40 editor picks in Funchal.
40 mid-range places in Funchal, editor-picked. the comfortable everyday-good restaurants in Funchal, with real cooking and no surprise on the bill. All Funchal food.
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.
OrderFish from the Funchal coast, grilled whole off the day boat.
TipBook ahead for dinner. The dining room is small and the pavement tables on Rua de Santa Maria go first.
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.
OrderFish from the Funchal coast, grilled whole off the day boat.
TipBook ahead for dinner. The dining room is small and the pavement tables on Rua de Santa Maria go first.
Blandy's Wine Lodge ages Madeira by the canteiro method on Avenida Arriaga, where over 650 barrels and vats rest above the street in the family lodge.
TipGuided tours run seven days a week in five languages. English has the most departures, so check the timetable before fixing a time for the others.
Casal da Penha is a family-run Funchal restaurant just off the hotel strip, with a classic dining room, a Madeiran terrace and a grilled fish carte.
OrderEspetada on the laurel skewer, or the grilled codfish that fills most tables here.
TipThe terrace is the reason to come. Ask for it when you book rather than on arrival.
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.
OrderA Madeiran plate from the daily list, with a bottle from the Portuguese cellar.
TipIt runs straight through from 11:00 to 23:00 every day, so it catches both the late lunch and the early dinner.
Doca do Cavacas is built on the rock above the Ponta da Cruz sea pools in Funchal, serving grilled fish, shellfish and espetada by the water.
OrderGrilled fish of the day, with the natural pools below the terrace.
TipClosed Mondays. Lunch on the terrace catches the sun over Praia Formosa.
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.
OrderA Madeiran plate from the daily list, with a bottle from the Portuguese cellar.
TipIt runs straight through from 11:00 to 23:00 every day, so it catches both the late lunch and the early dinner.
Doca do Cavacas is built on the rock above the Ponta da Cruz sea pools in Funchal, serving grilled fish, shellfish and espetada by the water.
OrderGrilled fish of the day, with the natural pools below the terrace.
TipClosed Mondays. Lunch on the terrace catches the sun over Praia Formosa.
Prima Caju runs the all-day brunch counter at CAJU Le Petit Hotel on Rua da Carreira in Funchal, on bowls, pancakes, eggs and pressed juice.
OrderA savoury bowl with eggs, or the pancakes if you came for the sweet side.
TipWalk-ins only, no reservations, and the small courtyard fills through the late morning.
Land Food & Coffee pours Odd Coffee Roastery beans beside the Monte cable-car station above Funchal, with brunch, sourdough and charcoal plates.
OrderA filter of the Odd Coffee Roastery house roast with the sourdough.
TipIt sits at the top of the Funchal cable car, so ride up rather than driving the Monte hairpins.
Land Food & Coffee pours Odd Coffee Roastery beans beside the Monte cable-car station above Funchal, with brunch, sourdough and charcoal plates.
TipIt sits at the top of the Funchal cable car, so ride up rather than driving the Monte hairpins.
Prima Caju runs the all-day brunch counter at CAJU Le Petit Hotel on Rua da Carreira in Funchal, on bowls, pancakes, eggs and pressed juice.
TipWalk-ins only, no reservations, and the small courtyard fills through the late morning.
Land Food & Coffee pours Odd Coffee Roastery beans beside the Monte cable-car station above Funchal, with brunch, sourdough and charcoal plates.
TipIt sits at the top of the Funchal cable car, so ride up rather than driving the Monte hairpins.
Dash Cocktail Bar mixes house infusions on Rua da Alfândega, the narrow Funchal street that has turned into the city's late-night drinking strip.
TipOpens at 20:00 and runs to 03:00 on Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday.
H.M. Borges has bottled Madeira since 1877 and worked from its Rua 31 de Janeiro building since 1924, running guided cellar tours and tastings from the adega.
TipThe house publishes no fixed tasting-room schedule. Visits are customised, so email or call ahead rather than turning up.
Dash Cocktail Bar mixes house infusions on Rua da Alfândega, the narrow Funchal street that has turned into the city's late-night drinking strip.
OrderA house infusion cocktail, the format the whole drinks list is built around.
TipOpens at 20:00 and runs to 03:00 on Friday and Saturday. Closed Sunday and Monday.
Doca do Cavacas is built on the rock above the Ponta da Cruz sea pools in Funchal, serving grilled fish, shellfish and espetada by the water.
OrderGrilled fish of the day, with the natural pools below the terrace.
TipClosed Mondays. Lunch on the terrace catches the sun over Praia Formosa.
H.M. Borges has bottled Madeira since 1877 and worked from its Rua 31 de Janeiro building since 1924, running guided cellar tours and tastings from the adega.
OrderA Colheita or Frasqueira poured in the guided cellar tasting, booked in advance.
TipThe house publishes no fixed tasting-room schedule. Visits are customised, so email or call ahead rather than turning up.
Prima Caju runs the all-day brunch counter at CAJU Le Petit Hotel on Rua da Carreira in Funchal, on bowls, pancakes, eggs and pressed juice.
OrderBowls, eggs and pancakes
TipWalk-ins only, no reservations, and the small courtyard fills through the late morning.
