Where to eat in Tavira, Algarve: the best restaurants, cafés and more

Pack The Suitcases uses affiliate links. If you make a purchase through these links, I earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks!

If you’re looking for the best restaurants in Tavira and where to eat in around the town more generally, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve sampled so many of Tavira’s eateries recently that I feel a) chunky and b) ready to recommend my favourites. 

I love Tavira and I love eating so this is my guide to combining the two (I also have a guide on general things to do in Tavira – other than eating – so if you’re planning a trip, you may want to begin there). In this food guide, I’ve listed some of the best restaurants in Tavira, because that’s probably what most people will be looking for in their holiday research, but I’ve also covered some of the best cafés/snack bars/bakeries/food stalls too. I should also add that finding any veggie or vegan-friendly restaurants here (or indeed in any Portuguese town) generally requires some effort. Like most of Portugal, the Algarve is both fish- and meat-heavy. But there are restaurants that do cater to vegetarians and vegans really well. As I eat a mostly plant-based diet, I’ve made sure to include them here.

Anyway, dig out all your clothes with elasticated waistbands. Let’s get onto some of the best cafés, bakeries and restaurants in Tavira…

---

Please note: I try to update all my restaurant guides regularly so that everything is current. But restaurants open and close so regularly that it’s hard to keep on top of it. If you spot a restaurant here that may have closed, please comment to let me know. Feel free to leave your own recommendations, too!

---

The best restaurants in Tavira, Portugal

Okay, let’s start with what I class as actual restaurants. These are more of a proper sit-down meal place that you’d go to in the evening. Some cafés and bars also call themselves restaurants but shut early so I’m shoving them into another section further down. 

Cercle – the best restaurant in Tavira for a Michelin-style dining experience

R. Poe. Emiliano da Costa 37, 8800-357 Tavira

This list of where to eat in Tavira isn’t in any particular order but Cercle is at the top because it was the first on my mind when I thought about where I like to eat in Tavira. And as you’ll gather as you read this blog post, I’ve done a lot of eating in Tavira…

If you want to treat yourself to a really special (yet still incredibly affordable) posh meal, perhaps for the last night of your visit to Tavira, then book a table at Cercle. It is just a beautiful restaurant. Look at the flowers and fairy lights and mural of a thrush outside in my photos below. And the interior is so chic as well.

But unlike lots of posh and Instagrammable eateries, Cercle is actually excellent for food too. It’s a simple menu, like a short tasting menu with homemade bread and a choice of meat/fish/veggie for starter/main/dessert. So much thought and care have very clearly gone into every dish. The lemon, apple and celery dessert is Michelin star stuff.

Although it’s obviously more of a fine-dining experience than a lot of places I recommend in this list, Cercle isn’t super expensive. A starter is about 7€ and a main between 16 and 22€ (these are for veggie/pesce options; I’m never sure about meat dishes as I don’t eat it). You can pay a lot more for food that isn’t a patch on this. 

Acqua e Sale – for the best pizza in Tavira

Av. Dr. Mateus Teixeira de Azevedo 8 A, 8800-379 Tavira

From fine dining back down to earth with everyone’s go-to dish: pizza. I like to think I’ve become a bit of a pizza connoisseur over the years. Wherever I travel, it’s always something I end up eating at least once. 

There’s always a pizza place that everyone claims does ‘the best pizza’ in the town/city/area/country. After rigorous testing (a hard job but someone has to), I can confirm that Acqua e Sale is that place in Tavira. They do the most amazing ‘Buffaline’ pizza with huge lumps of buffalo burrata (great if you’re lactose intolerant but want something creamy) and an excellent ‘Napoli’ one with loads of anchovies. There’s also fresh pasta on the menu.

And if you’re a craft beer fan looking to escape the endless river of Sagres/Superbock in Portugal, Acqua e Sale is one of the very few places (that I’m aware of) in Tavira that stocks proper Portuguese craft beer. This is from a brilliant craft brewery called Dois Corvos (‘two crows’) in Lisbon, which I’ve been to. It’s very hard to get their beer in bars in the Algarve, so make sure you try it here. 

Casa Simão – one of the best restaurants in Tavira for traditional hearty food

R. João Vaz Corte Real 10, 8800-351 Tavira

If you’ve read my things to do in Tavira guide, you’ll know I’m a big fan of the Bishop’s Square area for food and drink. Casa Simão is just off this square and is right by one of the apartments I usually stay in, so it’s really handy for when I want to eat out but fancy something simple and cosy.

