Ericeira travel guide for food lovers
We sincerely believe that Ericeira is one of the best day trips from Lisbon. You can get to this seaside town in less than one hour’s drive or even by public bus departing from Campo Grande, which is on the green line of the metro. There are plenty of options most of the day, but we recommend choosing the bus which mentions A8 on the schedule as it’ll get you there faster by the highway.
Most things that are appealing about Ericeira have to do with the sea. Historically, this town was a fishing village, and even though this culture is not as strong as it might have been back in the day, it still very much has to do with the identity and way of life of the local people. On the other hand, in recent years, Ericeira has been in the mouths of the surfing community worldwide, as it has been declared a World Surfing Reserve, with more than 8 Km of coastline of world-class surfing zone.
Nowadays in Ericeira, you truly feel that the old and the new are cohabiting side by side. On one hand, you’ll see retired fishermen hanging out by the beach or at a local bar, exchanging tales from work and life, while on the other hand, you’ll see young folks from all over the globe, with sun-kissed faces and the tendency to spend their earned abroad money in speciality coffee shops and all-day brunch type of restaurants. It’s a very interesting mix that makes Ericeira vibrant all year long, not just during the summer, when you’ll observe that many Portuguese – from the town itself or coming from all the Greater Lisbon area – come to enjoy the several incredible beaches that are in and around Ericeira, including the more visited ones closer to the town center, or wilder ones with extensive sands, where you can even sunbathe naked.
Because of its proximity to the ocean, Ericeira is, as one can easily anticipate, a wanderland for fresh fish and seafood lovers. Interestingly enough, one of the (in)famous specialities of Ericeira is actually a preserved fish, called caneja de infundice. Caneja is a fish from the shark family which, back in the days before fridges were a given, fishermen would preserve by wrapping it in cloth, burying it in the soil, and allow it to ferment for about two weeks. The result is, to say the least, an acquired taste, as the fish gets intensely pungent – this is what the term infundice refers to. Caneja de infundice is boiled with potatoes and drenched with olive oil but, because the smell when you cook it fills the air in such a strong way, so potent that if you are in the room where caneja is prepared or just served, even your clothes will absorb its aroma of ammonia, you won’t find it in restaurants. To try caneja you ought to make friends with the native locals, particularly older men who group themselves within the confraternity Confraria da Caneja, who are still keeping the tradition alive, and who every now and then do gatherings to feast on this one dish that, for them, tastes like nostalgia in an identity reaffirming way.
Thankfully, there are many other delightful things you can sample in Ericeira, and that are much more readily available. This town is home to incredible marisqueiras, that is, seafood restaurants, but also other establishments focusing on traditional local food, as well as baked goods. If you visit Ericeira, and the adjacent area of Ribamar, where many of the good seafood restaurants are located, keep in mind the best places to go out to eat local Portuguese cuisine:
Best restaurants for Portuguese food in Ericeira
Ribas Marisqueira
We inaugurate this list of recommended restaurants in Ericeira with an exquisite classic. Ribas Mariqueira, often referred to simply as Ribas, because the place tends to create a certain sense of familiarity and locals like it so much that they keep coming back. As this restaurant specializes on seafood, of course it’s not the type of establishment that most of us can afford to visit on a daily basis, but when you really want to treat yourself to the very seafood you are bound to experience around Ericeira, Ribas by chef Igor Martinho is a safe bet.
📍Rua Mendes Leal 32, 2655-319 Ericeira
Pátio dos Marialvas
This is one of the oldest restaurants in Ericeira, having opened back in 1985, and it comes as no surprise that it also specializes in seafood. Besides common dishes like grills and boiled seafood, there are some house dishes at Pátio dos Marialvas that stand out. You may want to try octopus fricassé or their mild prawn curry, or even their signature dessert featuring lemon pudding and egg jam (known in Portuguese as doce de ovos) with almonds.
📍Rua Dr. Eduardo Burnay 69, 2655-329 Ericeira
www.facebook.com/marialvas.restaurante
Avó Restaurante
Young chef José Simplício pays tribute to his Grandma and all Portuguese Grandmas by naming his restaurant exactly that, “Grandma”, and cooking the type of recipes older Portuguese ladies would be proud to serve to their families and guests. We’re talking about traditional Portuguese food with very local inclinations, with products coming straight from the nearby Ericeira farmers market. In the chef’s own words, his cooking “is all about roots and tradition”. Born and raised in Ericeira, Simplício sure knows the local ingredients and how to transform them in the most appetizing ways.
