Madeira, Portugal

Eating out in Madeira, Portugal

For "foodies," the cuisine of Madeira is as seductive as the scenery and climate. Blending the finest international fare with local delicacies and traditional recipes, Madeira specializes in seafood and sumptuous buffets abounding in gourmet choices from lobster to pâté. Special attention is given to the richly flavorful fruits that grow on this evergreen island, like mangoes, custard apples, avocado, and bananas, to name just a few. Grill parties are frequently organized by hotels, and feature many Madeiran specialties including the favorite espetada, which is a laurel stick spiked through seasoned grilled cubes of meat cooked over charcoal. Another traditional favorite is the bolo de caco, a very tasty, round flat loaf of bread kneaded with sweet potatoes. Dine in style at an elegant restaurant, or opt for an al fresco lunch at a seaside tavern, the settings are as varied as the choices from the sea that form the basis of most menus in this maritime province. How to end your meal? With a traditional papaya pudding glazed with caramel drippings, of course!.

Gourmet

Quinta Palmeira Gourmet Restaurant serves traditional Portuguese dishes presented with an updated 21st-century flair in a 19th-century townhouse. The homemade ice cream is famous with the locals. Avenida do Infante 5.

Highly Recommended

Les Faunes is Madeira's finest restaurant, acclaimed for its artistically-presented international cuisine. Among the many "must haves" on the menu is the zabaglione, a strawberry pancake dessert made with Madeira wine. Estrada Monumental 139.

Local Flair

Marisa is an intimate, old town restaurant that feels much more like you're dining as a guest in someone's home than a business. The father-and-son cooking duo prepares a perfect seafood paella while mom takes your order and serves! Rua de Santa Maria 162.

Romantic

Quinta do Furão's cozy setting with a fireplace and delicate antique décor is irresistible to hopeless romantics. The cuisine, specializing in steak pastries and seafood kebabs, is equally alluring! Achada do Gramacho.

Going party in Madeira, Portugal

The nightlife here is so good it surprises many people who think they are heading for a quiet out-of-the-way island with not much to see or do after dark. No way - bring your dancing shoes! You'll find clubs, live music bars, pubs, a casino, folk shows, and still more. Pretty much all the action is concentrated in Funchal, especially around downtown. Make sure to include the renowned Madeira wines in your evening fun, as locals have been doing since the 15th century!.

Amarras Café

If your idea of a good time is hanging out with friends, tossing back some beers, and chatting the night away, this is your spot. Choose a sidewalk table and add some always-colorful people-watching to your night out, or head inside to the nautical-themed café.

O Fugitivo

This famous nightclub entertains visitors with Brazilian dancers and variety shows.

Dó Fá Sol

Jet-setters fancy this outdoor esplanade across from the marina below the Galerias de São Lourenço. Live music, usually jazz, keeps the place buzzing every night, and the sleek bar full of oak tables and dressed-to-kill patrons is a hive of the elite.

Casino da Madeira

Put on your lucky socks and get yourself some chips, you've got a full night of gaming at this full-service casino catering equally to high-stakes players and slot-jockeys.

O Marginal

The first thing you need to know is that this is one of the best dance halls on the island. Secondly, the name keeps changing, so what you want to look for is an inconspicuous, rectangular white building with porthole-style windows that's tucked into a seaside cliff directly across from the cargo depot in the marina. It's small but ultra urban-cool, and DJs spin trance, hip hop, you name it, to a dancing mass of bodies that keeps moving 'till 4am.

Vespas

Starting at midnight, serious ravers migrate to this club next to O Marginal, where the music is so loud you might just come out legally deaf. Writhing bodies compete for space in this jam-packed warehouse cavern, where everyone smokes and everyone drinks, though you may wonder how they made it to the bar through the solid wall of people!.

Excesso

This trendy dance club and cigar bar plays Latin rhythms to a grown-up crowd.

Common events in Madeira, Portugal

Carnival

Many samba troupes with thousands of participants flood the streets of Funchal for three days of gaiety and parades featuring fantastical caricatures created for the event. February.

Madeira Island Open Golf Tournament

An important stop on the PGA European Tour, this event provides participants with the opportunity for an upgrade on the circuit. March.

Flower Festival

The air of Funchal is sweetly scented when floats and displays carrying tens of thousands of flowers literally carpet the streets and line shop windows. Children fill the Wall of Hope with them. Traditional music groups and variety shows contribute to this breathtaking event. April.

Sheep Shearing Show

With a recent decline in its economic importance, this trade has suddenly taken on a cultural significance that has elevated it to a cherished folk tradition. City dwellers further enjoy the chance to get into the mountains and enjoy a pastoral experience. June.

Twenty-Four Hour Dance Festival

This tireless show brings together all the local folk dancers who perform round the clock. Savory local delicacies and cultural traditions are also presented in this lively event. July.

Week by the Sea

The coast of Porto Moniz is the center of this light-hearted but competitive series of water sports. The atmosphere is more that of a festival than a competition, therefore parties, food, drink, and music are all part of the event. August.

Our Lady of Monte Feast

The main religious feast of the region is even celebrated world-wide by Madeiran emigrants. For two days, parties, processions, dancing, and more turn the tiny, romantic village of Monte into one of the busiest spots on the island. August.

Wine Festival

In the village of Estreito de Cãmara de Lobos, the picking of the grapes is the kick off for this festival. Locals and tourists alike participate in the process of wine-making, from press to bottling, along with a tremendous feast of traditional Madeiran. There are also a variety of shows and activities to entertain visitors. September.

A Meeting of the Bands

All the bands of Ribeira Brava get together and march through the city streets toward the church courtyard, where they each play their repertoire in turn. October.

Chestnut Festival

This crop plays an important role in Madeiran culture, and is grown in abundance in Curral das Freiras where this celebration takes place. Numerous cultural traditions of the area accompany a presentation of the many recipes, from soups to liquers, that use the chestnut. November.