Madeira: Food Guide - Dining Out

Many Madeira restaurants have similar menus, but even so there’s a good choice, so you’re unlikely to get bored of the food on your holiday in Madeira. When dining out in Madeira, you’ll discover fish, salads and fruit that are full of flavour – and menus that usually have some English translation.
Portions when eating out in Madeira are generous, and prices are reasonable. You’ll be hard-pressed to spend more than 25 on a meal for two – nor will a carafe of house wine add much to the price of your meal when eating out in Madeira.

Watch out for the bread that is often brought to you before the meal begins. In some more touristy restuaurants, this can add to your bill by quite a bit.
When choosing your meal when eating out in Madeira, look for soups as starters – acorda combines garlic, bread, egg and oil, while Caldo verde is a cabbage broth, which is much tastier than it sounds!

Unsurprisingly, fish is a mainstay of any menu in a Madeira restaurant. While you’re on holiday in Madeira, take the chance to enjoy espada (Scabbard fish) with banana, as well as espetada, skewered beef, cooked on an open grill and brought to the table hanging from a hook on a stand.

Puddings include ice cream and bolo de mel, a heavy, spicy molasses cake.
If you’re choosing a snack at lunchtime while on holiday in Madeira try a prego – a thin slice of steak in a bun.