Where to eat in the Algarve, Portugal

Bar - Restaurante  O Sapinho in Figueira

O Sapinho is, quite simply, one of our favourite restaurants - it is always a welcoming atmosphere, the food is consistently good and the whole place is very relaxed.

This Bar - Restaurant is one of those family run, unpretentious and genuine restaurants that can be found in many small villages on the Algarve, nothing complicated, just good Portuguese food, well cooked and served in a friendly way.  Open through the day, the bifana (hot pork roll) is well worth trying at lunchtime.  There are a few tables outside for drinks and inside, two levels with the restaurant tables set on the upper level and bar tables on the lower level.  This is a place where there is always a good atmosphere as there are locals calling in for a beer or something stronger and to watch one of the numerous football matches that are constantly shown on Portuguese TV - it's the national game and it is taken very seriously!  On the walls there are usually one or two paintings by artist Clive Cook who lives and works and has his gallery in the village.  Look out for one of his exhibitions, often staged at the The Slave Market in Lagos or on Rua Direita in Praia da Luz, as they are well worth a visit.

Although the menu is not as extensive as some restaurants, there is still plenty to choose from and many of us have our favourites.  The usual couvert of bread, butter, sardine paté, cheese and olives can be requested and starters include tomato and mozzarella salad, vegetable soup and shrimp cocktail.  The main courses are usually served with chips or boiled potatoes, vegetables or salad and there's a choice of meat or fish  -  ribs, steak, pork, veal and fish cataplana but this time all four of us chose our O Sapinho favourites, Portuguese steak with an egg on top, grilled swordfish and chicken piri piri.  If there is fresh fish to choose from then the fish will be brought to the table with an explanation of what it is and how it will be cooked.  We always say that the house red never fails to hit the mark and this was no exception. We drank two bottles of Alandra from the Herdade de Esporão vineyard in the prolific Alentejo wine producing region: Esporão produces a fine range of wines including some from single Portuguese grape varieties. 

The selection of sweets at O Sapinho usually includes caramel pudding, almond roll, a sweet rice pudding (which is excellent warmed), chocolate mousse and ice creams - only two of us could only manage a pudding and it was the chocolate mousse and warm rice pudding that won the day this time. 

Unlike many other places you might visit, the clientele here is a mixture of Portuguese with other nationalities - for us, that's what gives it an edge and a bit of a buzz.  You know what you are going to get here - the food is consistently good, it's hot and tasty and it's a relaxed and friendly place to be.  My own view?  The Portuguese steak here is my favourite and, personal opinion I know, but the best I have tasted - crispy potatoes round the edge, the steak is just the right size for me and there's masses of garlic!  Others would argue that the chicken piri piri is the best - so there's a reason for you to go and find out for yourself...............

Bar - Restaurante O Sapinho: 

address: Figueira - Budens, 8650 Vila do Bispo

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