Prima Caju runs the all-day brunch counter at CAJU Le Petit Hotel on Rua da Carreira in Funchal, on bowls, pancakes, eggs and pressed juice.
OrderA savoury bowl with eggs on top
TipWalk-ins only, no reservations, and the small courtyard fills through the late morning.
Land Food & Coffee pours Odd Coffee Roastery beans beside the Monte cable-car station above Funchal, with brunch, sourdough and charcoal plates.
OrderSourdough with the Odd Coffee filter
TipIt sits at the top of the Funchal cable car, so ride up rather than driving the Monte hairpins.
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.
OrderThe daily author dish, rewritten each morning around the market delivery.
TipLunch and dinner run as two separate services with the kitchen shut between them. Book the terrace.
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.
OrderThe daily author dish, rewritten each morning around the market delivery.
TipLunch and dinner run as two separate services with the kitchen shut between them. Book the terrace.
Brunch Club Madeira works a rustic room on Rua do Bom Jesus in Funchal through eggs, loaded toast, salads and bowls until the mid-afternoon.
OrderEggs done your way on toast, with a bowl to share.
TipKitchen stops mid-afternoon every day, and weekend service ends earlier than the weekday one.
Funchal Taproom keeps a rotating European craft list on Rua Direita, the closest thing Funchal has to a dedicated beer bar, with Mexican food.
OrderWhatever is freshest on the tap list, with tacos alongside.
TipClosed Mondays and it shuts by 22:00 most nights, so it is an early-evening stop.
Brunch Club Madeira works a rustic room on Rua do Bom Jesus in Funchal through eggs, loaded toast, salads and bowls until the mid-afternoon.
TipKitchen stops mid-afternoon every day, and weekend service ends earlier than the weekday one.
Funchal Taproom keeps a rotating European craft list on Rua Direita, the closest thing Funchal has to a dedicated beer bar, with Mexican food.
TipClosed Mondays and it shuts by 22:00 most nights, so it is an early-evening stop.
Funchal Taproom keeps a rotating European craft list on Rua Direita, the closest thing Funchal has to a dedicated beer bar, with Mexican food.
TipClosed Mondays and it shuts by 22:00 most nights, so it is an early-evening stop.
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.
OrderThe daily author dish, rewritten each morning around the market delivery.
TipLunch and dinner run as two separate services with the kitchen shut between them. Book the terrace.
Brunch Club Madeira works a rustic room on Rua do Bom Jesus in Funchal through eggs, loaded toast, salads and bowls until the mid-afternoon.
OrderEggs on loaded toast with a bowl to share
TipKitchen stops mid-afternoon every day, and weekend service ends earlier than the weekday one.
Casa Portuguesa lines its Funchal old town rooms with hand-painted cobalt tiles and cooks a traditional Portuguese carte, with fado by prior reservation.
OrderA traditional Portuguese main, booked with the fado sitting if you want music.
TipFado nights need reserving in advance rather than asking for on the door.
Restaurante dos Combatentes is a plain central Funchal dining room with a garden, cooking regional Madeiran plates at everyday weekday prices.
OrderThe regional plate of the day, which is what the room is built around.
TipLunch is the busy service with local office trade. Both services run Saturday too, and it is closed Sunday.
Casa Portuguesa lines its Funchal old town rooms with hand-painted cobalt tiles and cooks a traditional Portuguese carte, with fado by prior reservation.
OrderA traditional Portuguese main, booked with the fado sitting if you want music.
TipFado nights need reserving in advance rather than asking for on the door.
Restaurante dos Combatentes is a plain central Funchal dining room with a garden, cooking regional Madeiran plates at everyday weekday prices.
OrderThe regional plate of the day, which is what the room is built around.
TipLunch is the busy service with local office trade. Both services run Saturday too, and it is closed Sunday.
Barreirinha Bar Café sits above the old bathing complex in the Funchal Zona Velha, a seafront terrace running from morning coffee to weekend DJs.
TipMorning coffee and late drinks happen in the same room. Weekends run to 02:00.
Mini Eco Bar is a microbar on Rua da Alfândega built around low-impact materials, where most of the Funchal crowd drinks standing in the street.
TipThe room holds very few people. The crowd spills onto Rua da Alfândega most evenings.
Barreirinha Bar Café sits above the old bathing complex in the Funchal Zona Velha, a seafront terrace running from morning coffee to weekend DJs.
TipMorning coffee and late drinks happen in the same room. Weekends run to 02:00.
Barreirinha Bar Café sits above the old bathing complex in the Funchal Zona Velha, a seafront terrace running from morning coffee to weekend DJs.
OrderA poncha on the terrace as the light goes off the water.
TipMorning coffee and late drinks happen in the same room. Weekends run to 02:00.
Casa Portuguesa lines its Funchal old town rooms with hand-painted cobalt tiles and cooks a traditional Portuguese carte, with fado by prior reservation.
OrderA traditional Portuguese main, booked with the fado sitting if you want music.
TipFado nights need reserving in advance rather than asking for on the door.
Restaurante dos Combatentes is a plain central Funchal dining room with a garden, cooking regional Madeiran plates at everyday weekday prices.
OrderRegional Madeiran plates
TipLunch is the busy service with local office trade. Both services run Saturday too, and it is closed Sunday.
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