From Sea to Plate: The Best Fish Restaurant in Tavira
Perched on Europe’s western edge, Portugal’s extensive coastline has led to its population building a strong connection with the sea and its produce. As such, restaurants can be found up and down the country serving fish dishes of every kind and variety.
In the Algarve, a region best known for its paradisiacal beaches, fishing has been a way of life for several hundred years. While the holiday destination provides excellent year-round weather, it must be said that good restaurants are also abundant from the very east to the very west. Here at My Choice, we’ve been on a mission to find the best fish restaurant in Tavira, so join us to see what we found.
Why eat at the best fish restaurant in Tavira?
If you’ve tried some of the Algarve’s traditional cuisine, you’ll know how good it is and the leading role played by fish in most of it. In Tavira, a sleepy, whitewashed town in the eastern Algarve, you’ll find some of Portugal’s best seafood served in various excellent restaurants.
In fact, as one of the most sought-after coastal cities for those planning a dream holiday to the Algarve, Tavira certainly does not disappoint when it comes to food. So, if you’re seeking to sample some excellent seafood in addition to lazing on paradisiacal beaches, taking in stunning landscapes, and delighting in idyllic weather, all you’ll need to do is book a table at the best fish restaurant in Tavira (or one of them!), each of which promises to serve authentic food temptations.
Many of the best-selling fish dishes in the Algarve can be found in these establishments, making them the perfect places in which to savour the best of what Algarve cuisine has to offer.
The Best Fish Restaurant in Tavira
In our quest for the best fish restaurant in Tavira, we narrowed our selection down to the top 4 restaurants visitors to the wonderful city just won’t want to miss.
À do Peixe Restaurant
Address: R. Maria Campina 14, 8800-418 Tavira
An easy addition to any list of the best fish restaurants in Tavira, every diner surrenders eagerly to the food experiences provided at À do Peixe, where they can sample several delicious dishes from grilled cuttlefish or squid to a whole range of quality grilled fish (including gilt-head bream, seabass, salmon, tuna, and white seabream, among others).
Polvaria João Belhi
Address: Largo José Pires Padinha 96, 8800-346 Tavira
This charming establishment serves traditional Portuguese cuisine and is an excellent example of what’s available in the Algarve. Among the most sought-after dishes in this restaurant are lagareiro-style cod, razor clam rice, octopus stew and octopus curry. It’s certainly a contender for the best fish restaurant in Tavira!
Abstracto Restaurant
Address: R. António Cabreira 34, 8800-650 Tavira
This restaurant serves up delicious dishes, from octopus rice and seafood açorda (bread soup) to shrimp skewers and a range of cataplanas – a traditional Portuguese stew-type dish made in a clam-shaped, copper or stainless steel hinged pot that seals tightly to steam the ingredients, which often feature a mix of clams, prawns, fish, and sometimes chorizo cooked with onions, garlic, tomatoes, and spices.
It’s safe to say that Abstracto Restaurant rightfully earns its place among the best fish restaurants in Tavira
Mariscos e Petiscos Restaurant
Address: Av. Ria Formosa 110, 8800-591 Tavira
Book a table at this establishment to delight in dishes that attract many food lovers to the region. Among the most popular options served at this restaurant are its famous oysters, fried octopus, brown crab, and lobster.
As a My Choice partner, all our customers can enjoy an excellent 10% off their meal at Mariscos e Petiscos!
What are the best traditional Algarve dishes?
Now that you know some of the best fish restaurants in Tavira, let’s explore some of the most popular local dishes. Popular meat dishes in the Algarve include Guia chicken, but for this selection, let’s focus on fish! Razon-clam rice, for example, is one of the most popular traditional dishes ordered at the best fish restaurants in Tavira. A dish sure to delight hungry diners, the razor clams in this dish are cooked in a tasty sauce, which is then used to boil the perfectly cooked rice along with tomato, paprika, parsley, and coriander – a perfectly balanced dish that highlights nautical flavours.
Check out this list of some of the tastiest dishes you’ll find served at the best fish restaurants in Tavira! Among the most famous are:
- Fish Cataplana;
- Dry-cured tuna with Algarve almonds;
- Algarve-style tuna;
- Seafood rice;
- Seafood cataplana;
- Swordfish onion stew;
- Fried Algarve-style baby cuttlefish;
- Santa Luzia Octopus;
- Seafood cataplana;
- Algarve-style clams;
- Fried Algarve-style baby squid;
- Algarve-style Cod;
- Thinly-sliced Atlantic horse mackerel;
- Goose barnacles;
- Fish stew;
- Clam xerém (cornflower porridge);
- Razor-clam rice.
Round off your meal with a Dom Rodrigo…
As you can see from the extensive list above, the fresh, authentic flavours, charm and diversity of the Algarve’s cuisine are sure to delight diners in the region. This makes it almost impossible to narrow our list down to the single best fish restaurant in Tavira, as so many provide true indulgence to the senses.
However, no good meal ends with the main course, so why not grab the chance to sample some of the area’s delicious sweet treats? The Dom Rodrigo, for example, is a cornerstone of local sweet treats. This traditional Algarve dessert is the perfect way to round off any meal, concocted from egg yolk, sugar, cinnamon, “egg threads” and almonds, proving to be an irresistible, authentic explosion of textures and flavours.
Seasonal dishes served at the best fish restaurant(s) in Tavira
Those looking to savour traditional Algarve dishes will find most of the dishes listed above in any of the best fish restaurants in Tavira, which are each worthy representatives of the region’s traditional cuisine. In fact, these restaurants are what makes the Algarve a destination of choice for lovers of excellent food.
However, as with any cuisine that relies on fresh produce, certain dishes can be found more readily at certain times of the year. For example, sardine and grilled fish dishes are served mostly in summer. Cod dishes gain popularity in winter, along with heavier comfort food, such as Algarve-style stew and Cataplanas.
