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You’ve just arrived to the enchanting, hilly town of Sintra outside of Lisbon. Wondering what and where to eat during your trip?
Many tourists only have time to squeeze in a day trip from Lisbon so they don’t have much time to experience the cuisine. But I encourage you to stay a little longer if you can because Sintra has some hidden gem restaurants (including Michelin star restaurants) worth trying. Here are my picks for the best Sintra restaurants for breakfast, lunch, happy hour, and dinner.
Breakfast
Casa Piriquita - $
The bakery has a very long history. It was founded in 1862, about 160 years ago. The bakery was run by a husband and wife team - Amaro dos Santos and Constancia Gomes. The name “piriquita” was King D. Carlos I’s nickname for Constancia, since she was quite short. The king frequented this pastry shop for its queijadas. The shop is now owned and run by the family’s 6th generation.
Saudade - $$-$$$
Image courtesy of weheartlisbon.com.
Conveniently located near the Sintra train station, Saudade offers guests a perfect start to their day. It’s not only open for breakfast but also serves meals into the day, such as hot sandwiches, monkfish, and fish soup. Saudade is a cafe that’s part of a bed & breakfast, known as Chalet Saudade.
Seteais Restaurant - $$$$
On our first night in Sintra, we stayed at this palatial hotel and enjoyed a peaceful, luxury breakfast before checking out. For breakfast, there is a large indulgent display of buffet items including yogurt, fruit, fresh honeycomb, lox, local breads, pastries, cheeses, and more. Hot items, including egg dishes, can be made-to-order in any style. It’s simply delightful dining in this room and the food was lovely.
Lunch
Sintra Terrace - $$-$$$
Not only did we enjoy the views but we felt that the complimentary bread was substantial as were the portions of the tapas. We found the service to be prompt, unlike the nearby Villa 6 which had very good reviews. We were surprised that Villa 6 had such good reviews considering that we waited nearly an hour to be served. Additionally menu items that we had ordered were missing. I understand that culturally Portuguese table service is slower, but Villa 6 was impressively poor.
Therefore, I would recommend Sintra Terrace instead because it had much better views, good service, and good food.
Villa Craft Beer & Bread - $
We came here for happy hour, I tried a really good flight with 6 of Villa Craft’s beer options. Since craft beer is such a trend in the U.S., I did not expect that Sintra would be nailing it as well, however I was surprised to find that I really liked the variety of beers that they served.
Their pizzas smelled amazing however we had been snacking that day, so we opted for an appetizer which was this spicy sardine bread. It sounds iffy but I kid you not - it was incredible. The dough was warm, fluffy, and just the right amount of crisp. The sardines added a mild saltiness while the spicy oil added just enough heat to make it hot but not overpowering. I could have eaten so much more here but I was really impressed with what we tried here.
If you’re able to snag a small patio seat for 1 or 2 people, it provides some hillside views of the Sintra forest and buildings.
Raíz Sintra - $$
Image courtesy of Raíz Sintra.
Though there’s an indoor section, the main draw of this cute spot is the partially covered terrace with string lights. Wifi is complimentary and pets are allowed, making this a great spot to post up and hang out for awhile and catch a glimpse of the sun set.
Happy Hour
Bar do Binho - $$-$$$
When in Portugal, one must try some Port wine, so we did exactly that! Though I found the port tasting here to be a little more on the pricy side, I also expected it. This is because it was directly across from the National Palace, and it was also in a highly central, high traffic area of Sintra where many tourists are.
That being said, I didn’t mind paying a more premium price. We got to try four different ports all aged at different time periods so that we could taste the difference. We had great views and the server helped explain to us the port wine making process. It was a fun way to enjoy a port wine tasting in Sintra.
Dona Maria - $$-$$$
This restaurant is located at the top of the city center, which means if you are coming down the hill towards the city center, Dona Maria is one of the first places that you’ll hit. Though this restaurant has more formal dining inside, I enjoyed the more casual terrace that overlooks the National Palace.
