Where We Eat: Our Favourite Restaurants Around Gaula, Santa Cruz, Machico and Funchal

A local couple's honest list — the places we walk to, the people behind them, and the dishes we keep going back for.

When guests arrive at Madeira Home Cliff Residence, the first question is almost always the same: "Where should we eat?"

We've spent years on this island — Maria grew up between Machico and Caniçal, lived eleven years in Caniço, and worked in tourism in Funchal and beyond. Vítor came to visit, fell for the sea, and stayed. Between the two of us, we know which restaurants are worth the drive, which are best for a quiet lunch, and which little places only locals seem to find and, just as importantly, which friends are behind the bar.

Here are the ones we keep going back to.

Right around the apartments — our village locals

Adega Moniz (Gaula) — Our village neighbour. Ranked #1 of all restaurants in Gaula on Tripadvisor, and rightly so. A proper adega: wine cellar feel, generous portions, no fuss. Their picado and prego no bolo do caco are some of the best on the island. Come hungry. They don't take reservations — write your name in the book by the door and they'll call you when your table is ready.

Bar O Saloio — Luíza and Eduardo, the loveliest couple, run this place with real heart. Their prego and petiscos are the kind of food that makes you stay an extra hour. Honest, unfussy, the village bar you wish was on your street back home.

Taberna do Petisco — Small, full of character, the kind of tasca where the regulars know everyone. Ask for the camarão à Jordão — that's the dish.

Sai de Baixo (Porto Novo, Gaula) — Right under the bridge, a stone's throw from the apartments, and one little spots on the south coast. A hidden gem with live music and Brazilian food, a peaceful atmosphere by the ocean — reggae, hammocks, a laid-back vibe. Every weekend evening after 9 PM there's a live bossa nova set; the feijoada is delicious and the caipirinha carries the ocean breeze from a few metres away. Reservation required — call ahead.

For breakfast — three places worth waking up for

O Galã (Machico) — Maria's hometown bakery, and the one that brings back childhood. Their queijadas are still the best on Madeira — we've tried to find better, and we can't. A proper Portuguese breakfast: fresh bolo do caco, strong galão, the local crowd already on their second coffee. They now have brunch menus. About 15 minutes from the apartments.

Doce Satisfação (Santa Cruz) — 10 minutes away, on the seafront promenade, and run by Sr. António, who is the soul of the place. Pastries, fruit bowls, beautiful coffee, and a view of the boats coming in. The kind of place where breakfast turns into a long sit.

Treehouse (Funchal) — Worth the 20-minute drive when you feel like a proper brunch. Bright, fresh, generous plates, smoothies, and the energy of Funchal in the morning. Near the Market - Mercado dos Lavradores.

For fish — the one we send everyone to

Restaurante Bar Amarelo (Caniçal) — A personal one for us: our friend Miguel runs it with his father. Right by the pier in Caniçal, with the fishing boats outside the window. Highly recommended for fresh fish and seafood, prepared with expertise — the tuna steak is a standout, and the grilled squid, octopus and espada are all worth ordering. An enchanting seafood restaurant in a tranquil seaside location, with a welcoming, relaxing atmosphere. Order the fish of the day grilled simply, the lapas to start, and — really — ask Miguel about the wines. Uff. About 10 minutes from the apartments.

For meat — when we want a real grill

O Moinho (Caniço) — Just 10 minutes away, and one of those places where you can feel the care in every plate. Sr. Feliciano runs the kitchen, and his dedication to the oven dishes is something to taste — slow-cooked meat, fish, and rice that arrive bubbling at the table, full of flavour and patience. Look out the window while you wait and you'll see his own fruit and vegetable field — most of what's on your plate has come from a few metres away that morning. Don't miss the salad with queijo fresco and fresh fruit — light, surprising, the kind of side dish you end up ordering as a main. A long-standing local favourite for espetada em pau de loureiro too — beef skewered on a laurel branch and cooked over coal, the way it should be done. Hearty, traditional, generous portions.

As Vides (Estreito de Câmara de Lobos) — If you want to taste espetada where it was born, this is the place. Open since 1950 and known as the oldest casa da espetada on Madeira Island, As Vides is a family-run restaurant that has been doing one thing brilliantly for over seventy years: tender cubes of beef, seasoned by hand with garlic, salt and bay leaf, skewered on a real laurel branch and grilled over wood. Order the espetada em pau de loureiro — accept no substitutes — with milho frito, bolo do caco and a glass of house wine. Simple, rustic, unforgettable. About 30 minutes from the apartments, but if you're already heading to Câmara de Lobos for a Nikita, build a long lunch around it.

O Lagar (Câmara de Lobos) — Bigger, livelier, and the one we send guests to when they want the full Madeiran experience — espetada and folklore in one evening. A huge, rustic space where the espetada arrives hanging from a metal hook above the table, dripping butter onto the bolo do caco below; a sight every guest takes a photo of before they take a bite. On Tuesday and Friday evenings there's live Madeiran folk dancing — the bailinho da Madeira — which sounds touristy on paper, but in this setting it works. Open since 1995, family-friendly, with parking and a play area for children. Reservation recommended on weekends. About 30 minutes from the apartments.

