also feature some Traditional Portuguese Recipes and a glossary of useful Portuguese food & drink words and phrases
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