Eat & drink
Where to eat in Ericeira
The best restaurants in Ericeira still cook like the fishing town it is: the default order is whatever came off the boats that morning, and the local specialities are worth seeking out.
Seafood leads the menu here: grilled fish, arroz de marisco (a soupy seafood rice), and percebes, the prized gooseneck barnacles harvested from these rocks. Save room for a pastel de nata and a coffee afterwards.
Below are reliable tables across a few categories. In summer the best places fill quickly, so book ahead for dinner where you can.
Seafood & fish
- €€
A Panela
Largo Santa Marta 3B
Often named the best table in town for grilled fish and arroz de marisco, book ahead.
- €€
Mar à Vista
Rua de Santo António 16
A local favourite for fresh shellfish with a sea view.
- €€€
Ribas Marisqueira
Rua Mendes Leal 32
A classic marisqueira for a proper seafood platter and percebes in season.
- €€
O Caniço
Largo Santa Marta 4
A Portuguese table on Largo Santa Marta, a few steps above Praia dos Pescadores, with fish and seafood at the centre of the menu.
- €€
Canastra
Rua Capitão João Lopes 8
On the street that runs along the clifftop towards the harbour, a good option for fish when the better known places are full.
- €€
Esplanada Furnas
Rua das Furnas 2
Right above the rocks of the Furnas, south of the harbour, with an outdoor terrace facing the sea. Worth booking for a sunset table.
Casual & local
- €
Taberna Lebre
Rua da Misericórdia 3
The spot for prego rolls, garlicky steak sandwiches done right.
- €€
Mar das Latas
Rua Capitão João Lopes 24A
Wine bar with small plates to share, in the old town streets above the harbour.
- €€
Secret Oven
Rua do Norte 37
Sourdough pizzas with a cult local following.
- €€
Tasquinha do Joy
Rua de Santo António 34
A small tasca in the old town. Tascas are the simple, family style restaurants where Portuguese go for an unfussy lunch.
- €
BUNS Smash Burgers
Calçada da Baleia 29A
Smash burgers on the slope down to Praia da Baleia, handy after a surf when you want something quick.
Bakery & sweet
- €
O Pãozinho das Marias
Praça da República 15
Pastéis de nata worth the detour, plus coffee and bread.
- €
Pastelaria Saloia
Rua Paroquial 9B
A neighbourhood pastelaria in the upper part of town, the kind of place for a morning galão and a cake at the counter.
- €
Casa da Fernanda
Largo das Ribas 29
A bakery on Largo das Ribas, the clifftop square above the harbour. Pick something up and eat it looking at the sea.
- €
Alva Bakery
Avenida São Sebastião 4B
A bakery on the road north towards São Sebastião and the surf spots, convenient for breakfast on the way to the water.
International
- €€
Uni Sushi
Largo dos Condes da Ericeira 5
Japanese restaurant for sushi and sashimi, on a small square in the old town centre.
- €€
GiG, Green is Good
Travessa da Misericórdia 16
A good first stop if you are looking for vegetarian or plant based food in the old town. Check the current menu before you go.
- €€
Talay Thai House
Rua do Arrabalde 17A
Thai cooking in the north of town, a change of pace after a few days of grilled fish.
- €
Taco Chilo
Rua Dr. Eduardo Burnay 59A
Tacos on the main street through town, an easy and informal choice for a group.
What to order in Ericeira
Start with the fish. Most seafood restaurants show the day's catch on ice or on a tray, and grilled fish (peixe grelhado) is usually priced by the kilo. Sea bream, sea bass and other local fish are grilled whole and served with boiled potatoes, vegetables and olive oil. Ask to see the fish and ask the weight before it goes on the grill, so the bill holds no surprises.
Arroz de marisco is a soupy rice cooked with shellfish, served in the pot and usually ordered for two. Amêijoas à Bulhão Pato are clams cooked with olive oil, garlic, coriander and lemon, a classic starter to share. Percebes, the gooseneck barnacles picked from the rocks of this coast, are sold by weight and are a delicacy with a price to match.
In summer, and especially around the June popular festivals, grilled sardines appear everywhere. For something sweet, a pastel de nata with a bica (an espresso) or a galão (a milky coffee in a glass) is the standard Portuguese pause at any time of day.
When to eat
Lunch in Portugal runs roughly from 12:30 to 15:00 and dinner from about 19:30 to 22:30. Many traditional kitchens close between services, so a late lunch at 16:00 can be hard to find outside cafés and snack bars. Many family restaurants also close one day a week, so check before you walk across town.
On weekends and in July and August, Lisbon day trippers and holiday makers fill the old town. Book dinner at the busier seafood places, arrive early for lunch, or eat at the counter of a pastelaria when everything is full.
Couvert, bills and tipping
When you sit down, bread, butter, olives or small starters often arrive without being ordered. This is the couvert, and it is not free. You only pay for what you eat, and you can simply ask for it to be taken away if you do not want it.
The bill (a conta) usually does not include service. Tipping is not obligatory in Portugal; rounding up or leaving around 5 to 10 percent for good service is common and appreciated. Cards are widely accepted, but small cafés and some tascas prefer cash for small amounts.
Vegetarian and other diets
Traditional Portuguese menus are built around fish and meat, and even vegetable soups can be made with meat stock. Vegetarian options have grown a lot in Ericeira thanks to the surf crowd, and the international and brunch places are usually the easiest choice. In a traditional restaurant, ask for a dish sem carne nem peixe (without meat or fish), and mention allergies clearly, as shellfish is everywhere.
Common questions about eating in Ericeira
What is the typical dish in Ericeira?
Seafood leads the table: grilled fish straight off the boats, arroz de marisco (a soupy seafood rice) and percebes, the gooseneck barnacles harvested from these rocks. Finish with a pastel de nata.
Do you need to book restaurants in summer?
For dinner at the busier seafood restaurants, yes. From July to September the best tables fill quickly, so reserve ahead where you can, especially for groups.
Where can you eat cheaply in Ericeira?
Look for the menu do dia (a fixed-price lunch with a main, drink and coffee), casual spots for prego rolls and bakeries for pastéis de nata. These are the easiest ways to eat well for less.
Where can you eat with a sea view?
Several tables along the clifftop and the harbour pair fresh shellfish with an Atlantic view. Arrive before sunset for the best light, and book ahead in summer.
What is a marisqueira?
A marisqueira is a Portuguese seafood restaurant built around shellfish, from percebes and clams to full seafood platters, usually priced by weight and best in season.