The Best Restaurants in Lagos, Portugal

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After a morning exploring the Ponta da Piedade headland, have lunch at O Camilo, a family-run fish specialist on the cliffs above Praia Camilo. Take a pew out on the terrace with sea views or in the contemporary, glass-walled dining room. Choose from a menu focused on freshly-caught, grilled fish and seafood, standouts of which include the lemon sole and tiger prawns. Meat-lovers also have the rarely-seen option of fried rabbit. Book in advance, especially for a table by the windows.

Lunch or dinner at Bar Quim – a shack-like beach bar about halfway along Meia Praia – revolves around one thing: prawns. The house specialty for over twenty years, they arrive at your table in a sizzling, paella-shaped pan, cooked in olive oil, garlic and coriander and topped with a wedge of lemon. Get in the mood with a bowl of meaty fish soup to start, and order a basket of rustic bread to mop up the spicy, garlicky sauce left from the prawns.

Don’t be put off by Jukebox’s sparse, canteen-like interior – this is one of the best tapas joints in Lagos. For an inexpensive shared meal, mix and match classics such as meatballs in tomato sauce, fried chorizo, Piri Piri prawns and pork cheek in red wine sauce. Ask staff for the daily veggie special and choose from a selection of Budget Meals, sandwiches and burgers, if you’re after something more substantial.

Offering a classy yet affordable culinary experience, the glass-fronted restaurant at Hotel Avenida has Bib Gourmand status in the Michelin guide. Dutch chef Roeland Klein and his teamwork in an open kitchen, preparing dishes that showcase the region’s finest meat and fish. Opt for the catch of the day, cooked in a salt crust with lime and thyme, or the six-course tasting menu with specially paired wines. Start or finish the evening with a cocktail at the hotel’s rooftop bar.

Found on a pretty, tiled street in the centre of Lagos, this ambitiously named restaurant has a lot to live up to. It succeeds with carefully presented regional dishes such as cataplana – a seafood and chorizo stew named after the copper pan in which it’s cooked – and pears poached in port, as well as an extensive selection of local red and white wines. Even better, you’re served a complimentary glass of port after your meal.

Tasca Jota serves up modern Portuguese fare in a cavernous dining room of stone floors and wooden beamed ceilings. The young team’s dynamism shows on every plate, from tapas, such as cod ceviche and chicken wings with Tamarind sauce, to the signature main dish of pork belly, sweet potato puree, sauteed cabbage and caramelised apple. Another reason for walking ten minutes from the centre is the homemade bread, which is served straight from the oven throughout the day.

This is one of the best options in Lagos for a snack or light lunch. Situated on a quiet residential street on the outskirts of the Old Town (they’ll guide you in by phone if you get lost), it offers a menu of inexpensive meat and vegetarian empanadas. Go for the meal combo which includes salad and fresh fruit juice. Seating is out on the cobbled street or inside the small, bright cafe. A selection of locally-brewed craft beers is also available.