It’s a very traditional place, no airs and graces, where you can get a hearty meal for a good price. Think cod with potatoes and vegetables, tuna steak with onion and vegetables, or monkfish rice. These are all around 8€. Can’t argue with that. You can sit outside and watch what’s going on in the square, or if the weather isn’t its usual sunny self in Tavira then inside is snug and rustic (and also surprisingly huge!).

O Tonel – for the prettiest setting in Tavira

R. Dr. Augusto da Silva Carvalho 6, 8800-650 Tavira

O Tonel is located on the exquisitely scenic Rua Dr. Augusto da Silva Carvalho. This is a road swathed in beautiful peach-coloured bougainvillaea and white jasmine, framed by idyllic whitewashed buildings with colourful shutters. A picture-perfect Algarvian scene. It’s an experience in itself to dine in such a gorgeous setting, so O Tonel could easily get away with being an overpriced and mediocre tourist trap. People would still book it! But luckily their food is very good so it isn’t style over substance.

The food is not the cheapest in Tavira but is still affordable (about 12 to 16€ for a veggie/fishy main). The most popular thing seems to be the octopus with sweet potato. Every time I go past, people are ordering it. Personally, I like the goat’s cheese starter and the homemade tagliatelle. 

O Tonel is so popular that you’ll most likely have to book, especially on a weekend or in warm weather. Everyone wants to sit out there among the flowers and fairy lights. I’m sure you can see why with the below photos.

Come Na Gaveta – one of the best restaurants in Tavira for burgers

Av. Dr. Mateus Teixeira de Azevedo 36, 8800-379 Tavira

Come na Gaveta is one of my favourite casual restaurants in Tavira. It’s a sort of gastro-bar that does tapas and burgers/hot sandwiches.

I massively recommend the tuna bolo de cacao here. Bolo de cacao is a type of bread made in Madeira. Regular readers of this blog will know that Madeira is my specialist subject and my blog really took off as a business when I started writing my Madeira guides. So I’m a bit of a Madeira geek. And yes, I know it’s a bit daft having a Madeiran dish when in the Algarve but I can’t resist. The black version of bolo de cacao is the best and that’s what they do here.

The tuna tacos and falafel wraps are also excellent. And they do really nice cocktails and wines too.

The name ‘Come na Gaveta’ itself has an interesting meaning. It translates as ‘eat in the drawer’. Apparently, this is because historically shops and other businesses didn’t close over lunchtime so the staff would eat while working with their plate in the drawer of their desk so they could close it to deal with any customers who came in. As a nod to this, you get your bill here in a cute little drawer.

Nó de Gosto – for unique tapas

Praça Dr. António Padinha 11, 8800-637 Tavira

Like I said above, Bishop’s Square is one of my favourite spots for eating and drinking in Tavira. Nó de Gosto is another lovely little restaurant there. It’s always got a nice atmosphere, relaxed and welcoming, with people sitting outside enjoying having a nosy at what’s going on in the square.

It’s a tapas menu but doesn’t just serve the bog-standard stuff you get everywhere. The more exciting bit of the menu is called ‘irreverent tapas’, which always amuses me. Try the delicious prawn and padron pepper tapas. Who doesn’t enjoy playing a bit of padron pepper roulette? Anchovies and Algarve carrots is another winner.

Oh and the building is beautiful. If you sit outside, you get a lovely backdrop of azulejo (the gorgeous blue-and-white Portuguese tiles). Unfortunately, every time I’ve eaten here it’s been quite dark and so my photos have been terrible. I must go for lunch next time and add some photos of both the pretty setting and the delicious tapas.

Nikita – one of the best restaurants in Tavira for seafood in a cosy setting

R. Dr. Parreira 113, 8800-346 Tavira

If you’re looking for restaurants in Tavira that are open on a Sunday (always an issue in Southern Europe!), here’s one of them.

Nikita does traditional Portuguese food with a bit of fusion from different places. Some dishes have a North African touch, such as in their veggie tagines. But their seafood bouillabaisse is probably my favourite thing to order. You get a really good portion of mussels, prawns and whatever the fish of the day is, along with delicious carrot and courgette. It’s only about 16€, too. Imagine how much a city-centre restaurant in the UK would charge for all that fresh seafood. I’d be remortgaging.

Also try their white sangria, which I can confirm goes down very easily.