📍Rua dos Ferreiros nº6, 2655-280 Ericeira
Golfinho Azul
This institution of Ericeira’s seafood restaurant scene is currently in its 3rd generation of management. They’re specialists on fresh fish, but go beyond the usual grills you’ll find in most Portuguese restaurants. Here you can experience a delightful serving of, for example, seared tuna with sweet potato mash, seafood rice with chunks of lobster, octopus with açorda flavored with cod roe, or a Brazilian inspired shrimp moqueca. Sit outdoors and marvel at the expansive blue of the ocean, and get the feeling that time should sometimes stand still so that you could prolong life’s delicious pleasures
📍Rua das Ribas 24, 2640-254 Encarnação
www.instagram.com/golfinhoazulrestaurante
Canastra
They say there are a lot of fish swimming in the sea, and we say that there are a lot of seafood restaurants to choose from in Ericeira! Canastra is amongst the best and while it may not be the most affordable, it prepares impeccable food, working only with fish and crustaceans which are always the freshest, and their location is brilliant too. If you want to eat something light, we recommend grilled fish. But if you’re in the mood for comfort food Portuguese style with strong flavors of the sea, we would suggest ordering caldeirada, a typical fisherman stew with different chunks of fish cooked with potatoes in a broth infused with tomato.
📍Rua Cap. João Lopes 8, 2655-295 Ericeira
www.facebook.com/canastra.ericeira
Mar d’Areia
Mar d’Areia was founded in 1959 by Natalina, who used to welcome fishermen who’d come by with their own catch of the day, to be cooked right there. This no-frills tavern made an evolution over the years, and it is now run by father and son, both named Egídio, who still take fresh fish very seriously. So much so that they do not serve meat at all, only fish. Start your meal here with a cod fritter, and ask what’s available on the day you visit. There’s no set menu, as it all depends on what the sea provides on the day you come around.
📍Rua da Fonte do Cabo 49
Taberna Lebre
Yet another marisqueira in Ericeira where most visitors coming from Lisbon do travel to with a great seafood meal in mind. Founded in 1950 by Praia dos Pescadores, the “fishermen beach”, Mar à Vista is one of the town’s most classic restaurants. Here the best quality seafood is cooked unpretentiously, in a way that doesn’t change the flavor of such delicacies all that much. The sea creatures are kept alive in tanks, and cooked to order – it doesn’t get much fresher than this!
📍Rua da Misericórdia 3, 2655-312 Ericeira
www.instagram.com/tabernalebre
Mar à Vista
Take a trip down memory lane, or wander back in time to get a sense of what the home of a Portuguese Grandma would be like, by stepping inside Santa Tasca. This petiscos house is a little bit like in days gone by, and we mean this in the most complimentary of ways. At Santa Tasca you get served honest food, with tons of local character. Margarida Fortunato, from Ericeira itself, makes sure her local and international guests get to taste wonderful Portuguese bites such as chicken gizzards (moelas estufadas), mussel fritters (pataniscas de mexilhão), fried octopus, and so much more.
📍Rua de Santo António 16, 2655-360 Ericeira
www.instagram.com/alberto_mar_a_vista
Santa Tasca
Take a trip down memory lane, or wander back in time to get a sense of what the home of a Portuguese Grandma would be like, by stepping inside Santa Tasca. This petiscos house is a little bit like in days gone by, and we mean this in the most complimentary of ways. At Santa Tasca you get served honest food, with tons of local character. Margarida Fortunato, from Ericeira itself, makes sure her local and international guests get to taste wonderful Portuguese bites such as chicken gizzards (moelas estufadas), mussel fritters (pataniscas de mexilhão), fried octopus, and so much more.
