Martin’s restaurant — Restaurant in Maio

We were in Maio to celebrate Christmas and had come over from London a week before. As most places in the island were closed on Christmas day, we decided to have dinner at Martin's on Christmas Eve. As you will see from the photos, we were a happy family. We ordered some fish, a seafood paella and a chicken burger for my son. You can see these from the photos. The last photo is revealing; yes, me and my wife were sick for the whole night and our Christmas was ruined. Beware. It was the most horrible experience for us and the most expensive. This was by far the priciest place on the whole island. The place is fancy, the waiters are smooth and Martin tells you some tales of his travels in Coventry and where he is from, Rhode Island, USA.

In response to the owner's comment: Martin, absolutely true that I did not go to a doctor. I and my wife were violently unwell and in a new town with a ten year old, I did not have the courage to find medical facilities to satisfy your need to establish in your court, that it was your seafood that brought us down.

Regarding asking for a refund, you asked "What can we do?" I replied "At the least, I shouldn't pay for food that made us unwell." You said, "Ineed a hospital certificate." At which point, I left. I am glad you take such care of your customers' concerns. I really couldn't give a damn about the refund. I came a long way for a decent Christmas. A dinner at yours ruined it for me and my family. That refund would hardly matter/. Keep it and hopefully spend it on staff education and kitchen hygiene....

If I could give more stars I would! Martin's is located right on Ponta Preta Beach, with an amazing view and atmosphere. The restaurant is very well maintained, clean and modern, with its outdoor seating,which is magical.

The food is probably the best I've had in Cabo Verde. Great variety on the menu and the staff are always willing to accommodate you with alternative food choices. My daughter has gluten and dairy allergies and they offered her many choices to make her feel comfortable, and her food was amazing. The drinks were outstanding, although I'm not a drinker, my wife and mom loved them all.

This place just begs you to come back. The staff were so welcoming, professional and courteous. The owners were there to make sure you're well taken care of. They are an absolutely lovely couple. We had great conversations with them. They literally make you feel like family.

We loved it so much that we came two days in a row. We walked up and down the beach, drank a lot, laughed, we had an amazing time with them and my family. I'll be sure to come back next time I visit Maio. Great memories!

**Update: We loved Martin's so much that on our most recent trip,we spent some time there and I must say it just keeps getting better, which I didn't think was possible. The wait staff is impeccable. Our waiter Miguel was the best. He always made sure we were taken care of and made great suggestions. We had wonderful conversations and he made us feel at home. The new additions to their menu are awesome. Such a great place...

My wife, Rama, and I came to Maio on a day trip to see Porto Inglês having spent the best part of two weeks touring around Ilha de Santiago. Visiting Martin’s Restaurante in Ponta Preta was the highlight of our visit to this wonderful island. The cocktails were great (according to Rama), the views were spectacular, and the meal was the best of our vacation in Cape Verde! We both had the fish with rice, which tasted amazing. I also had a tropical salad while Rama tried the coconut pudding for dessert. Everything tasted great and capped off our day in Maio perfectly. Most memorable of all was the incredible service. Every person who works here, from the waiters to the chefs, to Martin himself made us feel so at home that we were very sad to leave. There are few restaurants where I have experienced such warmth and kindness (places I visited regularly, where there is a built-up rapport); Martin’s Restaurante made us feel as if we were locals who dine there all the time. If you visit Cape Verde, do yourself a favor and stop in at Martin’s. We will not forget this...