Whoever knows me knows that I'm a HUGE foodie! A lot of you know that I am also together with another HUGE foodie (Nathan) so us two foodies together means we're almost always eating.
I think food is one of the biggest reasons we travel.
Now that we've tried alottt of restaurants here in Pico, here are the ones I recommend knowing wholeheartedly that you will have an incredible experience.
Btw, these are not listed in any particular order :)
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1. Cafe Campo Raso
2. Fonte Tavern
Campo Raso Cafe
What can I say - I'm speechless. Nestled in the town of Campo Raso is a rare gem that I highly recommend.
Possibly the best burgers you'll ever have in your life can be found at Cafe Campo Raso.
From the vibe and views to the service and food, your heart will be full with joy after eating here.
Their constantly changing and lively menu, electric cocktails, and energy-boosting music sets the perfect backdrop for a joyous gathering. Whether you're dining solo or reveling in the company of friends, the ambiance guarantees a fun-filled time.
I can't count how many times I have eaten here because it's at least a weekly ritual for us.
It doesn't matter what you get on the menu, your heart will be doing a happy dance after you've eaten here.
Oh and how can you miss taking a photo with the famous "I Love Pico" sign they made? You just can't.
Don't leave Pico Island without trying my favourite restaurant! Campo Raso Cafe Estrada Regional N 37, 9950-105 Campo Raso @camporasocafe
Fonte Tavern
(Slide for all photos) P.s I wish I had more photos, but when I'm at Fonte I'm normally too busy having a mouthgasm and I always forget to take photos.
There are just some places that fulfill your heart and hit the spot. Fonte Tavern is that place.
We have eaten here 4 times and we drive 35 minutes there and 35 back to indulge in their delicious food - yes even in the rain on our scooter. But it’s not just the food that’s perfect at Fonte Tavern, it’s everything else too.
The setting indoors is a cool modern vibe while outside is an enchanting patio with a waterfall and lots of plants!
They make incredible gin & tonics - my favorite - using herbs like basil from their own garden!!
The service is always amazing, with friendly and on-the-ball waiters. In fact, it’s the best I’ve had in all of Pico so far.
Now for the food - what can I say, we’ve tried about 8-10 dishes here and they have all been spectacular.
What’s so cool is they switch up their menu every couple of months and they are always having new daily/weekly special features.
One dish that stood out to us recently was their featured tuna Alcatra. Not sure if that was the name but it was fresh tuna pieces cooked with potatoes in the oven like a dry stew, oh my lord it was so good.
I can literally recommend anything on their menu in a heartbeat, so don’t worry about what to choose, whatever sounds good to you just get it! 🙌🏻
Their prices are also super fair, especially for some of the best food you will try in Pico. We normally have a bill of around €40 euros for 2-3 starters, 1-2 mains, dessert, and 2 gin and tonics.
They also have live music some nights (especially weekends).
Make sure to make a reservation in advance because this place is rightfully popular!
Fonte Tavern
R. Cap. Mor Garcia Gonçalves Madruga 26B, 9930-129 Lajes do Pico
Caffe 5 "Cinq"
If you come to Pico you’ve probably eaten at Cafe 5. It’s right on the main road in Madalena just a quick 2-minute walk from the ferry terminal.
Their Patio is the place to be but the inside has so much character with cute sayings and funny jokes hanging all around the restaurants. Take a look at the ones in the washroom - the cutest!
Their food is frikken delicious. We’ve tried quite a few dishes and the ones I can highly recommend are “Vegetais a bras”, the grilled Lulas (squid), the octopus, the durum falafel wrap, and our absolute favourite the DONNER FALAFEL! We get it with both sauces - the garlic and spicy, thank us later.
We have eaten that falafel way too many times already and we don’t plan on stopping, it's a weekly thing. 😏
The service is also nice and their prices are very reasonable - we normally don’t have a bill higher than €20-25 for 2 giant falafel wraps, fries and a drink.
Caffe 5 "Cinq"
Rua Carlos Dabney 5, 9950-327 Madalena
Esplanada Dark
NOTE: Best enjoyed in the late summer when the tourist season is low and demand can be easily accommodated. I've noticed the summer months tend to decline the quality here as much as I love this place, I need to be honest on this blog!
Right in front of the ferry terminal in Madalena, you’ll find arguably the most lively restaurant & bar in Pico.
With some awesome tracks playing on their sound system, you sit there on the giant patio that’s almost always full and enjoy some of the best food in Pico.
The owner is a sweet, very hard-working lady that has an incredible amount of passion for cooking. All of her dishes are perfection.
This place is so versatile because you can come here for breakfast, and have an Acai bowl, or you can come here for lunch/dinner and have some of the freshest gourmet sushi (upon pre-request)! I’ve tried all go these dishes on the menu and loved them all:
Caril (curry with your choice of protein)
Lulas (their grilled squid sauce is to die for)
Polvo (their octopus is tasty, soft, and drenched in addicting garlicky oil, paired beautifully with sweet potato and more)
Acai bowl (fresh and light and unique)
Sushi * pre-order a couple of days before! (in my top 3 sushi experiences ever and trust me I have eaten a lot of sushi - a bit on the expensive side but worth the experience 1000%)
Salmon in Mustard Sauce (tangy and refreshing)
They also have vegetarian/vegan options available.
