Best Restaurants in Lagos, Portugal

Lagos is one of the best places to eat in the Algarve: grilled fish on the clifftops, tiny tascas in the old town, Michelin-listed tasting menus and brunch spots full of surfers. Here are the restaurants our members (and we) keep going back to, by type and budget.

Quick answer: for seafood with a view, O Camilo at Ponta da Piedade. For a local night out, Tasca Jota or Taberna da Mó. For a special occasion, Dos Artistas in the old town or Michelin-listed Avenida at the marina. For brunch, Sunrays Kitchen. Book ahead in summer: the good places fill up fast.

We last reviewed this list in October 2026. Opening days change with the seasons, though, so always check the latest hours before you set off, especially between November and March.

Where to eat in Lagos, area by area

• The old town: the narrow streets inside the walls, around Praça Luís de Camões and Rua Cândido dos Reis, hold most of the tascas, wine bars and small dining rooms. Easy to walk between, and lively until late in summer.
• The marina and the Avenida: the riverside Avenida dos Descobrimentos and the marina across the footbridge have terraces with boat views, plus the Avenida hotel restaurant.
• The road to Ponta da Piedade: about 2km south of the centre, with clifftop restaurants above the coves. A 30-minute walk, or a short taxi ride.
• Meia Praia: beach bars and restaurants along the long beach east of the river, good for a long lunch in your swimsuit.

Restaurants with a view

O Camilo

A family-run Lagos institution for over 40 years, on the cliffs above Praia do Camilo near Ponta da Piedade. Pick your fish from the counter and have it grilled, or share a cataplana or caldeirada (fish stew). Always busy, so book, and ask for a terrace table at sunset.

The restaurant is open, but the wooden stairs down to Praia do Camilo itself have been closed since storm damage in the winter of 2025–26, so plan to admire the beach from the top. O Camilo usually closes for a couple of weeks in November.

Berlim

A casual beach restaurant in the middle of Meia Praia, with big views back across the bay towards Lagos, Ponta da Piedade and the Atlantic. Good for fresh seafood, mussels or just a tosta mista (toasted ham and cheese) and a cold beer. Bring cash, as reviewers say cards aren’t accepted. A fire damaged the building in November 2025, so check that it has reopened before you walk out.

Bahia Beach Bar

Right on the sand at Meia Praia, a short walk across the bridge from the marina. Fresh ceviche, salads and grilled fish by day, a relaxed, romantic feel at sunset, and live music some evenings.

Special occasion

Al Sud: now closed

Older guides still send you to Al Sud, the Michelin-starred restaurant at the Palmares resort above the bay. It closed in late 2025 when chef Louis Anjos moved on, and it was dropped from the 2026 Michelin Guide. The resort has since opened a different restaurant in the same space. For a tasting menu in Lagos now, book Dos Artistas or Avenida instead.

Dos Artistas

This elegant restaurant in the old town, which has featured in the Michelin Guide, has a pretty garden courtyard and a choice of à la carte or tasting menu. One of the most romantic dinners in Lagos. Closed Sundays.

It sits on Rua Cândido dos Reis and usually opens from Monday to Saturday. Recent listings show evenings only, while older ones mention lunch too, so check before you plan a midday visit. Ask for a courtyard table when you book.

Avenida

Listed in the Michelin Guide, in the Lagos Avenida hotel overlooking the marina. Dutch chef Roeland Klein runs an open kitchen and a creative tasting menu, shorter at lunch and fuller at dinner, plus some à la carte dishes. Sit at the kitchen counter if you like to watch the cooking.

Alma Lusa

Upscale Portuguese cooking with great local ingredients and a long wine list, just outside the old town walls. The pork and octopus are highlights, and there’s fado on Wednesday nights. Closed Tuesdays.

Local favourites and petiscos

Tasca Jota

Modern Portuguese petiscos (small plates) to share: octopus, crab, bacalhau (salt cod) and lots more. Popular with locals and visitors alike, so book, especially at weekends.

It is in a residential street a few minutes’ walk outside the old town, which keeps prices fair. Opened in 2016, it is now one of the most reviewed restaurants in town. It usually closes on Sundays.

