Restaurante Adega da Nave

Wine of great quality is made here, but there are increasingly less people producing it. The story goes that in the old days, when wine harvests in the Douro valley were poor, growers would come here to harvest grapes so that there would be enough to produce the sought-after “vinho do Porto” (Port wine). Perhaps it’s an old wives’ tale.

The sad fact is that the village restaurant doesn’t sell any local wine to be able to confirm the story – but, despite this, its rural setting and the surrounding landscape is justification enough for a visit.

Open since 2003, this establishment is run by brothers João and Marco Paulo Martins – who have transformed an old family “casa de petiscos” (traditional snack restaurant) into a rustic restaurant, in the rolling “Beira Serra do Caldeirão”. The kitchen is also staffed by family members, who know the area’s gastronomy well.

And so come the house specialities: “cozido de grão” (stews with chick peas, beans or lentils - €12), “Ensopado de Borrego” (Lamb Stew - €15), “Arroz do Pato” (Duck Rice - €15), Home-cooked cockerel - €18, Wild Rabbit - €25, Fried Partridge - €22, Wild Boar - €22 and “Papas de Milho” (a dish with the Portuguese equivalent of polenta - €10). All these specials are made for two people, and need to be ordered in advance.

There is also fresh fish at weekends (sea bass and golden bream - €8), and the rest of the menu brings more options. From one of the large windows that let the light in, with the aromatic smell of the countryside, we caught the waft of a “bitoque à camponesa” (country style steak, with egg and chips - €8), absolutely perfect washed down with an ice-cold black beer!

Restaurants like this are having a particularly difficult time right now because they’re inland – but they’re worth finding, for their quality, their setting, the knowledge they have in what they’re preparing, and the impression they leave on the organised groups of tourists that lunch here, after a bracing walk through the countryside.

Certainly, they’ll remember a different picture than the one of all that cement and concrete beside the sea… Ah, and we’d suggest a fresh cheese with honey to start with (€3), (the cheese is produced locally), and a “medronho” brandy with dessert!

Specialities: traditional cooking from the “barrocal algarvio”; Hours: Lunches and dinners. Closed Sunday nights, and Mondays; Bill: €9.90 for 1; Owner: Marco Paulo Cardoso Martins; NIF 214 459 004.