This was a lovely spot to grab some refreshing drinks and tapas while enjoying the views and the breeze underneath the terrace umbrellas.
GInja Stands - $
While you’re in Portugal, you must try their Ginja. It’s a Portuguese liqueur made by infusing ginja berries (sour cherries) in alcohol with sugar, cloves, and/or cinnamon. There’s not one particular place you have to try them at - there are little random Ginja stands that you can find in Sintra. Just walk up to one and ask for a Ginja shot. You can try it in a milk chocolate or white chocolate shot glass.
It was a fun thing to try in Portugal - I liked the taste but also found it a bit medicinal like some sort of cherry cough medicine from my childhood. I would definitely try it again but wouldn’t want a whole lot of it.
Worth a try and maybe a fun souvenir for you to take home for other loved ones to try.
Dinner
Arola - $$$$
Arola is located inside Penha Longa Resort, a Marriott property outside of main area of Sintra. Though you’d need a taxi to get there (unless you’re staying at Penha Longa), it’s worth the trip.
Arola is run by Chef Sergi Arola, a Michelin-star chef. Arola menu features creative and contemporary twists on Portuguese cuisine. His approach to Mediterranean tapas is delicious. Jordan got a giant meat dish (no surprise there!) while I tried the prix fixe menu (which I love!)
We started with a delicious tropical passion fruit mango martini drink. We asked the bartender how he made it but he lost us after about the third ingredient - many of the liquors were ones that I’ve never heard of and not easily available in the U.S. to my knowledge. Next was a simple, but good bruschetta type of dish. One of the highlights was what came next - a coconut shrimp with curry sauce. It was absolutely incredible. Next was burrata (which I adore!) followed by some sort of savoury tart bite. For our mains, we had a fresh tossed salad with traditional squid risotto. The dark color was a bit intimidating but it was still good. Finally, our dessert was this fluffy tropical ice cream - there was ice cream in the center but it was surrounded by whispy froth. SO GOOD!!
Incomum - $$
Image courtesy of Iberian Escapes.
Incomum is a contemporary restaurant in Sintra with downright delicious dishes. Reservations are recommended, however we were able to get in with little wait. If there is a wait, Incomum has a wine bar next door where you can hang out at until your table is ready.
Risotto is the true star of the show at this restaurant. Our group of 4 each tried a different risotto dish and they were all incredible. My favorite probably had to be the one Jordan picked which was oxtail risotto. It was cooked to perfection and had amazing rich flavor.
Seteais Restaurant - $$$
The reason why I included it a second time for dinner is that the dinner experience is a unique one in comparison to their breakfast experience. For starters, I recommend having a cocktail out on their terrace. The terrace at Seteais Restaurant is so cozy and inviting. It’s covered and has perfectly manicured bright colorful flowers lining the perimeter. Every chair has a beautiful woven quilt on it. The terrace overlooks the lemon tree field, pool, and backyard courtyard where you occasionally may spot a rogue peacock roaming about. As you sip your cocktail, the servers bring out three small dishes of nuts, chips, and salty snacks for you to enjoy. It’s utterly blissful and peaceful with a gentle breeze flowing through.
Then, when your reservation is ready, you can either stay on the terrace or come inside for dinner. You can choose from a tasting menu or order a la carte. The meals are prepared and displayed beautifully as they come out. It really is a special experience to dine by candlelight in a palace with fresco walls and luxurious tapestries.
What would you add to this list of “best Sintra restaurants”? I’d love to know! Drop them in the comments below!
Author Bio
Known as The Jet Set Blonde, Brittany Ryan inspires others to add more adventure to their childfree travel experiences. Brittany has visited 23 countries (and counting!) Connect with her to get access to detailed childfree travel itineraries, travel guides for weekend getaways, and updates on adult-only hotels, resorts, cruises, and other travel amenities.