Their desserts are delish too!
Prices are slightly leaning on the pricey side but it’s because the food is worth that value!
I really enjoy eating here for the unique, tasty food and the overall welcoming atmosphere you feel when eating here, especially at sunset! 💛
Like I said up top, in the summer months the quality here declines because there is not enough manpower for the demand and Laila isn't able to be hands-on on everything which just doesn't make it the same. But if you're here from September to May, this is an incredible place to eat and chill.
Esplanada Dark
Rua Tras do Castelo, 9950-301 Madalena
Casa Âncora
We’ve wanted to try this place since 3 years ago when we first came to Pico.
It is a casual fine dining restaurant in Sao Roque that makes you feel like you’re in a food tasting experience but in a fun, cutesy, classy, friendly environment.
When we went to Sao Roque, Nathan was super hungry and he’s heard super good things about this place and he said we should try to get there right at opening, 7pm - and since they have no reservations (first come first serve), Nathan didn’t want to take the risk of us not getting a seat.
I thought he was being a bit silly because how could a restaurant get possibly full even if we were 10 minutes late to open time.
We got there 7:01 and I kid you not there was a lineup of at least 7 people at the door already.
By the time we ordered, the place was entirely reserved.
The food was excellent. We had a little mishap with the service which ended up meaning that our main plates weren’t served until an hour later, but it must have been a rare case and everyone else around us got their food in a timely manner :) I can vouch for that as I was eyeballing every plate that passed us by, practically drooling.
We tried the watermelon gazpacho, which I had no idea was cold soup. It was one of the best appetizers I’ve ever had in my life! I would be lying if I said I didn’t scrape the soup to the last drop.
After we heard our food would still be a while we ordered the bread platter with butter and cheese and I’m not sure if it was because I was starving but damn that bread was warm and slightly toasty and they did not cheap out on the butter! 😍
We then had the polvo (octopus) and the fish on a lemon risotto.
The polvo was so fresh and soft and light and perfectly paired with a red pepper/chorizo tasting purée and vegetables.
The lemon risotto was tasty, I felt it could have used a few more minutes of cooking and the fish could have been a bit crispier.
But one of the highlights of our experience was their dessert! I can’t even describe how good both desserts were.
Unfortunately, our phone died so I couldn’t take photos of the desserts but basically one was a pudim of what seems to be ovos moles but I’m not sure (for those of you who don’t know what ovos moles is, it’s basically sweet egg curd and it’s delicious). It was a delight! We also had the Tarte de Maracujá with pomegranate and mango coulis - top 3 tarts I’ve ever had in my life.
Overall I would recommend Casa Âncora to anyone. It was, however, the most expensive bill we’ve had on the island (I believe it was about €70-€80 so it’s not a place I’d eat at regularly, but definitely worth it if you’re looking to treat yourself to some awesome food.
Casa Âncora
Rua do Cais 29-B, 9940-355 São Roque do Pico
Garrafeira Da Vila
Swipe for all photos.
We originally came to Garrafeira Da Vila for a wine tasting but when we got there we learned we could only taste wines if we pre-ordered the tasting. So we had a bottle of champagne instead.
It’s a hidden place in Madalena’s centre with a warm interior and cute little patio outback.
We don’t eat meat (unless it's a rare occasion where it’s something we can just try a spoon of and call it a day) but if you’re a meat lover, it smelled like they make really good meat dishes.
We ended up going back to try the food because it smelled so good the first time we went for drinks but we weren’t hungry.
The second time around, we ordered the salada de polvo (octopus salad), vegan sliders, fish sliders and fries. Boy were we surprised! Firstly they were pretty big sliders, the vegan patty is homemade with beans and other veggies and was very moist and tasty. It was topped with caramelized onions and delicious melted vegan cheese! We only ordered 3 at first and ended up ordering another 2 because it was just that good. We did add a tiny bit of salt to the burger but being a master vegan burger maker myself, I know it happens to the best of us and just sprinkling a bit of salt on the patty was all it needed to be an 11/10!! The fish was cooked perfectly as well. Their fries were also homemade, perfectly crunchy and just the right amount of salt too! 👅
The octopus salad was the best I've tried on the whole island, and the "why not" cola really made us feel like we were in an upscale diner experience which was very fun.
Overall I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a bite and drinks in Madalena for dinner.
Can’t wait to hopefully go back and have a wine tasting there, I’ll let you guys know how it went!
Garrafeira da Vila
Rua Engenheiro Álvaro de Freitas 1B, 9950-335 Madalena
Cella Bar
(Swipe for all photos)
If you’ve looked for restaurants in Pico, you have definitely heard of Cella Bar. It’s home to the Award for the building of the year by Art Daily in 2016.
Cella bar is almost always full, so either have a reservation or come at a non-busy time like 4 pm.
We didn’t know if Cella Bar would live up to the hype, since it looked more like a tourist attraction and a place for drinks.
