Vila do Porto Restaurants and Dining

(Vila do Porto, Azores, Portugal)

The Azores archipelago doesn't receive huge numbers of tourists, and Santa Maria is quiet compared to Sao Miguel. Aside from a few restaurants attached to major hotels, most of the eateries around Vila Do Porto target local diners and visiting mainlanders.

Five centuries of Portuguese control have brought Santa Maria's culinary tradition in line with that of the mainland. When dining out, expect to drink plenty of locally-grown wine and enjoy delicate pastries and rich cheeses.

What to Eat, and Where

As with the all of the Azores Islands, restaurants in Santa Maria are similar to those found throughout mainland Portugal. The best selection of eateries is found right in the centre of Vila Do Porto and around the harbour, but there are more rustic offerings sprinkled across the island.

As you would expect with a remote and isolated island chain like Azores, fresh seafood is the local dining speciality. Popular restaurants in Vila Do Porto include Atlantida, O Ilheu and Pipas, each of which is conveniently located within reach of prominent hotels and attractions in the town centre.

Despite the popularity of seafood, meat dishes are also widely available. Portuguese visitors appreciate red meat, so there's plenty of beef on local menus. Beef tenderloins are popular, with most coming from cattle reared on the island of Terceira. The dish is cooked in cast-iron pots heated by volcanic furnaces. Sausage with yams is another popular meat dish.

Be sure to sample Azorean cheese while dining in Vila Do Porto. Mainlanders know that the island cheese is especially fine, and touristy restaurants work this local delicacy into a variety of dishes. Wine from vineyards across the archipelago is the perfect complement to 'queijo da ilha' (cheese from the island).

Diners are spoiled with dessert options. Massa sovada is a popular pastry, available anywhere in Santa Maria as locals like it as much as tourists. Another flaky pastry found here is 'queijada'. Of course, tropical fruits abound, especially citrus varieties like oranges and pineapples. Fresh produce can be found even in the smallest villages.