📍Largo Santa Marta 3A, 2655-336 Ericeira
www.instagram.com/santatascaericeira
Esplanada Furnas
This restaurant and cafe with spectacular outdoor seating is located in a scenic spot known as Furnas da Ericeira. As you can anticipate, the setting is great to unwind and enjoy good food and drinks. As you sit down to eat inside the restaurant, the decoration might make you feel like you are in the interior of a ship’s deck. Dare to try a fish, crustacean or shellfish you might have never tasted before: snapper, gilt-head bream, grouper, turbot, sea bass, sea bream, sole, barnacles, giant tiger prawns, lobster, clams… There’s just so much to choose from at Furnas.
📍Rua das Furnas 2, 2655-357 Ericeira
Marisqueira Furnas
The sister business of Esplanada Furnas above, this seafood restaurant is right beside the esplanada. Right by the ocean, this seafood restaurant can be a stupendous venue for parties, as it can host up to 350 people at once. This is the kind of place where you come to feast on shellfish and crustaceans, namely stuffed crab, shrimp, clams, razor clams, clams, whelks, barnacles, oysters, lobster and more.
📍Rua das Furnas 3, 2655-288 Ericeira
https://marisqueirafurnas.com/en
Pedra Dura
Portuguese meat lovers tend to enjoy eating bife na pedra, that is, a “steak on a stone”, which is basically a piece of beef that is presented to you raw at the table, and which you get to cook on a sizzling slab. This is the type of food which we would most likely order when we go out to eat in a small group, as it’s fun to cook and share while spending a good time at the table. If you prefer that the restaurant’s staff cooks your meal entirely inside the kitchen, don’t worry, as there are many other worthwhile Portuguese food options in Pedra Dura’s menu, and they serve pizza and pasta too.
📍Rua Dr. Eduardo Burnay 36 A, 2655-370 Ericeira
www.instagram.com/pedradura.ericeira
Mar das Latas
If you’re looking to experience a fancy dinner in Ericeira, Mar das Latas offers an upscale ambiance and food to match. If there is one cool place to enjoy sunset with a glass of wine in hand, it is certainly this wine bar which also serves delicious refined tapas. They serve very Portuguese appetizers such as dried tuna muxama, beef cheek croquettes or local cheeses, but also international favorites such as ceviche and gyozas. Mar das Latas’ location, with expansive views towards the magnitude of the ocean, is undoubtedly privileged. But even if the weather isn’t the best, you can still sit indoors and enjoy a really nice atmosphere.
📍Rua Cap. João Lopes 24A, 2655-295 Ericeira
Casa Portuguesa
When you name your business “Portuguese home”, you need to be very certain that you’ll serve food that the average Portuguese person would be proud to serve to their guests at home and, trust us, we’re pretty demanding when it comes to what we present our guests with, but also what we get served in restaurants or when we visit someone’s home. Let’s just say that we love eating (and talking about food) and we give a lot of importance to the act of eating. Casa Portuguesa is the type of classic Portuguese restaurant which won’t innovate but that serves the kind of well executed local food just the way the Portuguese like.
📍Rua 5 de Outubro 8, 2655-319 Ericeira
www.instagram.com/casaportuguesaoficial
Tik Tapas
We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: even though many businesses advertise tapas when talking about the type of small dishes they serve, which are usually meant to be shared, here in Portugal the correct term to refer to those types of appetizers and snacks is petiscos. That being said, Tik Tapas serves really good ones! Their menu is very complete, not only including more typical meat and fish based petiscos, but also great vegetarian options. This is a very popular eatery in Ericeira, and for good reason. As such, particularly if you’re planning to visit during the weekend, we’d recommend trying to book in advance.
📍Rua do Ericeira 15, 2655-308 Ericeira
Tasca da Fonte Boa dos Nabos
This typical restaurant serves home-style food, as straightforward and good as it gets. It’s like going to your Portuguese Mom’s house to eat, which can be a great thing particularly if you are from abroad and, well, don’t have a Portuguese Mom to cook for you! For as little as ten euros you can enjoy food that is not only pocket friendly, it will also feed your soul. We’re talking about homely dishes such as cod pataniscas with naughty rice, Brás style salt cod, bitoque steaks, oven roasted chicken, and other recipes which will simply taste like home to many of us.
