São Miguel in the Azores has so much to offer and so many attractions we sometimes forget it is also a foodie destination. Known as the green island, its temperate climate is excellent for agricultural and livestock production. Consequently, it has high-quality ingredients such as corn, sweet potatoes, tea, beef, cheese, fish, and fresh seafood.
The island has several high-quality restaurants, taking advantage of all the quality ingredients from São Miguel. Some specialize in the famous Azores steak, others in fresh fish and seafood.
In this article on the best restaurants in São Miguel in the Azores, we include restaurants of all types, from economical to luxury, from the most traditional to the most modern—restaurants for fish and seafood or meat. We chose restaurants spread across the entire island, from North to South, East to West, so you will have options close to whatever you visit that day.
We did not have any financial incentive or sponsorship. These are restaurants that we like and/or were recommended by our friends who live in São Miguel in the Azores.
Ponta Delgada – Best restaurants
A Tasca
A Tasca is one of the most famous restaurants in São Miguel. Even during the low season, it is busy, so we recommend booking a table as far in advance as possible. Even so, during high season, you may not be able to get a table.
Despite the name (Tasca means tavern in Portuguese), it is not really a tavern; it is a modern but not formal restaurant. It’s a great place to eat traditional Azorean food, whether meat or fish, but with a contemporary touch. It has a pleasant atmosphere, and the service is phenomenal. They are all friendly, and when we went in January (so low season), the service was quick.
One of Tasca’s highlights is the tuna fillet with sesame seeds. Tuna isn’t typically our favorite fish, but here it was divine, and it’s worth going there to try it. We also tried the stewed octopus, which was pretty good but fell short compared to the tuna.
There is also a good variety of desserts using several local ingredients, such as yam pudding and pineapple cake. The bean pudding was a pleasant surprise.
- Price – 20 to 30 €/person (with drinks and dessert)
- Service – Friendly employees and a pleasant atmosphere
- Address – R. do Aljube 16, 9500-018, Ponta Delgada
Taverna Açor
Taberna Açor is the ideal place if you want to have a snack and small tapas. It is a friendly restaurant with very helpful and attentive waiters.
The restaurant has a very good fish soup, with the option of being served on bread (great for those hungry). You will also find other traditional Azorean dishes, such as black pudding from Sao Miguel with pineapple and chicharros with vilão sauce, among others.
It is located in the center of Ponta Delgada, making it perfect for visiting when exploring the island’s capital. During high season, we recommend booking a table.
- Price – 20 to 30 €/person (with drinks and coffee)
- Service – Very friendly employees and a pleasant atmosphere
- Address – R. dos Mercadores 41, 9500-150 Ponta Delgada
Mané Cigano
Mané Cigano is a very small place with few tables. It serves traditional Azorean food, but the dishes on the menu vary depending on the day. It is a typical family and conventional Portuguese restaurant where locals eat daily.
The food is excellent and simple. It’s the perfect place for a casual lunch with an everyday atmosphere. The day we went, we had fried chicharros, which were very good. Chicharros is a local name for horse mackerel. Unfortunately, they were accompanied by a stir-fried bean paste that was slightly burnt.
We also heard that octopus is delicious, but it is not available every day and sells out quickly.
The white cheese with black pepper sauce was also spectacular, perhaps even the best we ate on the island. They are only open for lunch and do not take reservations, so we recommend arriving early.
- Price – 10 to 15 €/person (with entrance, drinks and coffee)
- Service – Small but cozy space (can get a little noisy); service is quick
- Address – Rua Engº José Cordeiro Antiga da Calheta 3, 9500-310 Ponta Delgada
Pier 20
Cais 20 is the place to go in Ponta Delgada to eat fish or seafood. It is located slightly outside the center of Ponta Delgada, on the seafront, with a terrace and a spacious car park.
The restaurant serves delicious fresh fish and some divine limpets and barnacles. In addition to fish and seafood, the side dishes are also very good. They serve a vegetable packet that is so tasty that it could be the protagonist of the meal – this is in a restaurant that serves one the best fish and seafood in the Azores…
The Boca Negra (in English, it has three names: black belly rosefish, bluemouth rockfish, and bluemouth seaperch) we ate at Pier 20 was delicious and grilled to the ideal point. For starters, we tried the famous Cracas (Azorean barnacles) at the waiter’s suggestion, and we really enjoyed them – similar to ordinary barnacles but with an even stronger sea flavor.
The space is ample, and the staff are very friendly and helpful; they explain the dishes and chat a little with the customers. The whole experience was very good. They accept reservations, so it is recommended, especially in summer.
- Price – €20 + / person, but it depends significantly on what you eat (with starter, drinks, and coffee). Lobster is much more expensive than grilled fish.
- Service – Very good, everyone is very friendly, and the location close to the sea is the perfect environment to eat fish and seafood.