We were happily surprised. 🤩
We sat on the patio with an incredible view of Faial.
We ordered the Polvo (octopus) that came with roasted carrots, roasted potatoes and a delicious spinach dip on a garlicky olive oil sauce. It was probably the best polvo we have had in 5 months of being here. It was cooked to perfection, honestly, kudos to the chef!
We also had the bread with the olives and butter starter, both very delicious. The port-wine was also incredible - even though we were charged extra for it than what was on the menu, but it was still worth it.
The only thing I would recommend to them is to have their menu on QR code’s on the tables so that people can begin looking at what they want instead of waiting a really long time to get a menu (because they’re just so busy so sometimes it’s hard to maintain all those tables and promptly provide menus - for example, we waited a good 15 minutes just to get a menu).
Can’t wait to go back and try more of their dishes.
We went back the next day for dessert and coffee. This time we sat in the beautiful wooden barrel-looking structure which has a super cool vibe. We had the chocolate mousse … it is THE CHOCOLATE MOUSE that you want to try from their desserts - although I’m sure the other ones are great too. It’s not like traditional chocolate mousse, but rather more of their own take on it. It’s like a denser version of mousse, almost like a chocolate caramel dip, they put hardly any egg whites for sure. It was lovely, 1 enough to share though since their portions are huge and it’s a filling one!
Their coffee is also really tasty. We tried the espresso - yummy!
We also mustered up the courage to try their coffee iced tea.
Who the heck thought of putting coffee in iced tea? A smart human that’s who. It was weirdly refreshing and fun and completely new but pleasantly familiar. I would recommend you try it for the hell of it!
The price is standard for Canadian/American prices so a bit pricey for Pico but definitely worth it.
p.s Went there again recently (summer 2022) and did not enjoy their "Tabua de Natura" or their "caramelized squid" would not recommend those dishes.
Cella Bar
Rua Da Barca, 9950-303 Madalena
Pub Arruda
This cute restaurant just beside the Esplanada Dark restaurant, right in front of the ferry terminal, is a great place for delicious traditional Portuguese food.
Owned by a husband and wife, with family cooking the food, going to Arruda is like stepping into a Portuguese home.
Their lunch is a buffet-style experience at a whopping €8 for all you can eat!! But it’s not just a regular buffet. Their food is frikken delicious! Just like a traditional Portuguese mom/grandma would make it. They have plentiful options from veggies to fish to meat and everything is fresh all the time.
For dinner, the space turns into a regular restaurant where you can order dishes off the menu. Try the Lulas!! (Squid/calamari) 😍
Try the Lulas either grilled or fried, they’re some of the best I’ve had here. We also got to try their bacalhau- perfectly soft and juicy.
Also, get their wine - so good and I believe it’s under €3 for a pitcher!
Overall, Pub Arruda is a place I highly recommend as a budget-friendly, extremely delicious restaurant with great service!
Pub Arruda
Rua Atrás do Beco, S/N, Madalena, Pico 9950-000 Portugal
U7 Lanchonete (Food truck)
This food truck in the Brico Dutra (their Home Depot) parking lot had to make it on my list.
A gentleman from Germany moved to Pico over a decade ago off of one trip to Pico where he knew this was home for him.
Falling in love with the peace here, he picked up everything and moved here with his wife.
They serve pitas, wraps, and appetizers that will wow you!
The pita bread itself is homemade with fresh ingredients, and you can definitely taste the difference. 👌🏼
The ingredients inside are fresh, mostly raw, and with the delicious homemade hummus and sauces, it makes the most refreshing, light wraps.
They also make homemade ice cream which was very tasty and the kind gentleman offered it to us complimentary since we’d been going there pretty often - the wraps are just damn good.
Oh, and did I mention that including appetizers like wedges, falafel balls, 2 wraps and drinks, the bill almost never passes €15?
Highly recommend this food truck for a quick, healthy, delicious snack!
U7 Lanchonete
Rua dos Briscoitos 9950-104 Madalena, Portugal
O Petisca
Another regular spot of ours is Tasca O Petisca! For lunch they have a delicious all-you-can-eat buffet with a wide variety of fresh traditional Portuguese dishes to choose from at an incredible value. Perfect for a quick stop that you know you'll enjoy before you're off to your next adventure! Whether it's a cozy stew or soup, a fresh salad, some fried fish, or a bacalhau dish, you're in for a treat of local cuisine. Besides their incredible food, everyone is so welcoming and the service is spot on. Their house wine is super yummy - our go-to!
For dinner they have an a-la-carte menu with specialty items that are very tasty and fresh - all reflecting Portuguese cuisine and doing it justice!
Oh and don't miss out on dessert! They have a killer lemon pie amongst many other delicious options - I have tried them all and loved them!
They're a family-run business that puts their heart and soul into what they do. If you're planning on having dinner here be sure to call in advance because it's almost always fully booked in the summer. But don't skip on the lunch too because it's fantastic!
Tasca O Petisca
UPDATED:
Adega Açoriana
I recently got to try out some restaurants on the north side of Pico Island, one of them being Adega Açoriana.