📍Largo 25 de Abril, s/n, 2655-476 Ericeira
www.facebook.com/tascadafonteboadosnabos
O Gabriel
Located in the central Praça dos Navegantes, O Gabriel is another go-to place in Ericeira for fresh fish. Here, like it usually happens when an establishment serves wildly caught fish, the servings are priced by the kilo. Besides the catch of the day, there are other set dishes which also highlight the flavors of the sea, such as monkfish and shrimp skewer, or typical Portuguese octopus dishes, but also recipes which will keep those who prefer to eat meat satisfied.
📍Praça dos Navegantes 9, 2655-320 Ericeira
O Gafanhoto
Open for over half a century, O Gafanhoto (Portuguese for locust) is run by a grandson who inherited the business from his grandparents. Besides the expected grilled fish, at O Gafanhoto you can also try the dishes of the day that rotate weekly, and that bring loyal local customers around to taste their favorites. We are talking about classic Portuguese comfort food such as broad beans and ribs stew, roasted goatling and, twice a week, cozido à portuguesa, our typical boiled meats dinner (pictured here).
📍Rua da Conceição 8
www.facebook.com/restaurantegafanhoto
Emme
Inside Immerso Hotel, Emme’s menu has been designed by chef Alexandre Silva, known, amongst other projects, for his Michelin starred restaurant Loco (Rua Navegantes 53B), in Lisbon. For this venue, the chef has drawn inspiration from the region’s local cuisine, but naturally giving the signature touch one would expect from such a creative and surprising chef. There’s a menu running from lunch until the early evening, and a different range of dishes for dinner, which can take you from appetizers such as fire-cooked oysters or a vegetarian little dish or beetroot, cottage cheese and orange, to mains focusing on local fish but also high quality meats. If you’re in the mood for it, follow the wine pairing suggestions at least for desserts and top the experience in the best possible way.
📍Rua Bica Da figueira, 2640-065 Santo Isidoro
https://immerso.pt/en/restaurante/emme
A Panela
Uncomplicated good food, with particular focus on fresh fish grilled over charcoal, is what A Panela does best. At this family-run restaurant they usually set up the grill by the entrance, so walking by you may not be able to resist the enticing smell of smoke and fish as it fills the air and has the potential to make you hungry. Feel free to ask the staff for recommendations – folks in Ericeira really know about fish and will be able to recommend something that matches your general taste.
📍Largo Santa Marta 3B, 2655-357 Ericeira
www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063479083175
Ti Matilde
When visiting Ericeira, what many of us want to simply do is to sit at a restaurant with views towards the Atlantic ocean, and feast on the freshest creatures from the sea – and that is exactly the type of experience that Ti Matilde provides. When you visit with a small group, you can order one of the big wildly caught fishes, which they’ll grill for you whole. This is normally sold by the weight, and not per dish, you so many want to confirm beforehand how much the price of the total fish (plus side dishes) would come to, in order to avoid surprises in the end. We love coming to Ti Matilde specially for a summer dinner, when the days are long and you can enjoy sunset as your taste buds are on a delightful journey.
📍Rua Dr. Manuel Arriaga 29, 2655-253 Ericeira
www.instagram.com/timatilde.restaurante
Best bakeries and pastry shops in Ericeira
Pão da Vila
Pão da Vila, whose name translates as “the bread of the town” is an institution in Ericeira. So much so that the business has actually grown and expanded with shops even in central Lisbon. But to visit the original Pão da Vila you must head to Jogo da Bola, Ericeira’s most iconic plaza, which is also an ideal place to sit down for a cup of coffee, or a Portuguese style breakfast, while engaging in some people watching. Pão da Vila is essentially a bakery and pastry shop, what we refer to in Portuguese as a pastelaria, but they also serve brunch and light meals all day long.
📍Praça da República 12, 2655-347 Ericeira
T3rço do Meio
This sourdough bakery and café is responsible for keeping the culture of artisanal slowly fermented bread alive and well in Ericeira. They only work with selected flours and focus on local and seasonal products. Besides selling bread, they also bake lovely vegan pastries too. Whether you are following a plant-based diet or not, you can enjoy T3rço do Meio’s range of small plates and specialty coffee. Or you could also visit them when you go spend the day at the Praia do Sul beach, and grab snacks galore to keep you satisfied while swimming in Ericeira’s rough waters.