For the Hills — when you want to escape the coast

Portela a Vista (Portela, Machico) — Up in the hills above Machico, with one of the most spectacular views on the east of the island — the road climbs and suddenly the whole Atlantic opens up below you. This is the spot for the full Madeira meat experience: espetada em pau de loureiro, sizzling on its laurel branch, brought to the table on a hanging hook with bowls of milho frito, salad, and bread. Honest, hearty, the way Sunday lunches should taste. What keeps us coming back, though, is Maria José — the lady who always takes such good care of us. She makes you feel like family from the moment you walk in. About 20 minutes from the apartments and very much worth the trip.

Abrigo do Pastor (Camacha) — About 20 minutes inland, and a completely different Madeira. One of our favourite restaurants on the island — the food is rooted in typical Portuguese cuisine with strong soul-food elements, and it can be 24°C in Funchal and 11 at Abrigo do Pastor, so it feels like a wormhole into the Alps. Originally a hut that served as a shelter for hunters and shepherds, it became a bar and restaurant — a gastronomic refuge with deep roots in Madeiran and Portuguese tradition. Start with their sopa de trigo — a hearty Madeiran wheat soup that warms you from the inside out, just right for the mountain air. On Sundays, the cozido à portuguesa is the one to order: meats, sausages, vegetables, all slow-cooked together, the kind of dish you plan a long afternoon around. And whatever you do, save room for the homemade chocolate mousse — rich, generous, the perfect end to a long meal by the fireplace. Reservation recommended, especially for weekends — this place fills up with locals who know what they're coming for. Bring a jumper, even in summer.

A Culinary Experience

Lá ao Fundo (Funchal Old Town) — Tucked away on a quiet corner of Funchal's Old Town, near the Forte de São Tiago, and a place we'd put among the most exciting tables on the island. Chef Jaime Cruz runs the kitchen alongside his son Mauro — father and son working together, which gives the whole place a warmth you can taste. The menu is a beautiful fusion: Portuguese roots with African and Asian influences, the recipes Jaime has gathered over a lifetime of cooking and travelling. Don't miss the tuna tartare, prepared at your table on a small trolley — half meal, half theatre — or the tuna steak with risotto, perfectly seared and just pink in the middle. The green rice with camarão árabe is the dish people come back for, and for dessert, ask for the pumpkin petit gateau — a small warm spiced cake, unique to here, the kind of pudding you remember long after the holiday is over.

Reservation essential — they fill up most nights. About 20 minutes from the apartments.

Carvão Grill House (Funchal) — Our pick for a proper steak night. A culinary experience that celebrates the art of grilling, with a focus on high-quality meats — the T-bone, grilled to share, is a must, as is the grilled octopus. Their "black" bread and special butter... Excellent wine list, attentive service. The warmth here comes from Celia and Renato, who run the place with real care; the kind of hosts who notice if your glass is empty before you do. Worth the 20-minute drive into Funchal.

NINI Funchal (Design Centre Nini Andrade Silva) — When the occasion calls for something special, this is where we send guests. Set inside an old seafront fortress by Funchal port — the Fortaleza de Nossa Senhora da Conceição, once home to Madeira's first navigator, João Gonçalves Zarco — the restaurant is the creation of celebrated Madeiran designer Nini Andrade Silva, with stunning views over the city, the harbour, and the Atlantic. The menu reinterprets traditional Madeiran cuisine with care and beauty on every plate. Higher-end, reservation essential, and absolutely worth the 20-minute drive.

What to drink — two local drinks you should try at least once

Poncha — Madeira's signature drink. Sugar cane spirit, honey, and lemon — more than a drink, it's tradition in a glass. Variations everywhere: orange, passion fruit, tangerine. Try a few, find your favourite. (our limit is 3...)

Nikita — The one no guidebook gets right. A uniquely Madeiran cocktail that blends the unexpected — beer, wine, and ice cream — into a sweet, creamy, refreshing drink. An "adult milkshake" as fun to drink as it is to order. Created in 1985 by a bartender named Marcelino in the fishing port of Câmara de Lobos, and named after Elton John's hit song "Nikita," which was topping the charts that year. Order one in Câmara de Lobos — where it was born — with peanuts on the side.

What to eat — five things every guest must try

Lapas grelhadas — grilled limpets with garlic butter and lemon. Sounds odd, tastes incredible.
Bolo do caco com manteiga de alho — soft round bread warmed on a hot stone, brushed with garlic butter.
Prego no bolo do caco — that same bread, with a thin steak inside. The island's perfect quick lunch.
Espetada em pau de loureiro — beef on laurel branches, cooked over coal.
Espada com banana — black scabbard fish with fried banana. A combination that shouldn't work but absolutely does.

One small piece of advice If we've learnt one thing from welcoming guests, it's this: don't plan too much. Madeira changes its mind about the weather every twenty minutes. Always carry your swimwear, always carry a light coat, and let the island decide the rest. The best meals are usually the ones you stumble into on the way back from somewhere else.

— Maria & Vítor, Madeira Home Cliff Residence