Borda D’Agua Gastrobar – for a beautiful view while eating

R. João Vaz Corte Real 15, 8800-351 Tavira

Borda D’Agua Gastrobar is one of the newer restaurants in town. It’s in a lovely spot by the river, so if you’re sat outside then you’ll have a great view and atmosphere. Some of the restaurants along the river are on the touristy side and there’s even an Irish bar (always a red flag) but Borda D’Agua is a real gem serving beautifully cooked food and not at all a rip-off.

Like I said earlier, it can be hard to find restaurants in Tavira serving good veggie/vegan food, but the mushroom and tofu risotto here is lovely. The cocktails are good too.

O Noel – one of the best restaurants in Tavira for Algarvian clams, a traditional dish

R. Poe. Emiliano da Costa, 8800-357 Tavira

One of the classic dishes to look for in Tavira is Algarvian clams. And IMO, the best place to try these little beauties is O Noel, which is located underneath one of the apartments I usually recommend staying in.

This is a simple, family-run place that really specialises in clams. Everyone orders them. And they are delicious.

The serving is massive and only about 12€. If you’re dining with someone, you can share the portion of clams and add a side of veggies and chips and that’ll be enough. 

Terraze – for lunch with an Aperol Spritz

Rua Borda d’Água da Asseca 1, 8800-411 Tavira

I ummed and ahhed about whether to include Terraze in this list of restaurants in Tavira because I do see it more as a bar. However, I have eaten there and the food is great, so here we are.

This is another of my usual haunts on the side of the River Gilao, with beautiful views of the Roman Bridge and the water, especially as the sun is going down. It has a stylish indoor bit but in good weather, you can sit outside and be almost right on top of the river. I love watching all the little crabs pootling about on the riverbanks and waving their claws around. You can also spot different wading birds dabbling about. It’s very relaxing and also a real sun trap. But there are brollies on some tables for shade if you want it.

If you’ve had a massive lunch, which is easily done in Tavira, Terraze is the best place for a light evening meal. Their salads are a solid 10/10. The lentil, orange and couscous one is especially good. But if you want something big, there are plenty of more filling options and the chips on the side are always done well.

I should add that Terraze is great for drinks, which is why I think of it as a bar first and foremost. The Aperol Spritz is the best I’ve had in Tavira. They also do an alternative beer to the usual Sagres/Superbock generic lager available in most places in Portugal.

A Barquinha – for a super salad and seafood

R. José Pires Padinha, 8800-354 Tavira

There are so many great, no-frills, rustic restaurants in Tavira that it’s hard to narrow them all down for this list. One of the most popular must be A Barquinha, which is usually bustling.

Now, it’s mainly a seafood restaurant, like so many in Tavira are. But what sets it apart are the salads. To say they go all-out on making salads delicious would be an understatement. No boring iceberg lettuce and limp cucumber here. It’s all crispy and colourful, full of bits of fresh fruit and mountains of local vegetables. And the salad is included in the price with the main meals. The fish and other seafood are lovely, but the salad is the star of the show for me.

Artefact – one of the best restaurants in Tavira for a bit of a treat

R. das Capacheiras 1, 8800-407 Tavira

When staying for a month in Tavira recently, I booked Artefact as a treat for my partner’s birthday. It’s one of the few restaurants in town that you need to book well in advance as it’s so sought-after. Although it’s one of the posher-feeling places, it’s still very reasonable compared with everywhere else.

The waiter will tell you all about each dish and give recommendations, something that I normally find a bit cringe and fussy but they do it well here and it doesn’t feel inauthentic at all. The menu is European with a large French influence and is quite small; always a good sign. But if you’re vegetarian it’s good to let them know in advance or your options will be limited.

The sea bass cooked two ways (my favourite was with orange) is delicious. 

The best bakeries in Tavira

Okay so moving on from the best restaurants in Tavira and onto the other important thing: bakeries! When in Tavira, you should make it your mission to try as many treats from local bakeries (pastelarias) as possible. There are some fantastic things, other than the famous pastel de nata of course. My full guide to things to do in Tavira lists some of my favourite Portuguese cakes and pastries. But here, I’m going to list some specific bakeries you can go and try them at…

Pastelaria & Padaria Venezuela

R. Álvaro de Campos 11, Tavira

Venezuela is on the walk to Tavira’s Porta Nova station, in a residential area away from tourists. I love finding places slightly off the beaten path like this, and it’s become one of my favourite pastelarias there now.

Venezuela has a fantastic atmosphere, always bustling with locals having a debate over a coffee. I always pop in for a pastel de nata to eat while I wait for my train to Faro or somewhere. They’re some of the best in town, always very crispy and with lots of filling.

