9 portuguese spots in Zona Velha, editor-picked by TableJourney. All of Zona Velha's food · All portuguese in Funchal.

Gavião Novo ★ 4.6

Rua de Santa Maria 131, 9060-291 Funchal

Gavião Novo grills fish off the Funchal coast on Rua de Santa Maria, the old town street where the day boat rather than the menu decides dinner.

Tip: Book ahead for dinner. The dining room is small and the pavement tables on Rua de Santa Maria go first.

Gavião Novo ★ 4.6

Rua de Santa Maria 131, 9060-291 Funchal

Gavião Novo grills fish off the Funchal coast on Rua de Santa Maria, the old town street where the day boat rather than the menu decides dinner.

Tip: Book ahead for dinner. The dining room is small and the pavement tables on Rua de Santa Maria go first.

Restaurante do Forte ★ 4.4

Rua do Portão de São Tiago, 9060-250 Funchal

Restaurante do Forte has cooked inside the São Tiago fortress in Funchal since 2001, with terrace tables above the bay and a Portuguese carte.

Tip: Ask for a terrace table at sunset. The fortress walls block the wind that hits the promenade below.

Taberna Ruel ★ 4.4

Rua de Santa Maria 119, 9060-291 Funchal

Taberna Ruel works a Madeiran and Portuguese kitchen on Rua de Santa Maria, named for chef Ricardo Ruel and built on island produce and modern technique.

Tip: It runs straight through from 11:00 to 23:00 every day, so it catches both the late lunch and the early dinner.

Taberna Ruel ★ 4.4

Rua de Santa Maria 119, 9060-291 Funchal

Taberna Ruel works a Madeiran and Portuguese kitchen on Rua de Santa Maria, named for chef Ricardo Ruel and built on island produce and modern technique.

Tip: It runs straight through from 11:00 to 23:00 every day, so it catches both the late lunch and the early dinner.

Lá ao Fundo ★ 4.3

Rua Portão de São Tiago 17, 9060-250 Funchal

Lá ao Fundo sits at the fortress end of the Funchal old town, where chef-owner Jaime Cruz pulls Portuguese, African and Indian threads into one short menu.

Tip: Lunch and dinner run as two separate services with the kitchen shut between them. Book the terrace.

Lá ao Fundo ★ 4.3

Rua Portão de São Tiago 17, 9060-250 Funchal

Lá ao Fundo sits at the fortress end of the Funchal old town, where chef-owner Jaime Cruz pulls Portuguese, African and Indian threads into one short menu.

Tip: Lunch and dinner run as two separate services with the kitchen shut between them. Book the terrace.

Casa Portuguesa ★ 4.2

Travessa das Torres 30, 9060-314 Funchal

Casa Portuguesa lines its Funchal old town rooms with hand-painted cobalt tiles and cooks a traditional Portuguese carte, with fado by prior reservation.

Tip: Fado nights need reserving in advance rather than asking for on the door.

Casa Portuguesa ★ 4.2

Travessa das Torres 30, 9060-314 Funchal

Casa Portuguesa lines its Funchal old town rooms with hand-painted cobalt tiles and cooks a traditional Portuguese carte, with fado by prior reservation.

Tip: Fado nights need reserving in advance rather than asking for on the door.