📍Praça dos Navegantes loja 16, 2655-320 Ericeira
O Pãozinho das Marias
O Pãozinho das Marias was founded almost two decades ago as a straight-forward bakery and cafe. Nowadays, it is also a pastry shop, selling all sorts of sweets, including celebration cakes and the usual range of pastries you’d normally find at a Portuguese pastelaria. A few years ago, O Pãozinho das Marias won the popular competition for the best pastel de nata in Lisbon, so trying their custard tart would definitely be a good start, but, if you have a sweet tooth, there will be many enticing things which will catch your eye at both stores of O Pãozinho das Marias.
📍Rua Florêncio Granate 10, 2655-253 Ericeira
📍Praça da República 15, 2655-347 Ericeira
www.facebook.com/opaozinhodasmarias
Galiota
Galiota isn’t exactly a bakery, but we thought we’d include it here as it specializes in tostas, that is, Portuguese style grilled sandwiches. These aren’t your average toasties. We’re talking about enormous portions with creative fillings, being that the usual in most Portuguese cafes would simply be ham and cheese, that is, tosta mista. In Galiota’s team’s own words, they serve “tostas d’outro mundo”, that is, otherworldly sandwiches. Some interesting fillings include tuna with cheese and onions or the vegetariana, with a variety of veggies. Galiota’s tostas are so big that you can order half portions too. You may or may not want to ask for a side of fries, but we think you should definitely consider the house sangria to wash it all down!
📍Rua Dr. Eduardo Burnay 6B, 2655-369 Ericeira
www.instagram.com/galiota_ericeira
Cool places to grab a drink in Ericeira
5 e Meio – TapRoom
This tap room serves craft beers of their own brand, 5 e Meio, presenting “easy to drink” ales, but also surprising flavors such as tomato, chili or even cuttlefish ink! Because we firmly believe that good drinks need yummy bites to keep them company, we’re happy 5 e Meio serves hit-the-spot appetizers, such as meat croquetes, fries, loaded sandwiches in artisanal bread, and more. As Ericeira’s hipster side keeps growing in recent years, a craft brewery in town could only make sense!
📍Rua do Ericeira N14, 2655-271 Ericeira
Cervejaria 7 Janelas
Located in the heart of Ericeira, Cervejaria 7 Janelas is a hybrid between a beer house and a restaurant. You could come here just for a drink, hopefully to taste one of their in-house crafted beers, but you’d seriously be missing out by ignoring the food menu. Their range of dishes covers some of Portugal’s most classic recipes, including salt cod dishes, octopus, and the ultimate comfort food for Portuguese folks when eating out, bitoque, a beef steak with a fried egg on top.
📍Rua 5 de Outubro 11R/C, 2655-255 Ericeira
www.instagram.com/cervejaria7janelas
Jukebox
This cocktail bar is a great nightlife spot in Ericeira, but we like that, besides carefully crafted drinks, it also serves some food too. If it’s true that the focus goes towards drinks, it can’t be denied that they also serve a mean grilled chouriço too, as well as charcuterie boards and other snacks such as open sandwiches, for a light dinner or, if you’re drinking the night away, to keep your energy levels going. Jukebox has a nice and colorful outdoor terrace and things tend to get lively around here as classic rock plays in the background.
📍Rua Dr. Miguel Bombarda 7, 2655-308 Ericeira
Adega Bar 1987
This bar in Ericeira has been going strong since it opened, just like the name clearly mentions, back in 1987. It’s one of those spots that, if you get to make friends with someone from Ericeira, they’ll probably take you to. They keep organizing different themed nights, including live music sessions. Adega Bar 1987 is a super fun spot not only to grab a drink, but also to dance (a lot) and to munch on a quick snack if while burning calories on the dance floor you get hungry.
📍Rua Alves Crespo 3, 2655-220 Ericeira
www.instagram.com/adegabar1987
Do you feel like taking a day trip to Ericeira when you travel to Lisbon? We sincerely think it would be worth it! If you make it there and have a meal at one of our suggested restaurants, please share your photos with us via Instagram Tag us: @tasteoflisboa #tasteoflisboa
Feed your curiosity on Portuguese food culture:
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The best seafood restaurants in Lisbon
Differences and similarities between the Spanish and the Portuguese cuisines
Day trips from Lisbon that you will love to do
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