Padaria Porta Nova

R. dos Namarrais 16, 8800-439 Tavira

Padaria Porta Nova is another excellent pastelaria tucked away from the tourist areas. It’s a very short walk from Bishop’s Square, which means it’s dangerously close to where I usually stay. All too easy to slip back into the pastry-a-day habit I always end up with anywhere in Portugal…

Porta Nova does loads of delicious things like cream slices with summer berries, so it’s not just about pastel de nata. However, it does sometimes do mini pastel de nata. Yes, mini ones! They’re VERY cute and so tiny that you can enjoy the flavour and treat without quite so many calories, which is rather nice.

Padaria Vila Doce

R. Dr. Augusto Carlos Palma 15, 8800-354 Tavira

Vila Doce is more in the centre of town, near the main square. If I’m in the middle of town and need a cake fix, this is a good choice. There are plenty of cakes and it’s all very affordable.

It’s a fairly big place but occasionally I’ll be sitting in there (probably working on this blog!) when suddenly an entire local family, with about 20 aunts and uncles, will descend on it and fill every seat. This normally makes for a good atmosphere and you can see what everyone orders. Pastel de nata still seems to be the go-to option even for locals! Proof that you can never get tired of them.

The best cafés, snack bars and ice cream in Tavira

Although there are loads of good restaurants in Tavira, many of them serve huge portions and sometimes you just want a proper café serving lunch-size portions. I’ve included a few traditional cafés, snack bars and ice cream shops in this last section: basically everything that isn’t a bakery or restaurant. If I think of any more odds and ends, I’ll add them here as well.

Flavour Café – the best café in Tavira for a relatively healthy lunch… and a scone

Largo José Pires Padinha 26, 8800-354 Tavira

Flavour Café is one of the best lunch options I’ve found. It has some really good salads and you get plenty of greenery in the bagels and sandwiches too.

If that all sounds far too healthy for you, then don’t worry. It’s also one of the few – or possibly the only – places you can find a scone with jam and cream in Tavira. Obviously, a scone is very much not a Portuguese thing, but when I was in Tavira for a month recently I didn’t want to just eat Portuguese treats the entire time and fancied a scone when I saw it on the menu. It did not disappoint. I shovelled it down so fast that I didn’t even manage to photograph it.

À da Marta – for a veggie lunch

R. da Liberdade 26, 8800-399 Tavira

À da Marta is a small café only open at lunchtime. It’s on one of the main shopping streets in Tavira, so if you’re in the centre of town and after a simple, homemade lunch, it’s a good option. They have plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options: the latter can be a pain to find in Tavira. There are things like wraps, soup, salads, omelettes, toasties, quiche and of course cakes. The salads are nice and fresh.

Veganices – an eco/organic/vegan shop that also has a small café

R. José Pires Padinha 100, 8800-354 Tavira

If you’re staying in a self-catering apartment, I recommend going to Veganices for some supplies. Although both big supermarkets (Pingo Doce and Continente) in Tavira have a decent range of plant-based food, there are some things you can’t get – plus Continente is a bit of a walk from town. It’s nice to have somewhere bang in the middle where you can get all sorts of essentials like seitan, vegan chorizo, oat milk and cruelty-free cleaning products.

If you’re staying for a while, there’s a useful refill service for things like pasta, rice, teas and cereals so you don’t need to waste plastic.

Veganices also has a very very tiny café, which is really just two stools next to their counter, where you can get (I think) the only vegan pastel de natas in Tavira. Do correct me in the comments if I’m wrong. Anyway, I can confirm they’re delicious.

Fábrica Do Meu Avô Geladaria – for the best ice cream in Tavira (including vegan options)

Tv. Dom Brites 10, 8800-347 Tavira

No sunny holiday is complete without an ice cream or two, preferably of the gelato variety. The best ice cream in Tavira comes from Fábrica Do Meu Avô Geladaria right in the centre of town. It’s absolutely delicious.

It can be tricky finding vegan ice cream in Portugal but they do a couple of flavours here. One is pistachio, which I know a lot of people go wild for, but the best one is just ‘black vegan’ i.e. proper dark cocoa butter chocolate flavour. It tastes like the richest, creamiest chocolate mousse imaginable and is a proper decadent treat. I have to limit myself to only one a week when I’m in Tavira or it would become a serious addiction and I’d not get into any of my clothes.

They do cow milk ice cream too, but even if you’re not vegan I’d recommend having the black vegan one. You won’t regret it.