- Address – Beco Major Moniz 41, 9500-713 São Roque (near Ponta Delgada)
São Miguel Restaurants outside Ponta Delgada
Bar da Caloura – Água de Pau
If you want a pleasant place with a terrace and sea views that serve fresh and delicious fish, Bar da Caloura is the ideal option. Bar da Caloura is located in Caloura close to the beach, or rather the bathing area, where there is a pool with sea water and a small bay without sand. Even in winter, when you can’t go to the beach, the place is beautiful.
The restaurant, besides being very pleasant, serves tasty fish and seafood. We ate the famous limpets from the Azores wrapped in a butter sauce full of flavor. The mussels were equally delicious but with a different texture. Serves a variety of fish depending on the day’s catch. You can also go to the bar and have a drink on the terrace, but we highly recommend the restaurant.
Bar da Caloura does not accept reservations, so we recommend arriving early at midday or after 1:30 pm.
- Price – 10 to 20 €/person, but depends on the seafood/fish (with starter, drinks, and coffee)
- Service – very attentive staff and the ideal place to sit on the terrace listening to the sea.
- Address- Rua da Caloura, 20, 9560-211 Água de Pau
Associação Agricola de São Miguel – Ribeira Grande
The Associação Agricola restaurant is the most famous restaurant in the Azores; in fact, it is one of the hallmark images of the Azores. The restaurant is always full, even in winter, with fewer tourists. This is not a touristy thing, azoreans often go to the Association’s restaurant.
The house specialty is steak, although there are other meat dishes, such as hamburgers made with Azorean beef. But honestly, going to the association and not eating regional steak is criminal, especially on the first visit. The steak is tender and high. The Association steak is drizzled with a delicious sauce made with white wine and ground pepper. It is accompanied by ground pepper and roasted garlic. The combination is perfect.
Of all the restaurants on this list, the Associação Agrícola Restaurant is perhaps the one that should top your must-go list. They accept reservations, and booking is advisable despite being huge.
- Price – 20 to 30 €/person (without entry and follow-up).
- Service – The space is ample, and the staff are attentive.
- Address – Campo Do Santana, Rabo de Peixe Fairgrounds (Ribeira Grande)
Casa de Pasto: O Cardoso – Lomba da Fazenda, Nordeste
Casa de Pasto O Cardoso restaurant in Nordeste surprised us. And very much so! The restaurant was highly recommended by an employee at a tourist office, so we gave it a chance. It has a humble appearance from the outside, but the food is delicious and cheap. During weekdays at lunch, it serves high-quality dishes of the day.
The restaurant’s most popular dishes are the São Miguel stewed octopus and the regional steak. And they are both very good. The steak was thick and well served, the octopus was cooked perfectly, and the sauce had an intense flavor. In our opinion, it is even better than a Tasca. Of the several times we ate octopus in São Miguel, this was the most memorable and the least expensive.
Other typical regional dishes are available, such as assaduras (similar to Rojões, a very typical Portuguese dish) and fried chicharros.
We recommend this restaurant, especially if you are in the Northeast on the island of S. Miguel. It’s also a good restaurant for eating something more economical. It is only open at lunchtime.
- Price – 10 to 20 €/person (with coffee or dessert).
- Service – The staff are very attentive, and the space is small.
- Address – Estrada Regional, EN1-1A 19, 9630-103 Lomba da Fazenda
Casa de Pasto: O Amaral – Porto Formoso
Casa de Pasto o Amaral is another fantastic coastal restaurant. It’s a simple place with an almost tavern atmosphere but serves lovely fish dishes.
The limpet rice we ate there is divine, but there are several options for fish dishes, from grilled fresh fish of the day to limpets, octopus, and tuna.
It is located in Porto Formoso near the Gorreana Tea Factory. Besides the fish being very good, the restaurant is cheap. During the summer it can get crowded so we recommend reserving a place.
- Price – 10 to 20 €/person (with entrance and coffee).
- Service – The staff is very attentive and has an open terrace, which is very pleasant in the summer.
- Address – M518 28, 9625-425 Porto Formoso.
Banhos Férreos – Furnas
The Banhos Férreos was recommended to us by an Açorean from Furnas. The specialty of this restaurant is the famous Furnas stew cooked in volcanic calderas, and while we have never tried another Furnas stew, we can say that this one is very good.
Different types of meat, pork, beef, and chicken, are so well cooked that they fall apart. The meat comes accompanied by potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, vegetables, and sausages. The stew comes with some of the broth in which it is cooked, which is very aromatic.
Sometimes, the Furnas stew has the reputation of smelling or tasting a little like the sulfur of the furnace where it is cooked, but in Banhos Férreos, we don’t feel that. In addition to the stew, there are other traditional Azorean dishes.
Although it is not one of the most famous restaurants in Furnas, we advise you to book it, especially in the summer.
- Price – 15 to 20 €/person (with coffee and drink).
