Cheap eats guide to Madeira
Visitors fly to Madeira Island for its mild climate all year round, breathtaking views and a warm welcome. But how does it fare for cheap eats? Where are the best places to eat in Madeira? Local blogger, Ana Vasconcelos of FromMadeiratoMars.com fame shares with us the best cheap eats in Madeira. If you are planning a trip to Portugal, checkout my Cheap Eats guide to Porto and Cheap Eats Guide to Lisbon
1. O Castelo dos Hamburguers
Address: Rua da Carreira 306, São Martinho, 9000-042 Funchal, Portugal
A family business, for 32 years the formula for these delicious, homemade burgers have remained unchanged. It’s located just a 5 minute walk away from the “Dolce Vita Shopping center” right in the city downtown. A warm bread wraps up a delicious combination of lettuce, tomato, meat and a secret sauce which you accompany with one of their excellent homemade milkshakes or juices. An unforgettable taste! Cost of hamburgers range from €4.50 to €6.50 The most popular milkshakes flavors are avocado, passion fruit, mango and strawberry. Cost of milkshakes start at around €3.50. It opens daily except on Sundays and closed for the month of August.
2. O Calhau
Address: R. de João Gago 2, São Martinho, 9000-071 Funchal, Portugal
More than a shop, a lounge, a restaurant or a terrace, this hotspot is situated right beside the Cathedral Sé and has a great personality. Painted in a vibrant blue with white sofas and chill out music, this is a place to hang out alone or with friends, enjoying quality food and drinks at any time of the day. Kitchen is opened 7 days a week from 9am -11pm. Several menus are available for lunch, dinner where you can choose from their freshly prepared sandwiches, tapas, drinks and excellent Nespresso coffee. Nice staff and service is good. My tip? Try the grilled tuna sandwich with peppers ( €7.50) or splash out on their signature tuna steak cooked on the Calhau (Typical pebble you find in Madeira’s beaches) It literally melts in your mouth. (€19)
3. Mercearia Dª Mécia
Address: Rua dos Aranhas, n. 26, 9000 Funchal
With it’s eyecatching interior décor, this is definitely a place to drop by, mingle with the friendly staff, enjoy their home made snacks and just relax. It also doubles up as a shop where you can purchase genuine Portuguese creations, such Ach Brito soap, ceramic swallows of Bordallo Pinheiro, Emilio Braga’s notebooks and objects that can be considered collectible but still continue to be produced, such as the ‘Tricana’ canned sardines. As a place to eat, I loved their mint lemonade ( €1.70) and passion fruit lemonade ( €2.20 ) , their special toasts ( from €3.70 ), mini “quiche” of the day with salad (€4.20) or their cured sheep cheese served with bread and jam ( €6.70) They also offer the exclusive queijadinhas made with fresh cheese and lemon.
Rua dos Aranhas, n. 26, 9000 Funchal
4. Santiago Beach Bar
Address: R. Portão de São Tiago, 9060-291 Funchal, Portugal
This is probably one of my favourite bars in the world: Santiago . By the fort in Funchal and you can go for a small dip in the rocky ocean. Fishermen mends their boats here and drink here so you will meet some characters here. The bar also does great lapas: local shellfish in garlic butter for around €13 Plus they do a kickass poncha here: local cocktail with maracuja and aguardente {€4) A small beer is €1.20 and a glass of wine , €3. You are very welcome!
5. Padaria Pastelaria Mariazinha
Address: Rua de Santa Maria 153, 9060-291 Funchal, Portugal
Best bakery on the island is in the old town and probably the island. Try their chorizo bread. Locals come here to eat that and soak up the booze after a night out in the old town.
6. Vila da Carne and Vila da Peixe
Camara do lobos might be the prettiest fishing village on the island and in Europe. This is the best place on the island to try espetada , beef with garlic and local louro ‘bay’ leaf grilled on an open fire. I am not much of a meat eater but this dish is magic. You have to eat it with fried corn and chips ( dip the chips and corn from the dripping sauce from the meat skewer ) like locals do. Wash down with glass of local coral beer.
7. Quebramar Restaurant
Address: Sítio do Calhau, São Vicente
This one is off the beaten path but if you are planning a trip to São Vicente and the north coast then you must have a stop at Quebramar Restaurant. One of the reasons to visit the restaurant is its distinct UFO styled architecture and also for the fact that it is one of the very few rotating restaurants in the world. The rotating restaurant allows you to get a fascinating view over the whole north coast, rotating between the São Vicente Mountains and the sea. The other very good reason to come here is that it serves one of my favourite dishes on the island, the ‘Caldo da Romaria’, a typical soup from the North of Madeira.
8. Restaurante Quinta do Furão
Address: Estrada da Quinta do Furão nº 6, 9230-082 Santana, Portugal
Great restaurant but one of their specialities here is the typical tomato soup with a poached egg. This is not your ordinary tomato soup- it uses paprika and I suspect a hint of curry powder too, there is an extra kick to this soup.
Essential Madeiran food words to know
Bolo do Caco Typical bread with garlic butter
Milho frito: Fried corn in little cubes
Lapas : Limpets. They are akin to mussels, have a nice meaty consistency. They are grilled with garlic and lots of butter so you definitely want some Bolo do Caco to dip in that sauce!
Peixe Espada : Swordfish
Bife de Atum : Tuna steak with a typical sauce
Sweet
Bolo e Broas de Mel Honey cake and biscuits
Rebucados de Funcho : Fennel sweets
Queijada Cottage cheese cake , they sell in coffee shops
Espetada : Slow cooked tender strips of beef on a stick, braised in red wine garlic and bay leaves
Drinks
Brisa Maracuja Passion fruit, local fizzy drink,
Coral Local beer, very good,
Poncha Strong but deliciously sweet alcoholic drink, try the flavour passion fruit,