Taberna da Mó

A cosy tavern in the heart of the old town, great for people-watching over a glass of wine. Try the flaming chouriço, black pork, Portuguese cheeses and prawns.

Traditional Portuguese

• Don Sebastião: open since 1979 in the old town, and a safe choice for classic grilled fish, meat dishes and a long list of Portuguese wines kept in its cellar.
• A Forja: a no-frills local favourite with simple grilled fish and daily specials at fair prices. It doesn’t take bookings, so go early or expect a short wait.

Breakfast and brunch

Sunrays Kitchen

About 10 minutes’ walk from the centre, with fresh, healthy and full-of-flavour brunch dishes and lots of vegetarian and vegan options. The falafel bowl and spiced lamb flatbread are favourites.

Goji Lounge Café

Healthy breakfasts and lunches in the old town: sweet or savoury pancakes, smoothie and Buddha bowls and fresh juices. Daytime only, closed Tuesdays.

Casual eats

• Nah Nah Bah: legendary burgers (the Toucan burger made a world top-50 list), with a garden and craft beers. Also does takeaway.
• Southwest Bistro: wings, burgers and drinks with a view over the marina.
• The Green Room: burritos, tacos and cocktails on a quiet street near the marina.
• Pepperino: Neapolitan-style, wood-fired pizza in the old town.

What to order in Lagos

• Grilled fish: sea bream, sea bass and mackerel, priced by weight. Ask to see the fish and its price before it goes on the grill.
• Sardines: best from about June to September, when they are fat and cheap.
• Cataplana: a seafood stew cooked in a sealed copper pan, usually for two. See our cataplana guide.
• Octopus: grilled, or in a salad as a starter.
• Piri-piri chicken: spicy grilled chicken, an Algarve speciality. See piri-piri chicken.
• Dessert: look for Dom Rodrigo, a rich egg and almond sweet wrapped in coloured foil, and anything made with Algarve figs, almonds or carob.
• To finish: a small glass of medronho, a strong local spirit made from the fruit of the strawberry tree.

Food and wine tours

First time in Lagos? A guided food tour on day one is the best way to find places you might walk straight past and learn what to order. See Lagos food tours. Algarve wine is having a moment too, and small-group wine tasting trips from Lagos visit nearby vineyards.

If you are self-catering, the municipal market on the Avenida dos Descobrimentos sells fish, fruit and vegetables, usually from Monday to Saturday mornings. Go early for the best choice.

Tips for eating out in Lagos

• The couvert (bread, olives, butter) brought to your table isn’t free. Send it back if you don’t want it.
• Lunch is cheaper: look for the prato do dia (dish of the day).
• Many places close one day a week and some close in winter, so check Google Maps before you go.
• Tipping isn’t expected, but rounding up or leaving 5–10% for good service is appreciated.
• Meal times: lunch usually runs from about 12:30 to 15:00 and dinner from about 19:00. Many kitchens stop taking orders around 22:00.
• Book in July and August: for the popular places, book a few days ahead, or a week ahead for Avenida and Dos Artistas.
• Fish by the kilo: if a dish says preço ao kg, the price shown is per kilo, not per plate.

FAQ

Is there a Michelin-starred restaurant in Lagos?

Not in the 2026 guide. Al Sud, the town’s starred restaurant, closed in late 2025 and lost its star. Avenida is still listed in the Michelin Guide, and the nearest starred restaurants are further along the coast, in Portimão and Lagoa.

Do you need to book restaurants in Lagos?

In July and August, yes, for anywhere popular: a few days ahead for O Camilo or Tasca Jota, and about a week for Avenida or Dos Artistas. A Forja doesn’t take bookings, so arrive early. Out of season you can usually walk in, but check that the place is open that day.

What is Lagos known for food-wise?

Fresh grilled fish, sardines in summer, octopus, and cataplana seafood stew for two. Finish with an almond or fig sweet and a small glass of medronho.

Are the bread and olives on the table free?

No. The couvert is charged if you eat it, so send it back if you don’t want it.

Planning the rest of your days? See things to do in Lagos.

More on the area: Lagos and the western Algarve, the best Algarve beaches and what to eat in Portugal.

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