- Service – Nice space and the staff are very attentive.
- Address – Rua Maria Eugénia Moniz Oliveira, 9675-059 Furnas.
O Américo, Monasteries
O Américo is a restaurant in Mosteiros near Ponta da Ferraria, so it’s a great place to go after swimming in the Ferraria thermal baths or Mosteiros Natural Pools. It’s a simple restaurant, like a tavern, but it serves very good food and has a good rating on Google.
The house specialty is the roasted octopus, which we ate, and it was very good; it was tender, melted in the mouth with a tasty tomato and wine sauce accompanied by boiled potatoes. We highly recommend it. We also had grilled limpets, which were scrumptious with a buttery, lemony sauce. They were fresh and juicy.
Besides the octopus, they also serve an impressive steak. We didn’t have the opportunity to try it, but seeing the tall steak served on top of a slice of bread with garlic and ground pepper was impressive. And people having it seemed to enjoy it… a lot. It’s another dish you should try.
The restaurant had a pleasant atmosphere, and everyone was very attentive. It also has a good price/quality ratio.
- Price – 15 to 20€ /person (with coffee and drink) – 2024.
- Service – Nice space, and the staff are attentive.
- Address – R. das Pensões 13, Mosteiros.
Blue Lagoon – Sete Cidades
Lagoa Azul is a restaurant with traditional Azorean food that serves a buffet in Sete Cidades. The food is not extraordinary, but it is tasty.
We added it to this list of the best restaurants in São Miguel because few restaurants are near the famous Blue and Green Lagoon. Therefore, it is helpful to know a good restaurant, especially if you want to go on one of the hikes in this area.
It’s a fine restaurant if you’re hungry and want to try different Azorean dishes, but it probably won’t be the highlight of your trip. Dishes vary every day. As it is a buffet service, you can eat whatever you want without a limit. The buffet includes coffee and drinks. Please note that the restaurant is not open all afternoon.
- Price – €17 /person (with coffee and drink) – 2024.
- Service – Nice space, and the staff are attentive.
- Address – Rua da Caridade 18, 9555-198 Sete Cidades.
Other Recommended Restaurants in São Miguel
This is the list of restaurants that we haven’t had the chance to go to yet, but we really liked them because they were recommended to us personally or had excellent ratings/comments.
To be clear, we didn’t go to any of the São Miguel restaurants below because they were closed for vacation or renovation or because we couldn’t book in advance. That’s for next time, as we do not doubt that they will be one of the best restaurants in São Miguel as they are recommended by locals in São Miguel who have eaten there several times. They are also popular and have good reviews on Google.
Alcides
Alcides is one of the most famous restaurants in Ponta Delgada in São Miguel. In fact, to eat at this restaurant, you need to book in advance, even in the low season.
This restaurant specializes in regional steak but has other traditional Azorean dishes, including various fish options. This is a high-end restaurant, so prices are a little higher than average. In addition to being a restaurant, Alcides is also a hotel.
We tried to go to Alcides but couldn’t reserve a spot in time. It was recommended by a resident of São Miguel, who guarantees that the restaurant is very good. According to our friend, the regional steak at Alcides is even better than at the Associação Agricola restaurant.
- Address – R. Hintze Ribeiro 67, 9500-049 Ponta Delgada
Aliança, Ponta Delgada
Aliança is another restaurant specializing in steak and is a good option if you want a restaurant in Ponta Delgada that is more accessible (in low season, no reservations are needed) and a little cheaper. It has a good quality/price ratio.
It serves several typical S. Miguel dishes and has a dish of the day. We didn’t go to this restaurant, at the time it was undergoing renovations. But he was advised by a resident of Ponta Delgada, and we will surely try it next time.
- Address – R. do Açoreano Oriental 23, 9500-769 Ponta Delgada.
Alabote , Ribeira Grande
Alabote is a fish restaurant in Ribeira Grande. It is one of the best fish restaurants on the island. The restaurant serves a variety of fish and seafood but has some meat dishes. It is located on the beachfront overlooking the sea and is a very pleasant restaurant for lunch/dinner.
When we went there, it was closed for holidays, but it was recommended by an island resident who eats there often. Interestingly, we met the owner or manager when we tried to go there, and he was very approachable and friendly. He even gave us some alternative restaurant recommendations.
- Address – R. East Providence 68, 9600-524 Ribeira Grande
Tonys
Tonys restaurant is the most famous restaurant in Furnas and is known for its stew made in volcanic calderas. It is very popular and constantly full, so booking in advance is mandatory. Servings of the stew are limited by reservation.
This is not the only stew restaurant in Furnas; although we couldn’t go, it is reputed to have excellent stew. My inlaws have been there and enjoyed it.
You will find Tony’s Snack Bar near the restaurant, which belongs to the same owner but only serves light meals and hot and cold drinks.
- Address – Rua Largo Teatro, 9675-036 Furnas
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