Restaurante Jardim da Vila — Restaurant in Alcobaça

A Hidden Gem with a Heart of Gold – A Dinner to Remember

It’s not every day you stumble upon a restaurant that leaves such a lasting impression—not just because of the food, but because of the people behind it. Last night, we had the absolute pleasure of dining at a charming little place run by a wonderfully kind lady whose warmth and attention to detail made the evening feel almost like a visit to a dear friend’s home.

From the very beginning, the service was exceptional. When we were just deciding on what to order, we got good recommendations.

A small but incredibly thoughtful touch: after noticing that the air conditioning was blowing directly toward our table, the server immediately asked whether we’d prefer it turned off for our comfort. It may seem like a small thing, but it spoke volumes about the care they take with every guest.

As for the food… where do I begin? Every single dish was outstanding. The starters set the tone beautifully, and from there it only got better. The shrimp in lobster sauce was simply divine—rich, yet balanced, perfectly cooked, and bursting with flavor. The strip loin steak was equally impressive, cooked to absolute perfection with a depth of flavor that rivaled some of the best steakhouses I’ve been to.

And here's the most unbelievable part: for all that, including a lovely wine, sparkling water, and coffee to finish the evening, we paid under €50 in total. I’ve dined at many fine restaurants, some of them considerably more expensive, and I can honestly say the experience here could stand proudly beside any of them.

To the lovely owner and the attentive waitress who took such good care of us—thank you. You gave us not just a meal, but a memory. We’ll be back soon, and we’ll be telling all our friends to come as well.

With heartfelt gratitude, A...

Honestly we thought this was a great find initially. Looks good on arrival and being local I thought i could see us coming here regular. NO. We walked up to the door it was opened promptly btw it the inside was empty. Outside there was a nice little area open almost. Door flung open “have you a reservation” Yes was the reply fine you have two tables as you are 2 to choose from. We had the option of 2 pokey tables one by a plant artificial in my face and 1 in the corner out of the way we chose the plant. We did ask to be seated outside no was the reply as it was to windy and some sort of muffled excuse despite more people arriving after us and sitting outside comfortably. We had to ask for drinks after 15 minutes as the staff were to busy talking to each other typical Portuguese they seem to forget who is paying the bill. Starters were good to be fair but then it ended. Portuguese families and a birthday group arrived with a cake thinking they were the king of somewhere or other and got the attention they demanded whilst we waited in our little table and the fake plant. Mains arrived and it came with chips. Again all ok accept the little things if you are going to server good food why accompany it with chips out of a frozen bag why not like nearly all portuguese restaurants give fresh peeled and cut and cooked chips. Lazy. We decided to just pay and leave after that the bad thing is we are not tourists although we felt like it and we would have come here at least 3 or 4 times a week. There were a few other expats but the kind that would think chips and rice are a five star restaurant. Wont be back typically Portuguese slop I’m afraid but could be better if they got there head out of...

I have not seen the interior of this restaurant, but the terrasse is beautiful. The service is quick and friendly. The menu is a mix of pizzas and french style dishes. For starters, we had the garlic bread which is freshly made pillowy rolls of bread/pizza with a delicious aioli sauce. I also wanted to try the fresh foie gras and it was amazing. Perfectly cooked with a flavorful reduction. It's not easy to find fresh foie gras and this one was perfectly well executed. This starter really made my day. For mains, we had the duck breast and a pizza. The duck breast was very good, maybe a little too cooked, but still moist and tasty. The pizza was good but nothing exceptional. For dessert, I tried the crèpe flambée with beirão licor. It's pretty went it arrives (the flambée part), but even if the crèpe itself was well done. It was not very tasty and I was convinced by the licor de beirão. Overall the price was reasonable. Not everything was perfect, but some of the dishes were...