Sitio Café – for the best tostas in Tavira

Tv. do Trem 28, 8800-318 Tavira

As much as I love going to hipster bars for a craft beer, one of the most fun things to do in Tavira (or indeed anywhere in Portugal) is to go to a proper traditional snack bar. These tend to be no-frills places full of locals, with plastic tables and a simple menu, usually consisting of toasties (tostas) and other simple little plates of food. They often have a TV screen inside, showing either sport (on mute) or playing random MTV music channels.

Sitio is my favourite of all snack bars in Tavira. It has the requisite MTV 00s (my era!) playing on the TV inside, a spot in the sun for its outdoor tables, and a menu boasting the best homemade toasties you can get. I recommend the prawn one, which comes with garlic mayo spread both inside and outside the bread. Highly recommended for soaking up a glass of Sagres. And it’s only 3€. Bargain. Look at the size of those prawns!

Top tip: if you’re looking for somewhere to eat late – and by late, I mean like after 11pm, which is late even by Portuguese standards – Sitio seems to keep its kitchen going until it closes. Someone in there always has a toastie on the go.

Scoopit – for savoury crepes

Praça Dr. António Padinha 45 8800, 8800-637 Tavira

With a name like Scoopit, you might think it’s an ice cream shop. But the name is just to trick you. It’s actually a café that does excellent lunches that cater to all kinds of dietary requirements. You can get lots of veggie, vegan and gluten-free options here. Everything on the menu is well-labelled and they’re happy to tailor dishes to suit your needs. 

I first visited Scoopit when it was quite new and their platters of local veg, breads and cheese were calling my name. I’m not sure whether they still do these but I’ve since been back and had one of the savoury crepes with the sweet potato salad on the side, which is delicious. 

Scoopit is another one on my favourite Bishop’s Square, so I love the location.

Useful information for your trip while you’re eating your way around the best restaurants in Tavira

Where to stay in Tavira

As I explain in my big guide to things to do in Tavira, I massively recommend staying in either Casa Cristina or Casa Oliverio, two gorgeous self-catering apartments (around 100€ a night at the time of writing but prices of course vary by time of year). However, if you prefer to stay in a hotel then there’s the aforementioned Pousada Convento de Tavira, which looks gorgeous (around 300€ a night so one for a special occasion) or Authentic Tavira Hotel (around 125€ a night). 

How to get to and around Tavira

Most people will fly into Faro Airport in the Algarve or get the train to Faro from other Portuguese cities like Porto or Lisbon. You can get to Tavira from Faro (and lots of other towns in the Algarve) as Tavira has its own railway station (two, actually). Check the Comboios de Portugal (official railway website) for times and prices. Once you’re in Tavira, it’s a nice walkable size. You don’t need to worry about taxis and buses as everything is easily reached on foot.

When to go to Tavira

I always recommend doing anywhere in Portugal in the spring, early or late summer, or early autumn. I’ve experienced similar weather in Tavira in both April and October (i.e. hot!) and both are times of the year when flowers are out and most restaurants/bars are open. I’d avoid the height of summer because it’ll be very busy with tourists, much hotter, more expensive to stay in hotels/apartments and too full of children due to school holidays. 

Save and share: The best restaurants in Tavira, Algarve

If you enjoyed this blog post on where to eat and the best restaurants in Tavira, aka stuffing your face around the whole town, why not pin it to your Pinterest board? 

You might also like some of my other Portugal travel guides:

• 40 lovely things to do in Tavira, Algarve
• 23 of the best towns and cities to visit in Portugal: a giant guide 
• 25 fabulous things to do in Faro, Algarve
• A guide to Fuseta, Portugal – an unspoilt fishing village in the Algarve
• 3 days in Lisbon: a perfect itinerary
• A guide to Mértola, Portugal: a hidden hilltop gem
• 3 days in Porto: the perfect itinerary
• 10 beautiful day trips from Porto by train/bus
• 45 things to do in Funchal, Madeira
• The best restaurants in Madeira and Funchal
• The best bars in Madeira and Funchal
• How to do a day trip to Curral das Freiras from Funchal
• How to do a day trip to Porto da Cruz from Funchal
• A guide to spending a week in Madeira: a 7-day itinerary without a car
• How to do a day trip to Camara de Lobos from Funchal
• The best beaches in Madeira and how to reach them.

If you’ve used one of my travel guides and enjoyed it, you can also buy me a drink. Cheers. 

Share this post