Fontes do Horácio restaurant — Restaurant in Calheta

Unfortunately, our visit to Fontes do Horácio turned out to be quite disappointing, despite the promising reviews we'd seen. While the price (€136 for 2 appetizers, 4 main courses, water, and wine) was appealing, it simply couldn't compensate for the lack of food quality and service.

The appetizers were passable, but the tartare sauce served with the squid and fried fish was notably bland.

The main courses, however, were the biggest letdown:

My cod was incredibly overcooked, almost leather-like in texture.

The two grilled espada fillets were cooked to mush, completely destroying the fish's delicate flavor.

The mixed seafood platter was equally unremarkable and did nothing to salvage the meal.

The side dishes also left much to be desired: peas and carrots that seemed to come straight from a can, which is simply unacceptable for a restaurant striving for authenticity.

The ambiance was further undermined by the staff. Swift service from someone wearing an earpiece and the presence of a serving robot didn't contribute at all to the "genuine" experience we were hoping for.

In summary, you can safely skip this place. There are undoubtedly much better restaurants to be found that genuinely offer the quality and authenticity Madeira...

This is our go to place and we have been coming here periodically despite this place being a 20 minute drive from our place. Good level of service with some of the regular staff remember you and acknowledge you to the point asking to let them know in advance since they do not have much of a vegetable choice meals and they will put something together. For non veg there is plenty of choice at reasonable prices, with generous tasty portions and ingredients that you can not fault for anything except vegetables are little overdone. Their dish of the day with different choices over various days are faultless but you have to make it before 1 pm as they run out due to large clientele base. Plenty of space with lots of seating in enclosed space makes the environment a bit noisy at busy lunch times. No cocktails and very limited choice of orange juice, however pitcher of sangria and choice of craft and draft beer to satisfy your thirst. Good choice deserts. Parking can be difficult to find near by as the place is...

We had high expectations with this place, as it has been recommended by locals and has high reviews on google maps as well. Unfortunately, we left a bit disappointed: the food tasted very avarage and was not well cooked. The fish and potato was still raw, the vegetables were clearly made from frozen. Positives: very friendly staff, good views, funny service with the robocat, and great wine selection. We also appreciate that this place is child friendly, although this was not relevant for us and could be an issue for those that are looking for a quiet dinner. The big screen running in the back did not help with this. In summary: okay prices but below avarage culinary experience. Felt more...